Hi my name is Lyn maiden name Nicholson I would often stay with my nan she lived in skiers street stratford I don't know if I have the right spelling for skiers its pronounced sky I went to manor road school until we moved to forest gate I can remember Wanstead flats my sister and I would take our jam jars to the pond and catch loads of tadpoles hope to hear from you soon

Please publish more dates

I have the same memories, except I went to Manor Road Shcl 1951-57 then to Water Lane for boys, Sat morning pics at the Century west ham lane sixpence to get in, Old Mother Riley! Cisco Kid @ Pancho! Rocket Man! Hopalong Cassidy! Those were the Days, not Forgotten

Born wells gardens 1952 grew up in and around ilford until 1976 my friend Peter still lives on Balfour road. How times have change the buses ran on electricity, no supermarkets. Going to ilford shops with my mother to do the weekly shop. Does anybody remember the greengrocer that drove around in a lorry that was his shop, you don't see the now.

It was a long walk to Wanstead Park from where we lived as children. We lived at Stephens Road, Stratford West Ham. Weekends and school holidays Mum would pack a picnic for the six of us, usually jam sandwiches or cheese if Mum had some, and a bottle of orange squash. We also had our jam jars and nets for fishing in the ponds for sticklebacks, a bat and ball, also a football, and off we would go for the day, as most East End children did in 1955.
We would enter the park from the Manor Park side, it was a short walk through a small wood the trees seem so tall, the ground was soft. I can remember the smell of the soil, it was always damp, sometimes we would see a squirrel or a small mouse, I can remember the sound of small birds, which in the streets where we lived you didn't see or hear. Then came the open space of green grass, the grass would tickle your legs as you ran through it. It was then just a short walk to the pond, by the side of the pond was a ice cream and tea shop, sometimes if Mum had given us a penny each we would put it together and buy one icecream and share it. I can also remember the sound of children playing, and shouting when one of them had catght a stickleback.
The six of us would always stay together making sure that we were all in sight of each other as Mum had instructed for safety. We would fish and paddle in the pond, after catching our little fish to take home for Mum to see we would have our picnic. It was then time for a game of cricket or football. Susan my sister and I would be put out as fielders, our brothers knew it would take us time to find the ball, allowing them more time for runs, then after a few winges I would be allowed to have a go at batting. It was my brother Daniel who taught me how to hold the bat, I soon got the hang of it. When the game of football began, it was not long before there was more than the six of us, we would have a full team, maybe more, what fun it was, we would always have a few scratches by the time the game was over.
Daniel then would look for the time, as we were to be home by 4 o'clock. How quickly the time would go, we would change the water in the jars with hopes that the fish would still be alive when we got home for Mum to see. Then the long walk home. At home Mum would be waiting for us, with dinner ready. After dinner, it was time for a strip wash, we had no bathroom in those days, then off to bed. Susan and I shared the same room, we would talk about what we had done and seen that day and what we had enjoyed most about Wanstead Park. Susan being two years younger than myself would always fall asleep before I did. The next day we would have done it all again

School Days.
I remember like it was yesterday, I went to Highlands school from1961/ 1968, my name Celia scott, my best friend was Jeff Lobel, we are still best mates today, some 50 odd years later.

Born wells gardens 1952 grew up in and around ilford until 1976 my friend Peter still lives on Balfour road. How times have change the buses ran on electricity, no supermarkets. Going to ilford shops with my mother to do the weekly shop. Does anybody remember the greengrocer that drove around in a lorry that was his shop, you don't see the now.

Dancing
I remember Ilord townhall we used to go dancing (ballroom) every saturday night that is when we had live bands.I lived in hainault does any body remember going dancing at ilford townhall.I now live in herfordshire

Or the Hornchurch/Romford Express

Add the editions from the 60-80s

I came upon this site by chance and it brought back so many memories I thought I would share a few.
I was born in Fritzlands Lane No. 151 this was my Grandparents house, at the age of 4 or 5 my Mum and Dad were allocated a new house on the Heath Park Estate at No 76 Fritzlands Lane,when we moved in I was carried down the road on my Nans lodgers shoulders I remember his name was Bert it was thick snow at the time and I had Mumps,My next memory was the coronation street party in Pembroke Gardens a lovely sunny day plenty of jelly and cakes ,lots of games I somehow won a game of musical chairs (my Dad was the man in charge) . In my younger days I used to take a homemade wheel barrow with me to Oxlow Lane to get my Nans shopping she had broken here leg falling off the table putting up Christmas decorations. I was 6 or 7 at the time taking a shopping list with money wrapped up in it. I remember first stop green grocers just round the corner 2nd or 3rd shop 15lbs King Edwards Greens Carrots runner beans but I had to break 1 to see if they were stringy.next stop into Wrights grocery, they always gave me a sweet , into the fish shop to get some Cod balls or whole fish but I had to check the gills were red. take shopping back to Nans and get 2pence for going. I went to Heath Park infants school and then into the juniors my teacher there was Mr Dignen his favorite punishment was a wide 3 foot board ruler bend over and get 2 whacks I don't think I went a day without this treat. The School was so old we had coal fires winter times warm our third of pint of milk in front of the fire. Then onto Triptons Senoir School. I spent the first 22years of my life in fritzlands lane and have a book full of memories both good and not so good. Does anyone remember the Oxlow lane boys, the Heathway boys the Merry Fiddlers or Green Lane boys this would be in mid 50,s Yes all Teddy boys.

I was shocked and saddened when looking on Google Street view recently to find the M&B factory gone, with just a few of the old roadways and outlines of buildings left as testament to the years of work, sounds and smells that used to be.

My father Stan Wilson worked as a pipefitter/welder in the engineering department from about 1954 until he retired in 1979. He helped to construct many of the different process plants around the factory before joining the shift maintenance team keeping things working throughout the factory 24/7.

I joined the shift maintenance team myself in around 1972 and can still remember many of the names of those I worked with and others I met working around the factory. The complex was so huge that us shift fitters used to pedal around on trade bikes - like "Open all Hours".

I became redundant in about 1985 and re-trained to become a "suit" in the City - but that's another story....

M&B was a great place to work, employing folks from all over the world, yet I never witnessed any form of racism.
The banter was brilliant and if you ever entered a building or went past someone around the factory without receiving a torrent of abuse there was something wrong! A visiting French engineer from the parent company Rhone Poulenc once asked me "Why all these workers hate each other and shout so much abuse?" I told him that on the contrary it was an acknowledgement of mutual respect. We were comfortable with each other, knowing the "abuse" was meant in jest and far from hating each other, all these workmates knew they were working in a hazardous environment and would not hesitate to help anyone in danger. There could be a lesson somewhere in these days of political correctness.

It would be great to hear more tales of M & B

The May and Baker factory, close to the railway station at Dagenham East was once one of the largest factories in the area. The company was best known for developing the drug quinine to combat malaria, often simply referred to as M&B tablets. It manufactured and distributed all sorts of chemicals, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals such as: anti-histamines for allergies, barbiturates for sedatives, opiates like morphine and cocaine for pain relief, antibiotics to combat infection plus other things such as photographic products and plastics.
The factory covered a vast area running beside the railway line all the way down to what is known as the “Chase” and the fringes of Elm Park. The sprawling complex comprised many different buildings; process plants, packaging buildings, effluent treatment plant, research buildings, and offices. The place was like a small town, having its own power station and boilers to produce steam and generate electricity, an old farmhouse used as a drawing office, two large restaurants, its own fire station and fire engine, an ambulance and sick-bay, insurance/travel office, a stage used for amateur productions, a pristine bowling green and large selection of sports pitches.

My father Stan Wilson joined May and Baker in about 1953 as a pipefitter welder in the engineering department. He fabricated much of the pipework in the anti-biotics plant which produced one of the most profitable pharmaceutical products of the time. Later he was part of the shift maintenance team ("shift fitters") responsible for keeping the factory running 24/7 which was important because it was essential to keep some processes running for several days without interruption, to achieve the right result. The fitters used a small fleet of trade bicycles to carry their tools and parts to where they were needed, such was the distance between different parts of the factory.
I joined M&B around 1973 as part of the shift maintenance team, often working with my father, and stayed until around 1986 when much of the engineering work was taken-over by contractors and I was made redundant.

Sadly, today May and Bakers is gone. Only the perimeter roads, the outlines of the buildings and a few trees around the demolished farmhouse remain.

I will always remember my time there and would love to hear from anyone that has memories of this smelly, dangerous but great place to work.

In about 1964 I belonged to Marley Motorcycle Club which l think was based at Marley school in Dagenham. The club used an old barn at Stubbers in Ockendon to "hang out". We had a basic kitchen, a few old sofas and parked the motorbikes right outside. We had some great times, barbeques and rides out to be track marshalls at the Bantam Owners club races at Snetterton in Norfolk and motorcycle racing at Crystal Palace.
I remember some of the names and still have a couple of pics showing us stopped to repair a puncture on the way to Crystal Palace.
Around the same time I had the odd distinction of being a "mod" and a "rocker" at the same time depending on my mood and owned both a powerful bike and a scooter. I nearly got lynched once when I turned up on my scooter at a lay-by on the A127, where us hooligans used to race our bikes between two roundabouts.

What great times were had at the Gaumont Cinema each Saturday Morning for 6d. With the sweet shop next door, 3d bought more than enough to keep me going from 9.00am to 11.30 ish.... Happy days.....from 1957 to 1959.

More from the papers front page

PLEASE post more from this era

Please post up the 1970-80s

Hi, I live in Chadwell Heath, next door to the rear at park of the old cinema. I have been working on a restoration project, these past few months, for the Embassy Cinema of Chadwell Heath; a former 1930s art deco cinema, that hosted sophisticated entertainment. It is one of the only historic buildings left in my hometown. My team are currently working with our Council (London Borough of Redbridge) to locally list the building, and grant it “Asset of Community Value” status. We then plan to acquire the building and restore it to its former glory. Many of its original features still exist; from the art deco lights and door frames, to the original Proscenium Arch, Stage and Orchestra Pit. Even the old Projector Room has endured after all this time. We intend to use the Auditorium as a Repertory Cinema and Theatre. Old classics, cult movies, themed screenings, viewings with live soundtracks, and arthouse productions can bring generations of people together. Local schools, colleges and communities can host amateur dramatic productions. Jazz, Swing, Big Band, Blues and Classical Orchestras can bring nights of refinement. The Dance Hall can be brought alive again, with late-evenings of Ballroom and Latin dancing. Keeping the building authentic to a retro/vintage era will easily make it stand out in East London, and give it some personality. We have obtained the original blueprints, and plans of the building, in order to restore it to exactly how it used to be. Many other art deco cinemas, in the UK, have either been demolished or converted unimaginatively into flats and supermarkets. They were not properly protected, and now they are gone forever. We want to protect the building, repair the damage, and make this landmark culturally significant again. A place for film and theatre to co-exist for those with a mutual appreciation of the Arts; a rejuvenation of our area that can have a lasting impact for generations. We have been in touch with ‘East Brook Studios’; the major, new film studio developing in Dagenham (approx. twelve minutes away from the Embassy Cinema). Since the area is being cultivated into a new British home for film, the two projects could work in tandem; thereby creating a multitude of jobs and services for the local community. From hosting philanthropic events, to premieres and screenings - all in a vintage, glamorous setting – the opportunities are limitless. We are looking for architects, historians, benefactors and those in the film/cinema industry who are interested in, or have a knowledge of: • Art Deco Architecture • Building Restoration & Heritage • Retro/Vintage Features of the 1930s • Repertory Cinemas • Historic Decades such as “The Roaring Twenties” & “The Prohibition Era” If you are one, or know someone, feel free to message me

Remember Pasks the bike shop and the fruit and veg shop opposite near the cedar club on the corner of Mill Lane and the high street which was opposite the White Horse pub. Saturday morning pictures and the sweet shop next door, and of course the Co-op in Mill Lane on the juction of Mill Lane and Edward Road, The old Mill House, the rag and bone yard and the big house on the corner. All replaced with 8 houses a long time ago now.