Stanford Supply Company

A Memory of Stanford-le-Hope.

I was born in Corringham in 1950 and in 1953 moved to Corringham Road, Stanford-le-Hope where my parents had bought a plot of land and had built a shop that they called Stanford Supply Company opposite the Regent Cinema. We lived in the flat above, and as time went by, the business flourished and my parents, Peggy and Percy Lawes extended the shop and the range of things they sold from nails and paraffin to china, glassware, paint, wallpaper and eventually upstairs became a 'gas showroom' where they sold cookers and fridges etc on behalf of North Thames Gas. From quite an early age, I helped in the shop and worked officially on Saturdays and school holidays throughout my teenage years.

I went to Stanford-le-Hope Infants and Junior Schools. Mr Royal was the Headmaster when I first went to junior school and Mrs Taylor was my 1st year teacher, who I liked very much. Mr Jones, who later became Head, was my 4th Year teacher and he was always very kind and encouraging. and like many other local children went to the Saturday morning film shows at the Regent Cinema, we called the 'flea pit' (as someone has already mentioned). When I was about 9 we moved to Wharf Road to a really lovely house called Barton House.

I have so many fond memories of my childhood - playing in the 'rec', cycling down past Fisons chemical factory down to the river and across the marshes on the footpath to East Tilbury and even as far as West Tilbury. Although I haven't been there for years (I now live in London), I know that much of the Stanford that I knew no longer exists. As I looked through the photos here, I am reminded of how in the 1950s and 60s we still had grocers, greengrocers, butchers, a fishmonger's,gentlemen's and ladies' outfitters, and the co-op was the nearest thing to a supermarket. I remember many happy hours spent in the children's section of the library. I wish I could remember more names, but Mr and Mrs Pigney had the greengrocers, and Agers I think was clothing; there was also a bookshop I seem to remember.... In the early 1960s my parents built a coffee bar next door, called The Long Bar and I spent a fair amount of my spare time there with my friends. Hassenbrook Youth Club was our other haunt until we were old enough to be allowed to go to Basildon Mecca. So many more memories come flooding back, but I'll stop there.
I'm sure there are many people out there who have similar memories of Stanford. How many of my childhood and teenage friends still live there, I wonder. Do get in touch!

Shirley Lawes