Nostalgic memories of Basildon's local history

Share your own memories of Basildon 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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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 11 - 16 of 16 in total

I can remember in my youth, meeting here as a member of the Basildon drum and trumpet corp, we used to march up the slope and into the town square where we did our display. That was in the 1970s.
My mum and dad came from Tottenham and Edmonton, they moved to Danbury Down, my mum and dad were offered the house because my dad worked for Mobil Oil. The nearest shops were Staceys Corner, the 16 shops. Then on a bike ride my dad found Little Bentley, he asked the foreman who was building a 4 bed house if he could have one and he said yes (that would be nice these days). Then my brother and my sister were born ...see more
My family came to Basildon in 1957 as part of the overspill from London. My late father was a toolmaker and was offered a job and a house. Money was tight and we made out own entertainment. Collecting wood from the fields where the town centre now stands, fruit picking from the cleared lots waiting for development. When the shops started being built (my memory is that Woolworth was the first opened ...see more
Having moved at the horrid age of 13 years to Basildon from Hornchurch in the early 1960, I found the surrounding countryside a wee bit scary. Now I love the countryside and could never live in a town again and with that moved to the S.W. I hate Basildon because what started as country town ended up as a thug-filled town full of dimwits who never respect the good things in life. We who came from the hell hole of ...see more
We moved to The Gore, in about 1962. My brother was born here. Our family lived at number 83, and up until 2000, no other family had ever lived there. We moved in when the other end of the road was still being finished. I went to Gyhllgrove School, and can remember my first teacher, 1965, being a Miss Mehtha, an Asian lady. On special occasions she would bring in saris for us to try on and teach us dancing, all back ...see more
When I was born, Basildon was not built. I was born in Pitsea, when it was all country side. Although my mum took me back to London after the war, I returned to Pitsea often to stay with my grandparents. It was the happiest time of my life, the freedom of walking across the fields and buying fresh eggs and getting the old noisy bus to Pitsea market on a Wednesday. We got the water from the well outside the back door, ...see more