Growing Up In Brentwood

A Memory of Warley.

My name is Viv Bayliss, I was born in my nan’s house opposite the Alexandra public house in 1948. Mum and dad moved to a prefab in Costed Manor then to Pilgrims Hatch. Who remembers Preslands fair and listening to them playing all the great songs. Dad worked at the Selo and mum had a part time job at Buckleys cafe, near the Robin Hood pub. Jumping ahead I worked after school and in the school holidays at Kings Nursery, Hatch road, great memories of Peter and Brian King. Once I left Doddinghurst road(Hedley Walter) school I worked at Brentwood Litho down at Brentwood station. In my teens my regular pub was the Kings Head, Crown street, going to the White Hart, the White Horse, Charles Napier, great pubs. My Sunday afternoon was having a game of snooker (above Burtons) overlooking the Palace cinema and keeping an eye on the queue for the main feature, good old Stan Sedgwick, not forgetting the Odeon. Getting a taxi home from the rank at the Toy Bazaar. Buying my records from Radiogram and Bandbox with there listening booths. I remember seeing the Honeycombs at Keys Hall plus going to lots of the dances. Who remembers Meads Ballroom, just a stroll from the Castle pub, such wonderful memories.