Growing up on Canvey

in the 50's & 60's

My Mum & Dad’s (Ted & Gladys Payne) Wedding photo taken on 17th May 1941, probably taken in the garden at 3 Larup Avenue where my Mum lived with her parents and brothers & sister. Dad had joined the RAF with Mum’s younger brother George (Dad’s best pal), and they both served in 99 Squadron. A short time after the wedding, 99 Squadron was sent to India where they were stationed for most of the war. Uncle George was killed on 21st January 1945, just 2 days before his 23rd birthday.

Picture left to right standing:- My Aunt Elsie Ward, my Grandfather John Walter Baker, not sure, my Nan, not sure, not sure. Middle row:- Ernie Ward, Gladys Payne, Albert Edward Payne ( Ted ). Sitting:-not sure, my Uncle Don Payne?, not sure, my Aunt Pauline Baker

Please click on the pictures in the gallery for more about George and his family

Comments about this page

  • These are fantastic George, thanks for adding them

    By Janet Penn (21/07/2011)
  • Thanks for those great pictures & memories. Did your aunt Elsie & uncle Ernie have twin sons called David & Peter? Also, i remember Derek Wilkinson, “pip” Hope, and some of the others in the pictures. Happy days.

    By George Smith (22/07/2011)
  • Wonderful! No relation to Margaret Payne the teacher I suppose?

    By David Bullock (22/07/2011)
  • Yes, David & Peter are my cousins, but Margaret is unknown to me. However, as we have not been the closest of families, it is possible that we are related.

    By George Payne (22/07/2011)
  • Hi George. Elsie & Ernie Ward were friends of my mum & dad. Elsie and my mum kept in touch for years, after our family moved to Norfolk in 1962. Peter & David Ward were the same age as me, so we grew up together. Peter Ward is in the back row of this cubs photo, can’t see David though. 

    By George Smith (23/07/2011)
  • George I have never seen the photograph of the Rio ‘talent show’ contestants and thanks for the mention, the guitarist is Ian Fullick and as you say we went on to be The Premiers with Ian Thompson, Dave Newitt and my brother Graham. I too have a certificate that confirms that Ian and I as ‘The Blackjacks’ obtained 2nd place in the band/’beat group’ section of the talent competion, however as I recall there were only you as the Teen Beats and us in that section!!! Ian Fullick’s sister I am sure must also appear some where else on this website as she was Canvey carnival queen

    By Chris Stevens (24/07/2011)
  • Hi Chris. Yes, these were early days for both of us. I was 14 at the time. Our guitarist, Graham, on the left in the photograph hadn’t finished making his guitar, and it only had the first 5 frets. So whatever we played, it wasn’t very complicated!

    By George Payne (24/07/2011)
  • I think the guitarist is Ian Fullick, I remember Dereck Payne from school.

    By Bill Askew (23/08/2011)
  • To George Payne from Mick Muggleton ex Total tanker driver married to Pat Ward your cousin.Pat is lst front row of your photo and brother Vic is 3rd front row.Yes we believe that is Nan Payn in the back row.Also in the back row is aunt Joan Payne and aunt Florie Payne. Pat and myself both born on Canvey and still live here.

    By Bill ( Mick ) Muggleton (08/09/2011)
  • Hi Mick. Thanks for that. Hope you’re both well. I remember we shared many a petrol delivery at Corringham all those years ago, didn’t we. All the best, George

    By George Payne (12/09/2011)
  • Sorry if you have recieved this message already, but I was taken by surprise to see these pictures of my Dad’s family when I was having a sneaky browse on line whilst I was suppose to be at work. Loved looking at the pictures.

    Those were the days, I remember your group, but my mum and dad wouldn’t let me go and watch as they said I was too young, wish someone would say that to me now! It was great to see my dad as a youngster at your Mum and Dad’s wedding. What a good looking bunch they all were. Now I know where we all got our good looks from.

    Hope all your family are okay. Great to see the photo’s. Thanks for that. Jan x

    By Janet Cotgrove nee Payne (22/05/2012)
  • I remember going to this house with my dad and of all the things I remember about it was the white trellis, I suppose at 3 years old, for some reason I was fasinated by it and thought it was a very posh house to have this thing in the garden that plants grew up. Ha Ha. Jan

    By Janet cotgrove nee Payne (22/05/2012)
  • Hi, I remember going into your mum and dad’s shop once. They didn’t know who I was (your uncle Don’s middle daughter) Regards Bev

    By Beverley Routley (nee Payne) (02/06/2012)
  • Hi George, So lovely to see the lovely pictures and to see my dad at your mum and dads wedding. Yes I agree with Janet, what a good looking family we have. I love having the memories of the old photo’s to look back at. I miss my mum and dad so much as I expect you do to. If possible I would love a copy of that picture and if you have any more of my mum and dad. many thanks to you and best wishes to you and your family X.

    By Karen Clayton. nee Karen Payne (05/06/2012)
  • Hi Janet & Karen. Lovely to hear from you. Most of my parent’s old photos were lost in the flood, but I’ve copied the wedding picture and can send it to you. You can e-mail me at ‘gejpayne@sky.com’ Hope you and your families are all well x

    By George Payne (22/08/2012)
  • I used to teach at Canvey Leigh Beck in 1957 with Mildred Lording. We taught in the Infants School. If you know her please get her to write to me via email. She was married to Fred and had a small daughter called Helen. I used to cycle from S. Benfleet along the dyke path to school and back!

    By Gloria Dorworth formerly Mannall-Fretwell (21/12/2012)
  • Hi Gloria, In reply to your enquiry about Mildred Lording my first memory of her was when, on my first few days at Leigh Beck in 1947, having toddled from Gafzelle Dve I had to wait at Beale’s newsagents for her to see me across the top of Seaview Rd. She was then Miss Coupee(not sure about the spelling) and lodging with Mrs Lording(Fred’s mum at ‘Hirondelle’ in Westerland Ave. Sadly Mildred passed away eight years ago and Fred died some time before. My Auntie Dot is Fred’s sister and I have already told her about your enquiry about Mildred. Regards, Graham. P.S There are several pages re Leigh Beck in the Schools Section on the Archive.

    By Graham Stevens (23/12/2012)
  • Thank you Graham. I’m sorry to learn that Mildred and Fred are gone.Please give my condolences to your aunt. I now live in Canada but I remember, with pleasure, teaching on Canvey.

    By Gloria Dorworth formerly Mannall-Fretwell (23/12/2012)
  • You dont no me but your nan was my nan the woman to your nans right was Roselyne payne then Parkes my mum. Janet & Karran are my cousin’s

    By pete parkes (09/01/2013)
  • Pip or pippy Hope is my dad in these pictures, he’s still going strong!

    By Paul hope (27/02/2014)
  • I also remember Vandersteen’s fish smoking shed round the back of the shop. It always seemed to be in use when I went round to George’s place.

    By Malcolm Wilkinson (04/05/2014)
  •  I met Robert Reed in his record shop in Leigh last year (2013) .I went in purely by chance and he recognised me. After 50 years. How did he do that?  Robert (or Bob as everybody calls him now) had pictures of the football team in the shop. Amazing.

    By Malcolm Wilkinson (04/05/2014)
  • Neil Brockes was our neighbour in his early years, and i met up with Pip Hope when i was a postman some years ago, we had a long chat about the good old days of our lives spent growing up on Canvey all those years ago.

     

    By Bernard Clifford (04/03/2016)
  • David Belasco is still alive Bernard and avoiding the grim reaper.

    Regards

    Dave

    By David Belasco (30/12/2016)
  • I remember Ernie Ward was a baker at our family bakery Probably late 50s. Graham.

    By Graham (11/01/2022)

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