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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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
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Displaying Memories 1801 - 1850 of 2029 in total
In the 1950's I used to ride my pony from the Leatherhead Road in Gt. Bookham through Fetcham to Leatherhead to get to the blacksmiths. The blackmsiths was a proper big old forge at Prewetts Dairy off Randals Road. I used to have to lead my pony over this rickety little bridge. It had wobbly planks and there was one missing one time I crossed it. It was probably a 9 mile round trip just to get the pony ...see more
I remember the rickety bridge over the River Mole here, when I was very small my mother used to take me over it to eat sandwiches by the 'splash' and go for a paddle. The bridge was really scary with wobbly planks and I was afraid of falling through where the missing one was. When I was old enough to go on my own I learned to swim in the river, hanging on to the water weeds and ...see more
I also remember the 'Splash'. We were told that some time in the past a Queen had crossed here with her ladies-in-waiting and that one of them had fallen in? Well, it's a good story. As a very horrible little boy, we used to catch minows in the pool, and then drag them across from one side of the river to the other, on the way across they would be followed by crayfish that we would shoot with our air ...see more
My aunt and uncle became the caretakers at Inholmes after it was converted to offices. I remember the magnificent staircase which had a huge eagle as a newel post. The range in the kitchen was the biggest I have ever seen, and the kitchens had not been touched and were exactly as they were when the house was a home. Outside there had been wonderful gardens - then sadly neglected. Part of the gardens had been a very ...see more
I spent approximately 2 years as a messenger boy with the then GPO, based in two gracious old homes along Wimbledon Parkside. Their names were Gayton, and Martholme. I seem to remember the address being No's.74 and 76. I understand that one of these homes belonged to one of the Huntley-Palmer families, and the other to members of the Tate and Lyle families. How true these ...see more
I am now 57 years of age, and live in Australia. I was born in Stone, Stafforshire in 1949 and would love to go back and visit.
As a child I remember walking along the canal and standing watching as a blacksmith mended a horse's shoe. I remember hating school but even at that very tender age I was interested in the history of the school that I attended. Every day at home-time I walked on the stone footpath that ...see more
Eastry has a Roman Road through it but was also important as a place where we imagine important people stopped on the drive between Dover and Sandwich, the Cinque Ports. The Bull Pub on the left behind the trees, had a cobbled courtyard to the rear and room for horses and carriages. I assume some of the buildings date back 400 years, and perhaps the house in the distance could have been the toll house - it was ...see more
I believe this is called Lower Street and behind us is Dover Road, and a turn to the east to Northbourne and Deal or a walk to the cricket ground at Updown. Behind, to the left, is Buttsole Pond where some people broke the ice when winter sliding. It is a wetland area and the sort of place where today it would have to be on a preservation list. At 45 degrees to the left and across the ...see more
In 1960 the world's population was probably a mere 5 billion, now it is over 7 billion people. It was a bit of a shock to realise that people actually wanted to come and live in Eastry and presumably prices were slightly less than the big city. Now home owners had to live next to council house estates and this was a test of their pride or humility. A pathway was constructed between the new council house area and the ...see more
Because we were paid we joined the choir. Boys were joined by girls in about 1959. It was a good education learning some beautiful music, reading psalms, plenty of moral direction and people to admire such as the organist, Bill Press, and the notable vicar Fred Cooper. We had choir practice on Friday evenings, and then two services on Sundays. Easter and Harvest festival saw the place festooned with flowers and ...see more
The (Roman) road going down to Buttsole and then to Dover or Deal and Updown Cricket field to the left, was sometimes blocked by farmworkers guiding their sheep from one pasture to another through the village centre. The shop on the right is quite significant because it used to belong to Mr Penn who ran the butcher's. There was a big cold-room at the rear. Mr Penn was the devoted leader of ...see more
This road was one which was mainly used to pass through Eastry. We used to take the 87 to Dover or Ramsgate/Margate, or the 13a bus to Deal or Canterbury. The 76 to Deal and Staple. To the right was the big-time first ever supermarket! Of course, a brand new concept and an open invitation to shoplifters. Where the photographer is standing, was a lane to the left to the Gunpark, which was cleverly turned into a mown ...see more
The quaint older houses on the right now faced new bungalows to our left, and on our left is another walkway to the primary school. Now Jimmy came to live in one of the bungalows and then he came to our school when he was about 10. He was from Burnley, Lancashire, somewhere up north, a long way up north and his accent certainly showed itself to be different from Kentish - very different. Opposite Jimmy's house was Mr ...see more
The area called Mill Green is behind the photgrapher and the village ahead. The Mill was working up until about 1960 or so, as we used to buy corn from there to feed the chickens. To the right of the photo is the church/chapel for Eastry Hospital which catered for all sorts of mental illness or simply for men taken in after the war. The hospital was originally a workhouse and has extensive grounds and ...see more
The 'new' primary school in Cook's Lea (a respected headteacher in Sandwich) was built in the early sixties and is well-located next to the Gunpark to the left. The old C of E Primary School was a solid building and this new school has its modern style architecture. A famous quote is "it may be a marble palace, but as far as I'm concerned it's still a bloody school" despite the propaganda of how marvellous it all is, ...see more
I'm guessing this is looking east from the Lower Street area over meadows and a cornfield with the Children's Homes to the right and the line of trees marking the brow of the hill of the Lynch. There was a pathway across that horizon. The word Lynch may even date back to old English before Anglo-Saxon times. On this chalky soil it can get very dry and the water goes down to the springs that emerge at the foot of ...see more
Eastry has an important history and this is the Roman Road which went to Woodnesborough (after the god 'Woden') and to Sandwich to the right. The village hall to the left, through the open gates was the infants' school with Mrs Pemble and Mrs Capron, not the best of friends. They did a good job of getting us to read with no problems at all. No modern gimmicks, just 'Janet and John'. Because the gates were ...see more
Most of the names state the obvious. This is an important crossroad. Turn right to go to Mill Green along Mill Lane. Turn left to go to Vye's Stores (pre-1960) and then to the Church in Church Lane or down Brook Lane, where we assume the Brook never ran dry. We also assume that Eastry was much closer to the sea 1500 years ago. There is a view from the church of a vast flat area which we imagine has seen the sea recede. ...see more
My first main job on leaving school (Shaw House) was as a tea boy-dogsbody at H C James timber and builders merchants in Pound Street. For quite a while I cycled daily from Highclere Castle, approx 4 miles, it took me just over half an hour to get there and one hour to return! Some hills!
My duties included running a mess room, making tea etc twice a day and touring the town for cakes and pasties, some of the men ...see more
My gran used to be the nurse at the first aid post at Peter pans pool, next to the first aid post was a hut that stored surplus and waiting to be fixed rides ie, hobby horse, rocket or a car or life size figures of Cinderella and I remember a cowboy and an Indian, my imagination went wild in there. I used to dress up as a nurse and pretend to be a nurse like my gran. Lost children found their way to ...see more
I was born in Arnold Avenue, just five minutes walk from the George pub, which was handy later on in my life. Also the post office opposite the pub, which was owned by Mr & Mrs Fit-Simons, who used to have rows of clear lidded biscuit tins, with sweets in such as; black jacks, halfpenny chews, fruit salad and flying saucers etc. I would often pop there for mum's 1/2 oz of Golden Virginia and pack of ...see more
Known as Stocks Hill, on the left of the photo is the Coop Drapery Shop. At the side of the shop was an alley and the Coop Bakery was there. The house facing in the picture was Ted Witneys car repair yard, along High Street was Keffords shop, Mrs Briton's drapery shop,The White Lion Pub, Mrs Thompson's shop, she used to open Sunday afternoons for us children when we came out of Sunday School. We would go to the shop ...see more
The school was converted for use as the campus for The United States International University in Europe. I was fortunate to be working as a Careers Advisor in nearby Watford whilst it was operating as a university and so I had wonderful opportunities to go inside. I can recall the Dean showing me around and encouraging me to play the organ in the chapel! The old school housed a university library and student ...see more
Does anyone remember the Gayways club in Northampton, High Street? I used to go there to see pop bands like Dave Dee, the Hollies and numerous other rock and pop groups! It had nothing to do with actually being Gay, it was just the name of the venue...oh times have changed. I think it was run by a man called Stan and his wife, the building was very dark and full of hidden rooms, to hide ...see more
My brother and I were evacuated from London to Northampton for about ten months during WW2. We lived in Alma Street, me at No:21 with an elderly aunt and uncle, my brother at No: 40. I remember the meadows at the bottom end of Alma Street, the park with a stream running into a river, a cinema on the corner by the railway, I think it was called the Roxy? Opposite the top end of Alma Street was a church ...see more
I remember this area before it became a park (for the blind?). If I was feeling adventurous I would cross the little stream that ran at the bottom where the gardens are now, sometimes there was a makeshift bridge across it. I used to run all the way down from the top of the hill and leap over it! Then carry on home up Forest Gate Road.
My wife and I spent one year ( circa 1953 ) living in an apartment at Park House Farm where Tony Warner raised sugar beets and pigs. The Manor House was built on a Roman foundation which then formed the basement of the building. I was stationed at Sculthorpe AFB in Fakenham. I joined the local rifle team in Snettisham sponsored by the Queen's husband, Prince Philip. Their residence, Sandringham, was within ...see more
I remember the boating lake with very fond memories. We used to holiday with my great aunt and uncle who lived in Reydon every year. My parents, with my brother and I would arrive in late July and they would return home a fortnight later. I would remain for a further 4 weeks and my aunt would then take me home.This was the pattern for a number of years. My uncle (Frederick Valentine Ladd) was a former Lowestoft ...see more
I can't pinpoint the year exactly, but it was definitely a year or two before 1953 which was the year I left the UK. I and three friends, student nurses at a hospital in Essex, decided on a holiday in Scotland. We chose Dollarbeg as our base hotel and toured round the whole area, walking in the surrounding countryside and taking bus tours from Stirling - the Dukes Pass tour perhaps being the most memorable, the ...see more
My father came up from Wales to work at Blenheim as a youngster.He was born in 1922 and he started work as a teenager, I think. His first name was Edward, but as there was another already in post, so they called him by another name. Apparently the staff were responsible for taking him for his first pint! I do not know how long he was there, but he had tales of swimming in the lake, of the family going to Scotland leaving a skeleton staff with a deliciously full pantry. I wish I knew more!
Pop was at it again with his mates. To the front of this picure the Tudor faced building...THE BEEHIVE PUB, there was a fella called Stumpy (well known older gentleman). He was a gentleman with one leg, who propped himself up against the downpipe of the pub, and who would challenge anyone to put the money down on the path and try and kick his remaining leg from beneath him to win the pot. As he then would ...see more
On the left of this photograph is The Hoy & Helmet pub at South Benfleet, which was originally built in the 15th century, with later extensions. The ‘hoy’ of the pub’s intriguing name was a broad, flat-bottomed sailing boat that was used to transport both cargo like farming produce and passengers along the coast and on the Thames; from this came the nautical cry of ‘Ahoy’, used to ...see more
Situated at the top of our road, as young children Hilly Fields was something quite magical. During winter time we would trek our home made sledges over to toboggan hill and hurtle down to the brook at the bottom of the hill at breakneck speeds. Summer time, climbing trees, fishing for stickle backs in the brook. The game known to us as "jumping dags" which entailed jumping over the brook without getting your feet ...see more
Henry Waits the butchers, small shops that sold sweets from a jar and fireworks. Penny for the guy, small children waiting at bus stops with the 128, 231 and 144B to try and pry a penny towards fireworks. Girlfriend (Rose Gritty) down Drake Street. Rag and Bone merchant towards 'The Hop Poles' pub. Doing the weekly shopping on my bicycle and taking everything home in a couple of shopping bags hanging on the ...see more
The black and white half-timbered building in the photograph was The Gable House, owned by my late grandmother, Nancy Hawkes and her sister, Hilda Cook. The house was run as a short-term residential home for patients staying in Droitwich for treatment at the brine baths. The gardens extended to about 3/4 of an acre and along the rear boundary was a timber built bungalow, where I lived with my parents and ...see more
In this photo, you can see two machines for chopping ice cream into blocks. Some blocks were small for choc ices and wafer ices. Some were larger for making 'bricks'. In the background, on the left, is my father's (Dick Sinfield) office. On the right, the large door behind the two machines is the door to the large freezer, the 'locker', where the ice creams and lollies would be ...see more
This photo shows the back of the York Jones Ice Creamery. The factory was originally used by John Corbett, who built the Chateau Impney, to mine and package salt. The salt was pumped up from the well, just to the bottom left of the photo. This photo shows one of the York-Jones delivery vans which would supply ice cream to all the shops around the Midlands, but mostly ...see more
York Jones is the correct spelling i.e. no 'e' on York! In 1955, I was ten years old and would work here during school holidays. My Great Uncle (my Grandmother's brother), was Frank York-Jones, the Managing Director. His son, Alan York-Jones, ran the factory with my father, Dick Sinfield, who was the Finance Director. In this picture, you can see the two brine tanks against the back wall in ...see more
Here we have two holding tanks where the liquid ice cream would be pumped after being cooked in the vats down below. This is an area in the roof space where the liquid would be pumped over the hot sterilising pipes, seen here in the middle of the picture, hanging down from the roof.
In 1973 having just left school that summer, I started my State Registered Nurse training with tutor Miss Wilmot at this Southernhay Hospital. Being a 'young lady' from Bristol my new colleagues and I were expected to live in the Nurses Home with a larger than life home matron Miss Hermitage. The Nurses Home was behind the hospital between Wynards Lane and Southernhay Gardens where there was an ...see more
When I was 18 in 1955 my Mum booked us a Chalet at Winkups Camp, Towyn. There was Mum, stepfather, myself and 3 sisters aged 5yrs, 3yrs and3 months. Off we went from Huddersfield in Yorkshire in our little Austin 7 (I think), I can remember the excitement now. I think my Mum paid £5 for the week, anyway on arrival we all piled out of the car and Mum went to register in, the lady came and looked at us in dismay and ...see more
The boats in the photo belonged to my great aunt. As a young boy my job (unpaid) was to ferry the boats across the river and pick up any stray boats. I was very small, aged probably 6, could not swim, but there was no health and safety then!! My great-aunt was a very strict Victorian lady. Her motto was "Work comes first". Happy days?
I was born in Mitcham in 1929 and lived as a baby in Queens Road aka "rocky" or "Rocks Terrace" my Grandfather was called Truelove and had a shop in Queens Road. Hard to belive now but a horse and cart owner would stop outside his tiny terraced house, unhitch the horse, and walk it through the house out into the back garden.
Later I lived with my Grandparents at 20 Mount Road. She taught piano and I think ...see more
I always remember the Cricket Green as the lazy hazy days of summer. My father played cricket here, I don't remember the name of his team, but we had to sit and watch him. I liked it when the crocuses poked their heads out of the ground at the beginning of the season. They would appear in glorious colour in all the corners of the green, with the cricket pitch in the middle. We were never ...see more
As a small child I remember going to Wilkies fish shop in Western Road and from the counter you could see into their living room at the back. They had a huge fish tank filled with bright coloured fish and I felt very priviledged when Mr & Mrs Wilkie let me go into their living room to see the tank. I can also recall a shop called (I think) Maidments? Again in Western Road, the owner used to make fruit ...see more
I am looking for the living descendants of the little known Victorian print-seller and art dealer George Love (1804-1883) of 81 Bunhill Row in Finsbury, London.
His son William Francis Love (d.1912) married Alice Buttery from Finsbury in 1883.
William Francis Love moved to Surrey with his wife and had 3 children:
1) Cecil Francis Trevelyan (b. ...see more
I was just boy at the age of 6 when I was admitted to Tilbury Seaman's Hospital to have my tonsils taken out. I can remember seeing the big funnels of the ships through my ward window at the end.
The wards were long, big and white with high ceilings, I remember being very sad when my mum and dad had to leave me, until the next day. I also can remember the ship's bell and pictures of many ships around the place. ...see more
Between the tree and the cinema you can see the roof and top floor of one of the blocks of flats in Armfield Crescent so we did not live far from the cinema. When we were small we were given a shilling to go to the Saturday morning pictures - The ABC Minors we were called. We even had a song we sang before the films began. Sixpence was used to get into the cinema and we had sixpence to spend on lollies or ...see more
I used to live up at Luccombe as a child during the begining of the war. We lived at Corydon and I have many happy memories of our time spent there. There were a lot of soldiers billeted at Luccombe. They used to park up their lorries outside my bedroom window and I can hear them now, singing, whistleing and shouting to one another. Some of them used to take time to play with my ...see more
I remember Mr Cherrington, the local bobby, riding his bike through the village and smiling benignly at us kids. I believe his son was in my class at school. I can remember one evening in the summer time having been just put to bed when an official police vehicle arrived at the front door - very much to my mum's consternation. It transpired that Mr Cherrington, along with a police official of some kind, ...see more