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
Not sure what to write? It's easy - just think of a place that brings back a memory for you and write about:
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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
Here are some of the places people are talking about in our Share Your Memories community this week:
...and hundreds more!
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Displaying Memories 1251 - 1300 of 2029 in total
My family moved from Goodmayes to South Woodford in 1927 and my first memory was of my father waving welcome to 31 Lansdowne Road as we arrived in a Daimler hired car! At Churchfields School, headmaster Mr Walford, we were warned by our teacher Mrs Pettit of the arrival of the new traffic lights at Gates Corner and told just how they worked! This meant the disappearance of Constable George ...see more
I grew up in East Finchley and one of our family treats during the summer was trips to the 'outdoor pool' with my brother, sister, mother (Dad was usually at work), aunts and cousins from Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire. Usually as little ones we spent our time in the small pool at the bottom of the waterfall. Usually wearing our rubber rings we all learned to swim, and enjoyed our picnics ...see more
This photo brings back the - what seemed - endless summer days of the 50's and 60's when we would go with our togs and sandwiches (probably jam) in the care of an older friend and queue for tickets for the day. Our parents sometimes were working or didn't like to go because of the noise and excitement of the children. We were so lucky to have a such a great facility nearby - I lived in East Finchley - so there was ...see more
My husband, Roger Watts, and his family lived in Castle St in the 1950's. The picture has a figure standing outside their front door (no.15) which could be his mother or older sister Linda. Can anybody shed some light on this ? The street was always free of cars with only the doctor, who lived a few doors away, owning a vehicle. All the children attended the local school, St Mary's, including a number of ...see more
I have enjoyed reading the 'Memories of Knaphill' contributions, and though I have not lived there myself, my Payne family did, so thought I might share a few of their memories! In the 1890's, Captain George Payne and his wife Eliza, lived in Victoria House, 1 Victoria Terrace, near the Inkerman Barracks. George was a master grocer and baker. He later became a Lieutenant in HM Army. He was one of the ...see more
My gran Margaret Ross lived at the "Old Smiddy" in Berriedale where me, my brother Ian and sister Audrey spent every summer on holiday. It's the most beautiful place in the world and I have the most wonderful memories of so many happy times there. One morning I took a donner doon to the water and there was a man with a big net catching fish, I gave him a fright and he says " Here wee man, have ...see more
We used to live on what was called The Avenues on the Rylands estate. This was situated behind the Princess shopping parade, so called after the name of the local flea pit where all the kids went to Saturday morning pictures. It later became the Princess bowling alley. It was located on the old A13 New Rd opposite the road that led to the main entrances to Fords. The estate was originally built for ...see more
My grandma was born Eleanor ('Nellie') Roberts at Back 62 Charles Street on the 27th November 1911 to Lillian Elizabeth and Richard John Roberts, she was the second eldest of 6 girls, Lillian 1908, Florence May 1915, Sarah Ann 1917, Florrie 1920 and Lydia Doreen 1923. Grandma remembers that the cottage had 2 rooms, one up and one down, the upstairs was divided with heavy curtains instead of walls and ...see more
I well remember being 'fortunate' enough to work for contractors during the annual shutdown; when I was 15/16. It was during Fords heyday when they had circa 45,000 - many of who 'biked' to work come rain or shine. The shutdown work was wide ranging across the whole plant, from the blast furnace area to the 'new' PTA building, which fronted the A13 (and since torn down). The work was hard, and hours ...see more
The building you can see behind the tree left of photo was the main guardroom. At the back was the offices of the RAF Police and the RAF Regt. Opposite their office entrance was a grassed area where we had a wonderful standing aircraft - a jet Provost. One day whilst sitting in the RAF Police office, I glanced out of the window and suddenly realized that some wag had adorned the beast with ...see more
The Common, which is a delightful huge stretch of open ground from Cardiff Road to the Westra, was the sporting centre for the villagers. Here the cricket club played and the rugby club also held their matches too. Just off the Common is the home of both the Bowls Club and tennis club.
My memory of playing for the cricket club was on the day of the 1966 World Cup final when England were ...see more
In the 1960's I was a ticket conductor on this train. Jack Goldstone was the driver and we took people from the gardens to the pool. Today there's no way I would be allowed to work on the railway because of health and safety concerns. We had to stand on a running board by the side of the carriages hang on with one hand and take money and issue tickets with the other while the train reached speeds of 20 - 30mph. ...see more
I can remember next to one of the swings shown close to the lake in this picture, was a flight of steps which was fenced off and at the bottom was a door. Does anyone know what this was - was it just a storeroom - or as I was once told - a passage way leading underground to the still remaining entrance of the demolished hall via the bank on the left of the Italian gardens? There was supposed to be a ...see more
Not too sure of the year; visiting my grandad and granny Haywood who lived up South Lane. As a child it was an adventure to go out in grandad's Morris Minor, it had a nodding dog in the back window. My grandparents had invited some neighbours to come out with us, a Mr and Mrs Charlesworth. I remember us taking a flask of tea, some cake, deck chairs and a car blanket - I ...see more
How well I remember arriving at Wells-next-the-Sea from Leicester as a new bride. My husband was a former high school pen-friend who was now in England serving in the U.S Air Force, having been in the country from his home in Wisconsin for a year. Now stationed at Sculthorpe. We spent our first week in Norfolk in the village of Sydestone until we could find rental accomodations in Wells. Our home ...see more
Born in Tooting in 1949, I lived only a walk to the top of my road to the common. Me and my friends used to play cowboys and hide up the trees to ambush my friend's sister who was always with us, all good harmless fun. As I got older I got interested in fishing and spent many a day with my bamboo rod catching tiddlers, there were some good-size fish in the pond but I only caught the small ...see more
I can remember the church being engulfed in sand and unloved by everyone. I have explored this church, albeit unofficially, with a friend of mine who lived in Llanfair village. His name is Emyr, whom I met when I started at Harlech secondary school, we had some good times at this church, which had also been a subject taught me at my primary school in Dyffryn. We also explored the old slate caves too, but ...see more
I was born in Collierswood Maternity Home, a very short time before it was bombed during the Second World War. The year was 1944. My family being homeless were housed in requisitioned properties in Mitcham. We were among the many poor families that seemed to have been moved from one house to another. We finally found ourselves, unknown to us, entering the last house we were ever to ...see more
I remember George's second hand shop in the village, my nan would take me and my brother there for a treat that was the highlight of the week for us. Also the pie and eel shop, with the brightly coloured tiles outside on the wall. Then there was Pondfield Park, and the rubbish tip opposite, can you believe we used to love to play over there - cowboys and indians, we must have gone home stinking. We were never ...see more
bill.haylor@btinternet.com Resident in and around Smallfield for 81 yrs. Shops and services were limited but adequate. Village hierarchy although unwritten was arranged in a manner that suited most people; the traders held most sway by the nature of their businesses, builders and farmers controlled most of the land. Starting from the centre of the village. The first shop in ...see more
Does anyone remember the mobile library that was parked near the parade of shops? I think there is a house on the land where it used to park.
I have memories of hanging my beret up on my named peg; my double-breasted dark blue rain coat two times bigger then me; the boys trying to pull me over the yellow line to the boys playground; the huge black spider webs in the outside toilets; the hopscotch on the floor of the ...see more
I started school in Smallfield in 1934. In those days there were bucket lavatories. The sewer was laid in 1938 and then most of Smallfield was able to do away with the buckets. There were 3 teachers, Miss Kempshall who came from Betchworth on a 250cc Panther, Miss Cottle who had attended the school and became a teacher (she ran the Cubs as well) and Miss Power. There were only about eighty children untill 1939 ...see more
I lived in Eastham, and I was about 10 years old when the war ended and a cruise up the Manchester Ship Canal was organised, possibly on board the "Royal Daffodil" which I see is still doing the cruises. Could it be the same ship I wonder? I think we boarded at a place called "Job's Ferry" in Eastham, and sailed along towards Manchester, and a popular song at the time was "Cruising down the river on a ...see more
This is an extract from a story I wrote after taking some Dutch students to France in 1992 it includes youthful memories especially of Eastbrook School and it's staff.
July 1962 (or there about). Vaguely do I remember my schooldays many years ago in Dagenham on the outskirts of London. Dagenham was not, and quite likely still isn't, a very inspiring place to live. Like many suburban industrial towns, which ...see more
My mum and her sisters and brother moved with my nan to Stockdale Road from the Kings Cross area. She told me that when the rent collector came round on his bike, if he saw a group of women talking by their gate, he would tell them off and say "you are not in London now", plus if he thought your garden was not tidy or your nets not straight, he would put a cross in the rent book. Three crosses and you had to go ...see more
This photo is very special to me as it has my late grandad on it. I myself grew up in Shilbottle and have many memories of the pub. I used to have sleepovers there with two girls whose parents ran the pub in the 60's/70's. It was only one small bar then and later on they pulled the old outbuildings down and stables to make way for the lounge and car park. Previous landlords kept horses in the stable so the car park ...see more
I was a farm hand at Whitley Bridge and was for that day a tractor driver. My job was to pull a trailer down a row of rhubarb roots which had been pulled out onto the surface. Mr Huddleston employed girls on his market garden farm - they'd total at least sixty girls & the majority of them were just turned sixteen. Their job was to use a pitch fork to lift the rhubarb roots onto the trailer on which ...see more
The Transport Department at Southmead Hospital when I joined them consisted of an officer, foreman, and four porter drivers, with two buses, three vans, and two cars. We were responsible for supplying the group hospitals with staff, goods, and laundry. The group was comprised of nine hospitals, Southmead itself, Almondsbury, Thornbury, Berkeley, Ham Green, Clevedon, and the Clifton ...see more
I was stationed at Bordon Fire Station and was a Corporal in the army. I have many photos taken at the station, I was in charge of the cook-house and was in charge of the bar on the station. I attended many fires - the biggest was the Honky Tonk - its army name. It burnt to the ground. We were given its wrong name, the night was very foggy, the address we were given was The Bagshot and Bordon Soiders ...see more
St Peter's Hospital was one of Bristol's finest and most historic buildings, which had been home to pirates and an alchemist as well as a mint and a workhouse among many other uses. It was destroyed in the blitz 1941.
This photograph shows St Peter's Hospital in Peter Street, where the Register Office occupied part of the ground floor. The building on the left is St Peter's Church (c1930). This ...see more
This (downstream) side of the mill was a popular site for the Canadian Army stationed at Bordon Camp during the war. Almost every day they would be there with their lorries, tanks and motorbikes, ostensibly to wash the vehicles but generally to play! With a ford on this side the game would be to drive at speed into the 9 to 12 inch deep water producing an impressive plume of spray. On one occasion a tank drove close to the ...see more
With Denmark Hill and about level with the Old Henly's garage behind you was a house within the ruins with a metal sign. It stated that during his stay here, Mendleson wrote his 'Spring Song' here. Camberwell was in the suburbs and fields were around the area filled with bird song. During my grandfather's time there were still cows in the area. Ruskin Park was one of the nicest ...see more
I remember as a little kid in the 50's going through Borsdane Wood with my mam n' Aunty Liza - we'd take egg n' tomato butties with us and always head for the Flag Bottom. This was our cheap holiday / Wigan week, I think it was June, I have forgoten a lot of dates as I emigrated to Australia in 68. We had 5 kids and Aunty Liza had 4.
In those days, the brook had a great little water fall and most of the ...see more
In relation to Reform Street and the city square on Friday/Saturday nights. We boys and our latest girlfriends (only if you had a car) used to meet and have a drag race either up Reform Street and back or a race from city square out under the rail bridge and back - obviously when the local bobbies were absent of course! I remember a Ford Anglia with a Lotus engine dropped in it being the main car to beat - easy for a bike, but not on the riverside run - four wheels were better....great
fun!
My mother, Lily Mathtews and I, were both born in the same miner's cottage at 109 Station Rd, just cross from the Welcome Church. She was born in 1903 and I in 1932. My granny, Ada, was an artist and moved to 8 Sunnyside, and during the war my brother and I used to visit all summer long, from our home in Scotland. The cottages are long gone and there's a lovely park there now. My grandfather's allotment was ...see more
Born Cecil Nixon @ 131 Morrison St.Gatesgead County Durham. Went to Rose St school,Prest St. Victoria Road, Marske by the Sea and Reeth schools. Kicked out of school before war began by the
Black Watch & Tyne-side Scottish Regiments, evacuated the day before war began to
Marske By the Sea. Several months then back to Rose Street School for a short time.
Rose St. school taken over by soldiers ...see more
My mother lived in Dunmow from 1932 until 1946 when she left to live in Edinburgh. My mother's name was Rosalind Frecknall and she and her family lived at The Close initially, then The Downs.
Her father, Claud Frecknall, taught woodwork at the local school and was an air raid warden during the war. My mother remembers being in the cinema and when she came out she heard the planes overhead; often they were on ...see more
bill.haylor@btinternet.com Resident in and around Smallfield for 81 yrs A large number of our toys were made from wood, dependant on what tools were available in fathers shed, if it was unlocked! The only tools needed were a saw, a hammer and some nails. There were two basic things a home made wooden toy was required to do: (1) Be able to be pulled along by a string, provided it had ...see more
My grandfather was a dentist in Stourbridge from before WW1 until 1961. He had his surgery and dental workshop in a large house in Worcester Street. In fact the house had two addresses: 64 Worcester Street and 1 Pargeter Street. My father and his three brothers and three sisters all grew up here and with breaks for war service, they mostly spent their lives in this area. The boys all went to King Edward VI ...see more
Little did I know that when I used to walk around Heaton Park in the school holidays with a group of mates in the early 60's, that back in 1909 my great grandad gave gramophone recycles there. I've found out quite a lot of information about William Grimshaw who was born in 1860 and died in 1940. He seemed to do so much in his life; married a woman called Ellen, they had 8 children, 2 died young, if not at ...see more
From John Moloney; john@moloney.com
I was moved to Oldham as an evacuee from Stretford in 1941 to live at 395 Featherstall Road North. The house was occupied by my great-great aunt, Ellen Farrow, and her son Fred and his wife Maggie. When I arrived I was full of impetigo (at least that's what I was told). I was literally scrubbed from head to toe, then bandaged, over an ointment on the ...see more
My mother brought me aged four and my brother aged one to a farm on the outskirts of Gellilydan in 1940 to escape the bombing in Coventry. I can remember my mother taking me to the village school to see if they would let me attend lessons. I was allowed to go even though I was only four years old. I did not speak any Welsh and the children there all spoke Welsh (and as far as ...see more
I lived in Westgate Crescent from 1936 to 1946. I suffered a severe head injury when hit by a speeding car on the Bath Road just past Eddy's cafe a few days before Christmas in 1940. I was 5 years old. We had heard that a shop in the parade was selling chocolate without a ration book and my friend and I were rushing to buy some. We never made it and as a very poorly child I shared a ward in the Slough ...see more
I lived in Mirador, the road where this pub, the Shaggy Calf, stood. It was a lovely building, it should never have been pulled down. The landlord then, was a tall well built man with a tash (very smart), his wife wore glasses and she often had a pinkish rinse on her hair and wore pearl earrings. I never saw her in the bar, I think she drove a sports car, while Morris (her husband), had a big car. I ...see more
Another Pentraeth Memory. by Ross Davies Just about 38 years ago, I was approached by some of my former pupils, who were now mostly married and with children of their own, with the idea of forming a Pentraeth based entertainment group. The village had always had an excellent reputation for choral singing and they wanted to revive the tradition, but on much more modern lines. Such an enterprise would give them ...see more
So! Back to 11 Woburn Place, back to school on Hope Chapel Hill back to Hotwells golden mile with its 15 pubs.
The War was still going on but there was only limited bombing and some daylight raids, the city was in a dreadful state of ruined factories and bomb damaged houses and dockyards. While we had been away, our older brother John had joined the 92nd Sea Scout Troop, so I went along with him and joined up ...see more
I was at the old Salfords school from 1951 to 1957 just before it moved to the new site in Copsleigh Avenue. We started in Miss License's class where I remember playing in sand trays and writing on slates. She was a very kind teacher. The playground was small but we used to play all sorts of games there; conkers, marbles, making house layouts from leaves and racing cars. I remember one very icy day we ...see more
I went to this school in 1966 when I was 7 years old. I lived just across the road in Milford Lodge, were my mum and dad still live. I remember Mr Pontin being the Headmaster. My mum used to be the cleaner and my dad used to light the boiler for the heating at the school. The school was knocked down and old people's flats were built on the site. The church is still there and still very active - not much has ...see more
My then husband Derek Schwier and I bought Laurel Farm in 1963 from Jo Watts - a wonderful jolly character in her dung-coloured dungerees and mucky boots! All her cows were lovingly tended, and her retirement was a sad loss to the farm.
But it was our gain and for personal reasons we re-named it "Pilgrims". Our children had great fun playing in the orchard - now built on - and having their first ponies. ...see more
I remember the Village Hall "Olde Tyme" dances held once a month on a Saturday night.
At seventeen you might think these would be too sedate for a teenager, but with my
Dad's old suit borrowed on the way out, and lively group of friends, dances like "The Lancers" or a "Quadrille" could be anything but sedate. Although frowned on by our elders, eight youngsters going round in a tight circle with ...see more