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 801 - 850 of 2029 in total
My parents moved to Wickham Bishops in 1948 to help friends run the village Post Office Stores which sold everything - stamps, paraffin (you brought your own can and it was filled from a barrel at the back), vinegar (as for the parafin, it came from a barrel out back), cheese portions cut from huge cheeses wrapped in linen, and loose flour and pulses which even as a five year old I was allowed to put ...see more
I lived at 11 Church Lane with my sister Anne and parents, John and Barbara Mawson, until 1978. It was my grandfather's house (William Henry Cazaly) that he bought in the 1950's and had sold it to my parents in 1965. Our house was next door to the churchyard. I remember the huge horse chestnut trees that over hung the high wall surrounding the graveyard. They were filled with cooing wood pigeons and ...see more
My mum, dad, 2 brothers and 2 sisters lived at the bottom of Vauxhall Avenue - it was about 1963/64. It was a great place to live as kids, not so easy for my parents. We kids would collect water from the standpipe at the alleyway a few houses up and carry it back in enormous water containers - 2 jugs normally to last all day. There was no running water in the bungalow. no electricity, no toilet or bathroom. Lights ...see more
Our barge, Hambrook, was moored at Hoo in the early 1950s. There were quite a number of fully rigged barges there at the time, but ours had had the rigging removed and converted into a houseboat. Most of the barges were used as residences, and there were quite a lot of children living on them. My mother, brother and I were on board the night of the 1953 flood. I was woken up by the sound of things crashing, and realised the ...see more
Hi, I've been trying to chat to people about the Wood St walk, my dad ran in it for quite a few years until he and my uncle were disqualified for catching a bus! It was a big occasion back then and I have no idea why or what time of year it was run. I also remember a children's fancy dress parade, I must have been about 6 - that would have been 1957. I have a photo of us all in the playground at the side of the ...see more
My name is Carole McCarthy (nee MALONE) I was born in December 1951 in a maternity unit on Rochdale Road near to the Embassy Club. I lived in Copper Street in Collyhurst which had Barney's at the bottom of the street and the Osbourne House at the top of the street on the other side of Rochdale Road. There was a herbalist on my side of the road and I thought I was very grown up when my friends ...see more
Now I can't say 100% that it was Marden but it just sticks in my mind. Although I am only 31 now I went hopping a couple of times with my family who were originally from Silvertown.
The last time I went was in the early to mid 1980s when everything was packing up.
The things I remember about hopping was the huge cook house which had several fireplaces in along with a few old sofas and mattresses where we ...see more
I was born in Thorpe Coombe Hospital in 1941 and grew up in Erskine Road Walthamstow which led on to Walthamstow Market. My brother Barry and I would be given a threepenny bit piece by our granddad who lived with our nan five doors away. We would spend it in 'Tony's' Ice-cream Parlour which was near the Chequers Pub. There was a lot of bomb-damaged buildings, and I can remember a building on the left ...see more
I was born in 1919 at Bifrons Lower Lodge Gate, which at that time comprised two dwellings. The part we lived in had been a school provided by the Marquis of Conyngham for estate children. It was shaped like a letter T. The lower room was almost circular and just before our time, the tenant of the lodge was expected to open the gates to let the Marquis through.
My earliest memory is waking up in the big ...see more
My Gt Grandfather John Godfrey had Park House, Carlton, built for his family in the early 1900's. The house was on the corner of Main Street and Burton Road. After John died in 1921 my Gt Grandmother lived there for a few years before moving to a smaller house. Park House eventually became a Clinic and in more recent years it was knocked down and a new Health Centre stands in its place. The ...see more
These are the memories of my childhood week-ends and holidays, spent with my Uncle Harold and Aunt Lucy Mogridge at Fontmell Parva.
My maternal grandmother Annie Farwell lived at Fontmell Parva for 50 years, in the coachman’s cottage. Lewis Spencer Mogridge, my grandfather, was the coachman at the big house. Lewis and Annie had five children: Harry (1899), Alice (1898), Harold (1906), Bert (1902) and ...see more
Wayne Carter My father is Frederick Carter born in London, and mother was Loraine Carter nee Chadwick was born Cyfarthfa Street Roath; mum sadly passed away in 1998. I have a younger sister Jane Carter nee Dunscombe, and younger brother Paul Carter. I was born in St David’s hospital; until I was nearly 2 I lived in Claude Road, Roath. I was just over 2 years old when my family and I moved to 39 ...see more
ODE TO WALLSEND
I was born at Wallsend Village green in the heart of Wallsend Town,
I spent my childhood in an era great to be around,
We all grew up together and played in our back lanes,
My cousins and my neighbours in the shadows of the cranes.
At the top of each old terraced street there stood a corner shop,
I often spent my pennies there on Black Jack chews and pop.
The last sweet shop to ply its trade ...see more
Betty and I were brought up in Davidson Street, Sneinton just before the Second World War. It was a small back-to-back terraced house with an outside toilet. One of my first recollections was being bathed in the small kitchen sink and the woman who lived next door talking to Mum. It was snowing. Later they made a snowman and put a pipe in his mouth. It was great fun.
When war broke out we moved to 3 Hoten ...see more
I've just read John Holmes' account of the early days in West Gorton. I went to St Marks from 1955 to 1960. I remember Mr Platt in the same way as most. I remember being smacked across the head for passing my 11 plus. I must admit it was a surprise to me as well. There are two names I remember of people who were in my class, a girl called Susan Yarwood, I think she lived on Margaret Street and Peter Frost who lived on ...see more
I attended in the late 1950's. I understood it to be mainly for children whose parents were abroad.
There were 2 teachers - one I cannot remember the name of and the other was Miss KR who always wore corduroy trousers and had an Alsation or German Shepherd dog. She often hit me with a ruler for the most minor thing. The school was made up of mostly boarders and a few day pupils, of which I was ...see more
I have just discovered this thanks to my son-in-law who lives in Pennsylvania USA.
I lived in Byfield from 1952 to 1965. My father, Eric, was the landlord of the New Inn which later became the Cross Tree. He retired in 1965 and we moved to Leicester where I still live.
As with other contributors I can well remember the bakehouse - everyone taking their joints there on a Sunday morning to be roasted as the ovens ...see more
My family moved to Ashbourne in 1942 when I was 6. I went to school at what must have been the last of the old "Dame" schools run by an elderly lady called Ethel Hunter. The school was at the top of a big house in Church Street, owned by a dentist: Mr. Bligh. It was a small school, not more than a dozen children and we were all in the one classroom. We used to have Wednesday afternoons off school, ...see more
I started work on the coal motor when I was 15 yrs old. The wagon had 4 compartments and so carried 4 loads of coal. When the driver raised the back of the wagon I ran back with my hammer and knocked out the pin holding the back shut, and out poured the coal. The driver's name was Frank Heppel who during WWII had served on HMS Ajax or Achilies. The boss at the depot was a man with a bad leg called ...see more
Before becoming the home of George Harrison of the Beatles, Friar Park was run as a school by sisters of the St. John Bosco order. This was my first school and I remember having to walk all the way to the main door along the winding drive each morning, passing by the huge rhododendron bushes which lined each side. As I approached the large arched entrance door, shown in the photograph above, I could see the ...see more
Many holidays were spent by me and my brother in Grainthorpe during the 50's and 60's with my grandparents. They lived in Buttgate, Ben and Bertha Barfield and my auntie, Winnie Barfield. Many happy memories, walking to Soubys for a bottle of dandelion and burdock, there was a little fish shop next to my grandparents house, right on the roadside. An outside toilet and the well in the garden, the well ran ...see more
My memories are of the hairdressing salon in Clare Road. It had only been open for a short while. All the shops were new. I went to work there as a hairdresser's apprentice in April 1959. My first job after leaving school. The salon was called Joan Basten. Joan Basten was the owner and she and her husband, Dennis, had a lovely flat upstairs, really 1950s modern. I worked at the salon till 1962. It was very busy; we had ...see more
That plane was bright blue! As far as I can remember, the pilot was Polish - left over from the war. He used to keep the plane at the airport, and give stunning free acrobatic displays on bright sunny days. For special events, like the village fete, he would give short flights. My mum paid for me and my brother to have one once - first time I'd ever flown. When we first moved to Lympne (very near the ...see more
I lived at Cotton Valley Farm from 1955 until 1959 with my parents, Reg and Jenny Foster, and my five brothers, before we then moved to a small village called Hardmead end of February 1959; my mother is still living there. I was then aged four years and would really like to hear from anyone who has any information or photos of Cotton Valley Farm around that time, I can remember my parents pushing us in prams ...see more
I was also a pupil at Friar Park from 1955 to 1962. I have nothing but wonderful memories of this amazing school. As a little girl the endless drive with rhododendron bushes eventually opening into this huge circle where an Edwardian Gothic mansion stood, will always be etched in my memory. The incredible sweep of the lawns on the West Terrace leading down to carefully contrived pools and bridges which ...see more
I have no photo unfortunately, just memories. I attended the primary school in Jordans from 1947 to 1951, I then progressed to the RGS in Wycombe. The headmistress was Mrs Morley, the other teacher was Miss Shepherd (there were only two!) We had a tiny kitchen in the middle of the building for mid-day meals and the older children had to help wash up afterwards. We had lessons in gardening until someone threw a fork into ...see more
My memories of bath times goes back to when Mum would once a week fill the copper again, in the corner of the scullery. The copper was built of bricks if I remember, with a tin liner, below was an opening, where you would light a fire which would heat the water, the copper would also be used for mum's washing, which there was a lot of, having seven boys and four girls.
Mum would start to bath us all one at a time, ...see more
This photo appears at the back of Essex Living Memories (pages 112 - 113) and in "I Remember When ... Memories of Britain (page 134)". The two ladies in the foreground with the prams appear familiar - The lady on the left may be Mrs Peagram with her son Colin in the pram, the lady on the right could be Mrs Hockley with her son, Kenneth. The couple with the child in the pushchair outside the butchers looks ...see more
As a schoolboy aged 11 of Kings School, Macclesfield I acquired a summer holiday job at Old Hall Farm, run at the time by farmer Robert Young and his wife Madge. As a consequence I spent weekends and holidays there for the next 2 or 3 years. I learned to drive the tractor of which he was very proud, a David Brown 990 Cropmaster Diesel, usually driven by Patrick Joseph O´Donoghue or Tresler Sandbach who lived ...see more
Have to say reading the entries of everyone’s memories is simply wonderful. Both my parents grew up in Mitcham, my father John Stockley who was Mitcham born and bred, married my mother Jean Nightingale in the church in Church Road back in 1962 (I think). My grandmother owned a café on the corner of Barron’s Grove and opposite Barron’s Court where she and my grandfather lived. I think it’s now a car showroom, or was in ...see more
I believe the white building to the centre left in picture is the Thompson & Taylor garage. I worked there briefly (about 1 year), the manager then was a Huw Edwards? I think, but the name of T & T was very well known in motor racing circles & particularly with the nearby Brooklands motor racing circuit. There was a huge old car Napier Railton I think, memory going, which was kept in the showroom & with ...see more
I have a copy of the Meeting Street photo as the girl standing in the road (with the black sleeve) is my Grandmother SARAH POWE (nee Lesley). The family house was at 29 Meeting Street just out of view. Grandmother also ran the BELL INN in Appledore for a number of years and on retirement moved back into Number 29. Sarah and grandad BILL POWE had 2 daughters, Louise, my mother, and Ruby. Sadly Sarah passed away in ...see more
There was no running hot water, no gas, no bathroom and no flushing toilets. Electricity was used for lighting and if you were lucky, a wireless set. Most sets were run from accumulators, a sort of battery, which you had to take to the shop and pay to be recharged.
Bath time was when the tin bath hanging up outside was brought in, placed in front of the fire and filled with water heated from the range. Two or three ...see more
Hello. I was born at Crumpsall Hospital 1945 and lived at 59 Dalton St, for seven years. Mother is named Eileen and dad was Fred. I had an older sister Barbara. My Aunty Peggy and Uncle John lived a few doors down - they had three sons, Bob, Malcom and Ian. My dad worked on the docks and I remember well, I think it was the lamp lighter coming to wake him up in the early hours of the morning by tapping on ...see more
What memories this building holds. It gave the opportunity for a lot of teenagers to have their first Saturday night outs. It usually cost 1s 6d entrance fee unless there was a fairly well known group appearing that night then it was 2s 6d. I attended Redhill Tech (my surname then was Watts) and worked on a Saturday in Woolies on the sweet counter and most of the day was spent chatting to various friends who used ...see more
I was brought up at Palace How and the gentleman with the moustache is my late father, Leslie Leo Cunningham. We had the village Post Office and my late mother, Mary Anne Cunningham, was the Postmistress - I have a show display with three of the photos on, which we used to have hanging in the Post Office for customers to see. Also in the photo is the Huntsman, (?) Hardisty (for the minute his first name has ...see more
I can remember living at Black Park in a time when, although not so long ago, we didnt have any electric or running hot water. I lived with mum and dad in a row of cottages. My dad worked down the nearby pit and every day came home black, due to no showers there. My mum had to fill pans with water and put them on the fire to fill a tin bath which my dad sat in, in front of the fire to get washed. There was ...see more
It's funny how we forget. I had forgotten all about this pool until I saw this picture. I shouldn't have though I still have the scares to prove I was there. If I remember correctly there was a waterfall in the shallow pool that was covered with some type of sharp pea shingle. I was climbing on the side of it, just as my mum called to me to get down I fell and slid down the side cutt my left knee ...see more
My father was a Aircraft Engineer for K.L.M. He started as an apprentice at Croydon Airport in 1934. After the second world war, Croydon was getting too small for the larger aircraft coming along, so K.L.M. moved to the then new London Airport and we moved with them. In 1948 we moved into 31 Byron Avenue, my step mother and my half sister, my half brother Neil was born there in 1950. I went ...see more
Delighted to find photographs of the Rivacre Lido. I moved to Canada in 1966 after being born and raised in Liverpool. Most Sundays in summer my late parents and their friends' took us kids to a variety of outdoor lidos/swimming pools in and around Merseyside. Rivacre Valley stands out from the rest as being the most relaxing lido for the adults in our group, and for vivid memories of the brickwork, plants and flowers surrounding the pool.
When I was 8 and my brother 10, we went to live in Bawdrip for a short while with my dad who was working there at the time. He took us to stay with an elderly couple, Mr and Milliner, where he was lodging and they looked after us while my dad was at work. (This would not have been easy as we argued most of the time!) Their house was called Bitham Bungalow and they had a golden labrador called Sandy. My brother drew ...see more
We moved to Ponteland in 1940 from North Shields in a bid to 'escape' the ever increasing air raids on Tyneside. We first lived on the North Road and I attended Coates Endowed School (headmaster, Mr Parker) and later the 'top' school (headmaster, Mr Stokoe), as it was known then before moving on to College. I used to help out at the local Post Office at the weekends assisting the postmaster, ...see more
Wow - what a shock! I don't know how that message came to be in this site. The only thing I can think of is that I wrote a note on the `Cefn Mawr` site and it said it was full up....shame! I saw the name Keith Butt and couldn't believe what I was reading...but how wonderful to know that you remember me. I was a big fan of your Dad, such a fantastic character and good fun too. I worked in the Bookies next ...see more
I attended Scotland Hill School from 1940 to 1946, after which I moved to Crowthorne C of E School. I have many memories of Scotland Hill School, Mr Shanks the Headmaster did not take any fooling around, his cane often warmed our hands for what seemed to us minor problems, but he was a fair person really. The school dinners were interesting; they used to be delivered in metal containers in a van to the ...see more
I attended St John's from 1952 to 1959. This was an all girl's church school with about 60 children in three classrooms, with a hall where we had dinner and danced to the BBC's "Music and Movement". We used another hall across the road for our PE lessons. To start with I was in the infant's classroom at the front of the school where we used to have a nap in the afternoon after listening to ...see more
I love this place and have been lucky enough to visit Inch Kenneth and the chapel a number of times over the past few years. I'm not a religous person but just being around the chapel and burial ground is special to me. I dont know why this is, but this place is very calming for me and I could sit for hours on my own and just imagine what things were like in the distant past. I could go on and on but it is ...see more
I was born in Calverley in 1948. I lived with my mother, father and brother (Ernest). I attended Calverley Church School. I played down in the woods most of the time, with my brother and our friends. My brother was a bully with everyone that he came across, especially me. He used to tell me to climb down the Quarry to help him collect birds eggs, I was only 5 or 6 at the time. I have lovely memories of playing ...see more
Maggie Cook had a sweet shop at the bottom of Milton Road. She would have done well today with the Garnock Academy business but she served us well and we all have our favourite moments. Maggie was small and petite and in order to access the top shelf she used a ladder. Six of us went in one day and the first asked for four ounces of anniseed balls. Maggie replaced the sweets on the top shelf and asked the next ...see more
My memory of Budleigh Salterton is spending a couple of months or so at a childrens convalescent home in the spring/early summer of 1955. I revisited the town a few years back to find that the old childrens home building is now a hotel and named Tidwell Manor. I was 6 years old, recovering from meningitis and to find myself in such a wonderous and tranquil part of the world was quite truly ...see more
Good times. No electric, log fires, paraffin lamps, everything cooked on the old faithful black lead grate which I had to clean every week.
No running water - my job every night when I got home from school was to get the yoke off the wall and fetch two buckets of drinking water from a communial pump at the end of the lane. The water got to the pump from a fresh water spring a mile away, this was pumped up ...see more