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The building on that photo Maureen looks very different to the tearoom. I can make out a large roof area behind the trees.
Surely the photo of the house labelled’Where is it?’ is the tea rooms but with several of the trees removed. The photo of the tearoom still has one of the trees in front of it.
I worked with Dudley, when I was an apprentice in the early seventies, I hadn’t seen him in recent years but I was invited to his funeral last August.I considered it a real privilege,I think Dudley enjoyed the escapades we got up to,he had a great sense of humour.He was also a very intelligent and humble man never speaking of his artistic talents,it was a pleasure knowing you Dud.
Very heart rendering story,and people keep whining about how tough there lives are now, perhaps they should read this story and then take stock. RIP Sir.
Sorry to report that Andrew Manser died today. Such a nice man. Such a tragic start to life. Our condolences to his family. RIP Andrew
I am with my cousin Susan. I am third from the right. We are both 4 years old. Susan is a tulip and I am a daffodil. My parents names are Chris and Pam Eaton. We immigrated to Toronto, Canada in October 1957.
The Bay country club in the 50s was owned by Mrs Carey. The red cow which is now the King Canute was owned by a friend’s father Mr Eaton. Rodney Eaton was the son of my friend.
The shed you can see on the left in the distance is Dauntless boatbuilders where I done my apprenticeship in 1949 Mr Latimer was the owner. My parents and the clubhouse at South Benfleet opposite the anchor pub I believe it is an Indian restaurant now. The junior school on Canvey Island used to have a youth club there where i used to cycle to. Hole Haven Road where the gas terminal used to be. What’s the row of cottages an old friend of mine Harry girl who married the beauty queen of Canvey Island he was a Tugboat Captain that anchored just off Hole Haven to get a shower he dived off and swim the distance to the seawall. Summer or winter. Those were the days when the red cow pub was there. And the and crowned King of Canvey Island was Colonel fielder. I have lots of beautiful memories of Canvey I was one of those that helped to rebuild the seawall I was there when the floods took place.
My cousin and I are in the photo. I’m second from right and my cousin Christina is third from right. We were 4 years old. My family lived at 48 North Avenue at the time the photo was taken. We moved to number 50 I think in early 1956. My parents names are Len and Betty Eaton. We immigrated to Canada in July 1957 when I was 8 years old. I have lived my entire life in Toronto , Canada.
Not an expert on Roman pottery but this looks like it could be high quality Samian wear. High gloss glaze and terracotta colour are similar to this ware. Samian tended to be plain, though but very well made. Roman decoration tended to be more scenic and the braided handles are unusual. You would more likely find this quality of stuff in country villas and high end town houses. Washed off a wreck is a possibility, the Thames being a major trading route throughout Roman occupation. As I said, no expert so open to correction by more knowledgeable historians, but think it might well be later. Lovely find though.
Been to the railway many times and loved the video. I wonder if any current members recall or know of Ray Armstead, BT training manager from Silvertown area in London. I know he brought his own locomotive there a few times. Lost touch with Ray since I retired. Anybody recall him ?
Thanks, Janet. I didn’t know Leonard but he was certainly one of my brother’s circle of mates. By the time of the flood, I was just over 7 years old. My brother was just starting his apprenticeship on the Glasgow ship yards. The story I had was that Leonard has gone back into the water to rescue someone and had either been trapped or overcome with exposure. He seemed a very popular lad and my father spoke kindly of him both before and after his sad death.
Leonard Starling was 12 years old when he died in 1953. You can read his family story by clicking on his name.
Only came to this site in the last few days. Busy researching our family history, I stumbled across the item on the “Bullrush Baby”. Knew the Stevens family well. Looking at the photos of the memorial, two names leapt out, Violet and Leonard Starling. My brother often mentioned a Starling with whom he played, went swimming and roved around the Island and Hadleigh Castle with back then. Was he the Leonard mentioned ? Or was he the father ? By a really weird coincidence I am now living in the house once occupied by Fireman George Blackwell. For a while when we first moved in we received information about nursery schools, I think it was, addressed to his wife, possibly. New to the Island, or more correctly returning after nearly 50 years, we didn’t know the strong connection with David Blackwell and returned everything. It wasn’t until 2004 when I started working in the Costcutter Store in the High Street that I got to know David and his connection with my home. The then owner of the franchise bought his eggs from David and we later made great use of the now closed garden centre. Funny old world !
We had a small chalet – actually two breezeblock sheds with tin roofs – in Miltsin Avenue, near where one of the first breaches occurred. Took our old dog for a walk to watch the men working on the new wall. I went down to watch one of the big earth moving cranes. The driver didn’t spot me nearby. If my father hadn’t have dived to knock me flat the bucket of earth would have hit me. I also remember a pontoon bridge over the creek, roughly where the barrier Across Tewkes Creek now is. Dad, being a powerful swimmer and not worried by the swaying and bobbing, took me over it. I can remember the terror of nearly falling off and having to crawl over to the far side. We walked back ! That must have been about the time these photographs were taken.
I recognised the photo of the older Peter Green instantly. Working in what was Costcutter’s, now Londis, in the High Street, I saw him in there regularly up to about 2015. Must have lived close by. One of the staff there pointed him out as a regular user of the studio on Charfleets. I think her husband had once run the studio. Sad to hear of his passing. Great fan of Fleetwood in my former life as a young person ! I do remember another couple who used the shop lived on a big houseboat on the Creek. They were sure he lived there somewhere.
Oh, my word ! That is incredible ! Thanks, Martin. I had forgotten the name of that little place. I thought it was Lentom after the children of the original owner ? So many happy memories of the Island then and the Stevens family. Sad ones too of lost friends. The name Starling comes to mind. Not sure if it was a family name or nickname but one lad, early teens who went back several times to pull family out but ended up getting trapped. It would have been in that area.
I remember going there as a young child and people were injecting drugs. Sad that happened but it was out of the way and not overlooked. I think they did the right thing. (1980s)
Dave Housden.
Planning application for W. M. HOUSDEN, for extension to property Lenton down Miltsin Road was approved 2nd Dec 1952
Mrs ingrams cookery teacher. She liked to shout.
Mrs ruffle was an amazing teacher. I was in her class twice in the infants in the 70’s.
Found this when searching for information about my brother’s friends, one of whom died in the flood. We had a small holiday chalet in Miltson Avenue, and the house behind us was owned by the Stevens family. From memory they managed to get into the loft of their house, but one of the older children broke a leg somehow. We got on famously with them and if it hadn’t been for the flood, would have ended up living on the Island. Dad had obtained planning permission to build a bungalow on the plot. Dad took great pride in the red hot pokers he had grown. He got up one morning to find that Charles had tied big pink bows round each stem. Much laughter ensued. Dad sold the plot for the same price as the purchase, £200. How much would a plot fetch now? We revisited the Stevens family in their new home a while after the flood but lost touch. I now live on the Island, not too far from Miltson. It feels odd to drive past the old hump of the original sea wall around Tewkes and remembering wearing holes in my trousers sliding down the sides on my backside, sometimes ending up in the fetid waters of the ditch at the bottom. Happy days. Hope Linda is keeping well in these odd times.
I am one of the Sea Rangers in white shirt wearing glasses. Marion Chambers then Hanman now.
I was there as agent when the chimney came down, Fred was told not to cut the reinforcing until the day of the demolition was the first person to see Fred when the chimney collapsed will stay in my memory forever
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