Recently I searched for old photographs of Hemel Hempstead on the Internet and came across this site which bought back so many memories of growing up there in the 70’s. It is worth a look if you too remember how it used to be, some classic shots amongst them.
On a trip back last year I was amazed how much Hemel has changed but then I can think back quite a way and guess most towns change a LOT in 30 odd years. It was a new town in the green belt in the 1960’s (this photo was taken by Dad in 1961) and the aspirations were clear and quite quaint when you look back now. A couple of my friends have continued to live in the area and probably don’t notice the changes the way I do… although I did get favourable comments that there is now a decent department store in the form of a new Debenhams!
Here are some of the shops I remember which won’t interest you if you don’t know Hemel or don’t like shopping!! The shops I most remember in the Marlowes are Peacocks which was a decorating store selling wallpaper and general DIY goods. The purple peacock logo caught my eye above the window and there was many a trip there on Saturdays with my parents. That was near the magic roundabout end and on that corner was a large WHSmiths (Blockbusters video shop when I last saw it). Beyond was the green and wall where we’d wait for the bus. The Seafarer Restaurant nearby was great with it’s bright orange seats and canteen-like service. We’d go there for fish & chips during school holidays. I most remember the walls which had large bronze effect wall murals of what I took to be either Bodica and her chariots with horses galloping in front or something to do with “In The Hall Of The Mountain King”. They were stunning when I was at that impressionable age and I can still picture them so clearly – perhaps they were actually cheap plastic things, who knows.
Further up on the same side, Garlands was full of exciting ornaments and gadgets. That was the first place I saw those big clocks with ball bearings moving around to tell the time. Then was Taylor & McKenna (light blue & white logo), a toy and model shop. Dad used to go upstairs as there was a great choice of those small enamel paint pots with coloured lids he liked to use, they had a very recognisable smell. He also bought clay for modelling, diecast figures and model plane kits. Next to that shop was an open bit, slightly recessed, with a pond and fountain. I think there were some mosaic murals round the side of fishes. There was a ramp going round the back which we walked up to get to the Wimpy Burger Bar. Ahh, Wimpy, home of many holiday treats. I always wanted, but could never finish, the Knickerbocker Glory!! Then there were some more shops I can’t remember, a big open area, then Boots and Sainsburys. This open area had seats around and was a popular place to stop for a rest. Boots was where my Auntie worked for a while and I remember seeing her on the front tills in her uniform but not wanting to disturb her! She must have loved that kind of job as she enjoyed chatting with people so much. Before that she worked in the old Co-Op building near the multistorey car park. Boots is where I first remember being let loose around town with a friend. The first single I bought was in there, of all things “It’s My Party And I’ll Cry If I Want To” by Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin, perhaps I shouldn’t admit to that 😮 We’d also spend ages around the make-up counter.
Memories of Sainsburys revolve around their old sturdy brown paper bags with the orange logo on and several favourite things to buy – twiglets in the old Peak Frean packaging and toffee apples hiding amongst the boring fruit and crisps. I had a mishap in Sainsburys when very small. Mum sat me in the front of the trolley and went further down the isle to buy something. I decided to lean out to pick something off a shelf and tipped the whole trolley over!! It must have made quite a crash and shocked Mum no end… although upset, I walked away unscathed.
Then came the “high pavement” bit, not a lot up there but I did have my ears pierced in the hairdressers. Crossing over from Sainsburys there was a downstairs sweet shop, possibly Maynards, with a restaurant upstairs that we went into regularly for toasted teacakes and coffee (now a pizza restaurant?). Up a bit further was the open air market. I enjoyed wandering round there many Saturdays and bought several fashion statements of the time including a maroon leather jacket, those clear blue plastic macs (very fetching) and teabag shoes. I distinctly recall all the two tone clothes hanging up and hearing Fat Larry’s Band playing “Zoom” so I guess that was early 80’s. Woolworths is the only shop still further down I think. It used to be a much better shop and the photo booth was always a pull – the photos to prove it are somewhere in my scrapbooks ready to embarrass various friends. Was The Living Room nightclub next door? I never did go there as I left Hemel before I was at that age but it was popular with Longdean’s sixth form.
Craftsmith was the best ever arts and crafts shop on one side of Bank Court. It had an upstairs that went part way over the centre of the court and I’d often buy things in there. On the other side of the court was Raynes, an (even then) old fashioned women’s clothes shop. There was a display window on the corner in front of the doorway where I used to play hide and seek every time we passed when very young! The only other shop I really remember was the fishmongers near the end. It always had weird things in the window like big prawns and pink Taramoslata, loved the name so memorised that before I knew what it was. Inside they had fish tanks around the walls high up so I liked watching those enough to put up with the smell when we went in. At the end on that side stood the Wagon & Horses pub, perhaps the Co Op building was after that. Then who can forget the big multi storey car park in Moor End Road with the famous orange and yellow ball revolving on the top.
The water gardens were lovely, we mostly parked at that end where there were trees between each row of cars. We crossed a bridge over the river and I often took our stale bread to feed the ducks and swans there. There were a few shops in Waterhouse Street, one had a working model of a railway in the window which always fascinated me. I mustn’t forget to include the Dacorum Pavillion, home of many local Ideal Home Shows which I loved even at that age! I guess there was a goodie bag and a few stalls which appealed to me. It was always bustly with lots to see, people demonstrating new things you hadn’t seen before. We went at other times but can I remember what for now. The last event I saw there was Leo Sayer in concert, the building brought back so many memories with the different levels and open areas in between the entrances to the main hall and stage. I picture the decoration as being lots of burgundy velvet curtain and gold details.
We also went to the Odeon cinema frequently, alas no longer there, and had dinner in Seapride next door afterwards. This photo was taken from a website, alas not by me!
In summer holidays Mum and I would often walk along the footpath through the water gardens beside the River Gade to an area further up where there was a large pond. I’d take my fishing net and bucket and catch tiny fishes… which I put back of course (just found the pic below which brings back some happy memories). There was also a playground with fantastic castle walls to climb on, it even had ramparts which were tricky to walk along. There is a picture of this area on the website mentioned above but surely it was much much bigger than that!!
Further up was the large playground on the other side of Warners End Road and behind the Registry Office. 
A great place in the summer as there was an open swimming pool, climbing frame, swings, seesaw, and the infamous rocking horse I fell over the front off when very small. There was a tunnel through the hillside, a big round concrete hole leading through to the main part of Gadebridge park, very exciting to run through or over at that age. The park itself was lovely, home to the fun fair in the hols and a bowling club area. St Mary’s Church, still lovely, sits to one side with its walled gardens.
The Old Town I loved even before doing Local Studies in the 1st year of Longdean. At that time we took rubbings of the pastoral plates beside the doorways, learnt about the origins of the name Hemel Hempstead and who invented the Quern made out of Hertfordshire Pudding Stone. Some memories never fade! There was a great Wagons art shop up there but the best shop was the pet shop, or was it purely a tropical fish shop? I always stood in front of the fish tanks fascinated by the red and blue Japanese Fighting fish who couldn’t be in the same tank as each other and the scary Scorpion fish who’s tentacles could kill. I could watch them for hours so guess I love fish!!
When Steve visited recently he reminded me about how the water gardens used to extend further towards the Dacorum. Apparently they ruined the site over 20 years ago ready for development, that never happened and the grounds were left in a mess and all barricaded up. Now the whole area has been redeveloped and they have reintroduced something very similar – better late than never. There was a pond up that end as well and now I remember an underpass and the fact that you walked through it all on the way to the sports centre.
That’s about all for the town centre itself. When I had a rabbit we’d visit Piccotts End Mill, a little further out of town. You turned off the road, crossed the River Gade, into a large open space where usually a sheepdog or two would be waiting. The old mill was to the left and to the right was a large barn. We mainly went for straw, hay and dog biscuits but I used to look at the horsey stuff when I went through the “Mum I want a pony” stage!! The river had bullrushes and watercress growing at the edges, a very pretty place reminiscent of older times.
At the other end of town in Station Road was the Art Centre where I went during half term a couple of times. A lovely old building with rickety floors. Always children’s crafts in the window. I did some painting and can’t for the life of me remember what else or who I went with. Next to that is a pub, still there, called “Ye Old Projectionist” which has lots of cinema related things. Nearby is the Dacorum Sports Centre where I used to go swimming often. I haven’t seen it since the big refurbishment. At one time I went to classes and we went with the school as well. There was an outside pool which great fun in summer and always very busy. If anyone wants to set me straight on any mis-rememberings or has more to add, please put your comments below.
233 Responses
March 31st, 2018 at 12:15 am
i used to be the fabric buyer for Craftsmith and the Hemel Hempstead branch was the first of a few dotted all over the country. i used to walk from the station to the shop and took a short cut across a meadow full of cows hahahah happy days indeed.
March 31st, 2018 at 3:16 am
How lovely Richard! Craftsmith inspired my early creativity, it was a fantastic shop. I seem to remember a quirky bit of floor space being a walkway across the Bank Court entrance?
October 4th, 2018 at 8:06 pm
There was also a cycle shop next to the CO-OP with a walk way in between. It was the one before Don Farrell took over the shop in 1963
Anyone know its name ( around 1961)
October 5th, 2018 at 3:24 am
Not sure I remember the name, but there was a cycle shop on the raised part of the shopping centre further along on the right hand side. I went in there and I bought a bike there with my Father when I was 15 or so. Triumph bike. Replacement for one that got stolen from a cycle rack opposite the entrance to John Dickinson and Company where I had started working. The police at Hemel Hempstead got it back, but I had bought another one by then.
There was an Express Dairy shop near the cycle shop I remember.
Brian George.
October 5th, 2018 at 3:43 am
Just realised you are talking about an earlier time period than 1965 for the cycle shop than I remember.
Brian
January 27th, 2019 at 4:43 pm
I lived with my parents and brother above Barclays Bank, shown in the main photo, from 1958 to 1973. We used to plant up the flower bed visible at the front of the bank and played around the water gardens as children
January 27th, 2019 at 4:58 pm
Oh that’s lovely, thank you for sharing your memories.
April 3rd, 2019 at 3:24 pm
Hellloooo….
Anyone got any idea what happened to Karen Head? I went out with her when I was 15 (early 1970’s..71 / 72). She attended Longlands School. I know she lived in Windmill Road with her husband and kids a long time ago and I bumped into her now and again up to around 15 years ago, then she vanished.
She’d be around 61 or 62 I think now. Another ex of mine who vanished was Christine Trotter who used to live in Leverstock Green in Micklefield Road…She’d be in her late 50’s I think.
Martin
April 6th, 2019 at 8:49 pm
I lived in Bennett’s end 1960 to 1987. Attended longdean school 1971 till 1976. Move to Arizona in 1986 and been here ever since. Those pictures certainly bring back fond memories. thanks for posting.
April 7th, 2019 at 10:27 pm
Hello Martin,
I went to the Bennets End Secondary Modern school, later called Mountbatten Comprehensive. Didn’t like it much. Lot of bullying went on. Left in 1965 at the age of 15. Went to work at John Dickinson and Company Ltd, Apsley Mills. The Mechanised Accounting Dept which used Power Samas and ICL punch card and tabulating machines to churn out the invoices. My late Mother worked elsewhere in the Mills as a Supervisor in the offices there. Over 18 years she was there for.
The Secondary Modern school at Bennets End was built as part of the New Towns Commission building programme as I recall. Their headmaster was a Mr Fowler who came from Nottingham. They had an Arts teacher called Mr Atkinson. A Deputy Head called, I think, Mr Gardiner. Or Gardner. He tried to get me interested in a few things. They had the CSE or General Certificate of Education.
I was in the Rugby team they had for the school. Wing Three Quarter. I think we were quite successful but I don’t really recall now all the schools we played against.
My own employment history is on the website if you look up my name.
Nice to speak to you!
Regards
Brian.
April 8th, 2019 at 9:55 am
Hi Brian
I think I would have been in the same year as you but I left in 1966 and transferred to Apsley Grammar School next door to Bennetts End. I don’t remember you but it was a big school really. The head was (you were right) Cyril Fowler. The deputy head when we first started there was Mr Dunkley who then got a headship somewhere else. The new deputy was a Mr Ghent and following him was Mr Diane, who was in fact still there when my daughter started the school. Miss Deans was the headmistress followed by Miss Sinclair later
The art teacher you are right was Mr Atkinson, who was a horrible man who called every e by their surnames or substituted their names for ones such as Tinribs! He was very keen on black and white sculptures made from old junk metal, strips of hessian and plaster of Paris. There was another art teacher called Mr Richardson, who also taught italic handwriting.
We had a brilliant Mths teacher when I started called Mr Peter Springett. We were terrified of him initially but he was a brilliant teacher. Music teacher Mr Calladine followed by Mr Sampson. Mr Bingham – Geography and Miss Coles but I don’t think she lasted long. Mr Roland – French, he was excellent too, Miss Rymer English, Mr Matthews English also brilliant, followed by Mr Carruthers. There was a horrible history teacher called Mr Hall, he arrived after Mr Shirrrah left. Science was Mr Day, rather volatile, Mr Wheeler and Miss Pocock for Biology. She was followed by a Miss Montgomery. There was Mr Bride the metalwork teacher and Mr Collins the woodwork teacher. Mrs Barbara Collins the needlework teacher, another needlework teacher but I can’t remember her name. For Domestic Science we had Mrs Day and Miss Jordan. I think I can remember most of them.
I was very keen on hockey and made the first 11 in the first year, which was a bit of an achievement I think.
I have to say I was very happy there. I am a teacher myself and now live in Cyprus. Nice to reminisce sometimes.
April 8th, 2019 at 10:04 pm
Hello Pam,
re the names you mention.
I remember Mr Bride the Metalwork teacher. I had the idea of building a go kart. Hopelessly beyond my aspirations I have to say. I was always in their drilling holes and things on this piece of angle iron I fantasized was part of the chassis of the mythical go kart. Heaven knows what I thought I was doing. I remember the metalwork room very well, especially the brazier in the corner. Mr Bride never seemed to question people as to what they did. Including me. Don’t know why.
Mr Ghent you mention as the deputy head. Well I thought it was Gardner, but now you come to mention it the name Ghent does ring a bell. Quite a tall well built man as I recall.
As for the metalwork images and Mr Atkinson. All I remember was that he wanted us to painy bowls of fruit, usually hanging up in the rafters.
I went around with a chap called Chris, and another called David. The latter went to live in Deal, Kent as I recall. We called each other the three musketeers when at school. Amateur Radio was all the rage. Chris was very into Morse Code. I built radios from kits of parts after I left school. Used to get practical wireless magazine. Which I have bought a number of copies of recently for old times sake. Very good.
At Bennets End there was an English teacher, tall thin chap whose name I forget. I wrote an article on radios and he thought I had copied it from Practical Wireless. I was writing about crystal radios at the time. I should have challenged him over his attitude. I can remember his superior mocking tone even now. Should have reported him really.
It sounds as though your experiences were a lot more conducive than mine. But memory plays tricks (on my part anyway).
Nice to talk to you.
Regards
Brian.
April 9th, 2019 at 9:59 am
Hi Brian
Thanks for your reply. Yes, I think you should’ve challenged that teacher on his comments and attitude. Mr Matthews was quite tall with grey hair and a moustache. I don’t think that it could’ve been him but there again, you never know. I think he left at the end of our t hird year. There was another English teacher called Mr Baker, he taught me English literature and I think he may have been half Indian. Who knows? But he could have a superior, mocking tone at times. He lived in Leverstock Green I think. I noticed that Mr Daine came out as Mr Diane before when I wrote. Should’ve checked the autocorrect!
I think I’d need your friends’ surnames for me to remember them. I do remember a David Adams, David Lesage, good at football, and a David Hingston. I used to go around with Valerie Sunasky, Carol Wallington, Christine Hopkins and sometimes Jean Barker.
Talking about your magazine, I managed to find a copy of a book that I had when I was about 5! I’d given it to my Godson but when he grew out of it his mum threw it away!!! Anyway I tracked one down through Abebooks and bought it. It was a pop-up book called ‘The adventures of Tuffy’, about a little cat. Anyway I got it back so I’m very happy. Some people never grow up do they?
Anyway Brian, great talking to you too.
June 24th, 2019 at 1:04 pm
The model shop in Waterhouse street (No 61) with the model railway in the window was my father’s. Previously it had been a British Relay TV shop (I think British Relay had re-located from Marlowes prior to expiring completely)
Our shop was the original “Hemel Model Centre” and was next door to Northern Electrics. Other enterprises re-used very similar names later on in the old High Street and in Gadebridge if I recall. I still have a few small items with our “Hemel Model Centre” price tickets on them.
Model and Allied Publications, the publishers of most of the modelling magazines had offices in Bridge Street (above Karen’s and the bakers, the name of which temporarily escapes me!) and a plan printing facility in Alexander Road. One of my summer holiday jobs was to go and collect plans ordered via our shop from the printers.
It was a general model shop selling mostly model aircraft, model railways and model boats. I spent many a happy hour building plastic model kits that were displayed inside and serving customers who were quite surprised by the knowledge of their rather short, young shop assistant!
I don’t suppose anyone has any photographs that include the shop do they?
June 25th, 2019 at 11:42 am
Hello Alan, thanks for writing and sharing your interesting memories. How I loved looking in your window and watching the model railway! My Dad bought aircraft kits from your shop. I will ask friends if they have any photos, it would be lovely to find one.
February 4th, 2020 at 9:47 pm
Does anyone remember the Tranah family we lived in Adeyfield gardens 1964-1970
May 13th, 2020 at 1:23 pm
Hi really interesting seeing the comments about Hemel specially Bennetts End SM where I was until I left in 1967. Pam Christou brought back so many memories of the teachers most good and a few not so good, especially Mr Hall who was an absolute bully. My House was Caxton, loved the sports endured the rest ?
August 27th, 2020 at 5:57 pm
Baccy Patterson I remember you. Went to longdean with you, Jeff palmer, sue Cook, Rob cardin etc
September 16th, 2020 at 10:24 pm
Hi does anyone remember the Tranah family they lived in Adeyfield gardens 1963 1969?
October 23rd, 2020 at 5:01 pm
I lived in Montgomery avenue in the 70’s I went to Maylands Junior school and then to Adeyfield School although I only spent the first year there before we upped and moved out of Hemel.
I remember going to Cuffely camp on a trip with Maylands and our teacher was Mr Blyth, he was nice, I remember people in my class Lynne flowers, debbie, simon townsend neil colmer paul taylior and more.
My brothers Michael and Gregory went to the same school both in year younger than me,
Once my youngest brother Michael dropped a bottle of Lemonade just as we left the shop across from the Toyshop and a sweet old ladygave us 11p so as we could get another one. That was the day when all bottles were glass.
I believe the kind lady lived on Longlands roador a name like that.
I often miss Hemel and being a kid Iwas very happy there and I still often lookit up on the map and streetview and pretend I am back there….
November 28th, 2020 at 5:54 pm
Hi Lester, don’t know if you remember me, Geoff Bonsor. I remember you was a good friend of Ian Reynolds? Hope you are well and safe out in the USA.
January 30th, 2021 at 9:50 pm
Hello to anyone who is still interested,
I was born at St Paul’s hospital in December 1950.
Both of my grandfathers were from Bedmond and my mother was born in Leverstock Green at 29 Leverstock Green Cotttages so we are truly a local family.
Apart from me who bravely moved to Watford in the early 1970’s my entire family still lives in Hemel.
The only one who made a break from it was my brother David who went to Canada for about a year shortly after his first marriage. Sadly that did not work out too well so he returned to where his heart was and still lives there!
February 5th, 2021 at 10:25 pm
Hi my sister went to jfk late 60s early 70s her name was Suzanne plackett she loved history the teacher was a woman surname began vi anyway it formed a great love of history my sis was a great hockey player too I was born tilekiln crescent treacle bumpstead great to hear all ur memories
March 12th, 2021 at 6:20 pm
Wonderful shared memories
Gadebridge Park
The Royal Oak
Old High Street
The Barn playing Deep Purple
Until we all got sick of it
Remember ??
May 10th, 2021 at 3:24 pm
Wow! I am so pleased to have stumbled onto this website. Pam Christou really jogged my memory with the teachers names. I’m creating a diary of my life to date and filling in the spaces where I’m able to. I arrived into the 2nd year 1964, having moved out of London that summer. I was in U23 and apart from the bullying from Ronald Stride, I loved every minute of it. I was awarded a form prize later in 1965. In 1966 a progress prize and an award of merit in 1967. I lost my heart whilst at school to Sandra Wood. I wonder where she is now?
One teachers name not mentioned so far was John Nisbet, PE teacher and chain smoker. I was good with the art subjects as well as sport. The academic side I caught up with later during my apprenticeship at John Dickinsons. I was friends with Peter Jones, who had a passion to be a zoo keeper. Did he realise that wish?
May 23rd, 2021 at 8:35 am
Hello all,
Fantastic.. loved reading people’s accounts of their ‘back in the day’ memories of Hemel… Magical days growing up..
So many happy times as a young kid… Playing footy in the streets, climbing trees, going Briary Way playing footy all day , cricket in the summer, walking to town with mates to Saturday morning pictures, having that hope that the girl from another school would look around…. She never did!!
As the years go by can’t recall all names & would love to touch base with anyone else with more Hemel memories, particularly those attending Mayland’s infant & Juniors 1970-77 & Adeyfield 1977-82?).
Teachers at Mayland’s… Mrs Harris, Mrs Stapsley? Mr. McKey? Mr. Barker…the head?
Last day of summer term, and my last day at Mayland’s when they had a Head Boy/Head Girl and prefects…(Scott, Keller, & two others??)t he Head summoned every one into the main assembly hall following a mass organized ‘oyster’ on the school fields.Thete was also the ‘blue wall’ to stand in front as punishment.
Half a dozen kids or so were cherry and told to stand up picked one by one in front of the entire school, trembling knees, as Mr. Barker selected the chosen few.. that was a squeaky bum time, one I got away with. Then secondary school with the promise for year 1’s having your head flushed down the loo & having a wedgy.
Mr Spray , his weapon of choice the slipper & the head the cane. Anyway, all the best.
July 30th, 2021 at 6:06 pm
so nice to see all these comments about Hemel in the old days, I am a comparative newcomer to Hemel (1985) but even since then I have seen a lot of changes in the town, most of them not for the better, the Shell building was already closed, remember some of the old shops too as a lot of them were still there then. Does anyone remember the Greek restaurant called Acropolis which(if I remember rightly) was on the elevated section where the Wimpy bar was, or what the shop was called where Wilkinson’s is now in the Marlowes Centre, it was a kind of gift shop that sold all sorts of lovely things (I bought a standard candelabra there which I still have), after it closed there was a C & A there for a while before that too disappeared! Was sad to see the closure of Peter Percy, they seemed to have been there since the year dot, the only original shop left now seems to be Peter Spivey, even the Guru Tandoori in Bridge Street went to the wall, (they had been there since about 1975) altho’I think it has now reopened under a different name. When we first came to Hemel we rented our TV from Radio Rentals in the Marlowes, when the Marlowes centre first opened, one of the first potential shops was a nail bar and spa but it never actually materialised, instead it became the Virgin store which we visited a lot on Saturday mornings to look at the videos. I also remember the Co Op, Dixons, Rumbelows, Chelsea Girl, the Boots Kitchen ware shop (approx where the pawn shop is now), the Electricity showroom next to Greggs on the corner of the Market Square (we bought a wall heater from there), WH Smiths when it was on the corner of Selden Hill (after they moved it briefly became a charity shop), later Blockbuster Video on the same site. If memory serves there was a lighting shop at one time on the Market Square.
August 19th, 2021 at 1:30 pm
Having a nostalgic trawl of the internet and came across this site. Some wonderful recollections that I remember well. I attended Highfield School (66-71) before it was levelled for housing and Students transferred to Astley Cooper in Grovehill (Arch enemies before).
September 9th, 2021 at 9:07 pm
Amazing memories of teachers, incredible how we still remember them.
Mr Dane Bennett’s end sc gave me a life time love of literature.
Still a rebel!
January 14th, 2023 at 1:17 pm
Great read
It was a fantastic place We came in 63 left in 95 and returned 05. It was a wonderful place to live. It’s sad what it’s like now I wish I’d appreciated it more.
The old town was a place of wonder
February 14th, 2023 at 10:23 pm
I was born in St. Paul’s Hospital in 1954 and lived in Peascroft Road in Bennetts End. I attended Hobbs Hill Infant School which incidentally I hated. We then moved into our own house in Orchard Close in Adeyfield where I attended Maylands Infant and junior schools, both excellent schools. I then attended Adeyfield school. After leaving school I worked for Computer Technology Ltd and then for British Rail. Whilst on a backpack Tour through the USA I met my husband and have been happily married to him for 40 years in the Black Forest in Germany.
I still have lovely memories of Hemel which was a great place to live back then. I remember the old railway bridge that spanned Marlowes quite well and its demolition in 1960. I also remember watching the steam trains on Roughdown Common. We used to go swimming in Churchills outdoor Pool which was unheated in those days and also attended Saturday morning pictures at the Odeon cinema. Talking of cinemas I have vague recollections of the old Princess cinema before it was pulled down. I can still remember a few of the older buildings in Marlowes before they too were demolished to make way for the new town. The Olde Kings Arms in the High Street was a favourite haunt of mine as was the Curry Centre in Waterhouse Street. Those were happy days.
June 3rd, 2023 at 10:37 am
I remember Burtons dance studio, it was used for RSG’s (Ready Steady Go) on a Thursday night. The best times ever…
November 29th, 2023 at 3:45 pm
Hi
Does anyone remember the name of the coffee bar in Bridge Street in early 60s??
Not the Spring Chicken – that was round the corner in Bridge Street.
Thank you
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