Nostalgic memories of Wickford's local history
Share your own memories of Wickford 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 41 - 50 of 54 in total
This is one of the bus stops that used to have lots of kids awaiting the Bus to take them up the Southend Road to Beauchamps School - although there were also a couple of 'elite' who mounted this bus to take them to Rayleigh Swaine, the Grammar School at Rayleigh! Just opposite this bus stop was a very old Public House called The Castle, which was pulled down around late 1980's - much to the publics disgust!!
This is Deirdre Avenue - one of the roads I endeavoured to deliver newspapers on frosty cold mornings at the age of 12 years, I had to get up at 06.00am, rush straight out without a cup of tea, pop into Andrew's Newsagent, and get my sack. My other road I delivered to was Louvaine Avenue.
This is the corner of Wickford High Street/London Road, so called due to the well known family known by the name as Halls, they were shopholders, and supplied pet foods and some farm produce. They also had another shop in the High Street which was an Ironmonges, which was an old house converted into a shop, and i remember as a child having to walk up a few steps to enter, Mum used to buy things like string and washing line pegs etc.
We lived from 1963 - 1972 in Wickford, all of us 3 children going to Wickford Junior school up Market Road. I can recall a man who used to paint lead soldiers from his house near the school. From 11 years of age I remember working at Tilbury's the Butchers shop on a Saturday for 10 shillings for the day. The shop was located at the bottom of the High Street. I also used to play tennis att he Wickford ...see more
Up until I was 4 years old we lived with my Grandad and my Aunt Ena at no 2 Deirdre Avenue (now no 9). My Dad and Grandad had a small holding and people came from all around to buy their fresh vegetables, these would be classed as organic nowadays. My Aunt Ena also helped out with the vegetables, when she wasn't working at the kiosk on Wickford Station. She later married the station master George Walker. At ...see more
I had lived in Basildon and married a Dagenham man in 1975, we moved to a turning called Woodfield on the newly built Moody Estate off Nevedon Road. To go to the shops or rail station, we had to pass Hall's Corner. I remember a green grocers (where I left behind a bag of tomatoes I had just brought), a newsagent and art shop being there back then. I use to love going to the market just behind the shops. We moved to ...see more
I remember walking past this point on shopping trips with my mother, being dragged along (wasn't good at walking) or on my way to/from school. I was born in 1953 in Sugden avenue where bungalows had massive areas of land (maybe I was small) with them and even a caravan on one plot. I also remember standing outside the pub with a bottle of coke and an arrowroot biscuit (dog biscuit, wonderful biscuit by Meredith ...see more
I lived in Wickford until 1963. My sisters and I would walk down London Road to the high street, first stopping at the little sweet shop and then looking into the windows of Prentice. I got my first 2 wheeler there in 1954. We would go the pictures in what later became Woolworths, the site of my first Saturday job. The Coop was in the high street and was the busiest shop. My dad had Barclays account number 2.
My wife's maiden name is Gigney and I know the family had busineses in Wickford and Stanford le Hope. Can anyone supply more details? - one was a saddlers and general store. Do any photos exist of these shops? Indeed can anyone advise if they still stand or where exactly they were?
I was sent off to buy some bread by my mother. But crossing the river Crouch by the bridge was impossible. Wickford was under water. I don't recall the year. But the brand name of the bread was: Wheatchief. I used to buy sandpaper in Mays for my dad. And Egans, I thought they could fix anything, as well as selling records! But my Saturday haunt was the library in the High Street. A little room it was, housing their ...see more