Hullbridge Memories.

The memories of William Britton

A short but memorable time.

My memories of Hullbridge go back to 1957 but unfortunately do not span the many years that some of your other contributors are able to call upon.
My Grandmother, Mary Huke, moved to the Tower caravan park from Dagenham in 1955 along with her son William Huke. Uncle Bill had lost his wife in 1954 and I think this prompted the move to start a new life. My other Uncle and Aunt, James and Jessie Judge were already living on the park having moved from Elm Park in the same year.

At the beginning of 1957 I moved in with Nan and Uncle Bill into their caravan on a small side field on the Tower park. No running water, gaslamps for lighting and not,by todays standards, much more than a holiday caravan. But for a 9 year old, Hullbridge was the most wonderful place to be.
The Park, as I remember, was less crowded than it seems today, indeed, I recall quite open spaces between the vans and fantastic views out onto and over the Crouch.

Looking across all those years ago I remember seeing few houses, the prominent feature being the radar installation across the river.

I was enrolled at Hullbridge School on 19th February 1957, I cannot remember the teachers name but I think the class may have been held in perhaps a portakabin? There I met my best friend for the duration, Jeffrey Caton. We had a wonderful time, making dens, swimmimg in the river and falling in love (from a distance!) with a girl I think named Carol Kerry. We made many other friends but their names escape me now.

I recall pinching my Uncle Bills ciggies and then smoking them behind the community bath house - oh dear!
The Park was a wonderful community, communal bonfire nights, barn dances are all recalled as was the character Beattie who would deliver packages or newspapers on a childs tricycle.

Whilst I was there Uncle Jim hooked up the caravan to electricity, somehow I missed the glow and hiss of the gaslamps.

I returned to Dagenham about the August of 1957 and although I visited Hullbridge periodically for the next few years nothing could be as wonderful as those few short months spent there in 1957.