Dagenham, Chequers Lane c.1950

Photo ref: D178018

Born in Essex rd dagenham mum dad me lived with nan & grandad dad George Allen worked at Samuel Williams down the dock very end of chequers lane think they amalgamated with samuel William's Used to love going down there with me dad on Saturday mornings and watch the boats docking used to be quite a bit of traffic on the river there in them days, then moved to Heath Park Estate good old days

The May and Baker factory, close to the railway station at Dagenham East was once one of the largest factories in the area. The company was best known for developing the drug quinine to combat malaria, often simply referred to as M&B tablets. It manufactured and distributed all sorts of chemicals, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals such as: anti-histamines for allergies, barbiturates for sedatives, ...see more

In the 1960's I worked for Telephone Cables Limited or TCL as it was known, laying underground cables all over the UK. As one of the drivers I regularly had to go to the works to pick gear up. If my memory serves me right this view is taken looking back up Chequers Lane towards the Ford Works and that is TCL on the left with Dagenite batteries just beyond anf then an ungated railway crossing.

I used to live in the little cottages at the bottom of Chequers Lane. 7 of us in a 2 up 2 down, outside loo - no bathroom. There was a ditch running all along the back of the cottages and all us children had hours of fun playing there jumping across or making a bridge, used to get told off if we went home with a 'booty'!! They were happy days. We used to have whole days at Leys open air swimming pool taking lunch with ...see more