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.
Search for Local Memories
Search for your favourite UK places and read memories of the local area in days gone by.
Add a Memory!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the 'Add Your Memory' buttons to begin
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:
-
How the location features in your personal history?
-
The memories this place inspires for you?
-
Stories about the community, its history and people?
-
People who were particularly kind or influenced your time in the community.
-
Has it changed over the years?
-
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!
Enjoy browsing more recent contributions now.
Subscribe
Join the thousands who receive our regular doses of warming nostalgia! Have our latest blog posts and archive news delivered directly to your inbox. Absolutely free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Displaying Memories 33681 - 33760 of 36828 in total
I lived at Easthill estate halfway up Styles hill. I have countless childhood memories of exploring the parish of "Rodden". The farm and church was a playground for me as achild.If i remember correctly a Mr Patterson lived in the farm, he would let us camp in the field next to the weir in our summer holidays. He would also let us use his boat, it was yellow i think... We would ...see more
I lived, with my parents and brother and sister, in the 'School House' from 1956-1963. My mother [Mrs Maud Slater] was one of the teachers and taught in the school until her retirement in 1978. The school and house were demolished in 1963/4 when a new school was built. Although for much of my life in PC I was at boarding school /the army I have wonderful memories of my boyhood in the fields ...see more
I worked at the Pier Hotel in the summer of 1960. It was my first job. I was a commis waiter ..didn't really like it at all...but I was billeted out at a nearby village. I had my first drunk drinking scrumpy mixed with cheap red wine with Italian waiters from the hotel in the pub in Seaview..an experience which brought me great suffering and required my taking the next day off work in order that I would not die ! I ...see more
I never got down Powys Street that often but loved to spend ages in 'Woolies' or the F.W. Woolworth Co. shop where they had row upon row of bunks full of all this marvelous stuff !!
Woolwich Market ..what a hoot ! I can hear the stallkeeper at the far left there now back in 1959... 'ere y'are luv..step right up...step right up..see these 'ere brand new silk bloomers ...never seen dayloit, never seen moonloit and never seen Aunt Fanny by gasloit 'aven't these 'ere bloomers...wot'lyer give me then...three pairs a shilling then...come on nah.... I lived on Mill Lane up by the barracks...used to love wandering around the market on a Saturday, I did.
When you grow up in an ancient city such as Hereford and have really no other frame of reference you don't fully grasp the enormity of the depth of history that buildings such as Hereford Cathedral embodied. The Romans built this city !!! The Romans !! To European kids this 2000 year old history is everyday to them. I think you have to get away from it to be able to take it all in and my 40+ years in ...see more
I don't know if they still do it but in the mid 1950's filled the entire Broad Street/High Street and surrounding streets were transformed into one gigantic bright, noisy, whirling, smelly and absolutely thrilling funfair!! Merry-go-rounds and all manner of great carny rides, loaded with screaming kids and flashing hundreds of blinking lights,wind up horse racing, coconut shies and ring tosses, roll the penny, try ...see more
When I first returned to Hereford from Canada in 1979, after a 20 year absence, I was shocked to see the new modern designed Greyfriars Bridge crossing the river not far from the almost 2000 year old Roman Bridge. On the left bank and back behind the photographer's position was the boat house where I used to, briefly, cox my Hereford High School house's rowing 'eight' . I didn't last that long because I almost ...see more
Around 1957 I was walking around High Street, enjoying a meander from my route home to Bradbury Lines when I saw the wife of an officer from the Army Camp, Lt Richard Vincent, in great distress with some policemen outside the grocery shop...I believe it was a Sainsbury's on the near left hand side. She had left her small baby in the pram outside the shop while she went inside to shop .. in ...see more
In about 1957-8 our history teacher at Hereford High School arranged for those that were interested to make a 'dig' in the yard besides the library ( on the left with the arches). We dug down at least 6 feet or more finding Victorian stuff and other older stuff as we went down and finally I found a Roman pot which I managed to break while getting it out of the packed earth. We had been given absolutely no instructions ...see more
I had to pass through here every day on my way to and from Hereford High School. This photo is so familiar it isn't funny !! I lived in the army camp officer's quarter's at Bradbury Lines where my stepfather was stationed. I had to make the walk no matter what the weather..sometimes getting home completely frozen or soaked !
We moved into the flat above Snodland station on 9th January 1960 (my 8th birthday) and the extreme left upstairs window was the view from our lounge (or, rather - sitting room). I attended Brook Street CoE Primary school from then until 1963, when I moved to the "top school", known then as Snodland County Secondary School. The name change to Holmesdale was fairly soon after that as I recollect. The lamps ...see more
This is where my great-grandparents Thomas Hugh Roberts and Annie Corcoran married in 1903. I have their marriage certificate which has a drawing of the church on the top.
He was sadly killed in an accident at Waterloo Goods Station in 1912.
There used to be a cross in the pavement outside HMV commemorating the church. I hope it's put back when the refurbishment of the building is finished.
Erm, this is not a picture of the White hart. It is a picture of Rayne Road, from the junction with Panfield Lane, looking out of town, in the direction of Rayne!!
Bob and I have spent many a holiday in Cornwall, but nothing match the way we felt when we discovered the magic of Porth. It happened just under the bridge, which I now call our rock. We have spent many hour waiting for the waters to meet from the arrival of the surf up the beach and through the cove from Dollar Rock In fact this is were I Yvonne fell in love with Bob. We have just on New Years Eve 2007 celebrated ...see more
schools
My Great Grandfather, George Collyer, farmed at Bariff's Farm, Mountnessing in the 1870's and early 1880's. He farmed 40 acres with his son Richard and a boy. Does anyone know the location of Bariff's Farm?
I remember so many of these shops. Bosworths was - I think - a dress shop managed by relatives of my good friend John Walker. A few doors down near the corner was the Victory pub and around the corner a bike shop where I got my punctures repaired for three shillings! This happened frequently as I rode my bike for six miles every day to and from Pinner Grammar School from my home in Hatch End. Further up the ...see more
I might well be one of the kids in this picture! - In the early sixties we used to go there every day, dawn to dusk in the summer - Two sessions a day as I recall at thruppence a pop! - I am sure my mother thought it money well spent. Had my 'first kiss' in one of the buildings to the left of the pick - Jackie Aplin, where are you now?? - haha
I worked at The Serg in 1970-72, had a lot of great times there - The landlord was Len Henshaw who could enjoy a large gin for breakfast. Many really colourful regulars at that time
In about 1961 my father became the manager of Blackbushe Airport. As a result my mother, brother (16) and I (9) moved from our comfortable town house in Cheltenham to a large mobile home attached to, what was then, the middle of the long terminal building. We weathered high winds, blizzards, beating heat, pounding demolition, aircraft running up within inches of the front window, eccentrics using our ...see more
I moved to Great Witley in 1954 with my family, we lived at the Engine House, which used to pump the water for Witley Court. I attended Witley school from 1954 to 1960, the headmaster was Mr Wyton, a memorable time for me, living on the farm enjoying the freedom that modern society cannot provide. The winter of 1963 was a long one, and now at the age of 14 I enjoyed sledging and snowball fights with my two ...see more
I'm doing some research into my Family History and am trying to trace the place my Grandfather was born in 1892. His Name was William Thomas (Willie Tom) Born in June 1892 to Evan Evans & Mary Evans formerly Jones. He was Born at Penybont, Brynamman, Quarter Bach. When I last visited the area no one could tell me wher Penybont or Quarter Bach would be. If anyone can enlighten me please e mail me at ...see more
Wow.. seeing this awesome photograph transports me back in time because in this year I would have been taking this very ferry over from the Southsea side after taking the trolley bus and regular bus from the North End in Portsmouth to make the long trip to Hayling. Some of our group would drive with Aunty Linda in her old Austin (with the canvas, fold down roof) around to Hayling by road , carrying all ...see more
This is about the place on the pebbled Southsea Beach where our family always established their bit of 'turf'. There was a whole ritual to it ...setting up the blanket so it wouldn't get blown out to sea..the baskets of delicious ham sandwiches and the bottles of home made ginger ale ! My step parents always had The Times or a Penguin book at hand whilst my step grandfather, Pop, smoked his pipe and Mum, knitted. ...see more
The only school in Haverhill was The Cangle. The new secondary modern, now known as Castle Manor, had not yet been finished. We arrived at school very bewildered being the first of the Londoners and feeling like aliens. I made a new friend in the short while I had been in Haverhill. His name was Michael Geagon, I didn't know at the time but his family was Irish, not that that meant anything. I was shown to my ...see more
As a young lad I had great eyesight for long distances. As we sat on the pebbled beach at Southsea it was always me that first spotted a slight bump in the horizon as the then huge incoming ocean liners, The Queen Mary, The Queen Elizabeth, The Mauretaina and many more coming home from New York down the Solent towards Southampton. I enjoyed being scoffed at for a good half an hour ...see more
I've only been onboard the Victory once. It was enough to profoundly strike my imagination. I stood where Nelson fell ! It brings tears to my eyes to think of it now as I write. She is an incredible vessel. You can almost hear the cries and commands shouted out during naval battle. And what a genius Nelson was. To break conventional naval tactics and completely fool the Spanish Armada by a frontal attack compared ...see more
This was to me, as a young lad, one of the best places in the whole world! There was nothing more appealing to me than being at this great vantage point for the Portsmouth Dockyard. I could have stayed there all day watching our British Navy aircraft carriers, battleships, submarines and cruisers contrasted to the masts of our most famous ship of all time, the HMS Victory, watching the ferries ...see more
We used to go down to Sallyport from 1954 -1958 ..there were a lot of local 'urchins' called the 'Mudlarks' who would stand in the knee deep, sloppy black mud below the pier to the ferry when the tide was out and people would throw them pennies which they had to find in the mud.They'd end up covered from head to foot. A lot of them had great characters and had developed great 'carny' skills to get people to toss ...see more
We moved excitedly from London in my dads old Austin 7 to a country village we had never heard haverhill. we couldnt even pronounce it as we found out it still is unpronounceable by many. Arrived at our new house 118 Burton End. a four bedroom HOUSE (not a flat) which is all we had been used to. we had never seen stairs inside a house before and also a front door and a back door which we ran round and round until mum ...see more
I was a boarder at the convent, with my older brother , from September 1927 until Decomber 1929. Contrary to the report given by Alan Noon, (not of my generation) the nuns treated us well and, with reflection over the years, with understanding and kindness. Some names of nuns _Sisters Agnes, Edith and Gertrude. Reverend Mother was a kindly person - not that we had much to with her directly - my abiding memory ...see more
I remember being taken by a family member to see their old home in Woodford Green, their parents had lived there all of their lives. One of the family's great-great-grandfathers named Goldsmith was a domestic coachman and the families lived all around the area. Some of the children of the family in the early part of the 20th century went to Churchfields School I believe and also Woodford ...see more
We had the priviledge of staying in Muchelney during December 2007! What a discovery! We stayed in a beautiful cottage, had lovely hosts. As visitors from Africa, we experienced our first real heavy frost. The pools of water looked as if were covered in glass! One morning we went for a walk in the village and stepped onto these "glass pools", which of course cracked under out feet, breaking it into ...see more
It is great to see this scene again, 47 years later. My family and I spent our holidays in this village with my grandparents (Russell), and my auntie & uncle and cousins (Shawcross). They all lived in the cottage shown to the far right of the photo. We used to travel from Leeds (overnight) in an old Commer Express Delivery van (normally used by my dad in his work as a radio & tv engineer). We did live in ...see more
The white-haired man in the photograph, I believe, is my father John Neville. He was a police sergeant in Hitchin from 1941 until his retirement in the late '50s.
I have recently discovered, from the 1881 Census, that my great-grandmother was, with her younger sister, in domestic service to the family of Henry Stonex at no.35 Regent Road.He is described as 'organist and music teacher'. I would be thrilled to have any more information about the family or the house itself. Does it appear in this picture? Is the boy with the goat-cart delivering something?
Wow! I was taught to swim in the Woking Pool by my mum. I could be in this very photo but preferred the quieter sessions. My sister or friends and I would cycle there and take a Thermos of Bovril to warm us up after our swim. There was a chalkboard at the turnstile entrance warning us of the water temperature! The changing room lockers were locked and unlocked by very sun-burnished attendants, and we had to poke ...see more
My dad, Eric Berry, used to clip this hedge - BY HAND!
When we're little, things always seem bigger than they really are, but my recollections of watching my Dad clip this hedge on the days he did the gardening at St Anne's church, were pretty accurate. It really is as big as I remember!
I also recall going to St Anne's Hall ( a bit further back down the hill?) with my Mum, to collect our ration ...see more
This is such a memorable photograph for me. This very garage delivered a new company car to my father in 1932. It was a Model B Ford with V8 engine. He drove that car for 17 years during the time he worked for W&C French in Buckhurst Hill. I was a young child of seven when the Second World War broke out. Living on Epping New Road beside French's Yard. Dad was working away from home a lot bulding ...see more
The little shop in the far right of the photo was selling a tinplate model of the Airship R101 for which I had saved up for ages.Just when I was able to buy it the airship crashed in France. I did not buy it; for in my childs mind who would have a thing that was no good. I was also a choir boy at the church for years when I lived in Meadow Road.Greengates picture house was always a temple of adventure to me in which I spent many an hour. My memories of youth this area are priceles to me. A.P
I was born in 1947 (a home birth) in Grove End cottage which was, and still is, located pretty much across the London Road and railway line from the Cricketers pub. Although I've never been inside the pub, I have on occasion as a child, watched cricket with my Dad at the weekends. I notice on the satellite map that the cricket pitches are still there - the photo must have been taken on a day of play ...see more
I was put on the cradle roll at about 6 months and attended every sunday school anniversary from the age of 3 - 16 !!! Always had 2 new dresses fro the anniversary.. and a perm!! I had forgotten about Mr Chapman - thank you for the reminder! Mrs hall was the lady in charge of the infants sunday school Got married in this chapel in 1975... I had forgotten how bare the place was....but it brings back memories ...see more
By accident i have just come across this site- shame there are no memories already entered for abercwmboi- As a child I remember looking out of my Grandfathers front door or his bedroom window at the wonderful array of lights coming from the phurnacite plant opposite- also teh smells! In those days (50/60's ) no one realized how bad the place was for our health. My Grandad lived 29 Maple Terrace, and every ...see more
trying to find info if anyone reads this on a tobaconist and sweetshop,on argyle street salford,1943 to 1950.it belonged to a anthony robinsons grandparents,trying to find a picture if any one has any on this,it was called norburys sweets and tobaconist. you can e.mail me on julie.aldcroft@ntlworld.com.trying to find out what happened to it.would appreciate all historians help,it's for a ...see more
i dont have a clear memory of pontypridd, i was a baby of 14 months, a twin when our mother died giveing birth to a baby, her name was margret olwyn birch,nee owen, we were all put in the childrens homes, and my twin and i was adopted by two diffrent people, my other brothers and sisters were brought up in the home. we were born in number 7 norton bridge as it was called then, its now called pontsionnorton .i have ...see more
My wife and I spent two months living in Melrose the summer of 2001. It was our home base as we travelled throughout the borders and the rest of Scotland. We chose Melrose for it's charm and convenience and rented Bow Cottage off Abbey Street, from Louise Buchanan, Jimmy Johnston's daughter. The cottage was perfect. My paternal side of the family is from the Borders and lived in many villages in ...see more
My wife was born in the crown tap in 1959 her parents i believe were the last tennants of the pub. One of the stained glass windows was on display in the priest house musem.
not a memory more a request for information. does anyone know the exact location and the present use of the building that was until sometime in the 1960s " Almer village school " my grand mother was the school mistress & my father & his two brothers were pupils. I have been in touch with the local inn & other local contacts but no one knew of a school in Almer. I have a photo of the school mistress at the ...see more
Is anyone able to tell me the name of what I presume is a Pub in the photo (just after the thatched cottage) - I am researching my family history and find all my ancestors come from Brockenhurst and the surrounding areas. I would be grateful if anyone was able to enlighten me about this pub name.
I remember Pickmere Lake (pond) where I and my buddies use to bike to with home made fishing rods tied to the crossbar, you could hire a row boat and get the real feel of lake fishing LOL!! Our Mums packed us off with butties and crisps pop was a treat. they assumed we were going to the park for the day, but we off on an adventure. It was a LONG bike ride and our mums never knew at first that we were out ...see more
I was born Judith Payne in 1946 and lived in a two bed terraced house with outside toilet and no hot water or bathroom, on Victoria Road. Gorton, Manchester. This ran off Hyde Road next to the junction with Cross Street, later called Gorton Cross Street. On the left corner of Victoria Road was Batesons the ironmongers and on the other corner was a chemist with a seafood shop next door to it. I have ...see more
It was 12May1967 when I first received a beautiful letter from her. She was a high school student and I was student of 1st yr Engineering (Bengal Engineering College, Sibpore, Howrah, West Bengal, India). Her name was Miss Elizabeth Noton. She with her widow mother used to live at 13, West End, Baslow, Bakewell, Darbyshire, England . She lost her father when she was a child. Her mother raised her. She was ...see more
My Grand parents lived in Hunsett Mill House around 1920-1930, Grandad, whilst I never knew him they had the house as a tied cottage as part of his job on the farm. He had to keep the dykes clear, and that was as least part of the funtion of the Mill. The child in the row boat is my Uncle John who died three of four years ago. He used to stop the cabin cruisers and offer them a cup of tea and Granny had to stop what she was doing and make it for his new friends.
At the top of Queens Road in Buckhurst Hill is a small newsagents shop. It was owned by the Mr & Mrs. Silk. The shop sold papers magazines cigarettes, sweets and a few toys. Situated right across the road from where Princes Road branches off. The little shop did a roaring trade. I attended school at Taunton House about half way down Queens Road., and of course passed Silks going to and from school. My ...see more
North Anston is the place where i grew up we are a old Anston family, my maiden name was Foulds.I remember sledging in Butcher Orchard and landing in the river many times, we roamed al over the village and because every one knew everyone we came to no harm i love this place, two of my daughters live here and i hope they are as happy as i am to be part of Anston
The stretch of road we see is called Bell Lane. Bell Lane curves back to Bristol Rd. The big house partly seen in the distance is Bell House which has quite a history.To it's left goes Bell Holloway (still fairly unaltered) and to it's right Bell Hill where I was born in an old cottage in 1927. It is now a double twin carriageway through to Harborne. In a cluster were a farm, two cottages, and a bungalow, .This ...see more
I am searching for a Charles & Hugo Mavesyn Chadwick. Charles Chadwick died c1820 and Hugo Chadwick died in 1854. I notice that the name of the public house in Hill Ridware is the Chadwick Arms. Does anyone have any history of this pub and why it was given this name and of the Chadwicks of Mavesyn Ridware? Betty Ashton (nee Chadwick)
I have a copy of the Meeting Street photo as the girl standing in the road (with the black sleeve) is my Grandmother SARAH POWE (nee Lesley). The family house was at 29 Meeting Street just out of view. Grandmother also ran the BELL INN in Appledore for a number of years and on retirement moved back into Number 29. Sarah and grandad BILL POWE had 2 daughters, Louise, my mother, and Ruby. Sadly Sarah passed away in ...see more
I am interested in your scottish/brassington connection. Mygt gt gt gt grandfather is supposed to related to Rob Roy MacGregor and indeed our tartan was the MacGregor tartan. I know he was born according to the census in 1841 in Brassington in 1796 but cannot find any records of his birth in the parish records although the person in charge of the parish records said that he had heard a rumour that there ...see more
In the sixties my inlaws (Mr & Mrs F King) used to keep ducks on the pond and in the evenings would drive them home, to bed them down in a duck house in their back garden of 27, Holden Corner. In latter years the Council built a house for the ducks in the middle of the pond. The corner shop that Michael Willcocks refers to, where he bought his Tizer was owned and run by Mrs Petty. Richard Stronghill.
I spent my formative years in Colindale my family having moved there in 1956, I attended ColindalePrimary School in Woodfield Aveuntil 1963. We lived opposite Rushgrove Park and spent many happy hours over the years playing football or messing around near the Silkstream or the shelter that used to stand near the former paddling pool. When the pool opened in 1961 people used to come there for the day with ...see more
March 1954. I had been in the RE's 10 months when I first set eyes on the transit camp in Barton Stacey better known as Barton Stalag. I was sent there on transit for Korea along with another half a troop ship load of squadies. I remember a Sergeant Major who lived there and had a wooden bungalow with what seemed umpteen kids and was in charge of our draft. For some unknown reason we would parade each morning on ...see more
As the ex-landlord of the Queens Head in Eynsham have many fond memories of the village and my customers, and cricket club of which I was president-1975-78. Known as the village with the most pubs, of which i have visited all, including a race in which the contestants had to drink a pint at each pub, i finished some what worse for wear, but happy. Carnival day was a great day for publican with an extension, , it ...see more
My Mother owned the Kings Head and i worked in the reastaurant with her she done all home baking and had Eton College lads and there familys eating there,also a great trade was the Army lads from both barracks,I married one in 1956,we are retired to somerset but my heart will always be in Windsor,we served teas to the queues of people visiting our late Kings floral tributes,my late father was a porter at the castle ...see more
Eynort shore is not the prettyist in the west, but it's washed up some odd things from time to time, Both myself and my brother have found messages in a bottle, and a least half a dozen bombs or old test missiles which all ways caused a great trill to us all, as the coast guard or police would pick them up. 1/4 mile down the shore line is the fulin, an out crop of rocks and round stones bluting out in ...see more
My grandma was born Eleanor ('Nellie') Roberts at Back 62 Charles Street on the 27th November 1911 to Lillian Elizabeth and Richard John Roberts, she was the second eldest of 6 girls, Lillian 1908, Florence May 1915, Sarah Ann 1917, Florrie 1920 and Lydia Doreen 1923. Grandma remembers that the cottage had 2 rooms, one up and one down, the upstairs was divided with heavy curtains instead of walls and ...see more
When I was four years old our family moved from Benfleet Essex to Barking. M y Farther took a position as Manager of a Corn Chandlers In Tanner Street, and we lived at number 81 next door. I can recall starting school at Church Street primary, although it was called an infants school then. my memories are so many it's difficult to pin down the best, but I will try. I used to walk down Taanner Street ...see more
I was born in early 1967 and lived on malvern road kilburn till around 1975 then my parents moved to kilburn square, where we lived in rathbone house till 1980 and moved to kensal green. my memory of growing up in kilburn was a mixture of tears and joys...tears because as common for most children i bunked school and got many a hiding for my neglect...my joys came in the form of long summer ...see more
This photograph shows a car with a lady coming out of a shop.This car belonged to my neighbour Arthur Pearman who now lives in Billericay. The lady was his wife who is now no longer with us. Arthur had bought this car as a wreck and rebuilt it.Obviously he was and still is proud of it because few people had cars in those days it was indeed a luxury.He is also sad about the High Road no longer being there,it was ...see more
I was four when my family moved from London to Manage the Rose and Crown in 1940. The Rose and Crown was then about four hundred and fifty years old. After six months there was a devastating fire which destroyed the whole of the thatched part of the hotel and part of the building which is in Church Lane. The cottage immediately opposite across Church Lane was also burnt down. The fire started during the ...see more
With regards to the photo above,I can remember My Mum telling me about the Old Pub. The night before the pub burnt down to the ground My Mum Had slept there. Mum said there was nothing left it had burt to the ground. Amongst the ruin was there was just one glass standing she kept it for a memory of that time.
I was born in Bagshot but moved to Camberley in 1955 when I was 8. I attended York Town Primary School which was, and on checking the maps still appears to be, located on the other side of the London Road, a bit further down from what was once the Odeon cinema. Later on, like Gaynor Henderson (Smith), I went to France Hill School and in 1966 also married a soldier from the RMA. I moved to ...see more
This photo brings back lots of memories for me as it shows High Road, Woodford Bridge which is where the old-fashioned ironmongers that my family owned was situated. There had been one on the site since the beginning of the 20th Century, but we owned it from 1973 until my Father retired in 1987. Originally it was High Road, Woodford Bridge, but it was renamed Chigwell Road. I particularly remember 1974 as ...see more
I was born in Hackbridge in 1944. I lived there until 1953 when my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins put me on a plane on May 2 to join my father who had emigrated to Canada the year before. My mother, who had lived in Hackbridge at 39 London Rd. before her marriage, with her parents, Frances and Nick McRae, had died of TB c. 1948. My earliest memories are of living at 44 Longfield Rd. Next door, at 46, ...see more
I have visited Manningtree only once, but I have an interest in the area as my father (Donald Turner) is tracing our family tree and he has discovered that one of our ancestors - Elizabeth Goodwin was tried and hung as one of the witches of Manningtree by Matthew Hopkins! She was accused of casting a spell on a grocers horse, and making it die after he refused to give her credit to buy cheese.
Towards the end of WW11 my mother took me to visit family in Llan Ffestiniog. I was vey young. I recall clearly looking out of the parlour window and seeing a communal water pump in the street and with dozens if not hundreds of soldiers passing through - apparently en route to their camp at Trawsfynydd. Where was the pump ? Can anyone help? I think it may have been near the wide Y junction in Ffestiniog but I just don't know. Help!
In 1953 my family moved from Edinburgh to live in Broomieknowe, Lasswade. I liked the large garden we had on this quiet street with pigeons cooing in the big Chestnut trees in the neighbours garden, and a big barn owl which nested in an old sycamore next door. My brothers and I like to excplore in the Esk Valley, walking along the old railway, or taking the path through the glen to Roslin and ...see more
My grandfather James Wilson (1868-1950) was headmaster at Carsphairn. His wife was Jessie Allan Renfrew. My father James Callan Wilson qualified as a Chartered Accountant before spending 14 years as a missionary in Belgian Congo. He then entered the civil service and became under secretary of the Home and Health department. His brothers and sisters were George (a water colorist who pained many pictures from the ...see more
As a child who was born in 1924 I lived with my family (name of Rogers) just down stream of the bridge I attended the "Blue School"and St.Lukes Church as did all my Brothers and Sisters climbing the 100 or more steps past the chuch to go to school twice a day belting home at midday down the steps three at a time home for something to eat. I would say that we had a happy childhood although we were very poor ...see more
