Early Working Years
A Memory of Chadwell Heath.
As there are no memories of Chadwell Heath I thought I would add one. I started my first job at Teleflex Products that was situated in Wangy Works. I use to cycle from where I lived at Grange Hill Chigwell. After I did my National Service I then worked for Motor Gear Engineering across the road from Wangy Works, The last time I visited England I found that Wangy Works and Motor Gear Engineering were no longer there. On the site of Motor Gear there was a DIYS store.
When I worked for Motor Gear, at the back, there was a soft drink company that made a drink called Kiaora. The owner of this must have come from NZ as Kia ora is a Maori greeting.
One of my strongest memories at Wangy Works was sitting on the railway embankment at the back watching the trains and also cycling from there to Beal Grammar school in (I think) Little Ilford Lane to attend evening classes. Fond memories of my early working life.
Derek Salter, New Zealand.
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I remember "MotorGear" works really, really well, as I lived very close nearby.
In fact, you could SEE the back of MotorGear's lengthy works building from the front pathway of our house, late at night, all lit-up like a Christmas Tree.
Of course, I was only young then, but, I did live there from 1961-1983
My Mother worked at the Chadwell Heath Cinema which later (in 1967) became a "Bingo Hall" & when it changed, my Mother became Assistant Manager.
I mention this, as, "Kia-Ora" adverts featured heavily during the "Pearl & Dean" adverts segment, which, when you're a kid & waiting for the main feature film to start, seems to take bloomin' ages !! - You might remember the "Pearl & Dean"
theme music ? https://youtu.be/jFuQeKdUfrQ?si=dfkE8pLQwEdj-JtX
The "Kia-Ora" advert always featured 'cartoon crows' just chillin'
Reminded me in a way of the "It's Frothy, Man" Cresta soft drink adverts.
BTW, in 1972 My Mother bought me a brand-new & utterly superb 26'in Racing Bike (which was fashionable at the time, until the "Raleigh Chopper" came in
I mention that, because she bought it from "Pasks" which was up the Eastern end of Chadwell Heath High Rd, opposite where Sainsbury's is, today.
Even that was built on where the old toyshop "Bulls" used to be.
I cycled everywhere on that fabulous old (new) 26'in Racing Bike...
But hats off to you for cycling to Chadwell Heath from Chigwell.
I did a similar distance, regularly, but just for fun, not work !
We used to cycle to Hog Hill by Hainault Forest just larking about.
I really do miss my days (decades) living in Chadwell Heath...
But it's not the same now & it never will be again.
So much has changed & many buildings have been knocked down.
Some (the few main ones that remain) have been re-purposed.
The major change of course is the people that live there...
Many went through the years of the Luftwaffe Bombings.
Speaking of which, I used to buy my AIRFIX kits from "Allens".
Do you remember it ?
It was opposite the Cinema / Bingo Hall by Clarissa Road.
But the nearest one to "MotorGear" was the one in Reynolds Ave.
Another huge firm now since gone, is "J.Burns"
They of course were opposite where you worked Derek.
Lastly, I used to attend the Church in Essex Road, almost opposite.
The Church wall backed onto the School opposite "MotorGear".
You may of might remember the small Post Office opposite ?