Nostalgia
A Memory of Leytonstone.
I have been reading many articles printed here & it got me & my wife thinking back to our childhood days (my wife was born in Llanelli, South Wales , & her childhood memories of the 1950's & were very much akin to mine albeit mine was in London).
We having been discussing, recently, about the state this country is in, moreover, the world, & we came to the conclusion that those days were the best. Improvement today? I think not. We've also spoken to a lot of our friends who are of the same generation as us & the general consensus is the same as our opinion.
Alan Guy.
Add your comment
You must be signed-in to your Frith account to post a comment.
Add to Album
You must be signed in to save to an album
Sign inSparked a Memory for you?
If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?
Comments & Feedback
My links with both Leyton & Leytonstone are tenuous at best, but they are however, there.
My Dad's close friends Jack & Mary lived in Brisbane Road opposite Leyton Orient Stadium.
Back then, in the 1970's you could actually see the Southern Goal, corner flag & pitch.
This of course was VERY exciting for a young lad (me) still in single figures as you can imagine.
My Dad used to take me into the local park called "Coronation Gardens" to play & explore.
Hard to believe that lovely park WAS there during the First World War.
Beautiful, even in the early 1970's, I dread to think just how rough & unsafe it is, now ?
As you say, the ultra-rapid decline of our nation, even safety-wise, is SO depressing,
Regarding Leytonstone itself - I used to ride my little Yamaha RS125 down Leytonstone High Rd quite often & in 1981, I came home from a Night Shift (King Edward Building, by St.Paul's) & by chance, found the large music store just past the railway bridge (to the North) where it once laid by the corner of another side-turning - Went in there & the staff were friendly, as I was looking for a Left-Handed Electric Guitar & by chance, I'd spotted a Left-Handed USA Washburn in the window.
They kindly let me even try it out (clearly hoping for a sale !)
Alas, I could not get the guitar in perfect tune - If I played & tuned the Dm chord, the fundamental & basic 'E' chord was always out & vice-versa - Broke my heart as otherwise it played lovely & looked superb & was only £199.95 - basically £200.00 - Left Handed guitars were rare, then.
Fast forward some 19+ years later & my lovely Wife & I went to go visit "Holiday Music" located at 396-398 High Road Leytonstone High Road, E.11 - Fantastic shop & had an L/H section too.
Went upstairs to see the (quite large) Left Handed section & as we reached the stairs my Wife said..
"Look at that White Fender Stratocaster, isn't it just BEAUTIFUL" (putting emphasis on the latter)
After about 90-mins in the store, I asked to see the manager (Steve Jolly), but alas he wasn't there, as I wanted to p/x my White Fender Telecaster that I'd already owned for 23-years.
I don;t usually p/x anything I own, but the Stratocaster we'd seen was a £1,000 guitar, so...
Went back there on Thursday, to get a fair p/x evaluation on my Telecaster & left it with them.
Returned 90+ mins later to be told... "I'm afraid we can only give you £490.00"
I was speechless, for although it cost a fortune back in Nov' 1978 I had already owned it for 23 years & it had some minor wear & tear, but I was only expecting £250 on part-exchange.
Tried to stay poker-faced, before agreeing on a handshake as £490 towards the Stratocaster.
As it was 'on discount' & Ex-Demonstrater, I snagged it for £695.00.
Went back there one more time, to get another Black/Maple Stratocaster set-up in 2001
In fact both those events took place around 2000-2001 & I believe shop shut for good in 2003 ?
https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/talking-shop/7903
Yet another quality shop 'bites the dust' as the area rapidly declined - typical.