Wonderful Times Growing Up In South Ockendon

A Memory of South Ockendon.

It’s been a real pleasure to read all the various memories of South Ockendon back in the 50s and 60s. I was born in Brixton and moved to West Norwood. My Mum & Dad both wanted to move out of London and we managed to get 2 potential council swaps arranged to South Ockendon. So one weekend in January 1956 Mum, Dad, brother Neil and myself jumped on a Green Line bus from Aldgate and got off at Ford Place bus stop. We viewed a newish regular house in Cullen Square, then walked up Cruick Avenue to Foxglove Crescent to #94 to view a prefab. We all chose the prefab: bungalow style, all mod cons, large front and back gardens. The family there, the Fords, had a son who was a quite good artist, who painted a pin up on what was to become our bedroom wall and that rather sold it for me! We moved in and I went to Mardyke School. Mr Childs was the head, Mrs Joyce deputy head (later to replace Mr Childs when he died), Mr West my final year teacher, Mrs Lawrence (Music), Mrs Wright, Mrs or Miss Osborne. Ian Lowrie was ‘appointed’ to help me settle in and I remember in my class Jeff Hooper, Lawrence Griffin, Robert Davies, Valerie Lawrence, Eileen Skeath, John Greenslade. Living near me in the prefabs were the Newcombes, Kenneth Ely, The Rogers sister (Linda & Pamela), sisters Norma & Linda Harris, Glyn Trigg, The Fletchers (Pauline & Maureen), The Blackies next door (Michael & Robert), at the rear Billy Ellis whose father kept homing pigeons, Michael Standing, Doreen Smith, opposite was Alan Ellis and his brother. I later passed the 11+ and went to Palmer’s Boys in September 1959 along with Ian Lowrie and Robert Davies. I caught the 370 in South Road to Grays every morning for school. From school I joined the Royal Navy in 1964 but left in 1967 getting a job at Aveley Electric, Arisdale Avenue. I was good friends there with Roland Pennycook who lived in Orchard Road and we used to go to watch Spurs games together with my Dad.
My first girlfriend was Linda Henderson who lived in Cruick Avenue and who went to Palmer’s Girls. Her family moved to Hornchurch a couple of years later but I was in contact with her on and off till 1972 when she was due to move to South Africa with her fiancé. Ironically I then got a job in oil exploration and my first trip was to South Africa/South-West Africa but I lost contact and would love to hear anything about her.

I could go on forever about my wonderful childhood, apologies to those whom I played and worked with but have not mentioned and would be happy to communicate with anyone interested. Steve Wood

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