Nostalgic memories of Barnet's local history
Share your own memories of Barnet and read what others have said
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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Displaying all 10 Memories
I attended Queen Elizabeth’s Girls Grammar School from 1954 to 1959, and in 1957 the Queen came to visit. We all had to practise our lessons for ages beforehand (mine was French), and when she came to our classroom she spoke to us in French. We all gathered in the hall for a special assembly, and the head girl presented her with gifts for Charles and Anne (Andrew and Edward hadn’t been born then) and the Queen gave us all an ...see more
I was a pupil at this school from 1951-1958. The main building built in 1932, was extended at the west end (obscured in the photo by the trees) in 1954 and at the east end (asymmetrically!) in 1956. This photo shows no extension at the east end so this photo must be pre-1955 (and I think pre 1954). Futher buildings were built behind the school in 1957. School started at 9.15 on Monday and finished ...see more
hi my name is lynne cochrane, which is my maiden name. we lived as a family with cousins in the old highlands house, overlooking highlands gardens, which was owned bu my grandpa george percival howe, the house was demolished in 1972, which was very sad for all us kids, i was 13 at the time. so thank you to this site for all the wonderful pictures of barnet and the highlands gardens.
I lived at 241 mays lane I worked at hatton and street new barnet great job removals suction sweep cleaners coal round and tree felling so variable . im 76 now but it just seems like yesterday. barnet cinema I always seem to meet joan day inside she lived in new barnet Victoria rd I think. I joined the royal navy in the summer of that year
My Great Uncle, Harry Mountford, left Nottingham in the early 1930's and came to New Barnet where he opened up a Chemist Shop at 16 Station Road, New Barnet and then another one at 6 Potters Road. He ran the Chemist shops until his retirement in 1962. To my surprise I recently found a Chemist shop bearing the Mountford shop a short distance away at East Barnet Road. If anyone has a picture of Station Road or ...see more
I was one year old when WW2 began - in 1938. Most of my visual memories stem from that time. I remember, without any facts to support them, the large white house that stood in the grounds of Waitrose Car Park and was in ruins one morning on my way to Byng Road School - the tiny cottages beside HADLEY INFANT'S SCHOOL where my family lived but that have now been demolished - the huge craters left across ...see more
I joined a "side" of clog morris dancers known as The Old Bull" in 1980. We all attended weekly practices and danced out at various local pubs in the area. Our practice venue was a former pub known as the Old Bull. It was purchased by Barnet Urban District Council in 1963 with a view to demolishing the building and creating an access road to a bypass parallel to Barnet High ...see more
Having responded privately to Steve Laidlaw and now read other log-ins I have decided to add some of my own 'gleanings'. Now residing in New Zealand but having been born and raised in Barnet, and having traced my family history back some 300 years in Barnet/Hadley, I now have sufficient information to build a reliable picture of theirs and Barnets past. My Peak/Peake (the name is different in some findings) ...see more
My name is Steve Laidlaw, I was born in Barnet, and at the age of 5 went to Cromer Road School. Myself and three brothers loved growing up in Barnet, my grandfather owned the building firm Laidlaw and Sons where on Saturdays we would earn two and six for cleaning the cement mixers that my father Peter and his work mates would have used that day. My grandmother's name Kitty who passed away when I was about 7. Barnet ...see more
I have no memories of Barnet myself but I have recently learned since my dad passed away that my grandad came from Barnet and was born there by all accounts. His name was William George Wanstall, born on the 22nd January 1907, his mother was Annie Wanstall, nee Keating, and his father was of the same name as himself, William George Wanstall Snr, who was a bricklayer. I do have an address they did live at in Barnet and ...see more