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
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Displaying Memories 1201 - 1250 of 2029 in total
The photographer is standing on the road just outside Pinner sorting office.
I worked for this post office as a "Christmas Casual" in 1962 and the crafty regular postmen dumped all the unpopular rounds on the young students doing a couple of weeks casual work.
Although the sorting office was at the top of Bridge Street in Pinner village itself, my round was in Northwood Hills delivering to Alandale Drive, ...see more
Wigan-made clogs always did have a reputation even way back when - so it's nice to have this confirmation of their quality holding up even to today. I've even discovered that one of my ancestors made his living as a Boot and Clog Repairer having been Apprenticed to a Clogger at a very young age by to-days standards. I unfortunately never did get to own a pair - but oh! how I envied my ...see more
I lived here from 1965 through to the end of the seventies. The council offices are on the left, just out of view and before the fire station. Old Lodge Lane is on the right. You can see the roof of the Orchid Ballroom building on the left, behind the fire station. I used to sit and look from my bedroom window at a long row of pigeons that would sit on the roof when it was raining. The buildings in the distance on ...see more
In June 1964 a group of us Belfast grammar school boys crossed the sea to Liverpool and took the long coach journey south to spend the school summer vacation working in the Bournemouth beach cafes. Three of us shared a bedroom at Pat and Alvin's, a short bus ride from the town centre. Our "digs" cost just £1.10s a week each, out of a wage of £5 at the beach cafes. The cafe provided lunch and in the evening we ...see more
I lived at 9 Oxford Street (just off Malling Road) from 1955 to 1972 when I got married and moved away to Maidstone. I worked as a paperboy for Kenny's; once I was 13 and old enough to be employed - I remember getting 10 shillings per week. My round covered the Birling Road and the new estate that was being built along Taylor's Road, behind the farm. I also worked for Jack and Ruby at the fish shop at the top of ...see more
When I was 6 years old my brother Ken and I went to live at Kenward, the Dr Barnardo's home in Yalding. It was a fantastic house and I can still remember the lay out of it. We had a wonderful childhood there. We had 'aunts' in the local shops and at Christmas time all the girls would get a doll with clothes knitted by an aunt. I can't remember what the boys got. I had 'uncles' on a mine sweeper called Chiefton. I still have a ...see more
My family name was Brewer and it seemed we went hop picking for ever. The last time was 1958. The following year my grandmother became ill and we could not go anymore. I was 12 the last time I went. I have written a story of my time spent on Buston Manor Farm and I would love to share it with anyone who was there at the same time. This would be between 1945 and l958. My grandmother's name ...see more
My Name is Alan Pearce. I was born in October 1939 at 75 Park View Road and I have many memories of going to the bottom of the road and walking under the very low tunnel which carried the railway line. Adults would stoop even lower than us kids. It was quicker than walking over the footbridge just a few yards away. The tunnel led to the Tottenham Marshes. I started school in 1935 at ...see more
In the 1960's/70's - (can anybody tell me the actual date?) when the Tatton Estate was being broken up, there was an attempt to secure the Heath for built development. The Knutsford Freeholders who had 'ancient rights' for grazing etc.. over the Heath (and, of course, to hold fairs thereon - especially the May Day) had to go to the High Court to defend these rights. My father was one of the Freeholders ...see more
In 1942 aged 5 due to my father being a shipwright in the Portsmouth Dockyard he was transferred to a satellite dockyard at Dunstaffnage where we stayed as a family until the war finished and we then moved back to Pompey. Workers in the Dockyard came from Chatham, Devonport and Rosyth. The dockyard had AFD 19 which was a floating dock to repair damaged North Atlantic and Artic convoy ships. My sister ...see more
Knutsford holds a special place in my heart as I was born there in 1956 and spent nearly eight years of my childhood growing up in this then safe and close community. I have very strong memories of family, home, school and friends and the environment during these years up until late 1963 when we emigrated to Western Australia as "10 pound poms". Our family home was 65 Mobberley Rd., Crosstown right next door to the ...see more
From Bury to Porthtowan in those days was a long hard drive, especially with three screaming kids in the back. To make it easier we would set off at 2am and drive through the night... in those days less than half the distance was motorway and with breaks we would be pulling on to Porthtowan car park,bleary eyed at around 10-30 am.
Usually on arrival it was raining cats and dogs but we didn't care, the beach, ...see more
I lived in a cottage by the pond some 20 odd years ago. My neighbour, well into her 90's was Mac May (a version of her true name garbled by other neighbours' kids) who, every day, was out in her wellies digging in the garden. We had this photo &, knowing Mac May had lived in the cottage all her life, asked if she knew the children. She did & remembered the photo being taken. The boy & the girl in the middle are ...see more
I was sent to a convelecent home in Broadstairs but I don't know the name. I must have been 5 years old, I lived in London at the time. I remember being put on a coach and being seen off by my parents and wondering why they looked sad. I also can only remember being told I had a shadow on the lung. Regarding the home; I remember the dormitories the curtains used to frighten me because I could make out ugly, scary ...see more
Born in East Ham in 1943. We are 4 sisters. Favourite place was Central Park after school each day. Playing rounders or on the swings with the Parkie blowing his whistle after 10 mins to get off for the next lot to get on. Sunday mornings on the mini golf instead of Sunday school money we went there, mum never knew. She is still going strong 100 years this December, lived in East Ham all her life. Playing down the cellers ...see more
I was born in Sutton Road, Plaistow (Plaster to us locals) in 1944 and from the age of 4 I was free to roam. Things were different then! Barking Road for all the shops, and the pubs. Rathbone Street market on a Saturday, when it was down Rathbone Street not on the Barking Road. Seeing all the stalls with food overhanging the edges of barrows, which if you were quick or very little could be yours for the ...see more
The pictures in Francis Frith nostalgic photos, bring to mind the Cannock I remember. Even the pictures from 1955, the year of my birth, show places I recall. I would go with my grandad and John Brogan, in the old open backed van, to Cannock station to collect the newspapers to be delivered to other newsagents and to the shop on St John's Road. My 'Uncle Reg' would sell the papers from the doorway at ...see more
I was at Port Regis in the 50s. I took the lead role in the Thumbelina play. Does anybody remember the crowning of Our Lady? I have a photo of that event. On the other side of the coin I was put on bread and water for three days for not eating macaroni cheese, I also saw a girl being sick because she did not like porridge and the nuns made her eat it. Sister Theresa hated my long hair and ...see more
To anyone reading this; I was born Valerie Harding and lived in Wedges Mills and I remember so many things about my childhood in Cannock. The Maypole dancing at John Woods school, attending Church each Thursday while attending Walhouse, and then walking in a 'crocodile' in twos back to school afterwards. Looking in Withingtons paper shop window to see what new Dinky toys were displayed, going into ...see more
In October 1958 I spent two weeks at Yarrow and have never been able to forget how unhappy I was during that time. I do not remember staff putting us at our ease in the big old victorian building which felt very oppressive to an 11 year old. It was often quiet and you talked in a whisper, I think I thought I was there as a punishment and I remember a constant sense of loneliness and fear. My ...see more
I used to watch the man in the signal box turn a large wheel similar to a ship's wheel to close the gates. Cyclists used to aim for the gap as they got closer together. Motorists became very impatient when a train came from both Weybridge and the Chertsey direction, and the gates remained closed for several minutes.
The Ferryman in this photo of Blackwater Ferry is my two times great grandfather; Edward Gregory. Former Hampshire County Police Constable, Edward took over the running of the Ferry and the Tea Rooms (it used to sell beer too) on his retirement from the Police force, along with his wife Jane. The Ferry was an important quick route into Bournemouth, via Holdenhurst.
Osterley Park became within striking distance of my Hounslow home once I had a bike and from about the age of 12 (1960) would cycle there with a school friend with our bottles of pop and jam sandwiches, to roam the grounds and generally explore. As long as we were home by the time the street lights came on we had the freedom I don't think children of today have. I remember on one of these jaunts on a hot summer day ...see more
Just after the war during our summer holidays I was sent from Rochester (where we lived at that time, Dad having been demobbed and then working at Short Bros on the airport), together with my trusty Hercules cycle to spend the full summer school holidays with my Dad's Aunt and Uncle and their little fox terrier here in St Blazey. At that time they lived in Sea View Terrace and seeing Kittows shop brought back ...see more
I believe I am the girl sitting on the grass looking towards the sea in this photograph. My name then was Susan Groves and my dad was a fisherman. We owned a shop down the bank called The Shell Shop where dad sold many things including crabs and lobsters. He made me a boat which I used to row him out to his cobble to empty his crab pots or collect urchins. I loved Bay as a child and have many happy ...see more
I was born in 1929 in my parent's house at 40 Medora Road, adjacent to the old football ground. Any time I hear the Sousa march - 'Liberty Bell' - I am reminded of Saturday there. It was played at the close of every match to get the people to leave in an orderly manner. My father worked at the Labour Exchange on North Street. In the first days/nights of the air raids we slept in the employees' air raid ...see more
Growing up in burton was fantastic, all the children of the village would play together and spend their days wandering freely, only going home to eat. Just the way it should be. The local vicar at the time was the Reverend Charles Trevor who had a large family, Susan, Chris, Clare, Andrew who was my age, Catherine and Peter. I have very fond memories of us all playing together in the vicarage, ...see more
My mum and nan are always sharing storys about Fleetwood and one they told me was that my great great grandfather was a parkkeeper of The Mount '. He was known as 'old daddy hall' and they said that everybody was scared to go on The Mount as he was really strict, I think this was around 1920's (I'm not certain). He was well known around Fleetwood and I thought this story was really interesting.
Whilst looking on the West Hoathly hub site, I found a picture of myself standing in a camp at Blacklands Farm W64093 and W64091 in 1965. I would have been 9 years of age. My name was Julie Beavis and lived in the village from 1959 to 1971. We were a very large family, I was one of 10 children. We lived in High Fields, North Lane next door to the Barnards who owned one of the two the village shops on one side and the ...see more
Childhood memory, the post office door had an actual brass bell fitted to it, on entering if the post master was in the back their parrot used to scream 'Wipe your feet' followed by 'No stamps today'. Richard Oxley
I use to live in Bell Lane at Braycrest. It was a pair of houses built by Jack Hylands I was told. They owned property in the Warrington area and would go out every Friday evening to collect the rents. They had a dog - white chow with a blue tongue I remember. Bell Cottage had a ghost supposedly. Rachel lived there and when her sweetheart died or didn't return from wherever, she hung herself on a tree opposite the ...see more
I can remember my infant years at Napier Road school. I remember when I was in the first year there, we would have a small slice of toasted bread in the afternoons. Then I went to Holbrook School when I was 11. One teacher I always remember was a Mr Osmotherly, he was always a very nice kind teacher. I remember as a young child going to Angel Lane with my nan and buying grated ...see more
I was born just after the Second World War and like many people came from a fairly poor working class background. I was, however, blessed in many areas of my life and one of them was having an aunt who lived at 8 Hamilon Square, Birkenhead. It was an insurance building and she lived in the basement and was employed as a cleaner. We visited her every year and explored the Wirral. They were such happy times. I ...see more
I grew up in Silsden and also worked in Silsden, as a weaver at Stocks Mill. I lived at 52 New Rd or shed side, as it was known. We lived almost opposite Fletchers mill gates, in a back-to-back two bedroomed terraced house, with outside shared toile . I attended Aire View Primary School with the Headmistress, Miss Smith. I later went to Silsden Secondary Modern School with Claughton, Leadbetter and ...see more
I have memories of Saturday morning pictures at the Grange as well. We lived in Joan Gardens and our Mum used to give us the money for a bus up to the Fiddlers. My sister used to make me sit on her lap so we saved the fare and used it for sweets. Innocent days!!
My grandparents lived in Kings Place, Bukhurst Hill, Florence and William Street. I stayed a lot with them and always remember the toy shop at the bottom of Queens Road, its name I can't recall. There used to be a full train set in the window. There was a slot in the doorway where you put a penny in and the train used to go round. It was just magic and everytime I went with Nan to the shops she generously gave me a penny.
Most young boys at sometime rode and or built their own trolly. My experience growing up, living on the edge of French's Yard on Epping New Road in Buckhurst Hill, was full of good times riding my home-built trolly down the long slope in the yard after working hours and on weekends. My main difficulty back then was finding at least two matching pram wheels. Having one wheel was useless, but finding two the same ...see more
Early memories of Buckhurst Hill.
Re. Mark Brazier's message. Yes I remember the Three Colts and the French family. The son David was a close friend so I spent a lot of time there. I remember your mother and father Audrey and Ged Brazier. I went to their wedding in the late 50s, and the reception afterwards was of course at The Three Colts. Your grandparents James (John) and Alice French.
Re. Barbara Mcauley's ...see more
In 1932 my father Len James was moved to Brockenhurst as the 'village bobby'. I was born in 1931 and my brother in 1929. We lived in the Police house (now a renovated private home) and eventually both us boys went to the C of E Primary School. Dad had a standard issue police bicycle, on which he would ride to Lyndhurst and submit his report to the Station Sergeant there. In 1934 we bought a 1928 Morris Minor car ...see more
The photo above, of the two Lads on the lake is of my Brother Graham and I. I can`t remember it myself but apparently, Graham tells me, he was fed up because he wasn`t allowed to drive the boat as he was too small.
At the top of Queens Road in Buckhurst Hill is a small newsagents shop. It was owned by the Mr & Mrs. Silk. The shop sold papers magazines cigarettes, sweets and a few toys. Situated right across the road from where Princes Road branches off. The little shop did a roaring trade. I attended school at Taunton House about half way down Queens Road., and of course passed Silks going to and from school. My ...see more
Every year on my birthday my mother and father made June 21st. (or the closest Saturday) a very special day for me. Since I was old enough to remember I had strawberries on my birthday. However, that was not all. The day was a huge celebration at our house called "Ivy Cottage" on Epping New Road. All my aunties and uncles plus as many as fifteen childhood friends would come to my party.
Planning must ...see more
I moved to Watchfield in 1940 and left in 1950. My dad, Mr Woolman, worked for the army and had his office in Homelees Farm in the camp. What a change has taken place at Watchfield. Gone are the places we could play in safety. The brook is now overgrown and no where to paddle. The cottage at Tuck Mill has gone and the stepping stones are nearly covered in weeds. We used the pathway to Shrivenham and used the ...see more
I am almost certain that this photo shows my great-grandfather walking from Chelsfield village to our house. He did this every week with a sack of vegetables over his shoulder. He would never get in a car, and walked everywhere. He lived in the village and had 2 allotments behind the recreation ground where he grew everything from potatoes to soft fruits. You name it, he grew it. He died in 1953.
Furze Infant school and being allowed to go in the garden to pick Lavender (still whenever I smell Lavender it takes me back). Running down 'back alley's' behind the roads around St Chads; Warren Junior School (playing netball), Saturday morning pictures (taking part in talent shows), playing over St Chads Park (playleader hut), Betty Finch Dance school, Brownies (Church Parade at St Chads). Sunday School ...see more
My frandfather, Ernest Thomas Sloane, was the Editor of the Shrewsberry Chronicle for many years. During this time he was approached by someone from the BBC who asked if he had a local story of interest. Grandad mentioned how a young gardener by the name of Percy Thrower whho had designed and made The Dingle the place of beauty it is today. As Ernest Sloane was unavailable on the day, my father, ...see more
My dad was posted from Strensall in Yorkshire to Nescliffe in the beginning of 1959. We took a steam train to Shrewsbury, then a bus to Nescliffe. At night the family of 3, plus cat in a basket, plodded across a field to the married quarters there. It was a hot summer and the Everly Brothers were playing "wake up little Suzy". We had a charabang to Lake Verny - 12 of us. We also went to the ...see more
My great grandfather, Arthur Tuffin, was the Gate Keeper at the Lodge in 1911. He was married to Emily Tuffin (nee Banvil). My grandmother, May Alexandra, was born in the Lodge along with her siblings, Milborough & Margaret. Residing with them was my great great grandmother, Milborough Banvil. Her name orignates from DeBanville, they arrived from France. I have a photo of them all outside in front of the ...see more
When we all broke up for 6 weeks holidays it was all the kids jobs to go in 'the cut' and swim to fetch coal out. The boats used to carry the coal from Walsall Wood pit to Birmingham and the boater used to drop lumps of coal into the canal. Once we had been in the cut and got the coal out we had a bike frame and 2 wheels to carry the bags of coal to home. We had a local copper, 'Long Tom' we called him ...see more
About a mile or so from South Woodford toward Buckhurst Hill, on the New Road, is Woodford Wells. My friend lived in the third house from the corner diagonally across from Bancrofts School. The house next door had been destroyed by a bomb, and all the wreckage had been taken away.
Another chum, my friend and I often played football on the vacant concrete pad where the house had ...see more