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:
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Displaying Memories 1801 - 1850 of 2029 in total
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.
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?
About the time that this photograph was taken the house was boarded up as being dangerous so some friends and I broke in. The inside was in a really bad state of repair but the piece of architecture that stunned us was the staircase. It was a wide semi circular thing that ran around the wall in the entrance hall which was tiled. I believe that when the house was demolished it was found to have no foundations and was just erected on bare earth - or was this just a story that I heard?
I too remember The Oaks House with fondness. Aged 12 yrs old I used to cycle there from Purley & found a hole in the boarding on a window, so crept inside. The staircase was stunning but damaged, there was a fire hose left trailed down it and I understood that there had been a fire there some time before, so I never dared climb far upstairs in case the stairs or floors above gave way. The room that really ...see more
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
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
I don't know why we called it Three King's Piece but in the mid 50's to the early 60's when I was growing up, that was what we called it. I lived in the flats in Armfield Crescent and when we went to Three Kings Piece we went the back way. Down St Marks Road to Baker Lane, on the corner was St Marks Chuch, to Hilary Avenue. At the end of the avenue was an alley-way. It had a high wall on one side with broken ...see more
Throughout the first half of the 1950's I would spend every school holiday at Linton, with my maternal grandparents. Initially my mum would accompany me from our home in Trumpington to Drummer Street bus station, where she would place me in the care of the nan would meet me as I got off the bus at The Swan; but I was soon doing the whole journey, including the change of buses, totally unaccompanied. ...see more
My grandparents, Maud and Albert Benham, lived at Rose Cottage, 1 Warbrook Lane and I have lovely memories of many happy times visiting them during WW2. I lived with my parents, Jack (Albert) and Irene, in Camberley and while my father was in the Navy I would visit my nan (grandad having died when I was quite small) on many occasions. When they first moved to Eversley from London, my ...see more
I was born in London, but my Mother came from the Mumbles, so several times a year we took the train from Paddington on our journey to Swansea. With a large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, the sea, the beaches and the freedom, I thought I was in heaven! This photo of the Mumbles in 1954 was just as I recall it. You can see Fortes ice cream parlour in the centre, now ...see more
My gran bought 3 caravans in 1957 which were on the caravan site at Lower Largo. My parents, brother, me, my aunt, my uncle and their 2 children all spent all our holidays there - summer, easter, bank hols, etc. Us children practically spent our whole summer there. When I started work in 1960, my mum and brother still stayed at Largo during the 5/6 weeks of the summer hols, and the working adults (me, dad, ...see more
As an 18 year old boy from Atlanta, Georgia (USA), I worked at the Harbour Inn during the summer of 1965. That's among my fondest memories, and one of the most enjoyable times in my life. I have fond memories of the Rodmores (who owned the Inn), Henry (head bar tender), Old Herbie, and the many fine people who visited the pub and lived there and in Seaton. I revisited Axmouth and Seaton in 1972 ...see more
This is Southcombe Terrace, Axmouth.
6-13 Southcombe Terrace was designed by the architect Frederick Kett and built by Bert Warren around 1937/8 for the Stedcombe Estate. My parents, Rock and Olive Real, then in their mid twenties, moved into what must have been, their dream home, No. 10, Southcombe Terrace. My parents would have preferred an end terrace house - and could have had one - but the extra 6d per ...see more
Born in 1938 in Modbury, I can remember the latter years of World War II. I remember vividly the nights during the months of the heavy blitz on Plymouth, with the beams from searchlights that were based just outside the town criss-crossing the sky as German bomber formations droned overhead. The American forces had an army camp in a field across from Modbury School and as a youngster I used to wander through the camp ...see more
I was born in Station Road, just round the corner from Cawdor St so I was familier with the shops. Kenyon's I knew quite well as I was at school with their son Roy. I was familiar with all the shops in the street especially Bob Horton, as I was sent there by my mother because he was fairly cheap. One day I went there while I had a cold. Not being able to wipe my nose I started to sniff. Twice he told me to stop ...see more
This is about Christmas Day 57 years ago, and how things have changed. Even though we had nowt it was still a very exciting time, as it is now, but money was tight and we could only have the presents that each family could afford. What I mean by this is, there wasn't such a thing as credit like today when you, 'buy now, pay later'. We always had our stockings on the end of the bed, filled with nowt fancy, just a handful ...see more
This was 1958 the time when I seriously got into drainpipes, drapes and rock 'n roll music. I was at Walbottle Secondary Modern School. I used to take in the leg width of my jeans by hand using a needle and thread to make them as tight as I could get them, and I went to school with these drainpipes on and a Donegal jacket, along with black crepe shoes with white bars of music on the front, along with ...see more
This memory of 1961, and me and me pal Wes Coulthard started work at the Delta Rolling Mills (this was over Scotswood Bridge towards Blaydon, left along the river by the Skiff Inn). It was hard work but the dosh was better than other places. We started on the East Mill which rolled flat bars maybe up to 60 feet long when finished through the process of the rolling. I remember Phil and Lennie Scott who were brothers, ...see more
It was about 1956. John Sample had started to change with the times and bought himself a pick up truck, him, 'Auld Jimmy' and me went to the horse sales at Gateshead just over the bridge, and I cannot for the life of me remember if it was the High Level or the Redheugh. They went to buy a horse, which they did, and it was my job to bring him home, they bought this poor sad horse showing its bones and saddle sores, it ...see more
This was around 1968 and I lived in 21 Millfield Lane. I got auld Mrs Bradney's downstairs flat and me Nanna lived in No. 25, so nice and handy to pop in for a cuppa and a chat as me Ma 'n Da 'n two sisters had moved to Pegswood, Morpeth, through me Da being transferred from Loughbride drift in Callerton to a mine in Ashington.
There was a lucrative company in Millfield/Newburn, the Neolith factory. It had a top factory ...see more
1965. Wes and me got back from the Smoke wi nought and needed a job, he got started at the leather works on Scotchy Road and I got started at the Lead Works which is now the site of the Arena. There were two sides to this place, the lead smelting side and the aluminium smelting side, I got into the aluminium side which pleased me as the lead side was a bit naughty with all the fumes and protective clothing including ...see more
1965. During my time working here I carried out a number of different jobs, one was to make Zinc ingots, my shift would start with my furnace fired up and there next to it would be my "charge" this would be a pile of old Zinc ornaments the sort you will see on antiques road show now, there was every size of every subject, some damaged some not, we were allowed to buy stuff that came in at scrap value but ...see more
This was about 1954. The Salvation Army was a large hut on Millfield bank, they did lovely pie and pea suppers now and again for about threepence. Every Sunday evening from six till about seven the Salvation Army band would play on the corner next to Lloyd's Bank. I was enthralled with the musical instruments and decided I wanted to learn how to play one of these, so I joined the band. I went along to band practice and ...see more
This is August 1953, I was 10. We were playing cricket on the clay field with some older lads, the stumps were iron and came from Spencers steel works which was nearby and stuff like this was easily got. Anyway I remember it was very hot and clammy, when out of nowhere came this bolt of lightning and knocked our stumps for six, followed by an almighty clatter of thunder but no rain. Then someone walking on ...see more
As a young boy from 1943 to 1960, I lived in Heath Lane, Stourbridge and I think I spent almost all my free time playing in Mary Stevens Park. The area where the playground still stands would be where all the children would meet up, then decide what the game for that particular day would be. Quite often it would involve a ball. Coats or jumpers would be thrown down for goal posts if we played ...see more
I lived at Ecclesfield and I remember being taken to Cliton Park as a yearly treat aged 7. It must have been a Bank Holiday because the pool was full of kids and lots of parents sat around the edge on the steps. With it being round it was easy to get disorientated, it was scary when you looked up and your parents were not where you thought they should be. It was difficult to ...see more
For a few years in the late 1940's (I was about 7/8 years old), my parents were avid campers in the primitive way. We had an Austin 7 and ventured out from east Lancs camping at weekends.
One venue became a regular weekend site - Skirwith Farm, Ingelton. It was tenanted by a family matriarch, Mrs Lambert, and was worked by her two sons, Thomas and Norman. There was also a daughter, Joan, who married the ...see more
This is Arthur Shackson with the donkeys from the New Inn Hotel (Kiwi and Peggy). Arthur was the Porter for many years for the New Inn, meeting the guest at the top of the cobbled street and transporting their luggage to the hotel half way down the village. The donkeys were used to carry the luggage to the top in the morning, plus other items which needed to be taken to the top, ie all returns from the bar.
My name is Sam Burrow I was born in Hartland in 1936 - the family moved to Clovelly in 1939 and lived in Home Lodge. My father, J A Burrow, was the estate foreman. My mother, Florrie, was the school cook throughout the war years preparing meals for not only village children but also the many who had been evacuated from London and Plymouth. After the war she managed the tea rooms at the car park ...see more
My grandparents, my mother's parents, lived in Vicarage Road, Plympton until 1962 when they moved to Moorland Avenue. As children we always spent our holidays with them and I have early memories of accompanying my father or grandfather in the 1950´s to the road bridge overlooking the station to watch the trains go by. Bells ringing in the signal box and then signals moving into the "off ...see more
This photo shows the arrival of Royal Mail being deliverd to the Post Office at Higher Clovelly. The mail for Clovelly village was then loaded on to the donkey and taken down the steep cobbled street to the Post Office in the village where it was delivered by the postman. The Royal Mail employees in the photo are Roy Fisher who was the local postman, and on the right is Studley Shute of ...see more
It is strange to see one of the two portraits that hung in my grandparents' hallway, for sale on the web. Issac was born in 1837 in Berwick Bassett, Wiltshire. Taught himself to read and write while an agricultural labourer, and joined the Wilts Constabulary in 1874. During the winter of 1881/2 he was pensioned out of the police from injuries sustained in the line of duty. The family story is that he was ...see more
I was the youngest boy (8 years old) at the City of London School sharing Marlborough College as evacuees from London during the Second World War. I, together with a few other youngsters, had a 'camp' in Treacle Bolly. One high on the hill on the left-hand side in a tree root and one further in down by the river. At that age, and during a war, I can't say that they were the happiest days of ...see more
My husband and I were both born in Marlborough. My husband is Peter Long and I believe he went to Grammar School with Julian West whose family owned the tea rooms. We both remember the fire as it was the year we were married; and that afterwards the Mop Fairs held in October had to re-position itself to accommodate fire engine access should another fire happen. I worked in Rawlings and Phillips corn merchants ...see more
I was born in Consett at 11 Newmarket Street in June 1933, though my parents were living in Norfolk and later on in Middlesex. I was sent back to live with aunts when the Blitz really got going.
I went to the CofE Primary School at the back of the church which I also had to attend as a choir boy.
Consett was full of noise in those days especially outside No.11. Buses started their long climb up ...see more
I worked as a pre student nurse at the children's home. We took children from the West Yorkshire area suffering from Asthma and Eczema. Children from the age of 2 yrs until 12 yrs. A very strict Matron, scary in fact. We would take the children down to the beach, very large old fashioned prams. I was not allowed to continue my dancing lessons for exams, even when my Mother came to ask. We each ...see more
I have just come across your site and postcard of Newbigin Hornsea... The garage pictured on the left was owned by my grandad, Arther Sherwood (who was married to Doris). My dad, Peter Edwin Sherwood (their son) and his wife Pat took over the business in the 60's, I believe. My dad sold the business to Mr Presscott, a local builder, in 1973-74. We then, myself (Annette Jane Sherwood) daughter of Peter and Pat ...see more
We moved to Southampton in early 1950 just after the trams had stopped running - some of the rails were still there. Above Bar along with much of the town had been badly bombed in the war and there were many bomb sites on both sides of the road. Woolworths was a large wooden hut reached by a bridge across a crater. Gradually during the 1950s new buildings sprang up amid the bomb sites until the scene was ...see more
