My Earliest Memories Of Dagenham

A Memory of Dagenham.

I came upon this site by chance and it brought back so many memories I thought I would share a few.
I was born in Fritzlands Lane No. 151 this was my Grandparents house, at the age of 4 or 5 my Mum and Dad were allocated a new house on the Heath Park Estate at No 76 Fritzlands Lane,when we moved in I was carried down the road on my Nans lodgers shoulders I remember his name was Bert it was thick snow at the time and I had Mumps,My next memory was the coronation street party in Pembroke Gardens a lovely sunny day plenty of jelly and cakes ,lots of games I somehow won a game of musical chairs (my Dad was the man in charge) . In my younger days I used to take a homemade wheel barrow with me to Oxlow Lane to get my Nans shopping she had broken here leg falling off the table putting up Christmas decorations. I was 6 or 7 at the time taking a shopping list with money wrapped up in it. I remember first stop green grocers just round the corner 2nd or 3rd shop 15lbs King Edwards Greens Carrots runner beans but I had to break 1 to see if they were stringy.next stop into Wrights grocery, they always gave me a sweet , into the fish shop to get some Cod balls or whole fish but I had to check the gills were red. take shopping back to Nans and get 2pence for going. I went to Heath Park infants school and then into the juniors my teacher there was Mr Dignen his favorite punishment was a wide 3 foot board ruler bend over and get 2 whacks I don't think I went a day without this treat. The School was so old we had coal fires winter times warm our third of pint of milk in front of the fire. Then onto Triptons Senoir School. I spent the first 22years of my life in fritzlands lane and have a book full of memories both good and not so good. Does anyone remember the Oxlow lane boys, the Heathway boys the Merry Fiddlers or Green Lane boys this would be in mid 50,s Yes all Teddy boys.

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