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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This week's Places
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Displaying Memories 34961 - 35040 of 36832 in total
The Staty Fair is really called 'The Statute Fair' as it is held one night only but the high street is actually blocked off for 48 hours. My family have lived in Kimbolton for over 500 years, my grandad had the butchers shop in the high street 'Whitemans', and my nan had the 'Saddle' public house. During the war they lived at number 40 and had doctors and nurses staying with them. All my family return to Kimbolton and are buried in the cemetery.
In the late 19th century both this inn and the windmill itself, which was a short way away, were run by members of the Coldman family --- brothers I believe.
When my maternal grandparents' house "Hobart", Mount Road, Cranleigh was bombed during World War Two we were housed temporarily above the the Crown Inn whilst the bomb was defused and the house put back in order.
Cranleigh (Junior) School was hit by a V1 rocket at 9 am on a Sunday morning during the Second World War. The following day we started using the Village Hall for lessons. I remember sitting cross-legged on the floor as there was insufficient seating. Had the rocket fallen 24 hours later, the death toll would have been very high indeed.
I lived in Grenoside between 1957 and 1965 and I remember the post office offering children some wonderful goodies. We used to buy bags of sherbert , all colours and red was my favorite. We would lick our forefingers and dip into the lucious powder sucking off what stuck to our fingers as we pulled them out of the bag. I am drooling already as I recall the yummy taste and laughing as I recall the ...see more
I love this photo of Loughton High Road as it shows just on the edge the cinema we used to have. Kids could go to Saturday morning pictures. We could see locally all the latest films. To depart this asset from our town was not really progress I think.
Hi Bob. I remember your mother behind the Post Office counter. Your cat used to regularly attack our dog as we passed your front gate on the way to Burraton Park. We both went to Saltash Grammar School in the late fifties. I lived with Mrs Richards at 382 New Road a matter of a couple of hundred yards away near what used to be called the Coronation Inn and later was renamed the Rodney. Roger's shop was further down New Road from us. I believe it is now a Spar Store.
At the top of Cats Hill were three large houses, one was called Netherfield House and had been donated by the Booth family to the Salvation Army. My father ran the house as a residential home for 29 gentlemen, and I worked with him for several years. The house now, I believe has been converted into luxury apartments, and I would love to have some pictures of it, any of the past and some ...see more
My grandparents lived in Little Common for as long as I can remember. My family spent many summer holidays at Grandma & Grandad's. In the early sixties we would take the train from Letchworth to King's Cross, a taxi to Victoria Station, then a train to Cooden Beach and a taxi to Grandma's. We would often walk to Cooden Beach to swim or sometimes catch the 259 bus to Bexhill. In the mid to late sixties, ...see more
I remember Saturday morning matinées there in the 60s, brilliant time spent! Sneaking in sometimes when the cleaner forgot to lock the side exits! Fantastic.
I have vague memories of a zoo on the water front at Largs. It definitely had a monkey that got loose inside the small building on occasions and would steal your scarf. There may also have been various birds. Can anyone refresh or debunk this memory? Any details would be welcome.
This is actually a photo of the Garden Hotel, which stood in Sandgate Road. It was empty from about 2000, had a fire in about 2005 and was demolished soon after. But it was quite prestigious in its day: such as the 1960s, when this photo is said to have been taken.
I was born in Bovey Tracey in 1952, on a Wednesday afternoon, the eleventh of June. I arrived in the middle of a garden party being held at 'Grey Gables' a house owned by a Mrs Pedrick (I do not remember her husband, but we children called her Aunty Lottie). My parents, my older sister and I lived in a house called Lemnos. I do not remember the name of the street it was on but I do remember that from our front door if ...see more
During the 1940s, I lived in Weymouth, but from May 1942, when I was 5, until July 1947, I was a boarder at the school. I was happy there, and still remember the names of my teachers - Sister Anne, Sister Edith and Sister Magdalene, and also the names of many of the other nuns there then. We had a walk every Tuesday and Saturday afternoon. We walked in twos - with one nun leading the ...see more
I was 8 when I moved to Steventon. We used to live in Didcot while I was a baby. I enjoyed Didcot and liked the town side of it. Also we moved here because my mum and dad wanted to live in the countryside while I was growing up to my teens. My mum is called Sharon Tappin and my dad is called Clive Tappin. So far we have been here for a year and I really like it here and also I am settled in to the school. My name is Rebecca Tappin.
I used to go to Oxhey school which was opposite Bushey and Oxhey station. It had outside toilets and a little bike shed with a bench where we used to play ball against the walls. There was a church (which I think is still there) where we sung hymns and such. Or maybe it was the church hall, too far back to remember it exactly. I used to walk to school from the Bushey Hall Road, a long way for a child of only ...see more
Lots of happy times (and a few hangovers ) in the Bull pub in the early sixties. In the days when the door was in the front, there used to be a small bar to the left with a dart board and pin table with a small hatch/bar where you got your light and bitter or Watneys Red Barrel. I left hornchurch in the mid 70s, must go back one day...
Hi My partner owns the cottage to the left of the main Romsey road, that is Ivy cottage, next to Puckpit cottage the side of which adjoins cadnam road, Joyce purchased this in 1997 when she left the Isle of Wight and took up lectures post at Southampton Univercity. Joyce wanted to be in Lyndhurst as she grew up their, but also her mother lived in the village and it would be nice to be near her and Barbara could ...see more
I left St Mary's Secondary to go to work in Riddochhill Pit. Wow!. Left the coal mine to work for Ritchie Brothers for a couple of years and headed to Lancaster to join my big sister, Veronica, in Lancaster. I sold Life Insurance for The Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society for a year or so and then emigrated to BC, Canada. Memories of kicking the can, "rounders", using the fireplace ...see more
I courted Bob Turner's daughter Pauline, and have very happy memories of times spent at The Serg. Where is Pauline now???? Dennis Nichols
The years were 61 and 62. I was the son of an American Serviceman stationed at the Air Base. My father chose to send me to the local elementary school. I was a tan kid from Florida starting the 1st grade In England! My parents would laugh as they heard my speech change and I become one of the local kids. My first grade teacher was Mrs. Hunt. I used to play at a place called "The Rec". It was a magical ...see more
I briefly attended Charlestown Infants' school in 1942 as it accepted children a years earlier than Mount Charles Infants (just a mile away) which I lived just a few yards from on Porthpean Road. I was four years old at the time. During those war years the quaysides around the inner dock had corrugated iron buildings that were used in the fitting out of inshore mine-sweeper vessels. These boats ...see more
Lerryn is a place that one almost wants to keep secret so that it does not become a popular destination. It has barely changed in a hundred years. A beautiful and unspoilt village in a steep sided valley, Lerryn lies at the tidal head of a tributary to the River Fowey. A place to take gentle strolls through the National Trust's Ethy Wood, said to be the inspiration for Kenneth Grahame's "Tales of the Riverbank" ...see more
When I was still at school I went and helped out in the evenings and weekends at the zoo and one of my jobs was feeding the penguins.
I was working at Shelton House during 1962 when it was Dr Barnados. Last week I went back for the first time since leaving the area to look for it and cannot find it. Does anyone know what happened to it?
Recently we took my Dad's Canadian cousin to this spot. John Pine (her father) was born here at New Mills, Loddiswell in 1889. William Henry Pine (my great grandfather) was miller and parish overseer. In our family photos we have an identical photograph and family lore is that they remembered the photograph being taken. After working at New Mills my great grandfather moved to Garden Mills, Kingsbridge. ...see more
The music library was in Friars Terrace until 1994, when it moved to the top floor of the library at the Green, which had been the Art Gallery before that moved to the Shire Hall. By 1994 the LP collection was little used - it had been the biggest in any library in the UK. By 1994 we had the biggest CD collection in the UK, covering every possible kind of music. Stafford was the first library ...see more
My Great Grandfather's brother used to own a sawmill in Newport in Wartime (World War II). His name was George Alfred (Alf) Ginger and Alf was married to Rebecca. My father remembers visitng the sawmill as a boy, seeing his cousin Seorus and hearing stories about how their house, situated near the mill, was haunted. My father's Uncle Ralph would make matchsticks stand up on end! I would be interested hearing from anyone who knows anything about the sawmill or my long lost relatives.
I have fond memories of walking from High Bentham to my primary school - Low Bentham Church of England Parochial School. Teacher Miss Robinson, pupils, Eva Clay, Carol Hinds, Joyce Thornber, snow in the playground, piles of coke, hallway with rows of coats, Junket !! Francis Hardy-Birt
In the late 1970s and early 1980s I attended Rosary Priory High School and looking at this picture reminds me what a magical building it was. I can remember sitting in the classrooms looking out over the grounds waiting for the lunchtime bell to go. I can remember a few run-ins with the nuns for relatively minor offences! which make me laugh now. At the time I didn't! I'd love to ...see more
My family used to rent a bungalow just off Boat Cliffe Road called 'Sunny Dawn'. It had a big verandah all around it and flies used to stick to the windows after it had rained! We always went to Reighton for holidays and my brother always went to the Sea View Stores to buy his Marvel comics. The shop was owned by two very distinctive ladies! I still go to Reighton and own my own caravan now - things ...see more
I moved to Farleigh Road, New Haw in 1952. I attended West Byfleet Junior School and then Fullbrook School until I graduated in 1960 (after taking a special "commercial course"). Left New Haw in 1966 and moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada where I still live. Haven't been to New Haw for about 20 years but the shops, the youth club, Woodham Lane, cycling to West Byfleet, Old Byfleet and Woking are some of my clearest memories.
I was looking at the photo of Betton Hall and I think my aunty used to live there, Joyce Allen.
Although this photo pre dates my first memories of the High Street by about ten years, I still remember visiting my grandad's confectioners shop on the right side a little further up. Ever the businessman, he would encourage myself and my older brother to choose what we wanted from the stock and then give my dad the bill. I never did find out if my dad actually paid or not! The shop itself ...see more
In the early sixties I was a member of the St John's Ambulance Brigade and often on a Saturday morning I would don my uniform and present myself (as instructed by my leader) to do my duty at the Odeon. Often there would be 2 or 3 willing volunteers and we would always pray that no-one would get sick or ill so we could enjoy the movie as well. Great days. In those days the Odeon was massive with a ...see more
I have this photograph on the wall as it reminds me of my dad, Arthur Edward Elson. He was born in Mill Lane in 1914 and worked as a 'butcher's boy' for Baldwin's which is just visible on the right of the photo. He delivered meat to customers by bicycle which is how he met my mother, she had come down from Durham and was working for Doctor Eileen Stevenson who lived at Holmfield in Cheam Road. He worked ...see more
My son Thor had a branchial cyst removed when he was about 20 months old. The staff were wonderful. I stayed in the hospital all the time and beds were made available for the mums. For our meals we would cross over the road to go to the army canteen and the food was incredible. My son soon made a speedy recovery.
My mum Lois and I used to catch the blue bus from Dorney Reach and we would go to Maidenhead to visit the doctor or the dentist and then pop into the library where I would always pick a library book about animals.
My great grandfather Thomas Peck was born at Cippenham Green in 1844 and his birth was registered by his mother Jane.
I worked at Zwicky in Buckingham Avenue and some lunch times my friend Ann and I would have a game of bowling, a light lunch, then back to work. My brother Frank used to be in one of the bowling teams that played in the evenings. My friend Jean and I would be up in the bar and would watch the bowling from the viewing windows.
The white building on the right was where I was born; it was a bakers and confectioners owned by Mr White. My father was the baker there and we lived in the flat above the shop. The bakehouse was through the entrance where a person is standing with a bicycle. The ovens were wood (oak) fired and there was a large well in the yard which supplied the water. The next shop down towards The Dean was a general ...see more
GGGGreat Grand Father (John Pigman baptized there Aug. 26th. 1661) Tks. Donald S. Pigman
My aunt and uncle went to live in Flookburgh in the early 1950s. My mum, brother and myself went to stay with them on holiday. I can't remember where we got the coach to but my uncle laughed when we got off the coach with paper carrier bags with our clothes in (no suitcases for us in those days). The road was a country lane (going down the road at the side of the cross) towards the sea. I remember there ...see more
I went to Steventon as a 'Mother's Help' to an Italian family. I came from near Manchester. I had to clean, look after a baby and a toddler and help with cooking. But I had never been away from home before and decided it wasn't for me. It was a lovely house on the Causeway which was a listed building. The family didn't own it. I remember the lady making me wash and iron all my bedding while my mum sat with me in the kitchen to take me home!
I lived in a two story flat, over what was Barclays Bank. Almost opposite was the Guidhall and St Nicholas and Faith Church. We had a clear view from our lounge and upper bedroom window of the road leading to the station and local police station. Immediately behind the bank property lived Mr and Mrs Hobbs with their daughters on what you might call a smallholding. Mr Hobbs worked for the council and bred ...see more
I was born in Crouch End in 1963 and lived for 22 years of my life in Buckley Court, Carysfort Road, a small block of council flats in quite an exclusive road. My Grandfather, John Leo Monnington, was relieving officer for the area from approx 1930 until the end of the war. He, my Grandmother and their 6 children lived in Westfield Road, just opposite the doctors. My Grandmother later moved to Berkley Road. I ...see more
My Aunt Sylvia Monnington worked at Hornsey Town Hall from the 1960s until at least the mid 1970s.
The person in the white macintosh walking towards the camera is myself, Bob Vincent with a friend, Peter Watkins. I lived at 4, Shepperton Street, Chllvers Coton (opposite the Vicarage) and Peter lived in Coton Road close to the Arches. I emigrated with my family to Perth, Western Australia in 1970. We used to frequent the Lido milkbar next to the Post Office. Should anyone wish to contact me, I can be reached by email bobbysue@iinet.net.au
Clara Pine was born in 1891 at Shute Farm in Lower Town, Malborough (see other photo). Aged 3 years she went with her Mum and older brother to America where she met her Dad for the first time in New York. Another brother was born but the young family returned to England a year later. Elizabeth Pine and the three children returned to Malborough to live in the cottage in the photo - on the ...see more
Florence Pansy Muggleton born in Grantchester 1920 can trace her family back to her great, great grandparents Joseph Muggleton and Mary Ann Boutle who married at Grantchester church on 17th January 1822. Flo has many memories over the years of the village. She moved from the village in 1945 but still kept in contact via her family. If anyone has any queries about the village pre 1942 she will try and help you and can be contacted via her daughter Gill Casper at gillian.casper@ntlworld.com.
My forebears came from the village of Harpford. In the Tithe schedule of 1839 Joel Carter rented the small cottage in the centre of the photo and also the cottage on the far right (which had a workshop at the back.) Joel was born at Podbury's Cottage (then a farm) which I think is at the back of this photo - certainly Podbury's is the main subject of the other Harpford photo. In the 21st century all ...see more
My late father worked for the Pemberton Estate as a tractor driver from 1946 to around 1958. I offer below, in his memory, an extract from the tribute I composed for his funeral in March 2005. But, there was another love in your life, by the name of Allis-Chalmers. And you spent many hours alone in her company as she ploughed each field with furrows. As a child I’d sometimes ...see more
This picture evokes a strong memory of attending church with my brother when we would only have been 9 years and 8 years old. Walking together come wind, rain, or snow. One Sunday morning particularly stands out in my memory, which was when we were sent off, not adequately dressed, thick snow on the ground, both freezing cold, but looking after, and, looking out for each other.
My Mother was born in the flat above Mortlake Fire Station in 1899. Her Father W.O.Knight was the Officer in charge. I lived there until approx 4 years of age and can remember the two fire engines and many details. The building is still there but has been converted into offices.
I grew up in Mitcham, born in 1976 and left there in about 1997. I feel like I have two Mitchams in my head - the old and the new. I felt a link with the place because my dad had grown up there and my grandad had links with Morfax and ran his own engineering company in the town later. My dad shared lots of memories with me about his growing up in the town and so I had a real feeling of place and continuity. During ...see more
When I worked for Samuel Jones the boys in our office played cricket against a team in Cookham Dean and we girls went along as support. What a great place this is! I remember a lovely village in lovely countryside - must be a nice place to live. I didn't realise at that time the connection with Wind in the Willows but that just about sums it up. I hope its stayed much the same.
The picture is taken from the footbridge and show the rail tour on about 3/9/61. There were two. This one is the one I travelled on hauled by GWR 2-6-0 5306. I rode on the footplate of the engine from here to Cirencester. The other one was hauled by 7808 Cookham Manor.
I attended Warnham Court when it was a school. It remained a very good school right through to the 1990s when it was closed and revamped in a rather horrid way and sold off as individual flats.. some houses were built on what used to be our classrooms and others built along the beautiful drive that had a fantastic pinetum on either side of it. It was surrounded by the beautiful deer ...see more
It rained. It truly rained absolutely all day. Although Whitethorn Morris were booked for three dance spots in the street plus an Arena show there was no chance whatever for either the dancers or musicians of the Whitethorn Band to perform as planned. We took shelter where we could, standing in doorways, shopping mall entrances and we finally took refuge at The ...see more
I remember visiting Trelawne House during the annual fete, in what I assume must have been the summer as it was warm and the sun was shining. There were copious amounts of cakes and cream teas with a never-ending supply of tea on tap, served in cups with handles through which you could never fit your finger! I seem to remember spending hours, well at least minutes, in trying to hook ducks out of a paddling pool. I was ...see more
This was my high school from 1960 to 1967. I particularly remember the school dinners and the extensive playing fields. Back then we had 3 hockey pitches, 3 hard tennis courts and 13 grass courts. Not to mention the air raid shelters. Since I have lived in Australia since graduating from uni I wonder what remains of those facilities now?
I was born in Springfield Road, Old Oxted in 1951. I attended Beadles Lane School and Oxted County Secondary School. I recall Old Oxted High Street when it was the main A25, before the by-pass, when the village shops consisted of Deans the shoe repairer, the post office that sold everything owned by Kath Cox, the butchers, greengrocers, general store, the dairy, Hilliers the bike shop and of course, four pubs and a ...see more
These pictures bring back delightful memories! We spent a week of our honeymoon in the 16th century mill at Lydia Bridge. Across the lawn was a view of the brook and early spring flowers. We stepped outside to the sound of the waterfall across the narrow, winding road. From the bridge on closer inspection the waterfall was spectacular. A path along the brook led to the ancient church where we wandered around ...see more
My great grandmother was born in Great Houghton in 1868. She married Charles Neville and moved to Swanscombe in Kent. She had four children at the time of the 1901 census, the eldest of whom was nine. All I know is that her name was Lizzie! I need to do some research to find her maiden name and to see if any relatives of "Lizzie" live in the area. I now live 20 miles from Great Houghton, having been born in Dartford, Kent. She and I have crossed paths!
I was born in 1950 and attended the convent as a boarder, leaving in 1958. I travelled by train with my mother from New Street station Birmingham to Paddington station London where the convent nuns met up with us and the other schoolchildren for the journey to Bridport station. We used to have long country walks during the summer and I can remember going to a place covered in long fern vegetation in ...see more
manor of Highnam by Tom Fenton
The woods behind South Entrance were our playground. I lived at 5 South Entrance and knew every nook and cranny, and in the spring I knew where every nest was. Names that come to mind are our neighbours Julian and Christopher Chilvers, Doreen, Christine Mattinson (or Matteson) then David Nettleingham, Cookie, Richard Green, Colin Thomas. Our biggest secret was the old well, through the far end of the ...see more
The large house to the right of the picture is called Barclay House, it's also St Keverne garage. We moved there in late 1979 and lived there for 3 years, having to leave it behind and move back to the north west due to family problems. We bought the house from Pat Johnson who had lived there with her husband. Looking back now, it's heart breaking that we had to leave behind this idyllic, beautiful part of the ...see more
I lived on the border of Belvedere and Erith, just off Parsonage Manor Way and used to travel to Erith by bus. I remember as a child of about 8-10 taking the 122a into Erith to go to the Odeon, Saturday Morning Pictures. I seem to remember it was 6d downstairs and 9d upstairs. I cannot recall what I saw now, but this was an important time for me as it began an interest in cinema which has lasted all ...see more
The Tower also had a bowling alley and the restaurant was a Chinese. As a teenager I worked up enough courage to ask a girl for my first dance at the Tower's ballroom. We used to park our motorbikes outside the "Bluebird Cafe" opposite and had the odd pint of scrumpy cider for Dutch courage. I was very sad to see the Tower demolished as it had everything a teenager needed for a good night out.
I was born at 55 Pattinson Town about 20 yards from the chemical works which manufactured products from asbestos. Most of my mother's side of the family worked at the factory and have since died of asbestos related diseases. I am surprised that no mention or photographs exist of this factory. I used to pass through the village green going to Washington Glebe secondary school. The school had terrible ...see more
My grandmother and all her children except my mother were evacuated to this area during and for some time after WWII. I have a picture taken outside what I believe to be the post office. I think perhaps it was on this street c1950.
Grange Farm was the place to go for all teens. You could swim or just hang around with friends. To get there we walked across the fields and over the bridge across the Roding. Now of course this place is no more. A great loss.
St John's Church, Loughton is a lovely church much loved in our town. I was married there in 1963.
In 1949 when I was six, my two cousins and I were sent to Burnham Beeches for a holiday. We lived in the East End of London. We loved it there, it was summer and very hot, to play all day in the fields was such freedom. The family with whom we stayed were called Walters they lived in a converted Nissen hut . The eldest child was named David, also a younger girl. The father worked in a sweet factory which ...see more
This view of Courtenay Park is quite poignant for me. It shows houses at the lower end of Devon Road and also the land on which Egremont Terrace was later built. My parents lived in no. 10 Egremont Terrace from the late 1930s until they moved to St Dunstan's Road in 1970. We had a splendid view over the estuary from the balcony of no. 10 and sitting out there in the summer was like having an extra room. ...see more
As someone who was born in Courtenay Street, Salcombe in 1941, I have a fairly good knowledge of local people. The man on the extreme left of the picture in waders is Larry Prinn or Prynn, the one on the extreme right would appear to be Ian Cooper. I recognise the central man in the group- I think he may have been ? Distin (Eric Distin's grandfather).
My late grandmother, Sheila Clifford (Bagge) Evans, grew up at Gaywood Hall. I was very close to her and she shared many stories of growing up in this area with me. I live in the U.S., specifically Arizona, but hope to someday travel to Norfolk. posted May 27, 2007 by: Cristi (Barraza) Watson
I was evacuated from Dagenham during the war with my sisters Joyce and Pat. They lived with the schoolmaster Mr Pearce, whilst I lived with Mr & Mrs Norris Tinylogs, Lily Lane. I remember working with Mr Frank Hazzard during my spare time, who was a wonderful man. Our time in Templecombe was made happy and memorable by the villagers who looked after us all.
Can anyone help me. A book was written on Barkingside about 2 years ago but I have not been able to get a copy can anyone help?