I lived in Arundel Road with my family from around 1950. There was a house with a lake and houseboat at the back of our land. We had to boil our water in a copper for baths, it was outside in a little outbuilding and we had to light a fire under it. Our water came from a well in the garden. I went to New Thundersley Primary and was taught by Miss Adkins. I am now living back almost in the spot where I grew up, just off Arundel Road.
The black and white photos of Arundel Road were taken when it had just been cleared for building work and the coloured ones, taken in 1976, are of the road when building work was completed. It looks a little different now as the telephone box is no longer there and the post box has been moved.
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To Hannah
I lived next door to your great grandfather, Tom, until I married and moved to Mandeville Way. Just prior to my father passing away, negotiations were under way to sell ‘Ashwood’ and my father’s property to developers. Unfortunately he passed away before negotiations had completed and also Terry (who was dealing with ‘Ashwood’ passed not long after.
The negotiations were taken over by Terry’s wife and my brother and a cul-de-sac was developed and it is called Ashwood. My mother needed somewhere to move to so instead of a house in the close, a bungalow was built and she lived there for many years. On her passing in 2017, I sold my house and purchased the bungalow from her estate, so I have almost come full circle ! The bungalow actually sits on the land known as ‘Ashwood’, Green Oaks remained in situ for some time after the development, but was finally demolished and two detached properties built on the site at the front and one to the rear. The old oak tree remains as I believe there is a protection order on it, plus I love watching the birds going in and out of it. My garden actually backs onto the garden of Green Oaks. I have photos of the house before it was demolished and more recently showing the new properties.
I hope you found this a little informative as I believe it is really good to preserve memories of years past
Terry Harding was my father. Sadly he died in 1997 when I was 22 years old, not long after the death of his uncle Tom who lived next door to my grandparents.
Trevor, my dad’s youngest brother moved away from the area, but Michael (Mick) remained local.
The house Green Oaks was built by my grandfather Alf Harding, and lived in by my grandparents (Alf and Vi) until their deaths. They built the house next door to ‘Ashwood’ – a small bungalow built and occupied by my grandmother’s parents (Thomas and Mabel) and their son (Vi’s brother Tom).
I have happy childhood memories of weekends spent at my grandparents house, climbing trees, running around the field behind my uncles house.
It’s nice that people remember my family.
Terry was my grandfather, I would have loved to have met him and talked about the farm they used to live on.
Steven Barnett you mentioned the Harding family and yes I knew them all. Their grandfather (Tom Arnold) lived in a little bungalow next to my mum and dad’s and their mother was the daughter of Tom Arnold. She had a house built on part of her father’s land known as Green Oaks. Terry unfortunately passed away on the same ward as my dad some years ago. I am not sure, but I know Michael lived in Orchard Road (off Arundel Road) and played in a band. Not sure if he is still there though. I knew them quite well when I was growing up in Arundel Road when it was little more than a track.
I have no comment except I wonder if anyone has any recollection of the Harding family. They built a house on the left as you face west, it was built around 1960, three brothers, Terry, Michael and Trevor.
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