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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People who were particularly kind or influenced your time in the community.
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How does it feel, seeing these places again, as they used to look?
This week's Places
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Displaying Memories 28961 - 29040 of 36832 in total
My name is Margaret. I was born in Park Road, Sittingbourne on 18.4.45. My parents were Flossie and Cyril Neaves. My dad worked as a machine man in the Sittingbourne paper mills and my mum worked fruit picking in the early days but worked for Shell Research Station later on. I attended the Holy Trinity Primary School then moved onto Westlands Secondary. After leaving school I worked at Chatham ...see more
Hello, I'm writing from across the Pond. I have been able to trace my paternal ancestor "John Parish" to Nether Hall in 1841. Does anyone have any suggestions how I might get information that is older than 1841? I even have a painting done by one of my ancestors of the ruins of Nether Hall. Cheers, Tom
We moved to Bradwell in 1961, my dad worked for Stan Fowler, we had moved nearly every two years, but we stayed in Bradwell. I've lovely memories of times and people I met at Bradwell, even now I have to go to Bradwell as I put it to charge my batteries up. Bradwell you love or hate, but I loved it - the dances we had at the village hall and at Tillingham, we had live bands, it was great, the times. I walked ...see more
Can anyone remember the old windmill in a field just off Olney Road? It was blown down in a very strong gale in, I think, March 1948. I seem to remeber that 2 sisters by the name of Little, used to live in a house very close by. It was in the area where the original houses in Mill Road were built
I was born and grew up in Neilston with my twin sister and brother. My mother had also been born there. Although I moved to Barrhead for a few years I spent so much time going up the hill to Neilston I thought it was time I moved back with my family. I'm glad I did. My husband and family love the village as much as I do.
l too was a pupil at Walsh Manor, unfortunately my memory of the school was not such a happy one. After l left l also went to St Michael's in Uckfield, which wasn't much better, although l made some life-long friends there, who l still keep in contact with and see. It would be interesting to compare memories with others who also remember Walsh Manor at that time.
I moved to High Lane with my parents when I was 15 in 2000. It was a tiny old fashioned village, so tiny infact that there was only one house and everybody in the village lived there. There was one village shop (run by Tubbs and Edward) and this doubled as the village police station,school,church and pub. The local mayor was also the village bobby,vicar,schoolmaster and pub landlord. The local fire brigade was ...see more
My memories of Trefdraeth in Bodorgan Mr Lewis the vicar - respect and fear. Washi Bach - the tramp - dread The Grocery van coming round on a Friday - fantastic, fresh bread, picking from a selection of penny sweets from the enamel bowl. The lady butcher coming round in her van - her red lipstick Band of hope group in the school room in Bethel - practicing singing with Marylin for the Church ...see more
My parents met in Hurley at the church; they were thrilled when we were able to take them back there on a visit many years later.
I was brought up in a girls' Catholic orphanage, ran by nuns, St Joseph's Home, Carmel Road, Darlington. I was six years old. My father had died so we all got sent to homes. It was ok, I suppose, lookingback. I had a good friend (not in the Home), Gloria McGann/McCann? I often think of her and would love to get in touch with her. God willing, she's still there - I'm 60 at Christmas, so it's a shot in the darkm but if ...see more
Not that I was around in the 1890's, but that is when building of 55 Cottages was started in CHEQUERS LANE. Built for workers at SAMUEL WILLIAMS, who were based at DAGENHAM DOCK, which is where my father, BERNARD MILLER, my Aunt, Florence (Flossy), her husband Earl Cecil Barringer and my grandfather John Miller, all worked. I am fortunate enought to still have Floss to talk to about 'The Lane' and at 94, she is ...see more
I have extremely fond memories of holidays staying here, for some years with the family who were great friends of my mum. There were endless cats and two goats called Sue and Jenny. Life was very different from our life in South London. I have many photos taken over the years, the most fond one is one taken from the main road, as was then, as one approached the hill from Whitchurch and looked up to the left, ...see more
I was at Rashwood from approx. 1961 and my name was Sue Andrews. I well remember the teacher who had a farm as I also went there. Mrs Boffey was the teacher and I think the farm was called Cherry Trees and was at Tardebigge. I didn't know I remembered that! Mrs Boffey was Welsh and she taught us the Welsh National Anthem (now long gone from my memory). I remember some sort of competition to win a 'raggedy ann' doll ... ...see more
My name is Elizabeth Bonner, but then it was Elizabeth Esnol. I lived in Cottage 3 with Agnes, the Mcdonalds and Anne, Margaret, and Josephine Murray, and Aunty Irene Munzy, Aunty Anne (House Mother), and Mrs Mac the cleaner. The absolute best years of my life! So happy! so loved! and so safe and protected from the outside world in the most beautiful place I ever lived in with ...see more
According to the 1891 Census, No. 24 was the Chemist, No. 23 was an outfitters, and No. 25 was a Drapers
I worked with the ponies and donkies in the mid to late 1960s. Sometimes we would take them home to their field via Seagate Road, there would be about 4 or 5 of us riding ponies and the donkies would follow but quite often they would stop and chomp on people's flowers, especially roses. They would lean over the walls and tuck in, many a time someone would come out and shout at us. Sometimes if ...see more
This is the Hospital where I was born
A churchyard is a place where families can be near their deceased loved ones, a calm and beautiful place surrounded by trees and flowers, but that is not the case in Bamford churchyard. The grass and weeds are taking over so it is impossible to walk through the graves without being entangled or tripping over the fallen headstones hidden in the grass. The odd grave is trimmed and tended ...see more
I can't see what all the fuss is about, about having an 'inland seaside', its a bit 'old hat'! US LOCALS had a real one, well over 50 years ago, it was great, wherever you dug there was almost pure white sand, where was it? BEACON LAKE, we used to swim or just walk across to a lovely clean 'beach'. You outsiders probably think I'm 'a mad liar' but if our calm little town wasn't ruined it would still be our ...see more
My great-grandparents Lived at Oak Farm, Oak Lane, Kingswinford. Their name was Bradley.
My ancestors lived in Jetty Street around 1890 and at one time had a chocolate shop at No 8. Next door at No 6 was a shoemakers, I believe (now called Jacob's Rest). The family name of my great grandmother (Emily nee Newman) and great grandfather (William Harry) was Gower. My great great grandfather, John Newman was involved in the building of Cromer Pier and he was married to Jane Jacob in 1848. My great grandmother ...see more
I first visited Trevose and Mother Iveys Bay around 1969/70 with my grandparents. I was 7 or 8 on my first visit. I have continued over the years to visit, first with my husband-to-be and sudsequently our children, and we will return as a couple this year, our boys having grown up and talking of visiting this wonderfull place with their partners. Mother Iveys Bay and the surrounding area is truly in my soul and I ...see more
Nobody seems to have mentioned memories of the grammar school. I attended the school during the Second World War when it was shared with a London school who were evacuated there, we used the classrooms in the mornings and the others used them in the afternoon. I remember taking Avril Harrison, a classmate to the cinema one day - my first daring encounter with the opposite sex. Nothing ...see more
We lived in a council house adjacent to the Star Brush factory where my father worked for some years before we moved to Peppard. While our house was very modern by some standards, we had no electricity for some years, but we did have flush toilets. I remember the beech trees being hauled into the factory for cutting up for making the backs for brushes which were then sent to London to be shaped and the ...see more
I have fond memories of our family holidays in Chapel St Leonards in the 1950s, it was also where some of my relatives lived and worked. I remember the giant fish that was washed up on the beach and I have a few old black and white photos of my family, including my grandma, sitting on the steps at Chapel Point, my grandma all dressed up with her coat and hat and my dad in his suit, ...see more
I have many happy, if rather boozy, memories of Downderry! I first went there in 1983 until my final visit in 1996, where I had 12 fantastic holidays there, most of the time in glorious sunshine. I went with my parents each year (apart from one) and I was amazed by the beauty of the place. That stunning sea view as you take that sharp hairpin bend on the road from Torpoint is just purely magical, and is ...see more
We were one of the first families to move into St Mellons. My first momory was the smell of the building site and my mother taking me to Trowbridge nursery. I was knee deep in mud. And my mother still lives in the same house.
My mother, father and I moved into an old Victorian public house in Shipley. Life was different living in a pub and travelling miles to school in Bradford.
My great-grandfather had a gift shop, number 1 The Wharf, St Ives, and an artist studio.
I have fond memories of Earl Shilton around the 1950s. My first school was in Wood Street where I lived in a little old cottage, now knocked down. I remember celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's coronation at the school, wearing a red, white and blue paper dress my mum made for me. We moved later to Weavers Road where I attended Weavers Road School. I have memories of 'Harry's' (or the flea pit) picture ...see more
Having been a resident of Calne from 1944 to 1962, I often walked across this little bridge, mainly on the way to the recreation ground. There used to be (and possibly still is) a plaque commemorating Dr Priestley's discovery of Oxygen in this place. I believe the pond was situated just behind Harris' factory but when I last visited the town there was a supermarket there.
When I was 15 I left Bletchley Road Secondary Modern, and went to work at MOSSES, in Fenny Stratford, I thought it was great to earn £3. a week, I done a lot with that, I used to go to lots of 'dances' a week, there was the PALACE at Wolverton, twice a week, MURSLEY village on a Friday, WILTON HALL, on Wed and Sat. We had a job deciding where to go, it was mainly WILTON HALL that won, because it was in walking ...see more
At one time a favourite place for picnics. Can anyone remember when the RAF lads tipped tins of paint over the white horse turning it red, white and blue?
At the back of this photograph is Calne Free Church and just in front is "Wiltshires" the grocery shop. My father William John Cook worked there for many years. I can see him now neatly wrapping parcels in brown paper and tying them up with string. Amongst the many items sold here were large tins of broken biscuits and I have many happy memories of choosing my favourite types whenever he brought a tin home. Come ...see more
I have very fond memories of walking up this road in order to catch the old steam train to Chippenham, but alighting at Black Dog so that we could visit my grandparents who lived in Stanley. In younger days, I would paddle in the canal which partially ran alongside this road and catch tiddlers in a jam jar. Later I would visit my schoolfriend (also called Judy) who lived in a wooden bungalow on the left hand side of ...see more
I am searching for information about my mother-in-law's cousin Stanley Jones. I believe he was the Principal of Tredegar Technical School. Can anyone help?
My name is Roger Hibbard from Staveley, Derbyshire, I was at Burrow Hill School from Easter 1952 to Easter 1953. I went there because at that time I suffered from severe asthma but I was never ill once during the wonderful year I was there, I remember the headmaster Dai Reece and his wife Ida, teachers Mr Allen, Mr Stevenson and Mr Martin and one of the house mistresses Miss Spence. My friends were Andy ...see more
Can any one from Hartest remember the local boys having cycle races around the Green?
I have no memories of Barnet myself but I have recently learned since my dad passed away that my grandad came from Barnet and was born there by all accounts. His name was William George Wanstall, born on the 22nd January 1907, his mother was Annie Wanstall, nee Keating, and his father was of the same name as himself, William George Wanstall Snr, who was a bricklayer. I do have an address they did live at in Barnet and ...see more
My dad Ronald Peel was born in 1932 in Wheatley Hill. He lived in Burns Street and he had a brother Tom and two sisters, Florence and Mary. My dad stayed in Wheatley Hill till about 1954, he married Jean Blenkinsop of Cassop. I loved visiting my grandma Peel, called Frances, and my granda called Thomas, who died about 1964. I visited the heritage centre 6 months ago and I am now ...see more
Hello, my name is Fred Clarke, I was at the orphanage called Pilgrims Wood, in Sandy Lane, in 1945/46. I remember the searchlights and the barrage balloons on the Hogs Back. We used to play in the woods, and go to the church in Littleton. I also started my first school at St Nicholas, these were happy times and I was well looked after. If you were there at this time or can relate to the era, please ...see more
My great-grandma Mary Robson lived at 40 Hermit Street with her father William, (mother - Frances - deceased), a brother called William H Robson. Mary Robson had an illegitimate child called Frances, the child was born to a member of the well-to-do Field family. I would love to know more about the FIELD/S FAMILY all I know they were a very well to do family and influential, and ...see more
Hello, my name is Fred Clarke. I was at the boys' home in the middle 1940s, also my brother Daniel Clarke was there at the same time. The house I lived in was run by a lady we called Nana Crane. I went to the school at the home and I also was a member of the choir in the chapel. I became head choir boy. My brother did an apprenticeship in the tailor's shop, I used to attend classes in the ...see more
I was born just after the Second World War and like many people came from a fairly poor working class background. I was, however, blessed in many areas of my life and one of them was having an aunt who lived at 8 Hamilon Square, Birkenhead. It was an insurance building and she lived in the basement and was employed as a cleaner. We visited her every year and explored the Wirral. They were such happy times. ...see more
I am almost certain that this photo shows my great-grandfather walking from Chelsfield village to our house. He did this every week with a sack of vegetables over his shoulder. He would never get in a car, and walked everywhere. He lived in the village and had 2 allotments behind the recreation ground where he grew everything from potatoes to soft fruits. You name it, he grew it. He died in 1953.
I was born at Howard's Road Hospital in 1954. My parents lived with relatives in Walpole Road then Elm Park before coming back to East Ham. We moved about the manor a fair bit. Mountfield Road, Stannard Crescent at Becton and Napier Road. What a great place to live and grow up in. The High Street was like a golden mile, the clothes shops, Brent and Collins, the boozers, C & A ...see more
I remember camping for 2/6d a night. Mrs Dane (I think) ran the site. Having too much cider, trying to surf. Walking to Trevone Bay, eating in beach cafe run by Ron, and his son Chris looked after the car park. Went back last year, 2013 not much has changed. Padstow the nearby fishing village is now called Padstein!!
Bretby was 'discovered' by my dad who liked to vary his route in Ashby to work at Burton Girls' Grammar School. Bretby is not exactly the-land-that-time-forgot, but it is a delightfully unspoilt oasis, despite its proximity to Burton-on-Trent. Rose Cottage was a dilapidated house in the middle of the village, near the Green. The house was originally the blacksmith's house, and it was next the old forge, which was a ...see more
I remember moving to Milton Combe from Plymouth. It was in the middle of no where - how was I ever to survive - the last bus left Plymouth at tea time and took a tedious hour or so travelling through Clearbrook, Yelverton, Crapstone and Buckland, finally arriving at Milton Combe. The walk down the very steep hill to home! I remember motor bikes and leather jackets and the joy of getting my first bike - ...see more
My great grandfather Thomas Bryce (Born 1869) was employed as a gardener at Bilsborrow Hall. He and his family lived in the Lodge at the end of the lane. If anyone has any information please contact me via this board.. Many thanks
My dad ran the butchers shop in the High Street from 1951-1969, Victor John Ward. I went to the school at the far end of the High Street (now residential). Headmaster was Mr Eric Norman Butler. I remember May Day, and dancing in the High Street ... more memories than I can write! School journeys? Sports days on the rec...Westwoods newsagents....Catons ...see more
My granny got a job as a waitress at the Lion Hotel so that she could be near her young man to whom she had just got engaged in 1927. I doubt if it has changed much since that time.
I remember going to the shop run by Mr and Mrs John Croft in Pelham Road at break time, to buy hot jam doughnuts and beer lollipops. Lived in Gladstone Road, went to Pelham School and Merton Rush (on the corner of Dorset/Kingston Road). The smell of fresh ground coffee from a shop in the Broadway. Saturday morning pictures. Now living in Morden since 1987.
My grandfather Bert Hedger managed the garage attached to The Hotel during the late 1920s. It belonged to Phillip West who was a mill owner from Manchester and was managed by his sister-in-law Lillian Harker. It was a five star hotel and all the best people stayed there. A lot of famous racing drivers from the 1920s stayed there for the Shelsby Walsh hill trials, including Wolf Banato of Bentley's and also ...see more
I need help please. I am looking for graves and memories of William and Mary Jones, who died approximately between 1970-1975. My husband's family have been unable to locate the graves. They are believed to be burried in Langold but I am not exactly sure of the cemetery. Are there any cemetery records or newspaper articles that I may be able to researh on-line? We live in San Antonio, Texas in the USA so any ...see more
Oh, what a joy to find this photograph. Between the Market Inn and the shop was a little unmade lane called Searl Street. I was born at number five, at my grandparents' house, in October 1945. Over the years I returned to Bracknell on many occasions to visit relatives, the last time I visited was in the 1980s and I was shocked to find the lane had disappeared, along with the house I was born in. If anyone out there remembers the Tomkins family please leave a post.
I loved growing up in Greenford. Iwas born in Chiswick, Middlesex. I lived around Mansell Road, Fermoy Road etc, and spent most of the time in the Rec, Horseden Hill, Perival Park and Church Fields (bunny park). I remember cutting through the allotment in Portland Crescent to get to Windmill Lane to pick me mates up and go onto the bunny park. I also remember wading in the River Brent for tiddlers and ...see more
My memories of Ayton are through Gribdale, I had many relations who lived there, like the Bailey family. If anyone can give me information on any of them, it would be welcome. Thank you. Regards, Albert.
My ex-husband's great-grandparents were Thomas Buckley and Mary Cope/Foster, known as Mary Ellen. Mary was the half sister of the Thomas Foster mentioned by the previous member. She was born out of wedlock to Phoebe Cope but they share the same father i.e. John Foster. My mother-in-law, who unfortunately died in May, was always talking about Marchington and the surrounding area.
We used to play in the old church on the marsh when we were kids - hours of fun.
I remember going to watch films in the Tivoli cinema, pictured here on the left, on St Teilo Street.
I have many fond memories of The Bush Inn and the adjacent hall where we used to have dances and events in the 1950s. I returned to visit The Bush about 5 years ago and when I walked in (40 years on) the lady behind the bar recognised me and called me by my first name...amazing.
My grandparents lived at 5 The Green until my grandad retired from working on the Estate farms. They then moved to 5 Widows Cottages. My grandma lived there after grandad died in 1951 until her death in 1959. I have very happy memories of school holidays spent with them. My cousin and I used to walk everywhere, round the candlestick etc., with no worries. I remember the Co-op, ...see more
I remember playing cricket on the green here. The cinema across the road was where we once listened to Norman Wisdom - from the outside, we couldn't get in aged 12! I visited this road July 2009 for the first time since then, and was horrified that a Tesco now stands where we played. But Furze Hill Road remains exactly as it was when I watched England win the 1966 World Cup. New windows on the houses of course, but the hill at the top of the road, then just grass, now has trees all over.
I moved to Dagenham with my family in 1949. We lived in Cartwright Road off Hedgemans Road. I have memories of long hot summer holidays off from Finneymore Road School. The days were filled with trips to Leys swimming pool, where we would spend most of the day. We would bag of crisps and a hot Oxo drink if we had enough money. Parsloes Park was another full day out. The large ...see more
I have happy memories of visiting Croston in the late 1940s-early 1950s. My aunt and uncle, Margaret and Bob Chisholme, lived in part of the Rectory for a few years before moving to a large, rambling house in Station Road next to Walmsleys Corn Mill which was then a working mill. The Rectory was very cold I remember and the rooms were large. There was a water feature in the garden. There was woodland nearby ...see more
Re Shrublands my son was born there in September 1958 when it was in a large house in Morgan Avenue just up from Castle Circus. The house is still there but it is now a drug rehabilitation centre.
Emma McVeigh was born in Ballee in 1903. She was the daughter of John McVeigh and Mary (maiden Murphy). She can be found on the 1911 Irish census in the home of Arthur McVeigh. I believe she was a great niece. Her Aunt Margaret (who married a Curran) is also listed, the address was 150 King Street and Margaret lived there most all her life up until the 1960s. Arthur was a widower and his sister Martha ...see more
I attended this school circa 1965. Remember the woodwork class on far right of building seen here. Football in the foreground field. The bus back to Tidworth, living in Furze Hill Road.
My Abney ancestors originated in England and lived in Belvoir Castle. I live in Texas and on a trip to England, we were to tour Belvoir Castle. My mother had always been interested in genealogy but I had not had the time to delve into it. Her cousin had compiled a lovely book about the Abney family which I had not taken the time to read before my trip. As we were traveling on our tour bus, my ...see more
I still live in Cowdenbeath and although it has drastically changed (for the worse) I have lots of good memories of growing up in Arthur Place which made me an "ower the brigger" - street games with my pals - walks over moss morran or even Burntisland - roller skating at the Palais - shopping in the High Street in the 1960s wearing rollers and a head scarf - local hops in Demarcos -my first boyfriend ...see more
I was born and brought up in Combe, born in Slate Cottages, the second one from the end as you go past, my parents also lived in the end one. I spent most of my young life living at Rights Farm, until I got married and left to live in Hungerford Combe was then a great place to spent your youth, I always said I would like to live there once I was married, but things change, different places from around the world ...see more
My grandparents lived in one of the houses at the station, I have some older photos than shown on your site. My grandfather worked for the railway and I have lots of fabulous memeories of the area since the 1960s to 1985 or thereabouts. One of my brothers was schooled in Ystrad. I loved going back there. I stayed with my own family in a farm near Ystrad many years ago, and had a lovely time. I still cherish the visits back, even now. Carole Murphy, nee Harris
My mother, Margaret (Peggy) GRAY lived with her family at 7 Lowry Street from 1923 to 1942 when she went to Manchester and met my father during the war. Her mother was Lizzie Gray, father Jimmy Gray and siblings Rosie, Jimmy, Frankie, Mollie, Ina, Jack and Tom. The remaining family moved to Coppice Way in the 50's. Am also looking for the daughters of Cyril Vervaet, nieces of Alf ...see more
I was born in Glyncorrwg in 1963. I moved to Hereford with my parents (Warren and Sylvia Jones) in 1967. During school holidays I used to visit my gran and aunt. I have memories of sheep wandering in the streets. My gran would take us to Sidoli's for a tub of ice-cream and I would ask for cordial to be put over it, I used to think it was the best ice-cream in the whole world. I loved the visits to Gran's. The ...see more
I understand my late uncle's father, Arthur Miles Beale, along with his wife Janet Beale, nee Stanley, owned and ran the Park Hotel, until he sadly died behind the bar of a heart attack, I think sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s. It was before my time and now I have no one to ask about this. I would be most interested to find out when he did own it. My late uncle Frank Miles Beale would have been ...see more
My memory of Taddiport is a of lovely lady Daisy, she was always so happy and called all the little ones "My turtle dove". Every morning and evening her son Bobby would come to see that she was ok before he went to work, and before she went to bed. I loved her when I was little.
I got married in All Saints Church, having lived in Barry all my life. It was a wonderful day and I remember the vicar wouldn't allow confetti to be thrown until we were outside on the pavement!!
I have happy memories of a summer spent with my Nannie and Grandad Gibbs. I remember walking down this street, passing 'Auntie Martha's' to the post office every day with Grandad. He used to buy me chocolate cigarettes every day. I would 'smoke' these on my walk down the lane to the woods with him. I also remember the milk churns that would be at the end of the lane. My daughter still has the little brown bear ...see more
I grew up in Old Calmore at Croft Farm. My parents, Cyril and Winifred Pass, bought the property when they returned from India in 1947, and we lived in the 'pump house' until the bungalow was built in 1949. My earliest clear memory was moving in on my third birthday, carrying the pots and pans up through the field on that freezing day in February. The old pre-Tudor barn on the smallholding was built from ...see more