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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Search for your favourite UK places and read memories of the local area in days gone by.
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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:
...and hundreds more!
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Displaying Memories 1601 - 1650 of 2029 in total
I used to see some poor wretched people tramping the roads when I was a kid. I remember one particular man, news went quickly round that a tramp was on his way up Skirbeck Quarter. As kids we would stand at the top of Pulvertoft Lane to gaze at them as they walked by. This man was wearing two shoe boxes tied with string, he was shuffeling along making a scraping noise with each step; his clothes looked as ...see more
While in pursuit of wildfowl on Frampton Marsh In the winter of 1954-1955, a friend and I were out in a terrible snow storm, and it came real dark all at once, in fact it was jet black, just like in a dark cupboard. This was on the edge of the River Welland. Then all at once a ghostly figure stood by me, my friend was glowing like a luminous watch, and so was I. We stood laughing at each other, touching each other's ...see more
I remember visiting the house with my mother (Phyllis) and father (Thomas) before we moved in in 1948 when I was 6 years old. There was myself, my twin sisters, another sister who had just been born and my half brother Tom (Biff). In the first year there my brother Jonathan was born. During the time there, my sisters and I went to school in the summer house on the summer ...see more
I visited Llangedwyn church graveyard on 24 August 2009 with my cousin Gillian Harrington, nee Phillips, in search of the grave of our great grandparents, David and Mary Jane Phillips, who died in 1935 and 1945 respectively, before either of us were born.
We located the grave and also the grave of Ernest Phillips, who we think was also a family member. Our grandfather Walter Phillips, the son of ...see more
I remember Sunshine Corner in Spring Lane, where I would go to on Sunday Mornings and make pom poms on milk bottle tops, and sit on brightly coloured chairs and of singing; "Sunshine Corner, oh it's very fine it's for children under ninty nine all are welcome, seats are given free sunnny sunshine corner is the place for me" And then off home in Hamilton Road to roast beef and yorkshire pudding, we always had ...see more
The shop on the corner as pictured was called Rapley's Corner Shop owned by Mrs Rapley in the 1950's, and as a child I used to help Mrs Rapley serving and re-stacking shelves with stock after school and on Saturdays. I loved doing it and spending time talking to people as they came in for their groceries. In those days the sweets were in huge jars and were measured out by the ounce into brown paper bags! I ...see more
As a very young child, probably aged about 3 or 4, my family rented one of the cottages close to the cliff side at Sea View Crescent on two consecutive years. I remember the drive down Ostend Road, where lots of the bungalows had model windmills in their gardens.
One night, probably in 1966 or 1967, there was a terrific storm. I remember vividly the sea foam on the windows and my brother saying to keep the ...see more
Boston were on a roll in the 1955 F.A Cup. They beat Derby County 6-1 at Derby. In the next round we where drawn away to Tottenham Hotspur; great excitement filled the town. Special trains were laid on, to take the hundreds of supporters, most of us that used the Kings Head in Emery Lane put money in a kitty to buy some beer for the train journey.
We marched down to the station like an army platoon, in a ...see more
I am almost certain this is the plane that I had my first flight in. It was during a family holiday and I was around 6 years old at the time. I still remember the experience vividly! My elder brother and uncle were squashed into the back seat which resembled a small bench seat. My father sat next to the pilot and I sat on my father's knee ! There was a leather strap ...see more
I always think of East Ham at Christmas, going to the Co-op to see Father Christmas, it seemed like magic how they did it. Then when older I remember my dad sat down our shed at 61 Stokes Road plucking chickens, he kept chickens in our small garden along with rabbits and canaries in an avairy. He would be all done up in scarf and big coat, with a lead going down garden with a light on the end, no health and safety then. ...see more
I remember as a young girl going to visit my grandparents house in Monega Road, Manor Park. They lived in a three-up, two-down with a funny type coal shed under the stairs! I can remember walking down the tree-lined street with my grandad, I must have been about 3 or 4 and he knew everyone he saw in the street. They lived a few doors away from the Monega Road School, which both my Mum and Uncle went to ...see more
At the end of the 1972/1973 football season, and at the age of 17, I went for the first (and only) time to the annual Hammer of the Year dance at East Ham town Hall organised by West Ham United. I went with my friend Diane Legg.
There I was asked for a dance by a young man, which was a surprise to me as I never had much to do with boys. This time, for some reason I said yes to the dance.
I found out his ...see more
I moved to Spencer Avenue, Hayes, when I was 5 and the war had just finished. My earliest recollections were of starting school at Yeading Lane and walking there through thick snow. Luckily we had school dinners so mum only had to make the journey twice a day. Down our street were what must have been young families as I recall lots of friends all the same age as me, amongst them Rita Stamford, Valerie ...see more
I remember the Coronation in 1937; my mother and father took us to party in the hall on the corner of Station Street and Tower Street, all the tables was full of all kinds of food. We were given a pencil pen, it was white with a gold crown, you twisted the bottom to bring the the lead out - also a mug. After, we went onto the Station Pad field where the kids had sack races; father said to me "put your feet well into the corners so you can run".
I was born in coronation year 1953 at the Annie McCaul Hospital in Jeffreys Road, Clapham. I grew up at 20 Plato Road, just off the Acre Lane in Brixton in the 50s and early 60s. What a fantastic time it was. I fondly remember it with great affection as the golden era when Brixton was Brixton. My cousin also lived in Plato Road, further down the street, how we looked forward to Saturday morning. We had ...see more
This photograph was obviously taken when the road bridge was nearing completion in 1961. My husband grew up nearby, and tells some gruesome stories about the plague of rats they experienced when the undergrowth was being cleared in the early days of construction. The family cat would bring home several rats each day, and local gardens were over-run with them. Worse still, they got into outhouses and sheds, under floorboards and even into houses.
Opposite the Majestic Cinema, you can just see the Tudor brickwork of the Bucks Head Inn, on the London Road corner. It was very rare that my Dad would go in, but we would be sent there at certain times of the year. A seafood stall, parked beside the pub on a Sunday, would sell cockles, whelks, winkles, mussels, shrimp and jellied eels. My Dad would give my sister and I , or my brother Robert, some ...see more
I was also a pupil at Friar Park from 1955 to 1962. I have nothing but wonderful memories of this amazing school. As a little girl the endless drive with rhododendron bushes eventually opening into this huge circle where an Edwardian Gothic mansion stood, will always be etched in my memory. The incredible sweep of the lawns on the West Terrace leading down to carefully contrived pools and bridges which ...see more
My Nana Simpson (nee Brunton) was a fisherwoman who used to sell fish on the front from a creel on her back years before I was born. My Grandad contracted Polio in his 50's and Nana had to work hard long hours to bring up her extensive family. She progressed in the pre-war years to owning two shops in Jesmond, we used to call them the top and bottom shops, the one on Acorn Road being uppermost in my ...see more
Just a few years after this photograph was taken they moved the war memorial to the junction of Theobald Street and Shenley Road; almost to the spot where this photographer was standing. I was a cub scout with our meeting room in Station Road opposite, and spent many an evening kicking the gravel around the memorial. For some unknown reason my grandmother always refered to 'Tibble Street'.
In 1953 my father worked as a builder contractor and was persuaded to allow the new vicar, the Rev .Lawrence, to hold Sunday school in a temporary bricklayer's hut. So every Sunday we picked our reluctant way through the mud and scaffolding to spend an hour listening to stories. Eventually, St. Michaels and All Angels was built and I remember standing in my scout's uniform waving a union jack when it was opened by Princess Margaret.
My name is Julie and my Mum and Dad are Joan and Tom Street (Mum has passed away). I have wonderful memories of Cuffley and lived there from the age of 5 to 19 years in Homewood Avenue; we moved there in 1963. My Mum loved to tread the boards and I remember going to see her in plays at the old Cabin before the hall was built. I remember my Dad helping to paint and build the sets outside on a Sunday morning. I have ...see more
I will cherish forever my memories of Brookfield, I was 11 when I started at Brookfield in 1980. For the first year I hated every muniute of every day, but purseverance from my mum paid off. I can honestly say the remaining years were the best years of my life. I feel very privileged to have been able to do so many things; rock climbing, fell walking, pot holeing ,wind surfing, skiing...the list is endless. To be ...see more
When I was ten years old this old tree was a delight. Ancient and hollow inside, we children were able to crawl inside while mother did her shopping. We watched people pass on their way to and from the blacksmith, the grocer or the butcher, firmly believing they had no idea we were there. If we were lucky we would have been bought an ice lolly or a sweet to eat in the tree. It was often thought by visitors that ...see more
Although I moved from Prestbury to Gloucester in 1966 when I got married, then to Somerset in 1967. Prestbury has always held a special place in my heart, I always call it my home. I lived in a small cottage in Bowbridge Lane which had a stream at the bottom of the garden, with my parents, Len White and Nancy White and brother Brian. We moved to New Barn Close in 1948, when I was five. My ...see more
Dad recalled that when the USAF were based there, probably around 1955, maybe earlier, he'd decided to take a drive up the road that skirted the base to see if he could spot the new fighter which he had heard about.
So, having left my mum chatting with her sisters, he donned his black leather riding gear and rode his motorcycle up to the gates, got out his binoculars and ...see more
My grandfather owned the Old Bell and Steelyard through WWII until the mid 50's. Unfortunately he died before I was born, but I've been visiting Woodbridge to see relatives who still live there, for my entire life.
If you visit the Old Bell, which is, I believe one of the oldest pubs in Britain, look at the far left window ground floor. This used to be a shop with a ...see more
On returning from the Middle East, my family holed up across the water at Fawley. A big city was very exciting for me and after getting off the Hythe Ferry it was all bomb craters up to about the Dolphin. Above Bar was all hoardings around gigantic holes where obviously bombs had fallen and footings were going down for shops etc. Sports meets and hockey matches up by the Common (such a treasure for a ...see more
I don't know a lot about Blyth, Northumberland, only that for some strange reason I visited an awful lot during my life but thought nothing of it. My current fiancee and I would sit for long periods on the old docks at the bottom of Ridley Street area, eating locally purchased cheeseburgers etc.
I remember once booking a romantic table for two in Blyth, but it was a waste of time - she only potted 3 ...see more
Up to the age of 10 I spent many happy hours at the Ambassador, if not watching the latest film I would be found in the projection room with my father (chief projectionist) Arthur Dednum or with my mother, Doris Dednum, in the managers office who was at that time manageress. Happy days and a lot of happy memories of the Ambo, and thanks to David Morris for remembering my father, and yes, I do remember you David. David Dednum.
I was born in Jan 1936 in Witham, where my father's family had settled in the 1790's. When I was two my parents moved into one of the new council houses at the north end of Church Street, so I went to Chipping Hill Infants School. I can remember my young mother walking me into the place in early September 1940, at the height of the Battle of Britain. Our teachers were a fiery little welsh lady named Miss Griffith and a ...see more
This twin screw motor vessel at the Jetty belonged to our family company, the Southend Motor Navigation Co. Ltd. She was built for the company in the 1920's by the local Hayward's Boatyard, Beach Road, Southend and was commandeered by the Royal Navy for the Dunkirk Evacuation Operation Dynamo in May, 1940. She served through the rest of the War as an inshore minesweeper, and ...see more
The Royal Hotel was one of the "whitebait inns" which drew custom down-river from London in the nineteenth century. In both World Wars Purfleet was a transit camp for thousands of soldiers waiting to be shipped abroad from Tilbury docks. The Essex shore was called the Erith Rands. Rand was Anglo-saxon for border or Edge. At Purfleet, in medieval times Pilgrims on their way to Canterbury crossed to the Kent ...see more
My family had a holiday in Jaywick every summer, from when I was 5 up until I was about 15 years old. We would stay in bungalows on stilts!! My brothers and me thought this was wonderful,and would run and play under these bungalows. The weather always seemed to be baking hot, and I remember the sand burning my feet! At night, my family and all the other relations who were on holiday with us, would go to the ...see more
Year after year my family had our summer holidays in Jaywick Sands, we used to stay in the same small chalet in Meadow Way, Jaywick Sands. How we all used to fit in there I'll never know. It had tiny windows, an outside toilet, a small front garden with double gates at the front leading out to the long road, Meadow Way. Across the road about 300 yards away was the sea and the beach, and just about 100 ...see more
Not so much a memory for me as I am too young to actually remember Norman. Norman's name is among the list of brave young men that left the Heath and went to fight in the Second World War, he was the younger brother of my grandfather. They were in different regiments but actually ended up in the same POW camp on the famous River Kwai after being captured by the Japs. Grandad had no idea that Nornan was there, ...see more
What a difficult thing it is to write down all you want to! So much in our memories ...
I am the curator of the Essex Fire Museum which is based at Grays fire station in Hogg Lane. I was born in Grays in June 1952 and lived at 41 Lucas Road with mum Violet, dad Frank and brother Colin not forgetting sister Doreen. In July 1976 I joined the Essex County Fire Brigade and served as a fireman at ...see more
I was born at 13 Alma Place (up the small alley from Argent Street) in 1952, moving to number 6 when I was 5. When I was 9 we moved to Sherfield Road, where I lived until 1970 when we finally moved to Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire, where I live with my wife Christine, who also comes from Grays, having lived in Russel Road. I attended Arther Street Infants and Junior schools, before going to Torrels until 1967. ...see more
Hello my name is Derek Harrington. My Aunt was Nellie Combes who was the cook at Fingringhoe Hall and my mother was Doris Harrington who cleaned the rooms at The Hall. We had just returned to England from South Africa in 1944. I went to the stone school next door to St Andrews Church. We were taught in one large room by a lady and some of the older pupils. I was nine at the time. I was a ...see more
I lived in Brook Street with my family between about 1958 and 1967. We lived at the bottom of the road nearest the High Street and opposite a large pond, which was a source of great entertainmanet to me and my sister at times! We watched local firemen practice fire drill, unrolling huge hoses and aiming the water into the pond then rolling up the hoses again when they'd finished. We sometimes ...see more
Every year in our school holidays we would stay at my aunt's house at Sawbridgeworth and all my family would meet at my grandfather's house at Fullers End, Elsenham for a day. Me and my brother, Thomas, would be given the job to get the drinking water in a pail. He had no water or a well - we would have to go down to the railway crossing, go across, in the bank the other side of the crossing ...see more
In 1974 I left school in Durham and worked in Chigwell for 3 months, at a place I believe was called Grange Farm (?) Groups of mainly foreign young people stayed there as their base for trips into London. I worked in the kitchens and made many friends and had some great experiences there. The chef was a very fiery Welshman! I now live in South London and have often thought about revisiting old places there. So many happy memories.
I lived with my family (Matthews) at 223 High Street from 1955 until 1963, brother David, sisters Cynthia and Jackie, parents Rene and Reg. I think my parents bought the house in 1952 as my brother was born in the back bedroom soon after. My sisters were already about 2 and 8 years old by then. We had an idyllic childhood. Very 'Enid Blyton', lots of outdoor adventures and lashings of lemonade! I remember ...see more
I lived on Whitehouse Way from 1960-65 and attended Enfield College of Technology. My regular pub was the Cherry Tree and I used to take the young Sunday school teacher there for a drink after matins until the deacon found out. What I didn't know then is that my family had lived in Southgate and area for at least 3 hundred years. My g.g.grandfather (1810-1854) was the blacksmith at Chase Side. I ...see more
I lived in Oakwood in the 50s as a child and would regularly be in Oakwood park all day on a Saturday. Quick return home for lunch in between playing on the swings, fishing nets at the wild pond, buying a packet of crisps with a twisty blue salt bag at the cafe. The boating lake on a Sunday would be covered in toy yachts one of which my brothers and would frequently get marooned out in the middle. In the ...see more
My name was Beverley Anne Davies and I went to Port Regis for about 18 months in 1952. We lived in East Ham E6 and I had asthma. I remember the nuns were strict and at times cruel. I have a memory of one very young girl being sick and the Sister shaking her. I was in a play whilst there, my memory is hazy except I was dressed in a satin dress as an angel. The nuns names I remember are Sr Mary ...see more
Visiting the Grace Darling Musuem, then her grave in the churchyard opposite, was an annual event while on holiday on the Northumberland coast. Peering through the bars around the tomb I was often reminded of how my grandmother had pulled herself up, slipped and put a metal spike through the base of her chin. As I could never spot a scar between the wrinkles I doubted the veracity of this tale. It was however ...see more
I and my family stayed at the Ferry House, next to the Boat House from 1965 to 1973. The house was then owned by the wife of my dad's boss and we used to be able to go for a fortnight each summer. We used to park our car, with permission, on the drive of a big house opposite Dylan Thomas's writing shed, and then everything - bedding, food and personal belongings - had to be carried along the cliff walk and ...see more
I was born in 1960 in Delham Ave and grew up at 1 the Crescent with my two brothers and sister. My father, Ronald Wykes, took the steam train to Waterloo each day as he was a banker in the city. After he retired he took up a strong interest in local history by chairing the Egham Historical Society.
Egham station, had a brick engine shed and sidings for trucks in the car park. The old signal box used to operate the ...see more
My grandfather was a miner in the South Celynen. He started off at the age of 13 and was made redundant when the mines closed! But what's more interesting about him was that he had two hobbies. 1. was the love for repairing old clocks and watches and 2. and the more interesting to me, was his love of walking. My mother would take me & brother down to visit every other Saturday where we would go walking what ever the ...see more