Hullbridge Memories and History

Hullbridge Primary School.

The memories of Heather Reeve

Hullbridge Primary School.

A Black and White portrait photo of Heather when she was at Hullbridge. A Black and White portrait photo of Heather when she was 12.

Hello I'm Heather Reeve.

I was at Hullbridge School from 1955 to 1961, Mr Hardy was head master, Mrs Scrume was dinner lady , Mrs Alditon, Mrs Wier, Mrs Longthorn,and Mr Francis, were my teachers, I remember it like yesterday, Graham Hardy one of Mr Hardy's children was in my class, and Miss Crabbe did the office.
Below is a picture I have of the female teachers at Hullbridge Primary School.

Black and white photo showing 4 ladies (school teachers) in front of a Ford Anglia car which is parked alongside a high wooden panelled fence


My parents home was "Hillside" on Coventry Corner opposite my Auntie Win and Uncle Stan Cullis's, Coventry Corner Stores. They eventually sold the property to Mr and Mrs Smith and here is a picture I have of the stores around 1960.

A photo of Coventry Corner Stores all painted white and with no advertising boarding. Taken in the 1960's

One of my best friends was Geraldine Nicholls (left) who was the older sister to twins Hazel and Tony Nicholls. Her family lived further up the hill at "Flanders" Lower Road. Geraldine was nearly three years younger than me. Here is a picture of Geraldine and myself with our dolls and pram's in my front garden. Beyond the hedge can be seen the house that became "Mermaids" Antique shop on Coventry Corner and alongside you can just make out Lofty Soyer's Timber Yard, where he cut wood to how you wanted.

Black and White photo showing two girls with their dolls prams in front of them. The smaller and younger girl is on the left and has curly blond hair she is wearing a coloured shirt and light coloured shorts with white ankle socks and sandals, this is Geraldine, whilst the other girl is taller with dark straight hair that is just above shoulder length and she is wearing a dress this is Heather. Geraldine has a small pushchair whilst Heather has a pram.They are standing next to each other facing the camera. They are standing in garden next to a hedge and border of Dahlias. There is a gap in the hedge through which can be seen the side of a building. Balck and white photo showing a young girl, Heather who is wearing a white frilly dress with her hair being a dark bob. She is behind a two seater pushchair that has twin babys in. It is a sunny day and behind then is a wooden shed and to the right of that is a wooden construction in which white wildfowl, possible Turkeys are being kept.

My dad used to go to his doctor opposite the old antique shop, can't remember the dr,s name but he and dad would have a cigar and a drink every time he went there, funny how thing change !

Dad kept Turkeys in the back garden, he used to have them from 6 weeks old and would sell them at Christmas, plucked and dressed. I used to pluck them with a whole load of people and every body used to get one as payment. I would go across the road to Lofty and bag up the wood shavings he had made and bring them home for the Turkey's home. The following picture shows the Turkeys being kept in their house in our back garden. The twins in the push chair are Hazel and Tony Nicholls.

This is a postcard of one of the caravan sites that was down Pooles Lane. This one is named as Davis Caravan which was after the Recreation ground on the bend. On the otherside of the river is Marsh Farm. The hill in the background does not yet have the radar dish installed.

Black and White Photo of Davis's caravan site. The photo shows a line of caravans on the right side with a dirt track road in front of them with an old black Morriss 8 car parked on the green that is on the left of the road. On the green is a large circle of bricks loosely stacked two high with gaps between each brick in which is a round flower bed with flowers in it. Beyond that are some short white poles planted in the ground forming a square. All of these lead to the river on which are 5 anchored boats. Across the river is a white house, Marsh Farm and in the distant background is a small hill .

I remember Kay Cotter, she was a lady who lived down The Walk, she was always out on her front garden sun bathing. George Boul and Yvonne used to have the garage near the Anchor pub , and Vera used to own the cafe next door that Cliff Richard had breakfast in with his manager.