Cap guns and Tree swings.

Growing up in South Green in the 60's & 70's

I was born in Billericay, but I have now lived in Hampshire for 25 years, as I am now 50, that means I spent half my life in Essex , and, like all middle aged people; get nostalgic for the past, and only rarely have had the chance to re-visit the old places.

Of course I never realized it at the time, but Billericay was a great place to grow up, and I suspect it still is, despite the negative publicity and notoriety from certain TV series.

My earliest memories are of our home in The Redinge in South Green in the 1960’s. It was a small semi detached bungalow, and my parents moved there from my grandmothers house in Walthamstow in about 1955. They were amongst the first residents in the road, and used to get the 251 bus from the Kings Head to Ilford everyday to work, along with many other residents as very few people had cars.

My mother had to give up full time work when my brother and I were born but had several part time jobs over the years, so money was often a bit tight. I went to nursery school at the South Green memorial hall, I remember playing in a sand pit in the garden at the back of the hall that overlooked Patricia Gardens . Other memories are of cold snowy winters and getting dressed in front of the coal fire (no central heating then), our first rented TV from Visionhire in Billericay high street, hiding from the Daleks and the Cybermen behind the sofa (at one point I had to leave the room as I was so terrified).

Then there was “Ashey” I’m afraid I don’t know her full name, but she was a lady who used to look after us children, she would scoop us up, probably half a dozen or so from The Redinge and surrounding roads and we would walk while she pushed her big old bike, I think to Gatwick House on Bell Hill and them home again in the afternoon. This was all unofficial, naturally. For some reason I will always remember the rag and bone man, and Moys coal delivery lorry, and particularly, of being terrified when a Lightning jet fighter flew over, the noise was so terrifying, that I ran indoors crying, well I was only 4!

I can’t speak of The Redinge without mentioning Miss Chesney, an elderly lady who lived with her twin sister. The only way to tell them apart was that her sister was a heavy smoker, and kept herself to herself, and the other was rather prim and heavily involved in the church where she was Sunday school teacher, the Sunday school was at Great Burstead, where the jovial vicar was the Revd Geoffrey Holley known to us as Jolly Holly.

In Tyrells Road was a small Co-op, even though I was only about 6 years old, I would be sent to the shop with some coins to buy groceries, and was told to remember to give the number for the “divi”. It was much safer in those days, much less traffic, and no-one worried about young kids being out on their own.

I mentioned this to a colleague at work, his child is taken by car to school, collected by car from school, and never goes outside without an adult, how much more freedom we had in those days.

I still have a vivid memory of being sent to buy extra milk in those triangular cardboard cartons, and a lady showing everyone a brand new 50 pence piece (they were first introduced in October 1969) and comparing it with a 10 bob note, and asking, “how can this coin be worth the same as this banknote?”.

As both my parents were working, and my older brother had moved up to the senior school, I had to get myself to school in the mornings. I was taken to school for the first few days at South Green Infants in Ganels Road , but after that I was on my own. When my mother had an early start for work, I used to walk on my own to school in all weathers at age 5, and get to school at about 7:30-8:00 which was long before anyone else. I remember a member of staff found me in the playground one cold foggy morning, sitting on a bench, all on my own. As it was so cold, I was taken inside to wait until school officially started. Apparently my parents got a letter from the school (of course we weren’t on the phone) expressing their concern that I was left on my own so early in the morning, their response was to write back and say that they had no choice because of work commitments, no social workers in those days.

Later I would move up to South Green Junior school, who could forget the formidable Headmistress Mrs Scott-Farthing, even the name was designed to instil respect, I can still remember her Humber Sceptre car. My teachers were Mrs Fraser, Mrs Carter, Mr Couzens and Mrs Rushton. The school then had four houses: Schweitzer, Keller, Curie and I was in Churchill. There was a fish pond in the central courtyard, my brother went to this school when it first opened, and once fell in the pond! Health and safety have now had the pond removed.

When not at school my brother and I would play on our bikes (second hand bikes of course) near the Kings Head, where there was a small piece of woodland on the corner of Mill Road , before the pub car park was extended. Sometimes we would cross over to Coxes Farm road and play in the fields, and catch tiddlers and tadpoles in the pond.

In 1969 we moved house to Kennel Lane Great Burstead. We bought our house from Len Atkins who was a manager at Balls Plastics / H J Peters, and he arranged for a couple of men from the factory and a Ford Thames lorry to do the moving. I had the exciting treat of riding in the back of the truck to our new house.

We were lucky to live in Kennel Lane , there were open fields almost opposite, and so many places to play. On the corner of Trinity Road was a small wooded area (it was actually an overgrown garden of an apparently abandoned bungalow in Church Street ) this site did not get built on until the 1980’s. Those long summer holidays were spent outside, with the Carpenter boys from Acors Farm, with our crowd of school friends playing with our cap guns, riding our bikes and our home made go-karts, climbing trees and making swings with bits of old rope. It seems so innocent now, no stealing or bad behaviour from us!

Once a year my mother would save up enough to take me and sometimes my brother to the seaside, to Southend on the 251 bus. The journey seemed to take forever, and we would then get another bus to Thorpe Bay as it was a bit “less common”.

It seems strange now, but to those of us kids in South Green and Great Burstead we regarded the Town as being rather a long way away. We had all we needed as kids in South Green, sweets, toys and cardboard reels of caps from Joslins or Sinclairs newsagents and puncture repair kits from main road garage. We would however go with our parents for shopping trips to, Woolworths, Kitts the hardware shop, Groves the tailors or grudgingly for an unfashionable short back and sides in the barbers in Holly Court , for which I would be sorely teased back at school.

Also in Holly Court was the toy shop Essex Playthings. I have a warm and fuzzy memory of one birthday when I was about 6 or 7. My parents must have been given some cash from my grandparents, or maybe I had been sick or especially well behaved. Whatever the reason, I was told that I could chose anything I wanted from one part of the shop window, which was an exceptional treat indeed, as we were not at all wealthy. I chose a Tri-ang metal lorry which I always treasured.

As kids we only rarely ventured into town, preferring to stick to our own little patch, except that is when the fun fair arrived at Sun corner or as a special treat, to get the 254 bus from church street to the station then to Lake Meadows, with just enough pocket money to hire a boat or buy an ice cream. It was a much simpler time, we didn’t have much compared to today, but we were happy and best of all, we were free.

If you enjoyed this article click here for more memories of South Green

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  • Just bumped into this thread … I was looking for pictures from my Army Cadet days (early 1970s) at Billericay ACF in Rose Hall.
    This may be the wrong thread – I lived in Knightbridge Walk, in a house that backed onto the cricket pitch at Lake Meadows, so the other side of town from South Green. And, I went to Mayflower School, whereas I think South Green children mainly went to Billericay School.
    I saw Alison Gillard’s post and I remember her father, my CO Lt Gillard. There was another officer then too (Lt Brannigan perhaps?) and our platoon had the Company Sgt Maj, who’d been a career regular. I remember him being in particular being very fierce – not surprising given his rank and role and background of course. But, I remember Lt Gillard (and his second in command) being very benign and welcoming and supportive of the boys who joined the platoon.
    I started this search because I told my son (presently serving in the Army) that I have fond memories of my cadet years and in particular the summer camp on Salisbury Plain. I was trying to work out which camp I went to, so if anyone has any info or photos, I would be very interested to see them. It would probably have been summer 1973 or 1974. In Spring and Autumn of one of those years, the Billericay ACF platoon also went to Crowborough for a week’s camp and Lydd for a long weekend on the ranges. Again, any pictures or info about those camps would be interesting to see.

    By Jonathan Doyle (02/02/2024)
  • I remember walking from Barleylands Farm, Southend Road and meeting up en-route to Billericay School with Alan Butler, Biscuit, Smut, Skeggs, Joey Fay, Wilks Lads & many more, we walked as a group everyday & I and a few others would walk home every lunch time for dinner…not many school kids would walk the distances we used to to, week days and weekends wandering over the fields & woods.

    We all had nicknames for each other, mine was Skelly due to being lanky. Fond memories of fun days…not so certain about our school days, most of us could not wait to leave & start work.

    By Stephen Shirmer (09/02/2021)
  • I moved to south green in 1961. I lived in grange Rd and I went to South Green School and then to Billericay Secondary School. I lived there until I got married then I moved to Pitsea. I worked at the tractor plant in Basildon for 38 years and when I retired I moved to Holland-on-Sea just outside Clacton; I still miss South Green. I married a local girl and have been married for 45 years. Some of my mates who I went around with were Pat Doyle, Peter Baker, Joey Fay, Kenny Rickenberg, Tony Kendell and many many more. I still have family in Billericay so I go back as often as I can.

    By Chris dean (21/10/2018)
  • Wow. These memories are wonderful.  I lived at The Oaks from 1967 until I was married in 1985. I have fond memories of life in South Green despite not having much by today’s standards. I remember playing in Passingham Avenue Park, or Langham Crescent park. We played on the tiny bit of grass at the end of The Oaks, or mostly, just in the street.

    I was one of 5 kids in the family. There seemed to be a continuous stream of Gillards going through South Green schools and then Billericay School. My mum used to work at the shop called Gaytrends next to the supermarket on South Green. There was a hardware shop at the end of the row and I remember being sent up to the shops with 20p and a plastic jerry can to get some Pink Paraffin from the machine. Before that, I remember frequently buying 20 No. 6 cigarettes for my dad.  I was probably about 10! Those were the days.

    My dad was CO at Billericay Army Cadets. He joined it after the Billericay Leisure Festival in 1969 and continued until the mid 1980s.

    Did anyone get their Christmas turkey from Cox’s Farm?

    I remember Carvers – a scrap of undeveloped land by the pub. I also remember picking blackberries from the fields in Cox’s Farm Lane or Outwood Common Road.

    Jim McHarg, we lived opposite you!  Your mum took 4 of us in one afternoon when mum was still at work. I think my brother had fallen over and grazed his knee.  When mum came home she couldn’t find us, but we were across the road at yours. I think you were friends with my brothers Alan and Martin. 

    In those days, we never locked the back door. We just let ourselves in after walking home from school. Even as young as 5 or 6 (although usually with my brother or sister!). Happy days!

    By Alison Davidson (nee Gillard) (19/09/2017)
  • Nice reading all these posts, many of them memory-provoking. I too vividly remember Mrs Scott-Farthing’s gold Humber Sceptre, being a car-obsessed small boy. I remember a car-related incident at South Green Juniors in which I thought I’d foiled a major crime! One of the young female teachers had a white Mk.2 Cortina, and my intense scrutiny of it had uncovered that the front and rear numberplates didn’t match. It was just an innocent typographical error, but I convinced myself that the Police needed to know about it, and duly phoned them on ‘999’. I think I may have left the information anonymously, because I never heard anything more about it. Within a week or so the offending plate had been changed, so they must have followed it up to some degree. The minds of small boys, eh?!

     

    By Ian Sandell (19/09/2017)
  • Paula,

    The shop at the end of Kennel Lane and at the bottom of Church Street, which I assume is the one you are referring to, was originally called Fennalls and after that it was called Grange Stores. Before it was converted to a private dwelling it was the scene of an armed robbery in c.1990. The gunmen were soon apprehended and after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, they were sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. I sat on the jury that convicted them. At the top of Church Street adjacent to the church was Gatleys General Store and butchers. Before that was converted into a private dwelling, my mother and brother both worked there in the 1950’s

    By Terry lockhart (10/05/2017)
  • Jennifer and I were contestants for first in class at Crays Hill under Mr Harrison. She usually came first.

    The growth of Billericay and of South Green in the ’50’s outpaced local community facilities so there was quite a contingent of us on the 251 to Crays Hill, but when the conductress was Pat we always put on a good sing song.

    Does anyone remember Mr and Mrs Thackeray who lived down the hill on Grange Road in a wonderful house and garden before they sold up and had Book Nook built on Grange Road just behind where Jennifer lived? They were a great bohemian couple.

    Jennifer’s brother Christopher introduced me to Benedictine from his Dad’s cupboard. I still recall the foul taste and the headache it left.

    By John (05/05/2017)
  • I lived in Ganels Rd too – No 2 – we were the first occupants and came to see the houses when they were being built. My mother lived there until 1995. My father worked for the Billericay Rural District Council in Billericay High St and my mother did part-time in the general store/PO run by Mr & Mrs Harvey. I remember going to the Rose Hall to learn ballroom dancing; playing on the swings and slides in the South Green recreation ground; being confirmed in St Mary Magdalene, Gt Burstead (Geoffrey Holley was the vicar), sledging in the snow on Bell Hill, the Sunday School in Outwood Common Rd (the Covenanters attached to the Congregational Church?), playing in the stream in Outwood Common, Rosario’s Circus and Billy Foyle on his white horse. I went to Crays Hill Primary School – caught the 251 bus every morning – it was only about 3 miles away but it seemed a huge journey to a 7 year old. I then went to Rayleigh Sweyne but my older brother, Chris, went to Billericay Secondary. Lovely memories of such a happy time. 

    By Jennifer Small (nee Scott) (29/04/2017)
  • I lived at 119 Kennel Lane from birth (in 1960) until the age of nine and attended South Green Infant and Junior School. My father is Len Atkins (now 86). My sister, Sally, and I both went to Sunday school with Miss Chesney. I recall all the shops at South Green and also the corner shop at the end of Kennel Lane, whose name escapes me. The Carpenter family lived across the road to us. I loved school and all the afore-mentioned staff are etched in my brain, as well as Mr Poutney, Mrs Honey and Mr Loman, the caretaker. I recall country dancing, film club on a Wednesday night after school and Junior Journeys to Bruges and Dinard. 

    By Paula Bateman ,ne Atkins (15/04/2017)
  • I have enjoyed so much the memories of South Green where I grew up. I moved to Passingham Ave. from Leytonstone and attended Billericay Secondary Modern. I wasn’t much of a scholar but always wanted to be a nurse. Fortunately due to my mother being a patient at St Andrews Hospital I became aware of the “cadet nursing scheme” and was fortunate to be accepted. I followed that with my SRN training which saw me back to Leytonstone and a Sister at Whipps Cross Hospital. After raising my family I returned to my first love and am still working as a registered nurse as I turn 70 this year, but with many fond memories of my teen years at South Green and St Andrews.

    By Marie Bartlett nee Fitch (25/03/2017)
  • I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, it brought back memories, as did the comments. I lived at 4 The Oaks, South Green in the late sixties – I think we moved away in early 1970 (I would have been 13). I remember the two boys next door – Paul and (Andy?) Stenson. We had to walk our bikes up Bell Hill to school, however the ride home took no time at all. One afternoon, I was racing my friend home, and we were zooming down the hill flat out… he passed me as a car tried to pass him, and I ended up flying into the bushes. I can’t believe neither of us were injured. We went home at a more cautious pace from then on. By the way, does anyone remember the ‘Hangman’s Tree’ in the field on Bell Hill, and the legend of the ghost horse and carriage that supposedly crashed somewhere on that road?

    By Jim McHarg (04/03/2016)
  • My great aunt lived in a house called Lucerne in Grange Road. Her name was Esther Rowbottom she died in 1943 does anyone know of this family or if the house is still there.

    By Patrick Palmer (02/09/2015)
  • Reading all the above brought back some lovely memories. I lived all my childhood next-door to the Chesneys, that was in Grange Rd, South Green. I attended South Green Infants then up to Billericay Secondary. I moved there in 1959 and moved away only to get married. A few of the names on here I remember…happy days.

    By pat ebdon....then (05/08/2015)
  • In the mid 1950s, I attended the Sunday School in Outwood Common Road. The building was a small wooden chapel and our lessons were taken by Mr Hewitt, who coincidentally was my ‘O’ level R.E. teacher at the senior school in 1963/64. Further along the road on the opposite side were a couple of prefabs. Tom Williams lived in the one on the corner of Beams Way. He was my form teacher in 1958/59 at Gt. Burstead Primary School in Laindon Road. I remember the houses in Ganels Road being built and on summer evenings we used to play in the foundation trenches before they were filled with concrete. The Rossi ice cream van would stop near our house in Hickstars Lane and I could buy a vanilla wafer for 3d, or if I was feeling rich, a vanilla and strawberry one for 4d! And who remembers the devastating fire on Laindon Common in 1958? The woodland remained scorched and barren for many years after. My article on this website entitled: “South Green Memories” may generate some nostalgia from current or new contributors.

    By Terry Lockhart (05/07/2015)
  • Hello David

    Did you have a brother called Alan? I lived in Kingsway until 1970 when my parents, and of course me, moved to Wickford.

    All your memories reminded me of my years in Kingsway remember everything you mention, also Sharmain I think I was in your class at South Green Junior School.

    The Sunday school in Outwood Common Road was called ‘Jucos’ I think.

    Great memories it was a great place to grow up 

    By Alan Ball (26/06/2015)
  • I also went to South Green Junior school, having lived in Ganels Road from 1967 to 1984. I share many of the memories of other contributors and recognise some of the names. My teachers were Miss Roberts, Mrs Harris (in the old wooden prefab), Mrs Carter, and Mr Whitelock. I fondly remember school outings to Whipsnade Zoo, the Hellfire caves, and Windsor. Those sing songs on the bus seem like yesterday.

    I remember the giant bonfire that got built on Carvers every November but didn’t always get lit.

    What about the Sunday School group in Outwood Common Road and the Junior Social Club that met on Wednesday evenings?

    There was also a children’s ballroom dancing class at the Memorial Hall. Perhaps the inspiration for Strictly.

    To offset these wholesome activities a fair bit of mischief also went on. I remember when a few is us would remove a crate of empty bottles from the yard of the Burstead Plough then take them into the off licence at the front to claim the deposits. 

    What I remember most of all is that kids from 8 to 15 could all safely play together while there was any trace of daylight, whether it was football on the Green, or chasing around the estates. It didn’t matter if you were boy or girl or whether you lived in a posh house or a council house. There was no alcohol, no drugs, no dangerous dogs, and nobody was ever injured in a fight or dispute.

    Happy days

    By James Horend (20/04/2015)
  • Sitting here with my brother, Simon, and reminiscing about Ball Plastics in Kennel Lane, where our father, David Bumpsteed, was Head Chemist and Technical Director until 1971. He used to go to the factory with Dad Saturday mornings, helping him in his lab, making compounds and touring the massive extruding machines in the big sheds. Happy days!

    Dad was an amiable eccentric, lovely Dad and Monster chemist, particularly keen on elicitly making fireworks for us – some were spectacular, covering us with a fine layer of top soil in our West Ridge garden, some didn’t go off, and some pursued us round the garden! Life was never boring.

    Does anyone have memories to share?

    Amanda Bumpsteed

    amandabumpsteed@aol.com

     

    By Amanda Bumpsteed (28/03/2015)
  • Hi I’m Sharmian’s sister and also lived at South Green and went to junior school there 1968-1972. My teachers were Mrs Housden, Mrs Carter, Mr Couzens and Miss Abbey. Mrs Hallett was the head at the infant school and I remember Mrs Ingleby as a teacher. I have lots of fond memories of childhood too including long lazy days in the summer playing out on our bikes and going to the parks in Langham Crescent and the other one nearer South Green (can’t remember the road name). I always remember the hoards of tortoiseshell butterflies around in the summer, it’s unusual to see one now! I also remember playing out on the green near Maple Mead/Well Mead and going down to the newsagents to buy sweets by the ‘quarter’. Much healthier way to grow up than living on the computer or phone as many kids do now. It is still a great place for kids to grow up, you’re right in thinking that 🙂

    By Tanya Brealey (18/03/2015)
  • Hi Sharmian. When were you in Mrs Carters class? She was my Teacher at South Green Junior, and an inspirational teacher. I will never forget how she really looked for the best in you and encoraged you to do well, sadly, when I went up to Billericay Comprehensive, there were very few like Mrs Carter.

    By David Bally (04/03/2015)
  • That was basically the story of my childhood too. Very happy memories. Cyndra Jones, Susan Braithwaite, Steven Jennings, Patsy Simpson, Jean Simpson, Susan MacKim, were just a few of the kids we hung out with at that time.If anyone remembers me from Mrs. Carter’s class or at South Green Junior School, I would like to hear. I am now living in Boston USA, after having resided in Toronto, Canada for 7 years. I never could have imagined, being such a timid kid, that I would ever leave my home in Billericay!

    By Sharmian Brealey (08/02/2015)
  • My Dad grew up in South Green, he was always talking about it and how much he loved it there. I wonder if anyone that reads this might have known him or his family? He was born in 1955, but I’m not sure when he lived there. It would be great if someone did remember him and I would love to hear any stories. His name is Keith Jermey and he had sisters called Jackie, Marion and Sheila and a brother Will xxx

    By Zoe jermey (30/01/2015)
  • I lived at 100 Church Street and was the Head Choirboy at the Church for many years, and I remember the Carpenter family.

    By william Barton (12/10/2014)
  • @Sid Reynolds … funny. I remember you scared the bejesus out of me as a young “Mod” strolling to the shops and coming face to face with the South Green skins. Whenever I go back home I see the next generation hanging outside chip shop.

    By Daren Kean (14/01/2014)
  • @Daren Kean.. I remember hanging out outside the off licence… I have long hair now :).. but the last time I was back in Billericay (About 7yrs) my name was still in spray paint next to the off licence in Silver…lol

    By Sid Reynolds (15/12/2013)
  • I moved to Highfield Road, South Green with my parents and brother in 1950. Highfield Road was unmade and there was no main drains or electricity and it remained like that until 1952, the road was unmade until the mid to late 60s. A great place to grow up. Fields, trees and thickets to build dens in, a far cry from today’s health and safety culture. I remember the lions roaring in Rosario’s Circus at their winter quarters in Coxes Farm Road also the chap from the circus leading the annual carnival through Billericay High Street on his white horse, I think his name was Billy Foyle. The shops in South Green were: Weedons (became Joselins) tobaconnist and newsagent. Next to them was South Green Garage owned by Arthur Walden and Tom Snewing (not sure if Tom was an owner or manager) and the little shop on the corner of Highfield Road was Goodies was owned and run by Mrs Goody and her daughter Hilda. Across the ‘green’ was Coles, general store. Moving toward Southend Road was Outen’s, owned and run by Harry Outen, bike/motor bike repairs and light engineering. Further along, very roughly where the shopping parade is, was the Plough. The building was wooden and looking back was probably a temporary arrangement, but don’t quote me. The pub was run by Mr and Mrs Carver, they had two sons as I remember. The older son worked for a while as the milkman until he went in the forces (RAF?). I went to school with the younger son whose name was Robin. Going south on Grange Road there was a blacksmith owned by a Mr Keeling and a nursery owned and run by Bill Houghton and his wife Gertrude. What other snippets can I dredge up? The bus used to run along Southend Road. It was run By the Westcliff and City, I don’t think it ran very often. The estate north of Hickstars Lane didn’t exist until the mid 50s and Beams Way estate was all Prefabs. The Southend Road was re-aligned at the junction with Hickstars Lane to ease a sharp bend which was the site of a number of road accidents including two Eastern National buses (reg no’s 1848 F and 562 CTW). Hope this triggers some memories.

    By Phil Bates (10/11/2013)
  • Hi memories I also lived in Ganels Road and then Beamsway and went to South Green Infants where my mum was a dinner lady also the fish shop at South Green I was about five and couldn’t see over the counter there was a post office, newsagents, my name was Caddle before married

    By susan walsh (31/07/2013)
  • Thanks Ian and Daren for those comments. That pond in Coxes Farm Road, was also a childhood haunt, and those long summer days spent fishing for tiddlers and tadpoles, certainly seem magical now. ButI well remember Chas Sinclair, and his news agents, and how he used to scoop ice cream into a cone whilst still smoking a cigarette! I suppose thats the trouble with getting older, nothing seems as good as the past.

    By David Bally (02/07/2013)
  • What fantastic memories came flooding back! It was like reading a short story of my youth! I was born in Burstead Drive, just up the road from The Redinge and grew up on those very streets during the 1970’s. My mum still lives there and despite now living in the Channel Islands I still go back loads and am always saddened to see “the green” pretty much deserted. This was the very place where I played football, flew kites, learned cricket and had my first fight in the snow. Joselins on the main road is long gone – now a large garage. The small garage which existed next to it is also gone. The newsagents (it was known to me as Chas Sinclairs) is still there but the wonderfully long counter has sadly gone. I remember going there aged about ten to buy cigarettes for my neighbour on an errand. The owner asked if they were for me and I said no – and they sold them to me. Skin heads outside the off licence (remember Sid Reynolds?). The co-op has also gone. My mum used to work there. Spending the day in the fields in Barleylands and fishing in the pond in Coxes Farm Road. My grandfather used to own the nursery there. Mrs Scott-Farthing and her dog at South Green junior school. Building dens in the alley that ran from Grange Road to the main Southend Road. Ahhhhhh happy days !

    By Daren Kean (11/06/2013)
  • Great narration David – it brought back some great memories. I grew up on Southend Road slightly after you and my Mum and Dad still live there (now in their 80’s). Mrs Scott-Farthing was still headmistress (she had moved on to a British Leyand Princess car by then) and Mrs Carter was my favourite teacher. Mrs Housden was there too although she was a bit scary. I used to often play in the fields over the back of Highfield Approach which seemed very wild and reckless at the time. Happy days

    By Ian Steward (17/05/2013)
  • Great memories David, I was round the corner in Mill Road … Always remember going round the corner into Southend Road to get tomatoes from the house with all the greenhouses and seeing Mrs Golden in Coxes Farm Road for the eggs. Shopping with mum was quite a tour taking in the butcher, baker and greengrocer at South Green.

    By Keith Harvey (28/03/2013)

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