Thank you so much, Im 28 now but as a boy up until my late teens i would listen to stories of old grays from my grandmother who was born in 1929 and my grandfather in 1926. Brings back great memories for me. Rest in peace grandma. X
A little more ...... I was born in Charles Street Grays (opposite the entrance to the Rec) in 1950. Later (1957) we moved 100 yds up the road to Bridge Road where we ran a grocer's shop for many years. As children we played down by the beach and among the tall reeds that were eventually flattened to build the extension to Tilbury Docks and the flour mill. There was a huge Coop bakery just beyond the end of Bridge Road. My grandfather helped to build it. There was a Coop Milk bottling place and a Coop laundry down there too, just before Argent Street. I went to school at St Thomas'. Later, as a teenager I joined Grays Hall Youth Club. I spent almost every evening there For 3-4 years I dated the daughter of John Saxton, the most wonderful girl I ever knew. If I had my time again! I ran the Grays Hall A Team Football Club for many years. My first job at 16, was as a technician at Thurrock Tech. I worked there for 8 years and was sad to see it's demise. I was married (1973) at the Parish Church near the station. By then Grays had become a place you wanted to move away from. I did in 1974. I visited my mother there many times before she passed away. I have never been back. I never will. It is a foreign place now.
I grew up in 43 Thurloe Walk where I had been adopted by Violet and Herbert Squires in 1939. I banged a dustbin lid behind my father who was an Air Raid Warden to warn people to cover their windows with the black curtains so that they would not be bombed. I went to the Open Air School and afterwards to Quarry Hill Primary School then Grays Tech at the bottom of my street. I have very fond memories.
I was born and bred in Grays. I lived there from 1950-1974. Born at Charles Street, opposite the Rec, then 100 yards along the road to Bridge Road where we had a grocers shop. Grays was always the place that London dumped everything, including all those from bombed out housing in the East End. That's how my mother ended up there, moved down from Poplar. If you knew Eva Parker, remember her. She is a Saint.
Born in Purfleet in the ex WW2 German prison of war camp. Mum n Dad got a new council house in Stifford Clays. I remember all this in the video. You did miss the swimming pool on Grays beach and 25 College avenue The Dell a historic house. Grays has been completely taken over by immigrants now and it's no wonder many are selling up and moving away. Great pictures.
My mother was born in Grays on June 1, 1921 at 120 High Street according to her birth certificate. I looked it up on Google Maps and it doesn't look like the place exists anymore. I have a picture of the place from way back when. I was curious what became of the place. She emigrated to the US in the early 1930's but always considered herself English.
Lovely I was born there in1949 but escaped to Devon in1977 my mother was at the intermediate school during the early part of the war and my late wife was head girl at Palmers. Have been back a few times until my mother died in 2012 but I'm sorry it just seems to be such a shit hole now. Hardy any English being spoken the last time I wandered through the centre. I felt a stranger in my home town
A very melancholic film, so what went wrong? Grays to me, as an occasional visitor, seems to have some community spirit but the neglect is omnipresent. Clearly old industries have gone but surely being so close to London some types of business could prosper. Maybe Lakeside was unhelpful, all those shoppers, imagine if they were in Grays instead?
A lot of foreign people coming to the town and not taking care of it the way people who was born there did, it's almost like it's just a shopping centre not a town or a community
aww thankyou for your comment x sadly grays has taken a turn for the worse i grew up there also in stifford sad isnt it seems everywhere has the same story 😳
there are fish and chip places and loads of resturants and shops on the high street - such as - boots, choice,kfc, subway, burger king, greggs, morissons, select, wimpy, wilko, labels 4 less, peacock, holland and barrat and loads of other shops, the libary has a theatre andthe shows are good. When the last time you were in grays - because ive lived in grays for my whole life and its a nice place to grow up.
Cheeks im pleased to hear that it has improved i didnt mean any disrespect by my comment im a grays girl myself but u can't deny looking at the old photos that people were allot more smartly dressed back in the day more pride was taken there was allot more community spirit no litter etc thats all i meant but thats not just grays thats society everywhere more or less ☺
@@larastardust86x honestly,it has. i grew up there when i was newborn till 4. i still have family there but they always come to us as its so horrible. most of them are planning on moving away. i cannot believe how much it has deteriorated in the past 20 years. i did have plans to buy the old cinema and re open it but the area has taken a huge turn for the worst and i am no longer interested. :(
@@cheeks1 I'm sorry to say I lived in grays my whole life too and it has taken a turn for the worst crime is every increasing and I moved to Somerset two years ago and I can tell you taunton is a much better place people in grays are just so unfriendly and quite miserable as well yes you can have all the fancy shops and stuff but people will never change that is why I am thankful to be in Somerset praise God
Thank you so much,
Im 28 now but as a boy up until my late teens i would listen to stories of old grays from my grandmother who was born in 1929 and my grandfather in 1926.
Brings back great memories for me.
Rest in peace grandma. X
A little more ...... I was born in Charles Street Grays (opposite the entrance to the Rec) in 1950. Later (1957) we moved 100 yds up the road to Bridge Road where we ran a grocer's shop for many years. As children we played down by the beach and among the tall reeds that were eventually flattened to build the extension to Tilbury Docks and the flour mill. There was a huge Coop bakery just beyond the end of Bridge Road. My grandfather helped to build it. There was a Coop Milk bottling place and a Coop laundry down there too, just before Argent Street. I went to school at St Thomas'. Later, as a teenager I joined Grays Hall Youth Club. I spent almost every evening there For 3-4 years I dated the daughter of John Saxton, the most wonderful girl I ever knew. If I had my time again! I ran the Grays Hall A Team Football Club for many years. My first job at 16, was as a technician at Thurrock Tech. I worked there for 8 years and was sad to see it's demise. I was married (1973) at the Parish Church near the station. By then Grays had become a place you wanted to move away from. I did in 1974. I visited my mother there many times before she passed away. I have never been back. I never will. It is a foreign place now.
I grew up in 43 Thurloe Walk where I had been adopted by Violet and Herbert Squires in 1939. I banged a dustbin lid behind my father who was an Air Raid Warden to warn people to cover their windows with the black curtains so that they would not be bombed. I went to the Open Air School and afterwards to Quarry Hill Primary School then Grays Tech at the bottom of my street. I have very fond memories.
I was born and bred in Grays. I lived there from 1950-1974. Born at Charles Street, opposite the Rec, then 100 yards along the road to Bridge Road where we had a grocers shop. Grays was always the place that London dumped everything, including all those from bombed out housing in the East End. That's how my mother ended up there, moved down from Poplar. If you knew Eva Parker, remember her. She is a Saint.
george Parker was your shop opposite Phil Templers the hair dresser shop ?and holts the fish shop
@@donaldnicholls6202 It was. You remember it?
Born in Purfleet in the ex WW2 German prison of war camp. Mum n Dad got a new council house in Stifford Clays. I remember all this in the video. You did miss the swimming pool on Grays beach and 25 College avenue The Dell a historic house. Grays has been completely taken over by immigrants now and it's no wonder many are selling up and moving away. Great pictures.
I grew up in Purfleet, on the garrison Estate. Did your father serve as a guard at the camp?
A beautiful reflection of Grays.
Love this video
Thank you - so informative.
My mother was born in Grays on June 1, 1921 at 120 High Street according to her birth certificate. I looked it up on Google Maps and it doesn't look like the place exists anymore. I have a picture of the place from way back when. I was curious what became of the place. She emigrated to the US in the early 1930's but always considered herself English.
Lovely I was born there in1949 but escaped to Devon in1977 my mother was at the intermediate school during the early part of the war and my late wife was head girl at Palmers. Have been back a few times until my mother died in 2012 but I'm sorry it just seems to be such a shit hole now. Hardy any English being spoken the last time I wandered through the centre. I felt a
stranger in my home town
I was born there in 1950. Escaped to Yorkshire in 1974. You are right, it is now a dump for all the riff-raff from around the world.
Excellent, thank you
A very melancholic film, so what went wrong? Grays to me, as an occasional visitor, seems to have some community spirit but the neglect is omnipresent. Clearly old industries have gone but surely being so close to London some types of business could prosper. Maybe Lakeside was unhelpful, all those shoppers, imagine if they were in Grays instead?
A lot of foreign people coming to the town and not taking care of it the way people who was born there did, it's almost like it's just a shopping centre not a town or a community
aww thankyou for your comment x sadly grays has taken a turn for the worse i grew up there also in stifford sad isnt it seems everywhere has the same story 😳
it hasnt taken a turn 4 the worst - carters ( DESERT DINER ) just opened.
there are fish and chip places and loads of resturants and shops on the high street - such as - boots, choice,kfc, subway, burger king, greggs, morissons, select, wimpy, wilko, labels 4 less, peacock, holland and barrat and loads of other shops, the libary has a theatre andthe shows are good. When the last time you were in grays - because ive lived in grays for my whole life and its a nice place to grow up.
Cheeks im pleased to hear that it has improved i didnt mean any disrespect by my comment im a grays girl myself but u can't deny looking at the old photos that people were allot more smartly dressed back in the day more pride was taken there was allot more community spirit no litter etc thats all i meant but thats not just grays thats society everywhere more or less ☺
@@larastardust86x honestly,it has. i grew up there when i was newborn till 4. i still have family there but they always come to us as its so horrible. most of them are planning on moving away. i cannot believe how much it has deteriorated in the past 20 years. i did have plans to buy the old cinema and re open it but the area has taken a huge turn for the worst and i am no longer interested. :(
@@cheeks1 I'm sorry to say I lived in grays my whole life too and it has taken a turn for the worst crime is every increasing and I moved to Somerset two years ago and I can tell you taunton is a much better place people in grays are just so unfriendly and quite miserable as well yes you can have all the fancy shops and stuff but people will never change that is why I am thankful to be in Somerset praise God