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
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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 above photo is the pond which is close to Dorothy Connor's current home in Glebe Road, Ashtead. This area has not changed so very much since the time the Frith photo was taken in 1904.
Interestingly, Dorothy Connor (nee Step) is actually pictured in the Caterham Frith photo ref 78135V accompanied by her late Mother Elizabeth Step (aged 46) and her Sister, Florence Step ...see more
My gran used to be the nurse at the first aid post at Peter pans pool, next to the first aid post was a hut that stored surplus and waiting to be fixed rides ie, hobby horse, rocket or a car or life size figures of Cinderella and I remember a cowboy and an Indian, my imagination went wild in there. I used to dress up as a nurse and pretend to be a nurse like my gran. Lost children found their way to the ...see more
At the same time in Wimbledon, there was also another Kennards and like the poster said, he used to go to Kennards with his mum and nan and so did I (to the Kennards in Wimbledon). I was about 4 or 5 then, just after the war and when I first went there with my mum and nan, I was amazed to see in this great big shop with so many departments, there was a dance floor and a small orchestra playing and a singer. I had never seen ...see more
This picture shows clearly the row of small shops that greeted you as you left Freshfield Station on your walk to the village. Bowers (or was it Cross's) the bakers next to the railway track, baked their bread on the premises and my grandmother bought our bread there. There was also a confectioners and newsagents which sold very good ice cream and a small selection of toys - can't ...see more
I remember this scene well; with the Butcher's shop on the corner still present and further down Old Town Lane was F G Shoesmith the Chemist and Post Office - I still have one his medcine bottles complete with its label. The Post Office and Chemist was run by Mr Shoesmith as one business, and had a then fairly standard brass mesh barrier to define the Post Office area, which was ...see more
I remember summers in Wallasey Village being absolutely glorious as a kid. I used to live in Green Lane, and during the summer holidays,Ii and my friends worked on the market gardens, from early in the morning until mid afternoon, we would then race down to the sea front to the Derby Bathing Pool; either paying to get in with our hard earned, weed pulling cash, or sneak under the wire off the golf course. The ...see more
Was there really a live donkey in Kennards Arcade at some point? Was that just a childhood dream I had?
One highlight of my childhood was going to one of the big department stores with my grandmother and mother. Ladies dressed in black played violins while we ate coffee and cake. For a few brief hours we were rich, had a huge house and all the other things I once thought made life fun. I cannot remember if it was Alders, ...see more
I was also in this Fever Hospital with Scarlet Fever for three weeks I was 9 or 10. I clearly remember being rushed there in an ambulance wrapped tightly in a blanket with a bag of sweets stuffed down my front. I felt very bewildered by the whole experience. I recall the nurses were very kind but the food was not so good. A big box of oranges was sent in by one of my uncles which felt very special as I saw no ...see more
My Mum had a brother living at 'South View', Stoke Fleming and we spent many holidays with his family. There was an outside row of toilets with long wooden seats and you had to get a pail of water from the well next to the pub to flush it. They kept chickens behind the houses and there was also a swing. As a young girl, I made friends with the shoemender's daughter, Mary Bowden, who lived next door ...see more
I was born during the Second World War in 1942, the 8th child to my parents at Goose Bridge, Matching Green. My parents were Scottish and people thought they were foreign. My dad worked for Mr Gemmill's farm and drove a lorry for him so he was exempt from call-up for the army till they were so short of drivers that he was called up and went to war when I was six months old, I was three when he ...see more
How many of you have fond memoires of times spent on the shore and along the prom. Who got hot water from the cafes along the bottom of Tobin Street. Do you remember the bands playing in Davy Jones's locker on the old pier head? My dad, Ron Higginson, used to tell me about the time his skiffle band 'The Atlantics' were playing in the Egremont pub, in the back snug cos they didn't have a music ...see more
The picture is of the bottom end of Church Street; the old Morris Traveller was my father's car and it is parked as seen outside 72, Church Street. I was born in Edenbridge, and lived in this house until I was 17. I have very happy memories of living down this street, playing rounders, and british bulldog, all the kids in the street use to play together. We were never in doors, always out over the fields to Tank Wood and fishing down the river...'very' happy days.
I was born on Alexander Road in 1944 and moved to 79 Aston Terrace in 1945 and these were one of the best times in my life. We were known as the middle row and I can remember most people in the row; Tylers, Barnses, Davises, Scotts, Hibberts, Hazards, Marshes, Tipples, Jones, Adsetts, Scarfs, Dewicks, Tompkins. I remember we used to go down to a place called 'the hillies' where there was a small pond and sand and ...see more
My memories are relating to the mid 1950`s & 1960`s: smelling the ground coffee and Broomfields Bakers, C&A store, a boutique called `Bus Stop` and Martin Fords in the high street, where I bought my first leather coat. I have lots of memories of the old Croydon, especially going swimming in the baths in Scarbrooke Rd. It had two baths, a large and a small. Cost of 6 old pence a session. After, we used ...see more
My memories are of the ending of the war, the German one in the Second World War. My family and I went to a VE party down the Greenford Road in Kings Avenue, I was about 7 years old at the time and while I was dancing with my elder sister, my elastic broke in my knickers and I was trying to hold them up and trying to tell my sister what had happened and she took not the slightest bit of notice of me and carried on ...see more
We actually lived in Northolt Grange but our cousins, the Barltetts, lived in Stanhope Road, Greenford (does anyone remember them?). I worked from the age of 8 or 9 for Ron and Stella Valente who owned Toni Milk Bar (very near the police station end). What at fantastic couple they were, they named me 'Corporal', I was like their son (they had not children) and I was there till I left ...see more
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
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
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
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