Nostalgic memories of St Mary Cray's local history

Share your own memories of St Mary Cray and read what others have said

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.

Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.

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Displaying all 8 Memories

1960s St Mary Cray

Lived on poverest rd 1960s went to leesons hill and poverest schools top of hill then went to edge bury school chislehurst Went to 77 lessons hill to revisit but bungalow now flats most still the same.great times fun fair/fire works down near Cray river and 1955 ford consul for dads taxi Spo g

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Added 06 January 2016

St Mary Cray, Secondary Modern School. Orpington. Kent.

I first attended St Mary Cray secondary Modern school, Hearns Rise in about 1958/59 when I was about eleven or so. We had some very good teachers and most of the lessons I enjoyed except maths which has been a total anathema all my life, figures and me just do not get on. The art classes and metalwork and woodwork classes were my best subjects and I was quite good at English ...see more

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Added 21 December 2015

Poverest Road As I Remember It

People use to refer to me as Ian Little. Well I was bread and born in 53 Hood Avenue, St Mary Cray in 1940. At three months old I was taken to my grandmother Mrs Little at 20 Fordcroft Road. My grandmother passed away on my thirtieth birthday, Poverest Road back then was called Sherwood Road. I can remember going up Poverest road to school and I used to talk to the German soldiers that ...see more

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Added 15 July 2014

Tulips From St Mary Cray

I lived in Station Road no 24 i had the Surname Sheppard back then i moved to the area back in 1964 or thereabouts,went to Leeson's Hill primary school my neighbours to the right were the Sturge family i cannot remember who lived to the left of us remember playing down by the river at the end of our alley a whole croud of us kids would paddle in the river there and in those days it was freezing,no ...see more

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Added 01 April 2014

St Paul's Cray 1970

I have great memories of growing up in Normanhurst Road - have been in Australia since turning 21. Going down the road to the brook, catching newts and minnows, walking up the hill to go to Walsingham School. Buying fireworks from the toy shop at Cotmandene Crescent. I'm pretty sure I could still name most of the shops in the 70's. As I got older remember drinking at the Bull pub, St Mary's Cray.

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Added 14 July 2013

Memories From My Parents During Ww2

My parents Leo Landy and Mary Casey, then engaged, were coming back from Petts Wood in the evening when the bombs started falling, they began to run, but my mother started having hysterics and my father had to slap her round the face to calm her down. They ran to Bluefield Terrace where my mother lived with her parents. Another recollection, during a time when the air raid warning was going ...see more

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Added 03 October 2012

Up And Down Poverest Road

When my wife & I were courting I walked up and down Poverest Road many times. She lived at 1 Forest Way at the top of Poverest. I lived in St Pauls Cray. It was such a serious courtship that I was out in all weathers and at all times of the night. I knew that route house by house and stone by stone. In May this year we celebrated our 50th anniversary. We no longer walk Poverest Road as we live in ...see more

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Added 30 August 2006

Snellings The Butchers

Not so much as a memory but an observation. The butchers shop shown in foreground - Snellings - is still there and the board to the front of the railings had what was on that week at the local cinema - The Commodore, long since demolished.