Recent 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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People who were particularly kind or influenced your time in the community.
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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 30081 - 30160 of 36892 in total
I am 7 years old, and walking down Park Street to the cricket pitch, under the trees at the end of the row. By the look of the trees in this photograph it is a little to early in the year to go 'walnutting' in the walnut field farther down on the right. Ken Isles might be herding his cows across the road to milk from the park grounds. Alan Jeffries lives in one of the houses, can't remember which one.
I remember the houses on the right as being very crooked! Presumably the land movement had shifted the foundations and cracked the walls, but both of them survived and were inhabited - the owners had repaired the damage without straightening the buildings, so they were really strange! As time passed the 'uphill' house was demolished, but the other one lasted longer.
I was two years old year year we lived across the road from the model shop my mother told me
Camberley, where it all began. Where I lived half of my life so far. In your head you never leave the place you were born and raised. On a wet un-comforting day I found myself revisiting the town of my past. I was cast into memories of wartime school in School Lane, street play, places where I worked, courted, laughed and cried. I recalled the early life, its geography of fixed points. The past cracked open ...see more
Uttoxeter did not suffer much during the war. The first stick of bombs fell in a field at Loxley, and a further stick followed later. The only 'blitz' was on the Bailey and Mellor families, in New Road (parish of Stramshall) - exact date forgotten, 1941/2. I was at home at 57 Park Avenue. My father was on Home Guard duties (he was too old for military service) at Bamfords Ltd, not JCB. I usually got up ...see more
Hi Michael, I was in Mr Mackley's class with you and also in Bodiam House. Lots of memories, Linda
I remember when the constable appeared on his boat in the harbour. Asking about the disappearance of a young girl. The whole town seemed to not want to speak to the policeman. He was a christian and didn't believe in the "pagan" ways of the chops. So we lured him in with a string of lies, made him participate in our may day celebrations, and them burned him alive in a giant statue made of willow ...see more
It's not really memory but a request. I come from Bedlington in Northumberland and have found out my grandfather was born in Otley on 24/03/1901. He was born in 16 Burras Lane. Today I visited with only this scant information and I was fortunate to see it was still as least a street but the house gone, although the church closeby was more than beautiful. Does anyone have any pics of the houses on that lane? Or memories of them ?
I remember this picture very well. Just down the road from Woolworths by the white car, was a Launderette (maybe it's still there). This Launderette was the first one ever introduced to the UK from America in 1959. As we had no washing machine or dryer, this place certainly changed our lives. I can remember one day I was with my brother Bernard waiting for the washing and as usual went to look for some mischief ...see more
My Great Grandfather Roger Davies retired from the army in 1916. He ran Brecon Stores in Pencoed with his wife Minnie. Brecon Stores was a general store. If anyone has any further information would love to hear from you.
while staying at the hotel choppington, i had the pleasure of dining with a good friend of mine; a mr. chadwick chopperman of choppington downs, sw. choppington. mr. chopperman and i dined on pork choppingtons that evening. the pork was delicious but not nearly as juicy as the gossip that surrounds choppington. once the home of the man who knew too much, as well as a favourite hiding place of jimmy hoffa. ...see more
I recall the wee folk of choppington being almost hobbit-like in appearance. Their droll little smiles and corn cob pipes hanging from their tiny mouths. The women of choppington are robust, and resemble prehistoric deer. The children of choppington were all but non-existent; and those which i saw had a fear in their eyes unlike any i have seen before. perhaps the adults were using them for ...see more
Well, I've just moved down here from York. It's pretty nice and I have a few memories of the park and the church. It's very pretty.
After many years, I came once more to Kiltarlity and saw again the post office, where my late father and his brother grew up. Robert, the elder, became the post master and lived there until his death. Donald, my father, left at the age of 14 to join the Royal Engineers as a boy soldier of 14 years of age. After 32 years' service, and with both an MC and an MBE, he retired as an acting Lieutenant Colonel ...see more
I went to a school in Queens Road called Hazelhurst, it was a private school, in 1949 until 1963 and then to Pitmans College in Russell Road. I lived in Wimbledon till 1967 and then moved to Crawley where I still live.
I remember many happy childhood days spent at my grandparents' cottage up the hill towards the railway station. There was a block of four cottages on the right hand side of the road. My grandfather's name was Silas Wren, and he was well into his eighties in 1952. We had moved to Southend on Sea because my father had risen through the ranks with the LNER and had become motive power superintendent at Southend Victoria, a ...see more
I loved Caddy's. Sometimes if I think hard enough I can get the memory of its taste, mmm. I remember having a tall glass of lemonade and ice cream and sitting on leather upholstery in the parlour in town. It was such a treat. We also had an ice cream van came round and the man had a large brass bell he would ring out of the window of his van. On Sunday Mum would give me a dish and ask me to get five scoops of ...see more
Nice place. I went there in 1989.
I can remember Dibden Purlieu just after the Merrimede shops were built and the new shops opposite on the corner were being built (where the Bathroom Acadamy is in 2009). I was about 5 years old. In those days I could ride my first bike down the un-tarmacked Watermans Lane (which was a dead end, the Wimpey estate was being built) down the village, leave it outside Mr Storey's shop (the newsagent), ...see more
I passed for Tonyrefail Grammar school in 1953, what excitement. It was so strange changing rooms for every lesson, hockey, tennis, Urdd, teachers wearing cap and gowns. The headmaster was T.Bowen Jones and was called Boss. The school was so big with pupils from places like Beddau and Ynysmaerdy. Coming from Gilfach Goch I had never heard of these places. It was a good school and I enjoyed my time there.
I was a milk boy for Bourne and Hilliers in the 1970s. I would oftern go to the Red Lion after my rounds on pay day for a pint or two and throw some darts - Tom was the landlord of the Red Lion at that time. Where the police warden stands in this picture now sits a round about. The pub and dairy are now long gone.
My father was an overman at the Trane Colliery in 1955, the valley was alive at that time with lots of shops, two cinemas, two buses to Penygraig each hour and the wonderful dance hall in Tonyrefail called the Central. Even though Gilfach Goch is really beautiful now and a lovely place to live, I still miss the community spirit of the 50s when people worked and played together. It was a wonderful place to grow up in.
This photograph shows the newly built council houses called Danybryn. The houses were much sought after by the mining community as they had bathrooms. My parents lived in number 5 and thought their house was wonderful even though the rent was expensive for the time £1.15 shillings a week.
Yes ... lots of good memories of Warnham Court. I would like to share these with friends from way back then. Linda
My lovely memories are of going to South Shields from London to stay with my mum's brother, we stayed in Marsden Street and my cousins lived round the corner. We would leave London about 5 in the morning and get there about 10 at night, no motorsways then. We would stop on the way. We would arrive and my aunt would have fish and chips in the oven, it was a fire with the ...see more
I used to go to a pre-school in Wickham that got turned into tendy flats/houses. It used to be just down the hill from Clarkes and had an old house with the most wonderful almost 'secret' garden ajoining the school and the old lady that owned it used to let us go and play underneath the huge old apple tree in it. Also remember my mum buying me a pink sugar mouse from 'Caces' bakery every Friday afternoon.
The most important bench I have had the privelage of sitting on one lunchtime on June 16th 2008 and the view of the Cross Roads. Over a diet coke and an Orange juice I met the best friend I have ever known. The Volunteer Pub, The pub garden bench and the slight view of the Cross Roads will linger with me for ever. That day at 12.15pm was the first time I had been in that village but it is now like a city in my heart. Had many a great meal there since.
I moved to Cheadle Hulme in 1963, as a 6 year old. I lived on Lorna Road, behind and to the left of this view. I saw the building of the Precinct and what is now Sim Chem House (then Griffin House). My friends and I would play on the building site, and we played cricket in Oak Meadow. We would explore the derelict Kings Hall, just behind this viewpoint, now Wetherspoons. Next to this, and opposite ...see more
I was born above the old post office in Ashgill and my family moved to Cornsilloch when I was around 6 months old. My whole family from my grannie and grandad Nellie Waddell and John Smith and their parents Hugh Smith all lived in Ashgill Prospect Drive and Douglas drive. My uncle Sandy had tomato houses out at Ayr road, I spent many a school holiday working in them. Many a great time I spent in my formative ...see more
Plymouthian Edward (Ed) Vosper's second wife, now Mrs Doreen Skidmore was interviewed in March 2009 and recalled that my grandfather (Ed Vosper) used to work for the Bayly Estate in Plymouth. He worked in the Estate Office retiring in August 1934 after 38 years service with the family. Doreen says that Ed would go twice a year to Shaldon Bridge Tollhouse, not to collect the tolls, but on a sort of audit to ...see more
I went to school at Elmwood 1949-51. I remember a beautiful girl there named Gillian English - I always wondered what became her. The Grange - the boating lake - and Beddington Park were my favourite haunts. Ron Shelley ronshelleyis@gmail.com USA
Hello, When I was a small girl I used to be taken to Monks Kirby by my grand parents, I think an ancester lived there way back in time. My grandmother always insisted that I kissed a tree, I think it was outside the Bell Inn ., was this just one of grandma's "odd things to do" or does anyone know of a tradition, about kissing trees? its always intrigued me. Regards, Ann
My family lived at Bracken Lodge on the Little Common in the late 1950's Is Bracken Lodge still a little smallholding ? Bracken Lodge was rather spooky. We had many strange experiences while living there. In short - it was haunted!! Are the reservoirs still there? I must come back someday. Regards, Michael Cockerill.
I was born in Shuttleworth and have happy memories.I went to St John's church and was in the choir. I was Rose Queen at the age of 7 (not quite sure on my age then but it is close enough). I also remember Saturday nights when we went to the dance, I remember watching my mum and dad waltz round the hall, they danced so lovely. I was in some shows we had in the Sunday School, I was once a dwarf, what a laugh ...see more
My Grandparents bought the White Hart Hotel in December 1949 and we lived there for the next 3 years. My grandparents were Gwen and Bob Cureton and my parents were Joan and Fred Weston. The hotel had two large caravan fields behind it and we had a very small smallholding where my father kept hens, pigs and the odd lamb or two. I was friends with Angela Pool whose father was the butcher and Judith ...see more
I couldn't believe when I came across this picture. In 1950 I was born just above the shop (the first blind on the left). The shop was Reliant Shoe Repairs owned by my late father Arthur Piggott who was very well known in Addlestone. The single story building next to it was Mrs Martins Cafe, and me and my brother Bernard had many a cup of tea there. We lived in Addlestone until the end of 1965 then moved to ...see more
I used to go to a boarding school in Farnham, it was Hassobury, a big mansion, it was in Hazel End. Across the fields from there we used to go to a church for holy communion before breakfast, I am not sure if it was St Mary's.
I was only about 6 years old but I clearly remember visiting my grandparents' house on weekends. My grandfather was a gamekeeper on the moors until his retirement. In the early 1970s he and his wife moved to nearby Penistone. We used to catch a bus from Sheffield to Langsett, then Grandad would collect us from there in his car to Upper Midhope. I remember sitting on my father's lap on the front seat! The ...see more
My parents, sister and I lived in Kinneff for a couple of years and I attended the little village school, Mr Hainings was the Head then. The weather was extreme, winters were full of snow and the lovely coal fire my mum to used to make, hours and hours were spent playing out in the summer, I remember one year when all the jelly fish arrived and we took a picnic and sat on the top watching them, another time there was a seal in the water. Wonderful place and wonderful memories.
My first real job, not counting student employment, was working in Godfrey's Book Shop, Stonegate, York. The shop was at that time the largest antiquarian bookstore in the North of England - unfortunately it no longer exists. It was owned by Mr. Duffield and managed by Mr. Jan Janieurek. Originally from Poland, Jan was an extremely knowledgeable book man who had trained at Blackwells, Oxford. He actually ...see more
I too remember the town hall and library and the damage done during a wartime bombing raid. The repairs took a long time to do but were so good it was impossible to see where the damage had been done. The reference library was second to none and it helped my brother and I pass our exams.
(Not just 1955, probably most of the 1950s.) When my mother was a little girl, she was looked after by a nanny, who in her later years lived at Fairways, a bungalow at the end of Carroll Avenue. In the 1950s when I was very young, we used to visit what seemed a large bungalow in a very large garden full of pine trees and bracken, where my brother and I used to play while the adults gossiped. Years later, long ...see more
The first time I left Scotland was to visit my grandparents at the old house, Kay and Bill. I was excited, and after many trips we lived with them for a while. Papa always had a bag of pennies for us and Grandma introduced me to literature. At that time we shared a love for Cliff Richard. We moved to Rose Cottage, and had the best ever Easter when Laurie hid so many Easter eggs in the garden for us, there may still be ...see more
My mother and her brother were born at Gypsy Castle. The family had lived there for many years and we have photos of haymaking in the 1930s etc. There were several houses standing at the time, in a group (5?). Only 2 remain, I believe. My g-grandfather Rees kept a smallholding as well as working at the colliery. My grandfather kept hens as well as working at the colliery as an electrician, ...see more
My husband worked at Webbs brewery from 1953-1956 as chief engineer. We lived at 3 Brewery Terrace (opposite the brewery). We often used the Hanbury Hotel and my husband knew Howard Collins I remember he was a very nice man and his wife also. My husband had an apprentice who lived in Aberbeeg but I can't remember his name. I also remember Mr Jones was the head of the brewery and lived in the house at ...see more
I was born and bred in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, the eldest of three children. My memories of Ashby itself are snapshots from a time which now seems so old-fashioned that it as nostalgic as a Herriot novel. As a young lad, I was a pupil at North Street Infants School (1964), a delightfully small, Victorian building that still had air raid shelters in the playground. It was in these dank, musty ...see more
My wife Jenny (nee Beswick) can remember when there used to be a lido at Allt-Yr-Yn House in the 1950s. Does anyone have any photos of the lido or the old Allt-Yr-Yn House in the 1950s, or know when the house was built and who lived there? There is a nature reserve there now and no sign of the house.
I'm a navy brat ... I lived on the promenade in 1963 and used to watch the Polaris submarines come down the river and go into Holy Lock and tie up to the submarine tenders and dry docks for repairs. I was a young boy at the time and attended Scottish public schools. I loved this country, this town and this magical place of submarines, ships and ferrys, lighthouses and fog horns. There used to be a dinghy rental ...see more
I worked as a barmaid in the Fox when Three Bridges had the bad flood and the pub was flooded, it was an old fashioned pub in those days with a public bar and saloon bar with darts on a Friday night, good old fashioned fun.
I went to international camp school in 1974, 75 and 76. These years were my most beautifull. I was 18 and found there my first big love. A young boy called Paul coming from Newcastle. I spent there 3 times 2 weeks full of happy and silly things sharing fun with Norwegian people, French people, German people, Belgian people and of course English people. So sweet memories. Sometimes, I'd like to know ...see more
My mother's family were from Appledore and although I was born on a visit up north to my father's family, I was only a few months old when we came back. We lived in various houses in the village, Canal Cottages and Hawthorn being two of them. My Grandad and Granny King lived at 3 Victoria, my dear Aunt Mary and Uncle Len (Gray) lived at 4 Griffin where my cousin Duncan and his family still live. Aunt Alice and ...see more
This is a follow on from my earlier memory - Christmas in Shifnal. What a wonderful time. I can remember it snowing at Christmas time as a child, and sitting in the bay window of our flat above the cakeshop and toyshop at 4 Bradford Street watching the carol singers sitting on the back of a truck travelling along Bradford Street to wherever they would stop and sing carols. I can remember the Mason's, they were ...see more
My memories of Itchenor are as strong now as they were for all the time I lived there, which was from 1951 when I was born till 1971 when I was married. My family owned and ran Haines boatyard which is still there today but owned by the sailing club now. We lived at number 5 The Street and I spent most of my childhood along with my brother playing among the boats and along the shore. The pictures in this collection are amazing. I would love to know if there are any more.
My step Dad Alf Baker owned the hairdressers opposite Wakemans Hill. It used to be called Rosalind, named after his first wife who lived above the shop. It was changed to Craig's in 1959. His car is parked outside in this picture, a Green Vauxhall Velox, in front of the bulilding sticking out on the right hand side, (is that the 'new' church). Sometimes I would have to spend Saturdays in the shop, as my ...see more
My father was inducted as the new vicar on 31st December 1949 at All Saints Church. I was just nine at the time but I retain some dim memories of a packed church! My dad stayed at Dovercourt until his retirement in 1976. I have many memories of Dovercourt for that period. I loved the West beach where I often used to take the dog on long muddy walks. Often as kids we would walk 'down town' to Woolworths ...see more
I was born in 1947 and grew up in Brasted Road, Erith. I have very happy memories of my childhood. Saturday morning pictures at the Odeon, the dances over Burtons, the riverfront, the ice cream parlour in Pier Road, the library where I went every Saturday morning with my dad, the 480 bus into Erith and then on returning running back into Dartford, the bowls club in Avenue Road, where I would stop sometimes and ...see more
I used to live in Little Waltham when I was eight until 19. We lived in a thatched cottage without electric, and no central heating, only an open fire and kitchen range. The windows used have patterns on them in the winter. In 1962 it was a bad winter, we had to dig the snow so the grocery van could get through as we lived about three miles from the village and bus route. We had to walk so we could go into ...see more
Does anyone remember or have links with the Crowther family who lived in Chaddesley Corbett 1900-1910? This is relevent to me as Lewis was my father. Phillip my grandfather, who I never knew, worked in the big house as a coachman I believe and I want to see if there are any reletives still surviving who may be related to me. My email address is martingrenville@talktalk.net Any photos or anything would be gratefully received. Many thanks.
My grandmother, Mary Honor Parsley, was born here in 'Ticket Wood in 1900, my mother Jacqueline Oldman too in 1925. Honor's mother was born Elizabeth Ford, sister to Philip the house owner I believe. The big house is now gone and replaced with something much more contemporary! Tackett Wood was/is the local Deb'n vernacular for the area.
I worked here in the 80's as a teen. Looking at this photo, the place hasn't changed a bit. It changed hands after Brad Collins passed away and is still a riding school today.
I lived in Bideford from 1944 till 1947 when we moved back to London, but I spent every Easter and summer holiday back in Bideford and nearly every day at the beach in Westood Ho!. Such happy times spent there.
I was an only child and I lived in various addresses in Woodford Green and Woodford Bridge. My first address was in a flat above a Doctors surgery in High Rd, Woodford Bridge and my last address was in Crownhill Road, Woodford Bridge. I went to Ray Lodge School, then Roding Lane Junior School and then St Barnabas Girls school, which half way through changed to a mixed school (much to my utter joy!!) I ...see more
Hello - I was a chorister at the church, I think between 1958/60 as I was born in 1947,o ur family the Schofields lived at no 10 Carville Avenue, Southborough, we were a Christian family. I have only found out by doing family research lately that my mother was of Welsh extraction and traced her ancestors back to Llanyblodwell in mid Wales - she always told me her family were chapel - which I didn't understand ...see more
My mother and family were evacuated to Green Hammerton and lived in the Post Office!
I was very saddened to see the old town hall and swimming baths knocked down for that un-inspiring block that now stands there, I can remember as a small boy of 5 walking into the town hall and just staring, it was so impressive. And the old Victorian swimming baths were where I first learnt to swim and one day I found a ten shilling note stuck behind the small mirror in the wooden changing rooms, two of us ...see more
I lived in Grange Villa until the pit closed at Craghead and we moved to Nottinghamshire. I was 10. I had a great childhood in Grange Villa, we lived in West Street facing Nobels Caravans. I loved to play down the hilly. My friends included Jackie Blueitt and Jacqueline Lund to name just two. I loved the school and hated it when it closed and we all moved up to the new one at West Pelton.
We moved to Oaktrow in January 1957, me travelling in the cattle truck. The rest went by car. We stayed the first week or so at the Lion Inn, Timberscombe. Oaktrow had been purchased the previous summer. We eventually moved in and gradually things got more civilised. I liked staying in the village and playing skittles at the pub. In those days there were 3 shops nearby. These were Mrs Yeandle's, the ...see more
I went to live in Winteringham Way in Purley when I was 4 years old until I was 8 years old, and twice a twice every year we were flooded out. I remember having to stay elsewhere like the Memorial Hall, and it was very exciting staying at The Priors big house, eating my breakfast at a big long table, with my mum and older brother, we also had to move sometimes, into another house, in Brading Way. The area still ...see more
Two ladies wearing hats.. the lady on the left could have been my mother.. but perhaps not. I remember my mother dressed similar... she brought our family through the war years 1939-1945... She is for ever loved.
My parents, Peggy and Stan Pinner, moved to Hunsdon from Leyton in 1957. Stan's family was from Wyddial and Aspenden, so Hunsdon was a good fit for them. A small estate was being erected on Wicklands Road and they bought number 3. Our next door neighbours were the Duddys, other neighbours were the Porters, the Joyces, the Fergusons, the Richardsons and the Normans. The local vicar was Mr Pumphrey. The ...see more
My Great Grandparents lived in the alms houses, G grandfather having been a lighterman. Until my Great grandmother died in 1948 when I was 10, we used to visit regularly. The houses were tiny with one room upstairs and a kitchen and living room dowm. The bath and toilet facilities were along a covered way - not very good in the winter. Great Grandmother died aged 90 on 21st December 1948. I have a photo of her and ...see more
Southend-on-Sea is a beautiful place, where I hope to go one day, so many places to go.
I have been to Staindrop. My mother and granny were born there, it's a lovely village.
As a very young child I lived in Chesterfield for about a year in the early 1960s. I must have been just 5 years old but remember quite a lot. I lived on Knifesmith Gate above The Queen's Head Pub/Restaurant. I just wonder if it still exists. It used to be a pretty big place, and I liked the huge flat where we lived. I also attended Abercrombie Primary School for just one year. I even slipped into the lake in ...see more
I used to cycle from Alford to Sandilands golf course, clubs on my back, and stop off at this cafe I recall what seemed to me a fairly grumpy man but civil, I remember he told me Davy Jones of the Monkees dropped in once, I also remember the Minah Bird. I used to walk round the golf course in the morning looking for balls and play in the afternoon and then cycle home, seven miles if memory serves me. Blimey!
Does anyone have a photo of Cannon Street?
Recently I started an ancestor search on my parents, mother Jane Breen Dalzell, I have just discovered her great-grandparents were John Breen who married Jane Rose on the 4th November 1884 at the Grand Hotel. I would love to try and get more information on this, and maybe some pictures of the inside of the hotel. Also Jane Rose lived in Woodland Villa, Copland Road, I am trying to find too?
Yes Tina, I, Averil Baillie, remember those days well. Didn't we have a good childhood in Cliffe. I remember your beautiful house and your family.
I worked at Wimbledon Town Hall 1966-1970 in the Computer Room. My sis & my friend Kathy worked there also. We worked at the top of the building. Mr Powell was the boss, & Elsie was Supervisor. My friends & I would sometimes have lunch at the Indian Restaurant opposite, or have a picnic in a nearby park. Diane Williams
I can remember going sancing in the park. I was stationed at Bailiol Camp, Arborfield and we used to go there in a 3 ton army lorry. I can't remember how often we used to go there, after all it was 60 + years ago. I went back to Arborfield Camp a couple of years ago with the REME assn. for a couple of days' stay but that is the only time I have been back. Pete Radford
