Nostalgic memories of Stafford's local history
Share your own memories of Stafford 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.
Add a Memory!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the 'Add Your Memory' buttons to begin
Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 21 in total
I am learning more about my family history, and have discovered my Grandad trained to be a nurse at the General Infirmary, Foregate Street, Stafford. He became a registered nurse in 1950, before moving down to work in London. Does anyone have memories of training there? I would love to learn what it was like. He worked as a volunteer helping with the ambulances during WW2 beforehand. I would be very interested if anyone has memories of this as well.
It’s a rather sad fact that you only come to appreciate a town several years after you have left it. At the age of 19 I was sent to live and work in Stafford between 1964 and 1979, before the Main Street was fully pedestrianised and it’s much maligned traffic relief ‘ring road’ scheme was devised and tortuously introduced. It was a time when Stafford still strove to be a ...see more
My father recalled when this castle was occupied in the 1930's. How did it ever fall into such neglect so quickly that it was virtually razed to the ground? Who let part of our heritage disappears so readily?
Hi,
I was born 43 Tixall road and my Grandmother was at No. 45 we would walk into town via the River Sow
to the baths with towel under our arms. Or into town to Woodalls for material or wool and on market day there would be flags for your donations and into the old market with the smells of fruit and veg .
Around the back was the gas works with the constant smell of the gas and a visit to the park to feed the ducks ...see more
My family moved back to Stafford in 1940. Dad would go off on his bike to English Electric most mornings and did Home Guard some nights, it was quite a sight him on his bike, two rifles over his shoulder and he was 17 stone, big man ! He even found time to captain the English Electric cricket team and be landlord of the Royal Oak !
I would take my little brother to school on the Midland Red. Later I played rugby for ...see more
This development included a Coop Department store and a bookshop that I frequented in my teenage years. The Coop skirted around the corner into Stafford Street and two of the original terraced houses on that street were occupied by the Woolrich family of four sisters and six brothers. The two up and two down houses had no bathrooms and lit by gaslight. I would lovevto track down photos of Stafford St as it was.
The Perry family owned 2/3 businesses on Mill Street, but the corner building on the left, at the corner with the over- hang was run (owned?) by my step grandfather Samuel Perry in the 1930's/ 40's, maybe even either side of these dates. My father, William (Bill) Hales told how as a single man, along with friends they would pay to play snooker in the room above the shop. His sister twins, Edith and Phyllis Hales would serve in ...see more
Who remembers Reginald Shakespear (Shakey) who lived in Broad Eye. He was a superb musician playing Sax and also Banjo. One of his banjos resided permanently in The Chains just off Market Square, where he would play and his "gang" sit round and sing. As well as a musician he was a fantastic artist and did all the posters for the Odeon Cinema. He used to do posters for the Stafford Folk Dance club when they held a dance, I wonder ...see more
I have no memories of Derrington unless they are deeply rooted epigenetically. My great grandmother is named Derrington and I write to learn if the town, or some other source, has records of emigrants.
Can anybody remember? I seem to remember that Woolworths used to be by the entrance to the market with wooden floors
