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.
Search for Local Memories
Search for your favourite UK places and read memories of the local area in days gone by.
Add a Memory!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the 'Add Your Memory' buttons to begin
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:
-
How the location features in your personal history?
-
The memories this place inspires for you?
-
Stories about the community, its history and people?
-
People who were particularly kind or influenced your time in the community.
-
Has it changed over the years?
-
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!
Enjoy browsing more recent contributions now.
Subscribe
Join the thousands who receive our regular doses of warming nostalgia! Have our latest blog posts and archive news delivered directly to your inbox. Absolutely free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Displaying Memories 28961 - 29040 of 36860 in total
1950s and 1960s in Malltraeth... The summers were always long and hot, we went swimming on the beach when we were younger, and as we got older in the 'corbwll'. We went out collecting birds eggs, the odd apple or pear would disappear too. I remember playing cricket where the bungalows in Pen Parc are.
I lived in Britannia House, Garden City from 1962/3-1970. This was one of the Dr Barnado homes inside the Garden City. I went to Roding Lane Infants then Junior school. I then went to St Barnabas Secondary School. I still look back with great fondness on Woodford Bridge and when able to, I visit. I no longer know anyone in Woodford but do visit all the places I knew and liked. This includes visiting two school friends whom are buried in St Paul's church.
It's just great to look at the old pictures of Blakeney's High Street, it seems almost like yesterday when I used to walk from my gran's house in the row of cottages where the railway bridge used to be. We used to go on holiday every year from our house in Haverhill, Suffolk. I remember it used to take nearly all day to travel by train to Gloucester, catching the early morning milk train. My cousins still ...see more
Margaret lived at 20 West View in 1951 and came regularly to Gateshead. She had a friend who lived near Saltwell Park. When I was called up to do my National Service on 4/10/1951 we were pen friends but she stopped writing after a good while. I went down to Washington for the first time in many years in 1979 and walked up to the door where Margaret lived at 20 West View but I didn't knock. 20 years later I was in ...see more
I sang in the church choir here in the 1960s. I loved singing at weddings, seeing everybody dressed up. As it was a small village many of the weddings would have elder siblings or relatives of school friends, who would have been a guest or bridesmaid. We used to get paid for weddings, I think it was sixpence.
The building on the left used to be the school canteen. I remember the crocodile of children, me included, walking down from the school for our dinner.
The white house shown was the house I grew up in. If this photo is 1960 I would have been living there at the time it was taken - how fascinating to see this. The street at the time was the main A2 and very busy. What memories this has rekindled.
I grew up in boughton in the 1960s. This is exactly as I remember it. I used to sit on this bench as a teenager with friends. I am sure we drove the residents mad.
My great-grandfather was Edward Alfred Mannooch who owned the furniture shop at 28/30 Nuxley Road, Belvedere. After his death in 1954 aged 90 the business passed to two of his daughters - Frances Adelaide and my nan, Lily Priscilla who chose to sell toys in one half of the shop and china in the other. Frances (who was known as Flo) was very active in the village with groups such ...see more
I was good mates with a lad who drove a big white van. He was a salesman and had a fairly good standard of living. I met him while drinking in my local pub, the Springwell Inn, in Wrekenton. One Saturday we went to the dance hall in Chester-le-Street and had a great night as I loved dancing in those days with the Oxford galleries my regular haunt. We met two lovely ladies and found out that they ...see more
In the late 1950s and 1960s we used to stay in a field halfway down the road into the village of Amroth and a lady called Connie owned a small farm, so we called it Connie's field. At first we used to just camp then later Dad got a Dormobile van, then later we stayed in a caravan just behind the pub, it was a Bluebird van. I have so many happy memeries of Amroth - Dad getting us up so early to catch the tide going out ...see more
I vaguely recall my late father and mother telling me that the family made a temporary move from Wallasey, Wirral to Pantymwyn during the Second World War, renting a house (part of a farm) owned by a Mr Jones. It was a vain attempt to get away from the nightly bombing of Merseyside since (according to my late father) they soon discovered that one or more 'dummy' factories had been built a couple of ...see more
I moved to Cowdenbeath from Lochore in 1959 at the age of two. We lived at 3 Alexander Street (house long since gone). My mum, dad and me. I attended Foulford School for one year. I remember the walks home alone every day by the burn. Around the end of 1962 we moved to 49 Arthur Place in the old miners rows and my brother Harry was born. My dad worked for many years at Cowdenbeath Workshops (Jock Campbell). ...see more
Is there anyone out there who can help me with a family that I believe lived in Old Sodbury House at the 1901 census? At this time William Charles Willcox 52, lived with Mary J Jones 40, who later became Willcox. Annis Louise Willcox was 15, and later married Frederick William Bennet. They are all buried in one of the Old Sodbury churchyards, which I'm yet to visit. William died in 1916, Mary ...see more
After opening Seacroft town centre, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip visited my family in Kentmere Avenue. I have lots of pictures. Steve Lyons, Canada
My grandfather, Albert Clements, was a coachman at Shendish Stables at the time of the 1911 Census and so may have been a work colleague of William Scott (as posted by Barbara Gill on this site)
Does anyone else have any memories of 'Bottle Alley'? I think it was on the Promenade and it was a covered walk (built in Victorian times, I believe) of concrete encrusted with bottles, mainly the bottoms, in all sorts of patterns. Some of my family lived in Ore and I used to visit as a child. My other lasting memory is of the beach with the old fishmarket and 'the old man in the tub'. He was something of an ...see more
My wife's great-grandparents were married in the church on 31st July 1870. Their names were Richard Trembath, born 1844, m Elizabeth Thomas by the Rev Henry Stuart Fagan. They migrated to Bendigo, Australia in 1870. Richard Thomas, first of four children, was born Bendigo, 7th Aug 1872. He later became Chair of Bendigo Stock Exchange and later settled in Melbourne and established a stockbroking ...see more
I was evacuated from London to Blewbury Healm-wic Boarding School in 1941 (the thatched cottage shown in the photograph). The Williamson sisters ran the school, owned I believe by their brother, a naval architect (submarines). They opened the school for refugee children, teaching many subjects including Maths, French, English, Literature, Art, Geography and History. My sister and I spent many happy years ...see more
I am looking for a church called Heringby or St Ethelbert Church where my ancestor Hugh Atte Fenne was buried in the chancel next to his mother. He bequeathed money to rebuild the tower, roof and porch around 1474 when he died. He also founded a college and an almshouse for the poor. Could this be the same church? I have been searching for it. My e-mail is sjlatshaw@comcast.net ~Susan
When I was a child I lived in foster care in Hartest and one of my fondest memories is of riding my bike down Harvest Hill. Many years have gone by since my carefree, days of feeling the joy of rideing that bike and the fun I had going down that hill. I now live in Biloxi, Missouri in the USA on the Gulf of Mexico.
Dad booked a lovely green chalet, with the above name (Sherwood Chalet). He died in 2002, but I remember him saying he paid 30 shillings for the two weeks.T he chalet slept 4. The noise from the steam trains was deafening as they carried thousands of holidaymakers to Rhyl and beyond. I remember the film shows for us kids, John Wayne in 'Apache' etc. The films were shown in a club near the camp. We ...see more
I lived at Manor Farm and remember the boy next door, his name was Nigel Swatton. I wonder what happened to him. Then there was the Cripps family and Joan Berry, I wonder what happened to all of those. I would love to look around the farm to see how it has changed.
There was music shop on the Thornton Road in the mid 1950s, run by a Ada Lilian Rose who lived there with her three children. It's a bit of a long shot but I'm actually trying to trace someone called William or Bill Black who was a trombone player in The Billy Cotton band, who we think lived in the area and visited the shop around this time. I also know that he worked as a motor mechanic, possibly ...see more
There was music shop on the Thornton Road in the mid 1950s, run by a Ada Lilian Rose who lived there with her three children. It's a bit of a long shot but I'm actually trying to trace someone called William or Bill Black who was a trombone player in The Billy Cotton band, who we think lived in the area and visited the shop around this time. I also know that he worked as a motor mechanic, ...see more
Hello, my name is Christine Parsons but I was known by my maiden name of Morley when I attended Warnham, it seems like only yesterday I was there. I was sent there seemingly by the Greater London Council as both my parents were sick and at that time found it difficult to care for me, although all turned out well after I left school. What a wonderful place it was and Mr and Mrs ...see more
We lived in Sparkford, but 4 of us were born at this hospital (the last one was born at home in 1956). I am not sure how Dad managed to visit Mum as he certainly did not have a car! We visit Somerset annually but this year we stayed at Barton St David. The small villages with narrow streets were quiet and picturesque, it reminded me of when we lived here in the 1950s. I remember the bread van coming round ...see more
HELLO I also lived in Crosfield House and loved it My email address is gayeclifford@hotmail.co.uk and then we could reminisce about our time there I would love to hear from you. MY MAIDEN NAME WAS EDWARDS Gaye
My name is Margaret. I was born in Park Road, Sittingbourne on 18.4.45. My parents were Flossie and Cyril Neaves. My dad worked as a machine man in the Sittingbourne paper mills and my mum worked fruit picking in the early days but worked for Shell Research Station later on. I attended the Holy Trinity Primary School then moved onto Westlands Secondary. After leaving school I worked at Chatham ...see more
Hello, I'm writing from across the Pond. I have been able to trace my paternal ancestor "John Parish" to Nether Hall in 1841. Does anyone have any suggestions how I might get information that is older than 1841? I even have a painting done by one of my ancestors of the ruins of Nether Hall. Cheers, Tom
We moved to Bradwell in 1961, my dad worked for Stan Fowler, we had moved nearly every two years, but we stayed in Bradwell. I've lovely memories of times and people I met at Bradwell, even now I have to go to Bradwell as I put it to charge my batteries up. Bradwell you love or hate, but I loved it - the dances we had at the village hall and at Tillingham, we had live bands, it was great, the times. I walked ...see more
Can anyone remember the old windmill in a field just off Olney Road? It was blown down in a very strong gale in, I think, March 1948. I seem to remeber that 2 sisters by the name of Little, used to live in a house very close by. It was in the area where the original houses in Mill Road were built
I was born and grew up in Neilston with my twin sister and brother. My mother had also been born there. Although I moved to Barrhead for a few years I spent so much time going up the hill to Neilston I thought it was time I moved back with my family. I'm glad I did. My husband and family love the village as much as I do.
l too was a pupil at Walsh Manor, unfortunately my memory of the school was not such a happy one. After l left l also went to St Michael's in Uckfield, which wasn't much better, although l made some life-long friends there, who l still keep in contact with and see. It would be interesting to compare memories with others who also remember Walsh Manor at that time.
I moved to High Lane with my parents when I was 15 in 2000. It was a tiny old fashioned village, so tiny infact that there was only one house and everybody in the village lived there. There was one village shop (run by Tubbs and Edward) and this doubled as the village police station,school,church and pub. The local mayor was also the village bobby,vicar,schoolmaster and pub landlord. The local fire brigade was ...see more
My memories of Trefdraeth in Bodorgan Mr Lewis the vicar - respect and fear. Washi Bach - the tramp - dread The Grocery van coming round on a Friday - fantastic, fresh bread, picking from a selection of penny sweets from the enamel bowl. The lady butcher coming round in her van - her red lipstick Band of hope group in the school room in Bethel - practicing singing with Marylin for the Church ...see more
My parents met in Hurley at the church; they were thrilled when we were able to take them back there on a visit many years later.
I was brought up in a girls' Catholic orphanage, ran by nuns, St Joseph's Home, Carmel Road, Darlington. I was six years old. My father had died so we all got sent to homes. It was ok, I suppose, lookingback. I had a good friend (not in the Home), Gloria McGann/McCann? I often think of her and would love to get in touch with her. God willing, she's still there - I'm 60 at Christmas, so it's a shot in the darkm but if ...see more
Not that I was around in the 1890's, but that is when building of 55 Cottages was started in CHEQUERS LANE. Built for workers at SAMUEL WILLIAMS, who were based at DAGENHAM DOCK, which is where my father, BERNARD MILLER, my Aunt, Florence (Flossy), her husband Earl Cecil Barringer and my grandfather John Miller, all worked. I am fortunate enought to still have Floss to talk to about 'The Lane' and at 94, she is ...see more
I have extremely fond memories of holidays staying here, for some years with the family who were great friends of my mum. There were endless cats and two goats called Sue and Jenny. Life was very different from our life in South London. I have many photos taken over the years, the most fond one is one taken from the main road, as was then, as one approached the hill from Whitchurch and looked up to the left, ...see more
I was at Rashwood from approx. 1961 and my name was Sue Andrews. I well remember the teacher who had a farm as I also went there. Mrs Boffey was the teacher and I think the farm was called Cherry Trees and was at Tardebigge. I didn't know I remembered that! Mrs Boffey was Welsh and she taught us the Welsh National Anthem (now long gone from my memory). I remember some sort of competition to win a 'raggedy ann' doll ... ...see more
My name is Elizabeth Bonner, but then it was Elizabeth Esnol. I lived in Cottage 3 with Agnes, the Mcdonalds and Anne, Margaret, and Josephine Murray, and Aunty Irene Munzy, Aunty Anne (House Mother), and Mrs Mac the cleaner. The absolute best years of my life! So happy! so loved! and so safe and protected from the outside world in the most beautiful place I ever lived in with ...see more
According to the 1891 Census, No. 24 was the Chemist, No. 23 was an outfitters, and No. 25 was a Drapers
I worked with the ponies and donkies in the mid to late 1960s. Sometimes we would take them home to their field via Seagate Road, there would be about 4 or 5 of us riding ponies and the donkies would follow but quite often they would stop and chomp on people's flowers, especially roses. They would lean over the walls and tuck in, many a time someone would come out and shout at us. Sometimes if ...see more
This is the Hospital where I was born
A churchyard is a place where families can be near their deceased loved ones, a calm and beautiful place surrounded by trees and flowers, but that is not the case in Bamford churchyard. The grass and weeds are taking over so it is impossible to walk through the graves without being entangled or tripping over the fallen headstones hidden in the grass. The odd grave is trimmed and tended ...see more
I can't see what all the fuss is about, about having an 'inland seaside', its a bit 'old hat'! US LOCALS had a real one, well over 50 years ago, it was great, wherever you dug there was almost pure white sand, where was it? BEACON LAKE, we used to swim or just walk across to a lovely clean 'beach'. You outsiders probably think I'm 'a mad liar' but if our calm little town wasn't ruined it would still be our ...see more
My great-grandparents Lived at Oak Farm, Oak Lane, Kingswinford. Their name was Bradley.
My ancestors lived in Jetty Street around 1890 and at one time had a chocolate shop at No 8. Next door at No 6 was a shoemakers, I believe (now called Jacob's Rest). The family name of my great grandmother (Emily nee Newman) and great grandfather (William Harry) was Gower. My great great grandfather, John Newman was involved in the building of Cromer Pier and he was married to Jane Jacob in 1848. My great grandmother ...see more
I first visited Trevose and Mother Iveys Bay around 1969/70 with my grandparents. I was 7 or 8 on my first visit. I have continued over the years to visit, first with my husband-to-be and sudsequently our children, and we will return as a couple this year, our boys having grown up and talking of visiting this wonderfull place with their partners. Mother Iveys Bay and the surrounding area is truly in my soul and I ...see more
Nobody seems to have mentioned memories of the grammar school. I attended the school during the Second World War when it was shared with a London school who were evacuated there, we used the classrooms in the mornings and the others used them in the afternoon. I remember taking Avril Harrison, a classmate to the cinema one day - my first daring encounter with the opposite sex. Nothing ...see more
We lived in a council house adjacent to the Star Brush factory where my father worked for some years before we moved to Peppard. While our house was very modern by some standards, we had no electricity for some years, but we did have flush toilets. I remember the beech trees being hauled into the factory for cutting up for making the backs for brushes which were then sent to London to be shaped and the ...see more
I have fond memories of our family holidays in Chapel St Leonards in the 1950s, it was also where some of my relatives lived and worked. I remember the giant fish that was washed up on the beach and I have a few old black and white photos of my family, including my grandma, sitting on the steps at Chapel Point, my grandma all dressed up with her coat and hat and my dad in his suit, ...see more
I have many happy, if rather boozy, memories of Downderry! I first went there in 1983 until my final visit in 1996, where I had 12 fantastic holidays there, most of the time in glorious sunshine. I went with my parents each year (apart from one) and I was amazed by the beauty of the place. That stunning sea view as you take that sharp hairpin bend on the road from Torpoint is just purely magical, and is ...see more
We were one of the first families to move into St Mellons. My first momory was the smell of the building site and my mother taking me to Trowbridge nursery. I was knee deep in mud. And my mother still lives in the same house.
My mother, father and I moved into an old Victorian public house in Shipley. Life was different living in a pub and travelling miles to school in Bradford.
My great-grandfather had a gift shop, number 1 The Wharf, St Ives, and an artist studio.
I have fond memories of Earl Shilton around the 1950s. My first school was in Wood Street where I lived in a little old cottage, now knocked down. I remember celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's coronation at the school, wearing a red, white and blue paper dress my mum made for me. We moved later to Weavers Road where I attended Weavers Road School. I have memories of 'Harry's' (or the flea pit) picture ...see more
Having been a resident of Calne from 1944 to 1962, I often walked across this little bridge, mainly on the way to the recreation ground. There used to be (and possibly still is) a plaque commemorating Dr Priestley's discovery of Oxygen in this place. I believe the pond was situated just behind Harris' factory but when I last visited the town there was a supermarket there.
When I was 15 I left Bletchley Road Secondary Modern, and went to work at MOSSES, in Fenny Stratford, I thought it was great to earn £3. a week, I done a lot with that, I used to go to lots of 'dances' a week, there was the PALACE at Wolverton, twice a week, MURSLEY village on a Friday, WILTON HALL, on Wed and Sat. We had a job deciding where to go, it was mainly WILTON HALL that won, because it was in walking ...see more
At one time a favourite place for picnics. Can anyone remember when the RAF lads tipped tins of paint over the white horse turning it red, white and blue?
At the back of this photograph is Calne Free Church and just in front is "Wiltshires" the grocery shop. My father William John Cook worked there for many years. I can see him now neatly wrapping parcels in brown paper and tying them up with string. Amongst the many items sold here were large tins of broken biscuits and I have many happy memories of choosing my favourite types whenever he brought a tin home. Come ...see more
I have very fond memories of walking up this road in order to catch the old steam train to Chippenham, but alighting at Black Dog so that we could visit my grandparents who lived in Stanley. In younger days, I would paddle in the canal which partially ran alongside this road and catch tiddlers in a jam jar. Later I would visit my schoolfriend (also called Judy) who lived in a wooden bungalow on the left hand side of ...see more
I am searching for information about my mother-in-law's cousin Stanley Jones. I believe he was the Principal of Tredegar Technical School. Can anyone help?
My name is Roger Hibbard from Staveley, Derbyshire, I was at Burrow Hill School from Easter 1952 to Easter 1953. I went there because at that time I suffered from severe asthma but I was never ill once during the wonderful year I was there, I remember the headmaster Dai Reece and his wife Ida, teachers Mr Allen, Mr Stevenson and Mr Martin and one of the house mistresses Miss Spence. My friends were Andy ...see more
Can any one from Hartest remember the local boys having cycle races around the Green?
I have no memories of Barnet myself but I have recently learned since my dad passed away that my grandad came from Barnet and was born there by all accounts. His name was William George Wanstall, born on the 22nd January 1907, his mother was Annie Wanstall, nee Keating, and his father was of the same name as himself, William George Wanstall Snr, who was a bricklayer. I do have an address they did live at in Barnet and ...see more
My dad Ronald Peel was born in 1932 in Wheatley Hill. He lived in Burns Street and he had a brother Tom and two sisters, Florence and Mary. My dad stayed in Wheatley Hill till about 1954, he married Jean Blenkinsop of Cassop. I loved visiting my grandma Peel, called Frances, and my granda called Thomas, who died about 1964. I visited the heritage centre 6 months ago and I am now ...see more
Hello, my name is Fred Clarke, I was at the orphanage called Pilgrims Wood, in Sandy Lane, in 1945/46. I remember the searchlights and the barrage balloons on the Hogs Back. We used to play in the woods, and go to the church in Littleton. I also started my first school at St Nicholas, these were happy times and I was well looked after. If you were there at this time or can relate to the era, please ...see more
My great-grandma Mary Robson lived at 40 Hermit Street with her father William, (mother - Frances - deceased), a brother called William H Robson. Mary Robson had an illegitimate child called Frances, the child was born to a member of the well-to-do Field family. I would love to know more about the FIELD/S FAMILY all I know they were a very well to do family and influential, and ...see more
Hello, my name is Fred Clarke. I was at the boys' home in the middle 1940s, also my brother Daniel Clarke was there at the same time. The house I lived in was run by a lady we called Nana Crane. I went to the school at the home and I also was a member of the choir in the chapel. I became head choir boy. My brother did an apprenticeship in the tailor's shop, I used to attend classes in the ...see more
I was born just after the Second World War and like many people came from a fairly poor working class background. I was, however, blessed in many areas of my life and one of them was having an aunt who lived at 8 Hamilon Square, Birkenhead. It was an insurance building and she lived in the basement and was employed as a cleaner. We visited her every year and explored the Wirral. They were such happy times. ...see more
I am almost certain that this photo shows my great-grandfather walking from Chelsfield village to our house. He did this every week with a sack of vegetables over his shoulder. He would never get in a car, and walked everywhere. He lived in the village and had 2 allotments behind the recreation ground where he grew everything from potatoes to soft fruits. You name it, he grew it. He died in 1953.
I was born at Howard's Road Hospital in 1954. My parents lived with relatives in Walpole Road then Elm Park before coming back to East Ham. We moved about the manor a fair bit. Mountfield Road, Stannard Crescent at Becton and Napier Road. What a great place to live and grow up in. The High Street was like a golden mile, the clothes shops, Brent and Collins, the boozers, C & A ...see more
I remember camping for 2/6d a night. Mrs Dane (I think) ran the site. Having too much cider, trying to surf. Walking to Trevone Bay, eating in beach cafe run by Ron, and his son Chris looked after the car park. Went back last year, 2013 not much has changed. Padstow the nearby fishing village is now called Padstein!!
Bretby was 'discovered' by my dad who liked to vary his route in Ashby to work at Burton Girls' Grammar School. Bretby is not exactly the-land-that-time-forgot, but it is a delightfully unspoilt oasis, despite its proximity to Burton-on-Trent. Rose Cottage was a dilapidated house in the middle of the village, near the Green. The house was originally the blacksmith's house, and it was next the old forge, which was a ...see more
I remember moving to Milton Combe from Plymouth. It was in the middle of no where - how was I ever to survive - the last bus left Plymouth at tea time and took a tedious hour or so travelling through Clearbrook, Yelverton, Crapstone and Buckland, finally arriving at Milton Combe. The walk down the very steep hill to home! I remember motor bikes and leather jackets and the joy of getting my first bike - ...see more
My great grandfather Thomas Bryce (Born 1869) was employed as a gardener at Bilsborrow Hall. He and his family lived in the Lodge at the end of the lane. If anyone has any information please contact me via this board.. Many thanks
My dad ran the butchers shop in the High Street from 1951-1969, Victor John Ward. I went to the school at the far end of the High Street (now residential). Headmaster was Mr Eric Norman Butler. I remember May Day, and dancing in the High Street ... more memories than I can write! School journeys? Sports days on the rec...Westwoods newsagents....Catons ...see more
My granny got a job as a waitress at the Lion Hotel so that she could be near her young man to whom she had just got engaged in 1927. I doubt if it has changed much since that time.
