Images of Benfleet from the collection of Pauline Adams

A selection of photos, postcards and prints courtesy of Simon Watson

Pauline Adams is one of many people over the years that we have to thank for taking an interest in local history. The debt we owe the likes of H E Priestley, George A Robinson, C P Kean, Henry Clubb, the Barnes family, James Dugdale, Walter Bingham, the Wines family, the Matsons, Iris Sugg and many more is immense.

Whether it was research undertaken or collecting material relating to Benfleet or taking photos or leaving memoirs, their efforts have provided a solid foundation for our generation’s input. Pauline was both secretary and treasurer of the Benfleet and District Historical Society at various times.  Some of the images will be familiar …others less so, I suspect.

There remain a few where the location is not clear so any help will be welcome…

Church Corner
Coming across
Knightley's
Five Elms
Waiting to cross
Up the West End
Up the East End
Unusual view of the Anchor
Typical black-boarded creekside cottage
A country lane, Benfleet
Cyclist with child and dog
My best guess is that this is approaching Hope Road from Hopes Green - suggestions welcome
Bottom of Vicarage Hill. Cottage on left still there
Snowy scene, but where?
Heading for the bottom of Vicarage Hill
Methodist church in the Endway (now Essex Way)
East Street
Endway Cottages
Regatta?
Church Corner
Benfleet waterfront
Steps up to the churchyard
The ferry
The Endway?
The hard or helmet
The ferry and passengers
High Street
An Endway Cottage
The Hoy Inn
High Road (London Road)
Watercolour of Benfleet Creek - artist unknown

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  • The photo named Typical black-boarded Creekside cottage, within the Pauline Adams collection is nothing of the sort. It is a view of the railway station keepers cottage at Benfleet station possibly Mid-late 1950’s early 1960’s. It is a view up Benfleet High Street towards the modern day station car park. The view is up High street towards the station (on the right-hand side, note the grey steel steps bridge over the railway lines, where the underpass now situated) The cottage was used by the station master and later the railway signal operator/sidings operator and for many years had an Blue enamel tobacco sign attached to the wall. Behind the cottage is where LTS railway had a coal yard and sidings. The wooden crossing gate over the railway-line to Canvey can clearly be seen at the top of photo. On the left of photo by the lamp-post is the now Station garage and Station Rd. I remember this scene vividly it brings back many childhood memories
    Thomas Johnson ©2021

    By Thomas Johnson (01/04/2021)

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