Barking And Dagenham

A Memory of Barking.

I used to live in the Barking/Dagenham area from 1945-1973.I was born at Barking hospital,sometimes known as Upney in 1945.I lived on the corner of Rugby Road and Bromhall Road,my mum and dad moved there from Bromley by Bow when they got married in 1930.
I remember a few names that lived nearby,the Murtons lived next door to us,there children was Diana and Graham,they were near enough the same age as me.There was the Pheobes they had a daughter,Sally.The Hughes,a Mr and Mrs Johnson.Further up the road were the Taylors,Ryans and Marsh.Other names were the Browns,Hollaways and the Windsors they had a daughter Janet,a Mrs Foley, and my granddad lived at 273 Rugby Road with my Aunt Lou and Uncle Alf and cousins Carol and Brian.
I went to Dawson infant and junior school which was in side turnings off of Woodwood Road and then with friends went on to Bifrons,which backed on to the houses in Rugby Road.
In the 1950's we used to play football and cricket in the road,long lost days,also played over Maysbrook Park,also known as matchstick island.Played tennis there too with a friend of mine Peter Wyatt,he lived in Waterbeach Road,not far from Dave Mundin,the Tremeloes drummer.
Saturday night used to be pub night and we would all go to the Roundhouse,us children would be outside with a lemonade and a bag of crisps,how times have changed.
Barking itself was a train ride from Becontree station or a 62 bus from Woodwood Road,then in the late 1950's you could get a 162 from the Roundhouse into Barking. My Uncle Tommy Keene used to sell cockles,whelks,etc,he had a stall outside The Brewery Tap,my Aunt Tilly used to help.They had a shop in Axe Street and then Gascoigne Road.When he died in 1960 the business went with him and my aunt Tilly then worked in The Royal Oak and The Hope,both pubs in Barking.
After leaving school myself and most of my friends worked in London but we still went into Barking,mostly the pictures,the Odeon or the Capital,we used to sing Beatles songs going home via Longbridge Road. In 1971 I had a short spell working for Brent and Collins, ( also known as Take Six ).I used to have a tea break in Woolworths.

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