Nostalgic memories of Pitsea's local history
Share your own memories of Pitsea and read what others have said
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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Displaying Memories 11 - 20 of 20 in total
I moved to Pitsea in November 1968, and my second child was due the beginning of December. We collected our keys from the council offices in Basildon, to our brand new house in Wickford Avenue. We were so excited, after being in a rented flat with a coal fire, this new house had hot water and blow out heating! A luxury compaired to what we use to have, and a inside toilet downstairs and bathroom upstairs too!. My son ...see more
Born in Pitsea in 1938, I was christened there and visited the church during holidays from boarding school. The picture shown is a view of the back (south side) of the church. My maternal grandfather, father and one of my uncles are buried there. Dad was buried in a plot on the south side on the slope down towards the railway station. They don't know where the bodies are now becouse of land ...see more
If my memory serves me right, about this time , earlier and later, the Boy Scouts met in this hall.
We were married at St Michael's Church on a windy 23rd December 1961. How well we both remember that long walk from Pitsea High Road by Rectory Road up to the church. After the wedding we had to once more face that long walk down to the High Road to get into our cars for the short drive round to St Michael's Hall for the reception. The actual walk down from the church was longer than the drive to the hall but it was all worth while and after nearly 50 years we are still happily married.
My father and auntie grew up in Pitsea at "St Ivels", Station Lane. My grandparents were John and Priscilla Gibbs and they were shopkeepers. My grandmother died in 1940 and my grandfather died the following year.... both are buried in St Michael's Church.
I've heard wonderful stories about the area from my Dad whilst he was alive.
I was wondering if there was anyone out there that remembered the "Gibbs Thrifty Store" in Station Lane.
Born in Northlands Drive, Pitsea in 1938, my first recollection was aged 3 years when I remember being put to bed in a cot under the kitchen table during an air raid. We had an Andersen shelter in the garden outside the kithchen window. It was always knee deep in water and neighbours also used it so there wasn't much room for little me.
My father died in 1943 and I was sent to boarding ...see more
I was born in Brick House, London Road, in 1930. My father was Arthur Herbert Holmes, an architect and surveyor. He planned many shops and other buildings around Essex. My older brother Anthony James Holmes is buried in St Michaels Churchyard. He died as a baby. I left here in 1933 but I have happy memories of giving chickens a ride in my pedal car up and down the road. There was a small nursery on the north ...see more
Pitsea will always bring back happy memories for me. I was born in my gran's bungalow during WW2 & remained there till I was 3, when my mum took me & my brother back to London, where she had been bombed out. But I always went back to Pitsea, throughout my childhood, to stay with my grandparents. The freedom I felt there was wonderful (unlike London). I spent my days walking through fields, going to the ...see more
Sadly, I believe St Michael's Church is little more now than a ruin of it's former self, nothing like it was in the 1940's when it seemed to stand proudly on the hill watching over and protecting the small village below as it had done since Norman times: even then the inscriptions on some of the tombstones weathered and worn away so that one could only make out perhaps a name or date and ...see more
What memories this picture brings back to life again!! I had just been discharged from the Fever Hospital having spent six weeks there with Scarlet Fever. Nothing was going to stop me from taking part in the Victory Parade especially as I had been picked as one of the colour party carrying the Guide Flag. It was a beautiful hot sunny day, perfect for the occasion. The Parade had started ...see more
