Abridge

Read and share memories of Abridge and Essex inspired by Frith photos

Living in Abridge by Carol Gook

My parents, Rene and Freddie Gook moved to Abridge in the mid fifties. They were eastenders who belonged to a cycling club and used to visit Abridge at weekends - their destination was Brighty's cafe. They were captivated by the village's charm, and bought one of the new bungalows, we lived at 5 Alderwood Drive.
My Mum had a job in the city and would commute to work on the no 10a bus, my Dad was an electrician and travelled to wherever he was working on his motor bike. I was born in 1967, closely followed by my two brothers... I remember my Dad extending the tiny bungalow to fit us all in!

I remember Brighty's little sweet ...read more here
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Growing up in Abridge - roger walker

We moved to Abridge in 1948, I was 8 years old, with mum and dad Pat and Stan Walker.  We lived at no 41 Pancroft Estate later re numbered 45.  My early memories of the little villiage was of Brighty's shop and cafe where all the cyclists use to stop for refreshments.  It was the dad Burt and son Fred  and I think it was his mother who looked like a gypsy.  She used to sit behind the counter with a little old clay pipe in her mouth and above the counter was a big wooden beam with a spur hanging from it.  Fred used to say he found it out in the fields the other side of the river. ...read more here
Contributed by roger walker

Abridge picture A106012

This photo appears at the back of Essex Living Memories. The two ladies in the foreground with the prams appear familiar - The lady on the left may be Mrs Peagram with her son Colin in the pram. The couple with the child in the pushchair outside the butchers looks like and could actually be my parents and me. They might have just stepped off the No.10 bus the back of which you can see parked by the Blue Boar Pub on the left. At the time this photo would have been taken we weren't yet living in the village, but my parents formed the Leyton Self-Build Group which started with 100 members but was left with ...read more here

Abridge picture A106012

This photo appears at the back of Essex Living Memories. The two ladies in the foreground with the prams appear familiar - The lady on the left may be Mrs Peagram with her son Colin in the pram. The couple with the child in the pushchair outside the butchers looks like and could actually be my parents and me. They might have just stepped off the No.10 bus the back of which you can see parked by the Blue Boar Pub on the left. At the time this photo would have been taken we weren't yet living in the village, but my parents formed the Leyton Self-Build Group which started with 100 members but was left with ...read more here