The Riverside café is known to many islanders and was where Fred McCave had his museum. The property was built in 1907 by a member of the Seabrook Brewery family who called it St Hughs. It was a prominent feature of the seafront for many years. We have on this site lots of details about the place over the years including some of the plans from 1907.
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I remember the fire my dad went in there to see if he could help I vaguely remember him coming out with a scorched jacket
i lived here from 1969 to 1982.the house wasnt in a fire it was demolished in 1985
Hi Mick, Thanks for clearing this up.As can be seen from the photo above( and one previously published on this site) the fire was intentionlly or otherwise part of the demolition process. Canvey builders?! However there was a fire in the flat in the the early 1950s when it was the home of the Baker family. I believe when this happened my former Leigh Beck classmate, Leslie Baker, rescued his wheelchair-bound Mum, carrying her down the steep, narrow staircase. I guess he must have been in his early teens then.
I would love to find out more about the fire in the 1950s – my Nan was living there at the time with my Aunt we believe, and there was always talk of the fire but no real explanation! So would be great to know what was true!
Hi Hayley, As in my previous comment I was a friend of Leslie Baker when we were very young classmates at Leigh Beck. Whenever the fire happened in the 50s we had gone off to different senior schools so I only heard about the fire and Leslie’s actions by hearsay some time afterwards! Sorry I can’t help. Graham Stevens.
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