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 35361 - 35440 of 36832 in total

Now a busy crossroads controlled by traffic lights and with a Tesco garage/shop on the near right hand corner. Whilst many of the shop-fronts have changed the upper half of many look just the same.
A new housing estate, Chawn Park, was just being built on this field when I came to live nearby in 1970. The spire on St. Mary's Church has long since gone.
This would have been an everyday sight for my ancestors who worked in the paper mill at Hendon and for the NE Railway.
On the right was the Baker's shop. On the left the bus took you into Gravesend town. At the top of the hill was the crossroads known as Pelham Arm's where I once fell off my new bike on the way home from school!
So many memories of attending church here throughout my childhood, of shopping in all the little shops and of cycling to and from school in my Secondary years. Youth Clubs. Meeting old friends and making new ones. For a while it was the centre of my world!
A 1d bus ride brought me to Northfleet library just off this picture. Also off to the left I attended ballet and tap classes during my Primary school years.
I WAS BORN AND BROUGHT UP TO THE AGE OF 12 IN ERBISTOCK AND I LOVED IT.  THE BOAT INN WAS RUN BY THE WILLIAMS'S.   I PLAYED WITH CAROL AND TIMOTHY IN ALL THE OUTBUILDINGS.  I WENT TO SUNDAY SCHOOL IN THE CHURCH AND THERE WAS A LADY CALLED MRS ASPREY THAT LIVED IN A LITTLE COTTAGE BY THE RIVER NEXT TO THE CROSS FOXES.  SHE KEPT PEKINESE DOGS WHICH YOU COULD HEAR FROM THE ROAD BUT NEVER SEE.  I CAN REMEMBER ONE HOT DAY ...see more
This was the year my son Kevin was born, we all used to go here usually on a Saturday.  Paul has just died , he was so special to all his family.  While he was in hospital he opened his eyes and said 'I have just been to Dunstable'. He used to work at Waterlows printing factory now long gone so did dad Bill Harris. Remembering them all with much love also Nobby and Nellie clarke, Cyril and Alice Collier.
I have traced my family back to Yelvertoft in the mid 1700's.  My family name is York and we are descendants of Thomas York who married Elizabeth Perkins in the late 1700's in Yelvertoft. If you can help me go further back or are related in any way please contact me. THANKS
As I remember, the main building in this picture was the Lloyds Bank.  The manager lived above the premises but his name escapes me.  The other shops were Walkers the bakers where we used to buy a bread roll prior to going to school across the road, St.Marys Primary (we would have had our breakfast at home first!!!!).  Then there was the greengrocers, Mrs.Hobbs, I remember that well as I used to deliver the ...see more
Around 1954 my Mother took me to Watford shopping and the market.  We lived at the time in South Oxhey, we would catch the train from Carpenders Park Station and get off at Watford High St station which was the lower part of the high street.  This particular day I remember walking up the high street holding my mothers hand and I remember a lot of people running and panicking.  My mum held me tight and rushed me into a ...see more
Between the tree and the cinema you can see the roof and top floor of one of the blocks of flats in Armfield Crescent so we did not live far from the cinema. When we were small we were given a shilling to go to the Saturday morning pictures - The ABC Minors we were called. We even had a song we sang before the films began. Sixpence was used to get into the cinema and we had sixpence to spend on lollies or ...see more
The Fair Green was one of the first places my sister Valerie Cooper (nee Hook) worked in her capacity as an apprentice horticulturist for the Mitcham Council. When she went for the job they told her that she would have to do the same work as the men. If it meant climbing trees and pruning them , she had to do it too. If it snowed and the roads had to be cleared she would have to go out with them with the shovels ...see more
This photo looks like the 'Swan Inn" at the Mitcham end of Figgs Marsh where I caught the bus to Tooting Broadway to get the Underground to London.  The trees of Figgs Marsh Common can be seen in the background.  The road split in two here, the east side to Streatham and the west side to Tooting.  The common was used for Football (soccer) matches on Saturdays and demonstrations in huge tents.  I remember going to one ...see more
I loved Port Isaac from the first time of seeing, which would have been early 1990's. Since then I have been several times when visiting Cornwall - not so easy when living as I do in Australia.
TRYING TO FIND ANY INFORMATION OR PHOTOS OF MY GREAT GRANDADS FACTORY ?
When we went to "Dick's" for lunch, there would be me, my kid sister, my parents and my maternal grandparents plus Mum's youngest sister. She was only 5 years older than me- "Auntie Betsy"- and more like a big sister. She was the prodigy of the family, learning to play the piano, and Grandma always used to pressure a reluctant Betsy to play something on the pub piano. This was at the time when Fess ...see more
When I was a kid in the 50s, we often used to walk across Shipley Glen, having first travelled on the Glen Tram, to "Dick's" for Sunday lunch- it was always very popular- and catch the bus home from the bottom of the hill- the terminus was the Acorn Inn. A special treat was to go by bus to Bingley, where there was a fleet of vintage Rolls Royce taxis outside the railway station, and the whole family could pile into one taxi for the long uphill ride to Dick Hudson's.
I remember Rye Lane in Peckham as a very busy shopping centre. I was born in the area and lived in Mcdermott Road in the prefabs (it is now a Charlie Dimock Garden) until I married  in Blenheim Grove Church (behind the station)and moved away in 1963. I remember shopping in Jones and Higgins (in this picture) - to us children it was an aladdin's cave with all its different departments. Later on I worked in ...see more
The building on the right of the photograph with the sign above the door is, I believe, the Bowes Arms Public House. My 3xgt grandparents, Martin and Ann Bell, were the licencees. When Martin died in 1883 Ann took over the licence until she died in 1903 when her youngest daughter then took over the licence. Eventually Martin and Ann's granddaughter became the licencee until the Bowes Arms closed. My ...see more
My family moved from Moreton to North Weald in 1939, I was 9 year old at the time. My father was called Thomas Yeldham and became the local cobbler, my mother was called Maud. While still at school I had a Saturday job at Churches Butchers, then when i left school at 14 I went to Churches as an apprentice butcher. While there, in 1948 I was called up for my ...see more
This is indeed Hamsey Green. The view is from the Good Companions car park. The two shops with awnings to the right of the image no longer exist, as the Coop built a shop there. One used to be a bike shop (left) and the other (right) a place that sold head stones for graves. The tall trees in the background were a grove of Horse Chestnut trees that covered much of the land as it dropped towards ...see more
William Stockdale, a corn merchant and my great grandfather, married Margaret Baxter in Austwick many years ago.They had 5 children, Robert, Ellen, Clara, Fred and Maude. The latter, born in 1880 was my grandmother.  Clara and Fred emigrated to Canada in the early 1900s.  Robert, who never actually married went to Giggleswick Grammar School, got a degree from Oxford, then taught at Leeds Grammar School. He was ...see more
I lived at the Swan from 1936 to about 1943 - below are some extracts from my memoirs. I hope you find them of interest. In about 1936 my father resigned, or to be more accurate was forced out of his company, a story in itself. My mother was getting concerned about the rise of the Nazis in Germany and the very real possibility of a war starting and wanted to leave the ...see more
I bought my favourite car in Hatch End from the Cornwall Garage in 1970. It is on the right of this view beyond the row of shops and the crossroads of Uxbridge Road and Cornwall Road.  It was a 1966 Triumph Spitfire, pale blue with two black "racing stripes" up the long bonnet over the hard top and down the boot!  It cost me all of £465 in April 1970. I rather ...see more
My grandparents, Frank and Amy Hazzard, lived in Templecombe in Somerset.  They lived in Lilly Lane Farm and then later in Yew Tree House.    My grandfather, Frank Hazzard, was a farmer. He was blind, but was one of only three blind bellringers in the country.  He was also a very good carpenter and I can still remember visiting him in his workshop with the wonderful smell of wood shavings. I still have a box that ...see more
I worked as a staff nurse at this fine hospital for several years in the sixties. I was hired to work in the Renal Unit-however, it had not yet opened when I started. I was put to work wherever extra hands were needed until it did. I worked Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights as I was married with a baby. I remember my husband driving up this approach to drop me off for night duty. It ...see more
I lived at the house on the left - The Chalet. I lived here from 1938 -1959. The eastern end of the house was the village shop and was known as Top View Stores. Records of the house were traced back as early as 1784. When the roof was recently refurbished, the original timbers and roof joists were un-trimmed and had the branch stumps attached. The footings for the walls also consisted of large boulders dating back ...see more
Good morning from Waterloo, Canada. I was absolutely thrilled with your site and stumbled on it quite by chance. I was born in 1943 at my grandparents house at Yew Tree Terrace just off Station Rd. I grew up in Shepley, attended school there as well as being in St. Paul's Church choir. I sat on the wall at the bridge opposite the Black Bull as a teenager visiting with friends and when we weren't at the ...see more
My mother, Valerie Evans, worked for British Railways southern region from 1957 -1960 at Deepdene House. She was a shorthand typist and remembers Deepdene House to be a beautiful building with extensive grounds. She has happy memories of friends in the typing pool. The building hadn't changed much since 1891 although I don't believe there was a conservatory in 1957.  During her lunch breaks she would play tennis, table tennis and netball or just sit out on the grass and enjoy the scenery.
I remember breaking and entering on a Friday night in February. Mr Doyle the local policeman rounds us up on Saturday a.m. in his house that doubled as a police station. Father went crazy and ripped up Wales-Australia tickets and threw them on the fire! My family went on holiday in the summer and left me behind with a neighbour. All for a few .22 bullets. I shall not name my co-defendants. This aint my ...see more
This was the year that I and my family moved into the Post Office where we lived for the next 9 years. During this time I saw lots of changes to the buildings accross the Framfield Road. My father changed the inside of the Post Office. The old wooden counters were removed and replaced with open shelving and self service shopping. There was a sorting room inside the Post Office which was busy each morning as ...see more
I was a pupil at this school until about 1960 when I went to the technical school. I have fond memories of the headmistress and her blue-rinse hair do. Whilst I was there Miss Cauldfield left and a Miss Hackwood (hope this is correct) took over. To a child's eyes it all seemed to change.
Scarborough holds so many happy memories for me as most of my family holidays were taken there. Having a kindly aunt and uncle to stay with made it the most enjoyable place to be. I still like to visit the old haunts whenever I am able to visit the town and unlike many places, it does not seem to change for the worse.
This picture reminds me of wonderful school trips to the west of England from a school based in Oldham called Fittonhill Secondary. This hotel was our base for the weeks holiday and we went out daily on organised trips to Chepstow, Symonds Yat, Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust, Tintern Abbey among other glorious places. Living in a built-up area like Oldham this seemed heaven even as a 13-14 year old. I came on the ...see more
This view has hardly changed, I have recently took a photo from about the same place and it is almost the same. The wall running in front of the church as gone now but the park on the left and the school wall on the right is still intact. There are more road signs on the corner. I remember going round this corner on my bike when I was about ten and being stopped by a policeman and told off for not signalling. I ...see more
In 1953 I attended Bradfield Primary School which in this year of 2007 celebrates its centeniory year. I have fond memories of many cricket matches during my time at the school playing against other local school teams. Mr Martin the Headmaster had lots of fast cars, to the delight of all the children. There was always a scramble on match day to see who would have ...see more
I can remember shopping with my mother at Mr Hill's shop until sometime in the 1970s. We believe that he was one of the last butchers to wrap the meat in newspaper and to have sawdust on the shop floor.
We saw when we visited Altrincham
Way home from Picadilly
We used to catch 255 home from here
I remember seeing the Queen when she visited Oldham - I was born there in 1950.
Whilst I lived at Mattishall near Dereham in the early 1960's I became a regular visitor to the area in Summer and Winter, having use of a small boat at Burnham Overy Staithe. Fishing and full days out at Scolt Head became a regular feature for me, my mates and our girlfriends. We looked for a local pub to drink at and the Victoria at Holkham (Public Bar!) became just that. There were ...see more
WHEN I WAS A KID THIS WAS THE SITE OF A FARM IN THE 1940s ( I think it belonged to farmer Copley).  THE BIG HOUSE IN THE BACKGROUND BELONGED TO DR MARJERY.  THE HOUSE IS STILL THERE BUT THE SURGERY WAS KNOCKED DOWN, AND WAS RESITED NEXT TO ST THOMAS' CHURCH.
Paul & Jacqueline- Wedding 24th March 1984
William Russell Wilson Bligh came to Australia and was living with his Uncle Sir Maurice O'Connell at Tarmons in Sydney in 1845. I have a copy of a letter written that expresses her concerns about her 18year old son and the way he is neglecting his family duty by not paying his uncle his due from his newly earned wages. He joined the Civil Service and was appointed the 1st Clerk of Petty Sessions in ...see more
During the war my uncle was in the army with a man called Bert Sprake.  When they got out of the army Bert opened a butchers shop in the parade almost opposite Plough Road.  I used to go into his shop and help him make the sausages.  I never got paid for it but it was great fun. I lived in Oakdale Road for the first 19 years of my life so that shopping parade I just loved.  I used to wait for the 468 outside the sweet ...see more
At the top of the town towards the flats is St Mary's church.  I used to attend St Mary's school which was situated behind the church.  One day when everyone turned up for school it had been burned to the ground, I think I was told one of the teachers left an electric fire on.  I can only remember the infant class, where the teacher in winter used to put our bottles of milk around the boilers chimney, also at ...see more
I spent my childhood in and around Thirsk, although living in the nearby village of Sowerby. Thirsk was where I went to secondary school. It is where we shopped and went to the cinema (there were two of them, The Regent and The Ritz). Teenage years saw me and my friends attending dances at the local town hall. Sometimes we had visiting well known bands such as Kenny Ball. It was a fun time to be living in.
This picture evokes happy memories of the village where I was born and lived for the first twenty two years of my life.  I have visited it often over the past forty years whenever I was in Yorkshire, and I still find it a lovely place to be.  Maybe it has become just a little too pristine, and unfortunately not improved by the many cars which line its avenue.
I visited Newbiggin for the first time in January of this year, in search of my ancestors, who I hoped to find in St. Bartholomew's church. It was a bright but extremely windy day when we arrived, but I was delighted to discover the gravestone of my Gt.Gt. grandfather and many of his family. The stone was propped up against the church and we could have missed it. My visit from Australia was greatly enhanced by the discovery of the Harbottle family headstone.
I am a former pupil of Chaigley, where I spent several happy years.  I remember the little school house on the left side opposite and a little further up from  the post office where we used to sit and have an illicit smoke.  I also remember the Rose Queen Carnival.  My memories of the village are of a place that almost seemed as though it was somehow more remote than it actually is. I have returned a couple of times as an adult and found it much the same.
This is Alan Edgar Fullwood's memory and the reference to Slinfold is right at the bottom of this narration: Edgar Fullwood was my father.  He was born in Birmingham England in what is to me the beginning of our history in 1875 on October 31st, and he was the grandson of Joseph and Ann whose birth and life times are unknown to me.  His parents were know to me as a school boy; Henry, his father was born in Birmingham ...see more
IWAS FIVE IN 1964 AND IN THE HIGH STREET WAS A LARGE SHOP CALLED CHATTIN AND HORTON.   IT WAS A WONDERFUL SHOP ESPECIALLY AT CHRISTMAS TIME WHEN FATHER CHRISTMAS USED TO BE THERE WITH HIS SACK OF TOYS.   YOU COULDN'T HELP YOURSELF IN THE SHOP YOU HAD TO ASK ASSISTANTS BEHIND THE COUNTER TO GET THINGS FOR YOU.   DOES ANYONE ELSE REMEMBER THIS SHOP?
'The Oak' is the only pub and hotel in the village and in the fifties our next door neighbour was the cleaner there. She would cycle to the village from the farm on a heavy green bicycle in a slow and ponderous manner that has stayed with me to this day. I must have been about nine when the awful event happened that haunted me for years.  Police came to the village school one day to ask our neighbour's daughter ...see more
This was where everyone waited for the buses that took us east to Pangbourne and Reading or west to Newbury, our main shopping town.  Newbury had a thriving market twice a week and buses were frequent, eight per day.   The Well House did indeed have a well beneath it and following a tragedy at the Royal Oak pub in which our next door neighbour was killed, the building was renovated. Originally it was an open ...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 ...see more
I first knew the hospital when I was admitted there in 1956. It was a beautiful building. I have seen photos online of how it had been left to go to ruin. I have also heard it was going to be demolished for a housing estate. I find it quite sad that a building that has done so much could be just dismissed. I'm sure it could have been put to a worthy cause. When I was in the hospital I do remember one nurse - STAFF NURSE MARSDEN. I look forward to anyone else remembering this place. Sue.
This is taken from by St Andrew's Church looking back towards Cheadle Hulme.  We lived on Hulme Hall Road at that time.  One or two years later I attended Sunday school at St Andrews and also Junos which was an organisation similar to cubs that was held in a hut at the back of the church.  I remember the petrol station and further on towards the corner of Buckingham Road?? was RS McColls newsagents. Turn down ...see more
This is a picture of Station Road with Snapes's hardware shop on the corner.  The petrol pump was no longer in use by then but the paraffin one was. Opposite Snapes's is Oak Meadow where we used to play on our bikes and climb trees. Working back along behind the camera on the same side was the Elycian cinema. Lovely little picture house. I saw Where Eagles Dare,  Carry on Camping, the Jungle Book etc there. ...see more
I was born in Newton-le-Willows in 1946 and 21 years later married Jackie Emms from Newton-le-Willows also. During that time we would often spend the evening having a drink in the "Leigh Arms" cocktail bar (see photo). In 1967 we married at "All Saints" church and held our wedding reception at the "Pied Bull" Newton-le-Willows (see photo N149027). We are still married, now live in Devon and next week will ...see more
I was at Mid-Cheshire College in 1976. I got to know The Greenbank rather well!
Chester for me, in the 1960s, was, first, the Museum.  It was a full day out.  The C4 or C3 bus from Overpool or the C6 from Rivacre, small pack of sandwiches and some orange squash in my school haversack and I could spend the day with the Roman Army. Having a very eidetic imagination (I think in pictures) it was easy for me to see those Roman Soldiers marching along. Later it was rowing with E Port ...see more
The 1901 census shows my grandad was living at 49 Durants Road Enfield with his wife and two children. His occupation is shown as Clerk at Electric Lamp Works. Does anyone know the likely name and location of the Electric Lamp Works?
The Waterton Arms, in Church Street, used to be owned and run by Mary Elizabeth Mulligan. Her grandson Andrew Robert owned the house next door and the Pharmacy attached.
The teachers were `Zorra` Hardy,`Percy` Noble, `Gunner` Meadows, `Musha`Pitt and Harry Firth. The Headmaster was Mr Hewitt. Ken Barkworth used to come home on leave from the army and take us for PT in the hall and I used to box him. My class mates were Donald Backhouse, Donald Levick ,Frank Taylor, Gordon Blake, Bert Mellors and Frank Wilson. I played football for the school in goal. The ...see more
My friend Dionne Page lived here, Number 10 if I remember right, well the house on the corner......had just left school, Aveley Comp, as it was then called.  Dionne's dad use to call us "THE BLACK FOOT TRIBE".  That summer we used to hang out at Johnny Cobbs stables, the best summer ever.  Many memories. Dee where are you now.  Would love to hear from you.
We used to call this 'the donkey slip'. It was where the Webber family started their donkey and later pony rides. My friend and I used to be in charge of the pony rides during the summer season sometime in the 50's. We weren't paid but had the joy of riding the ponies bareback to their field on North Hill at the end of the day, after cleaning the tackle and putting it in the stables.
I remember this parade of shops being built. Left to right was Ely's the greengrocers, next door was Mr Hill the butchers, then Humphries the grocer and then Ashworths the chemists.  A little further on to the right was Schearers the bakers. Ely's was later owned by Jack Curtain, Humphries Store, Mr Palmer, and Ashworths Chemist Mr Webb. I believe Mr Hill had the butchers shop until the late 1940's. Schearers the ...see more
The Plough my Grandad's (Jack Bartram) favourite watering hole, Granny claimed that with the money he spent there it should have belonged to the family. Landlord in those days was Mr Henry Castleman. The bay on the front was almost demolished when during WWII a Welsh Guards Bren Gun Carrier ran in to it killing the lady who was the co-owner of The Old Log Cabin Shop, Minnie Caldwell.
I was probably only about 8 years old but I remember it oh so well. It was upstairs in the disco, she came from Leeds.  We spent more holidays here than I can remember as a child, me, my sister Lorraine and my mam and dad Doreen and Maurice Horne.  Sadly my dad's not with us now. We had some lovely times.  I used to love the zoo which is now of course pPeasure Island.  Oh and the paddling pool up by the boating lake.
i was born in Algers Road, Loughton in 1942 and moved to Chigwell in 1944, then back to Buckhurst Hill in 1947.  My dad worked as a lorry driver for W.C.French. My brother Chris and friends used to walk up to Buckhurst Hill High Road across the cricket field into Epping High Road and across to Connaught Waters.  We would go paddling for newts and in winter with mum and dad go ice skating. Buckhurst Hill shopping ...see more
I was born at Rocklands December 1954. It was sold shortly after and later demolished for a new build home.
I first found the hamlet of Llanelian some 15 years ago after visiting Anglesey on a regular basis for the last 25 years. I found the peace and quiet of the area very pleasant.  The walks are refreshing and the views from Porth Eilian are wonderful.  The church is one of the wonders of the area. I work in Wilmslow in Cheshire and now commute to Llanelian MY HOME SWEET HOME!
This picture was taken a little after I left the town for further down the coast. I believe that the large building was called the Marine Cafe. A real and rare treat was to go and have a Knickerbocker Glory in a tall glass seated on tall stools at tall tables! To the right, on the beach at the base of the wall, was an outlet for a large constantly running drain, mostly street runoff I think. My sister ...see more
We didn't go to the cinema all that often and when we did it was a real treat. Fish and chip supper in the cafe upstairs, then into the cinema with its newsreels, local advertisements on slides, supporting 'B' film, forthcoming attractions and finally - The Big Film. And then out again, usually late at night (for us children) and the walk back up Front Street to where we lived close to the station. We only once ...see more
I remember the inside of the Baptist Chapel as I attended regularly from the age of 5 until my early teens. A Reverand Exall and a one-armed man called Mr. Chapman were in charge. On Anniversaries they used to put staging up either side of the organ and I used to like to sit right at the very top. I was promised if I passed the scripture exam they would pay me 10 shillings. I did pass but never got the money!
One set of grandparents lived at the top of Little Bushey Lane, on Elstree Road. The other lived near the bottom of Little Bushey Lane. Whenever I would visit, on school holidays, I had to share my time between them, so I spent many a day walking up and down the lane, passing by the Kings Head in the mid-50s. A.E. Matthews lived on the lane, also, and his eccentricities over his protest of the lamp-post in ...see more
This photo shows the street on which we lived around 1948 - but before the houses were built! We lived at 15 Woodcock Road, right across from what was known as Donkey Lane, which was a short cut to the centre of the village and to the school. There was a fisherman's shack on Donkey Lane, where we could get some freshly boiled crabs legs to eat on the way to school. Later, in the early '50s we lived on Flamborough ...see more