Memories of Hullbridge (1)
As told by Gillian Martin (nee Marr):
"I was born in Hullbridge in March 1964. My parents had moved to Mapledene Avenue in 1963. It was a brand new house. The plans showed it to be part of the Hilltop Estate and the road was provisionally called Riverview Gardens but perhaps the name was changed when it was apparent that the River Crouch was not visible from the properties!
On the day I was born my father took my 3 year old brother round to Pellings in Ferry Road to buy him something to keep him amused. He bought a second hand wind up gramophone complete with 2 records. My mother spent her labour listening to repeat after repeat of “Kiss me, Sugar Sugar, Kiss me...” The midwife who delivered me was called Mrs Dark and she enjoyed a dinner, cooked by my Dad, after I was safely born. I was christened in September 1964 at the Hullbridge Free Church on Lower Road.
My mother was a nurse and she worked in the village surgery which was attached to the house owned by the Doctors Kendall in Ferry Road. She worked there for a number of years eventually moving into the purpose-built surgery further along Ferry Road. We often had callers at the door asking for her advice out of surgery hours.
I remember going to a play-school in the village hall during the 1960s. My mother would drop me off there before going to work at the doctors’ surgery. I also remember attending dancing classes at the Miss Elizabeth School of Dancing which were also held in the village hall with a very patient man playing the piano for Miss Elizabeth. There were various shows produced by Miss Elizabeth and I remember a dressmaker in the village called Mrs Duro making a lot of the outfits. I have a hazy memory that Mrs Duro was also involved with the play-school.
I started at the Riverside Primary School in 1969. I can remember that my Dad was part of a team who built the swimming pool at the school. He had a cine film of the volunteers digging out the pool and was very committed that all the children living in a village with a river running through it should learn how to swim. I had very happy times at the school before moving to the Park School in 1975. I remember various teachers including Mrs Spicer, Mrs Fairbrass, and of course the headmaster Mr Hardy.
I enjoyed cycling and walking around the village as a child. I remember several unmade roads with lots of chalets and caravans rather than conventional houses. In one of the caravans lived Beattie, a dwarf who worked in the post office. I seem to remember that Anthony Armstrong-Jones came to the village to make a documentary about dwarves, featuring Beattie, which was shown on TV.
At the corner of Mayfield Avenue and Ferry Road was a sweet shop called “The Mayfield” where we used to get quarter pounds of various sweets as a treat. I believe that it had been or still was a club but I can only remember it as a sweet shop. The newsagent shop in Ferry Road was owned by Mr Long who always greeted my brother and me with the phrase:
“It is many moons and many winters since I saw you last”
I presume he did the same to all the children!
Another shop I remember going to was Mrs Wortley’s. She sold wool, shoes, and clothes among other items. Mrs Wortley was also a leading light with the Brownies and Guides and I can remember attending both of these groups at the Church Hall in Thorpedene Avenue. I presume that the Church and Church Hall were built in the late 60’s or early 70’s as I don’t have earlier memories of them. I have already mentioned Pellings in Ferry Road which sold second hand furniture and riding clothes.
Catering was limited to Ferry Fisheries and The Anchor Pub in those days – I can’t remember anywhere else which served food or drink.
The river was a major source of pleasure for our family. My Dad built a Mirror Dinghy in the garage and then joined Hullbridge Yacht Club. We all learnt to sail and spend many happy hours on the Crouch.
In conclusion, I have happy memories of growing up as a child in Hullbridge. It felt safe and secure and we had freedom to cycle around the streets, visiting friends, and having fun."