Happy Days

A Memory of Hornchurch.

I lived in Hornchurch 1946-58. Went to school at North Street Primary and then for a brief time to Dury Falls before we moved in 1958. My father ran Cramphorns Corn and Seed Merchants, which can just be seen in this photo. My best friend was Elaine Collett whose parents had the Toy/Pram Shop opposite the White Hart Pub. Aleys Bakers was directly opposite and Enid Aley and I used to go to Madam DeVere's School of Dancing near Harold Lodge Park. Later I attended Shirley Dunton's Dance School. I remember The Dell and St. Andrew's Church where all our family's weddings, christenings and burials were held. Also in the High Street were Fentiman's Greengrocers, Boots,Pollards, The Green Lantern Cafe, and the Home & Colonial Stores. Further along was Timothy Whites and Burton Tailors. Going toward Billett Lane was The Bull, Woolworths and Finlays (my friend Janet lived above there). I had friends in Grey Towers and we all played in the woods opposite Harold Lodge (where we learnt to swim in the newly erected indoor pool). The Library and Duck Pond were favourite haunts and Saturday morning pictures at the Odeon where the Lone Ranger and Superman were firm favourites. Summer days were long and hot and we stayed outdoors all day. We climbed trees and jumped streams and no one worried about 'health and safety'. Our parents never knew where we were and we never went home until we were hungry...Oh happy days !!

Pauline Emmons (nee White)