East Ham, High Street c.1965

Photo ref: E100016

I was born on Vicarage lane in 1947, moved to a flat on Charlemonte Road then onto St Albans Ave. I remember Bonny Downs and all the friends we had as times were very tough so we went "pinching" fruit off the grocers stall outside the shop in vicarage lane, and running like hell when he chased us.. My dad was a chef, a master baker and confectioner,he ran a bakery on High Street ...see more

I always think of East Ham at Christmas, going to the Co-op to see Father Christmas, it seemed like magic how they did it. Then when older I remember my dad sat down our shed at 61 Stokes Road plucking chickens, he kept chickens in our small garden along with rabbits and canaries in an avairy. He would be all done up in scarf and big coat, with a lead going down garden with a light on the end, no health and safety ...see more

When I worked at Fentocraft in St Johns Road it was a small factory that did hand painting on glass and pick-a-sticks, a game. We always had a Christmas party, they would put a table down the middle and our bosses, a M and Mrs Bound, provided the food, always a turkey and all the trimmings, even wine, which we never had at home, with our lunch. They even gave us all presents, not just one, of which I still have a ...see more

I can remember sitting in our front room (every one had a front room) with my mum playing a card game called Happy Families and the house that joined us had all their family there and you could hear them stamping there feet on the lino (there were no carpets then) and singing all the old songs. I lived at 61 Stokes Road, that's how it was then. Also why don't you hear men whistle any more? Folk were a lot poorer but you could always here someone whistling, perhaps songs had more melody then.