Favourite Memories
Reconnecting with our shared local history.
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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Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write? It's easy - just think of a place that brings back a memory for you and write about:
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How the location features in your personal history?
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The memories this place inspires for you?
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Stories about the community, its history and people?
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People who were particularly kind or influenced your time in the community.
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Has it changed over the years?
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How does it feel, seeing these places again, as they used to look?
This week's Places
Here are some of the places people are talking about in our Share Your Memories community this week:
...and hundreds more!
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Displaying Memories 651 - 700 of 2029 in total
I spent the academic year 1987/88 in Kent training to become a Careers Adviser on a post-graduate course run by Kent College for the Careers Service. During my course I had to visit businesses, universities, schools and colleges all around the county (and beyond) but the visit that sticks in my memory more than any other is the day I visited the National Sea Training College at ...see more
I too, was a resident at St Mary's. I went there from St Anne's, Brighton when I was about 6 in 1949 and I left in 1956/57. At that time I was known as Michael Murray. I remember playing in the Shed, it was very cold in winter, or going up to the Squares to play. The long Borstal Walks with Father Baker, god help you if you got behind him, he whacked you with his walking stick. Remember actually ...see more
As the daughter of a Tilbury docker who married a girl from Gravesend, the ferry between Tilbury and Gravesend forms one of my earliest and strongest childhood memories. Every Saturday my sister and I would make the journey with my mum across the Thames to visit her mother (my Nanna Smith).
I can still recall the pontoon, how the level changed with the tide and my fear of the murky water that lurked below. ...see more
In the late 50's I moved to Rochford Road, just a few hundred yards from the airport. My dad, had learned to fly in Canada during the war and was now back working as a booking clerk for British Rail at Prittlewell. As a youth, there was nothing to do but explore 'the prarie' or wander over the 'greasy spoon' cafe at the airport. Most of us lads would take up plane spotting out of boredom. In those days the ...see more
I moved to Dagenham with my family in 1949. We lived in Cartwright Road off Hedgemans Road. I have memories of long hot summer holidays off from Finneymore Road School. The days were filled with trips to Leys swimming pool, where we would spend most of the day. We would bag of crisps and a hot Oxo drink if we had enough money. Parsloes Park was another full day out. The large sandpit ...see more
I remember the Harvest Festivals of my childhood in the 1950s, which were held in the Methodist Chapel. Women of the village spring cleaned the chapel before decorating it with produce, flowers and greenery. The displays were splendid, and central was the produce around the pulpit - this was added to with the children's baskets given during the festival. The chapel would be full and voices and organ belted ...see more
Lived on the Estate up until it was demolished, we were then moved to Wimbledon.
7, Lowestoft House was our address, Lowestoft was at the bottom of the Estate near the railway. Went to St John's primary school in Usk Road ( long since demolished ). Remember in the winter the ice on the inside of the windows, and freezing cold clothes to put on in the morning. The flats all had a yard, and the kids ...see more
I'm not sure whether this church was called Christchurch or Christ's Church; but as I recall it was originally a Presbyterian church which merged with, the then Congregational Church in Holmwood Gardens to form the United Reformed Church. Christchurch was then closed and remained empty for many years until it was sadly demolished to make way for Sainsbury. Incidentally, seeing the old concrete lamp posts in this ...see more
I lived in Medway Road from 1934-1956. I also remember the doodle bugs (as did Gordon Savage, I remember him), the dockyard heavy guns, and school. I was due to start school on the day war started and finally went to Richmond Road Infants two years later. All the teachers were evacuated with the local area evacuees so there was no one to teach us. I went for 1 hour, then 2 hours, an afternoon, and ...see more
These pictures bring back delightful memories! We spent a week of our honeymoon in the 16th century mill at Lydia Bridge. Across the lawn was a view of the brook and early spring flowers. We stepped outside to the sound of the waterfall across the narrow, winding road. From the bridge on closer inspection the waterfall was spectacular. A path along the brook led to the ancient church where we wandered around ...see more
I remember in the late 50's trudging all the way along Black Lane to go to Affetside School on Watling Street. The winters were harsh with the snow drifts well over my head! I lived at 324 Turton Road, in a row of around 4 houses, which, I've been told were once cow sheds! My father was Alfred McBride and his wife was Lillian. They had three daughters, Alice, Essie & me and we lived next door to the ...see more
I remember the doctor used to visit the village once or twice a week & set up his surgery in Mrs Benton's house. Mrs Benton, (Alice, or was that her daughter?), lived in the cottage at the end of the row, furthest away in the picture. The waiting room was Mrs's Benton's sitting room, we used to sit with her as we waited for our turn, I would've been 5yrs old at the time. Sometime after that I remember ...see more
I also worked at the Moorland Hotel. My father, Mac, was the restaurant manager there until the hotel burnt down (he has since passed away). We both knew Freddie, Tom and Mr David Smith very well. I also remember Anna their nanny for their children; Wendy, Hayley, Beverley and Tracey. I loved the hotel very much. We had great times there. I also remember Heather, she worked at the Moorlands (as we use ...see more
The bridge from which this photograph was taken was a "humpitty-backed" stone bridge where a pair of arches spanned the river and a smaller arch crossed the "lade". The bridge was in service from about 1840 until the new bridge was constructed in about 1954. The strange outlook is caused by the semi-damming of the Allan Water to take off water for the "Kork'n'Seal" factory which used the water to drive its machinery. The ...see more
Hello Willesden Kids, I was born in Willesden, Dean Rd. in 1947. grew up there until I was about 12 -14. I remember the Davis family across the road, (particularly Janet Davis - I was sweet on her, my first love, ha ha), and my mates named Alan Shaw and Rodger Wright, who lived in Grove Road; we were good friends then. We all played in the street in those days, marbles and knock down ginger, that was fun. We also played ...see more
My sister, Helen, and I lived at No. 3 Plasnewydd Street and, although Helen now lives in Lechlade in Gloucestershire and I have finally come to rest (no, not dead - yet) in Cardiff, we talk every week and often reminisce about our happy childhood in Maesteg - about people and places and things which happened. There are scores and scores of people who we remember and every now and then one of us will bring up a ...see more
Hi, my name is Liz Ely (maiden name O'Connell) and I was born in Melrose Ave, Willesden Green in 1953 and I still live in the same house. I remember doing my mother's shopping in Sainsburys in Willesden and going across the road to the Co-op. My mum would give my brother Tim and I £5.00 to do the week's shopping. We would know all the bargains - any change from the shopping we would ...see more
I lived in Burlington Road, at No.1 - it was called Jubilee Terrace, and was built to commemorate one of Queen Victoria's Jubilees. There was a pottery at the New Kings Rd end of Burlington Road which was built way back in the reign of King Charles (I don't remember which one!) I was told that our houses, 4 in total were built for the master potters of said pottery. I went to All Saints Primary School which was also in ...see more
1942 was the year that my mother, Ethel Tyreman (nee Davidson) and sister Iris and brothers Harry, Fred, Frank and myself Eric, moved to Grosmont when our Whitby home was hit by German bombs.
My dad, Fred, was a P.O.W in Germany. As a family of six, we lived in a one down, two up house in Waterloo Cottages. The house had no running water or electricity, and the toilet was a cinder closet around the ...see more
We lived at 'Pantiles', Penhurst Rd, Bedhampton from approx the mid fifties until the mid sixties. I went first to the Priory school on Hayling Island, when Miss Rapley was Head teacher, until a Mr Neilsen-Carrigan took over for a short while until it closed, as he was a very strange man. I went on to Havant High School near Langston before completing my education with a Dress design course at Portsmouth ...see more
Way back in the late 1930s and early 1940s I lived in Westgate Crescent and used to walk the length of Bower Way every day to Cippenham school, carrying my gas mask in a cardboard box. I used to be friends with Tony Rimmer who lived in that street. There used to be a passage way to a large Dry Cleaning company on the right at the school end of Bower Way. I left the area just after WW11 but I remember the rationing, the ...see more
I was born in 1949 to Nellie and Ashford DISNEY. We lived at 15 Albert Road, and my father worked in the Post Office at BATH'S on the Weston Road. Mr. William Bath was my father's uncle. Before Mummy and Daddy got married, Mummy used to work in the Post Office as well. - that's how they met. Our neighbours were called Mary and Joseph Packer and every Christmas we had a card from Mary and Joseph. As a ...see more
My history predates yours by about 20 years. I went to the infants school first and then to the junior school where I passed the scholarship to Slough Grammar in 1944/5. I remember Mr Santer who caned me on the hand twice. Once for breaking a window of the dining room with a tennis ball during the first dinner sitting. My friend and I had been throwing the ball against the wall when one of us, I forget ...see more
I also remember there was a slaughter house on (think it was) Blackwater Street, or it could have been Toad Lane. There was a pub across from it called Dusty Miller that was next door to Marsh's cafe. I too remember the shop on Blackwater Street where you could get studs of every shape to put onto your leather belt, I also think the old lady made cloggs. There was also a shop that started out on Oldham were you could ...see more
To me there is nowhere like Skares was, and anyone who came from there will say the same. Everybody knew everybody else and they were always ready to help anyone that needed it. You could go out and leave your door open without worrying about anything being pinched. In the summer we used to all go on a picnic doon the blackwater when it was nice, and we'd go for walks roon the pluck. My mother sometimes took us up to the ...see more
I was evacuated to Bedford during the second "Blitz" of WW II. This was the time when London was being attacked by the notorious V weapons, the Buzz Bomb and the rockets. My aunt lived in what is now Melbourne Street, but I think it was called something different then. It was down from Ampthill Street where it crossed the line to the Midland station.
I remember going to the Granada Saturday morning picture ...see more
I was sitting on the riverbank seat at the end of Blacksmiths Lane with another girl and three boys, we were laughing and chatting one summer evening at about 8pm. Suddenly and simultaneously, we saw a hooded monk like figure dressed in brown, 'float' off the misty river about 40 yards away. We all stopped talking and stared in silence and amazement. The ghostly figure came up the bank, crossed the narrow road, up the ...see more
Back in the good old days, I remember mother polishing this big open fire range. To me at that time it look like a monster, but she polished it till you could see your face in it; she were very proud of the fire place. On each side of the fire place there were two shelves. On one side was a large cast iron pan where she would put Quaker oats in breakfast for me before I go to school, and the rest of the family ...see more
1940 - I had joined the W.A.A.F in London and chose to be posted to Nottinghamshire; I was just 18 and my posting was firstly to Hucknall and then to Watnall when the Ops room was ready. 1940 was a dreadful winter but thanks to the snowfalls the whole area was transformed. Our huts, we were told by the locals, had been built on the site which had been the local village pond. The Royal Oak was our local pub, just a few yards ...see more
I was a boy 8 years of age when my family fled the bombing of Belfast to the small community of Cardy which is approx. 3 miles from Carrowdore on the road to Ballywalter. The year was 1940 and times were tough with worries of the war and little enough food to feed 11 hungry kids to feed. Mum with 3 sisters and 1 sister-in-law with 11 kids were all crammed into a small 2-room thatched cottage without running water, ...see more
I was a pupil for two years at Laleham Abbey. My maiden name being, Elsa-Marie Burberry - Elsa.
I was friends with Phyllis Baker who I remember as having beautiful auburn-red hair and who I think came from Totteridge. Other friends were Tania Morley, who was the best ballet dancer. And Caroline Hood, who I think was blonde. There was a pupil named Louis who seemed to see visions of Our Lord quite a lot. Sister ...see more
Between 1938-1949 I lived in Llanarth Road then at Bryn Road 1949-1959. There was no Springfield Estate (only Springfield Villas, about 6 houses). Tradespeople at that time were Davies the bakers with door to door delivery by horse and cart, the horse was named Boulter and his driver was Oliver Tovey, W.A.Ford greengrocer, Starks grocers shop opposite Pont. Low Level Station and Richards, ...see more
We moved to Langwith in 1952 and lived on Devonshire Drive - number 97 I think. I was only 3 at the time and we were only there for a year but my mother had a fish and chip shop in the front room. A man called grandad Carling used to help my mother by peeling potatoes for the chips. I think it was only open Thursdays and Fridays. Can anyone remember?
I remember the village in the 1940s to 1970s. I went to school at the centre of the village till 1951 then went to Sturminster S.M school. On the walk home from school we used to go into the forge run by Alfred Wolfery (known as Bogey as he was as dirty and sooty as the bogey man!) Across the road from the forge and Post office was Mr Fox's bakery. He would give us wonderful hot bread and iced buns. ...see more
I was born in 1940 at the shop at the top of Shillingstone Rd, the Corner Stores owned by my father Guy Moon.
One of my first memories is a tank pushing out the corner of the shop wall, and of the G.I's giving us chewing gum, also oranges which at that time we had never seen.
We had lots of evacuees in the village, some of which never went back to their homes and married and live in the village now, a favourite ...see more
I was the main weekday driver of the launch photographed during the student holiday periods of 1955-1958. When I drove it, the name was 'Silver Stream'. It was the largest of a set of three electric launches which carried paying passengers for trips of about 40 minutes duration from the steps on the downstream, north side of the town bridge. Typically this launch would carry about 40 passengers maximum. Silver ...see more
I was a farrier in Letcombe Bassett from 1964 till 1986. We had three grand national winners;
Well To Do - 1972, Ben Nevis -1980 and Last Suspect in 1985. We all had a great time when the horses came back, the whole village turned out. We put bunting in the street and free drinks. In the evening the party kept going in the Yew Tree Inn - landlord Mr Len Abraham. Our village was filmed ...see more
I lived in Rothwell from the age of 5 leaving to come to Australia in 1969 at the age of 16. I think regularly now of how the village would have changed so much since I left. I remember being a bridesmaid at the Trinity church and still have photos of coming down the path through the gate. I drew a picture at school of the church; we had to do this in charcoal and wish I had kept it. We ...see more
I was born and grew up in the little village of Llanfairpwll. Mine was a happy childhood, free of drugs, vandalism and graffiti. Everyone knew everyone in the village, which in those days, over 60 years ago, was predominantly Welsh. We were taught in Welsh at the Infants School. Until one sunny afternoon, the excited English voices of evacuees from the English cities of the North were heard. Each home ...see more
I can remember this colonnade with a huge statue of one of the Dukes of Sutherland at one end, and by which doors led in the late 50's early 60's into an amusement arcade with flip ball machines, pinball machines etc...a great place if it was wet or cold to spend an hour or two.
My mother Elizabeth and my father, Graham Thomson, lived on a houseboat in Poole harbour during 1950 and 1951. I was a baby and they had to move to dry land when I became a toddler! My mother used to tell me how she used to hang nappies from the sail masts on deck. I don't remember much, apart from the clinking of sail masts which I still find very soothing.
My mother and father used to go ...see more
The Anson family arrived at Strensall in 1957. My father was at the camp as a 'skill at arms' instructor until 1959 attached to the K.O.Y.L.I. I can remember the first day at school in Strensall village.I caught the bus which cost 3d and had 3d to spend at the sweet shop near the school. I bought fruit salads, black jacks and a twist of fairy drops. I came into the playground entering via the bottom gate. In the ...see more
I was born at Lintzford in the 1940's. A lovely safe place to live for everyone there. The neighbours were always available to help each other out, our life was safe and secure. I always remember going up to 'Table Rock' where my dad (Jimmy Sullivan) would teach us how to swim.........not me, I sank like a brick. We would take a picnic up, a bottle of water and jam sandwiches, and have a great time. We also enjoyed ...see more
My grandparents, George and Clarinda Meakin lived in Vernon Avenue, I visited regularly. Grandad put up a ladder at their back wall so I could climb over into the park. My mum was their eldest daughter; she had two brothers and a sister Linda, who went to Australia. My grandad was a miner and chimney sweep, he did lots of things to support his family. He had two allotments and several greenhouses, I was lucky ...see more
I was at the Junior School on School Street, Hillmorton, Rugby (it was 'lovingly' known as 'The Old Dump'). I haven't been able to find any pictures of it. I've been telling my husband and children about the building. It had outside toilets at the other side of the playground, which froze throughout the winter and an oil heater in every classroom! We didn't have a field or any grass at all, just a playground. If ...see more
In the years of rationing, my mum used to remove the sweet coupons from her ration book so that we didn't spend all our pocket money on sweets.
About halfway down Castle Hill, on the left, was Dukes shop. All I was interested in were the sweets, though he also sold tea, sugar and a variety of other less interesting items. I used always follow an adult into the shop, who would ...see more
Hello, I have just been reading people's memories of Gilfach Goch and I must say it brought tears to my eyes. I have now moved to County Durham and love it here. I've moved from one mining village to another. Wherever I go I will never forget living in Gilfach as a child in Blandy Terrace, my grandparents Betty and Mansel Pope lived in 12 Blandy Terrace and myself and my mam and dad Ron and Linda lived in no 2. I have ...see more
I was christened in this church in 1952. We lived in Crystal Palace Park Road, and I was a Cub Scout there as well, 4th Sydenham. I remember one year we entered a 'Soap Box' go-cart in the soap box derby that was held in Brighton along the sea front. I thought ours was going to win because it went so fast in the test we did, so we called it the 'Barts Bomber', well it bombed out but we had a great day out. I went ...see more
My name is Carol, I was born in the village in the same house as my father, Albert Wilson, was and my brother Colin; we lived there for many years with my mother, Mary. I remember the teachers Miss Fox and a Mrs Shaw who used to live in the village and hold Halloween parties for the school children. We had blood soup (tomato), apple bobbing, scary stories and really enjoyed ourselves. She also took some of us up into ...see more
My name is Marina Lord (nee Jones). I lived with my mam, dad, 3 sisters and one brother at 100 Sherwood Street, Collyhurst. I have happy memories growing up there. My mam was called Ethel and my dad, William, my elder sister was Ethel, then it was me, then the twins, Margaret and Ellen, and last but not least, Raymond. We all went to St Oswalds School with fond memorries of Miss Appleby and Mr Mather in particular, my ...see more