A child's memories, 2003

My best place is the seafront, just by the Boardwalk, because that’s normally where the merry-go-rounds are, though they haven’t had them for a long time. It’s a really nice bit of the beach, and it’s fun to be there.

It reminds me of the things I used to do there when I was little, running on the beach, playing games with the waves.

Comments about this page

  • In the 1930s my mum used to take me and my brothers and sisters to the beach once a year. We lived in Coombe Road and mum used to walk up Coombe Road, up Bear Road, along Tenantry Down Road, then all the way down Freshfield Road to the beach. We walked back home the same way. She was so poor she couldn’t afford to use the tram.

    By Viv Webb (30/05/2007)
  • We lived in Patcham during WW2 and could catch a grey painted No 35 bus at the Greenfield Road stop on Braybon Avenue just before the really steep bit. The driver would manage to get into second gear before the steep gradient then have to change down into first to avoid stalling. Buses then had “crash” gearboxes (no syncromesh) and there was this horrific grating of gears followed by a lurch forward in first. There must have been a few gear teeth in that box when they changed the oil. I used to sit behind the engine and the gearbox and clutch cover was by that bulkhead at the front of the centre aisle. Later when the 46 trolley buses used to scoot up the hill, all that kerfuffle was forgotten. Ah, happy days!

    By John Snelling (12/11/2012)
  • I can’t seem to find anywhere else to put this: In a storm during Autumn 1951 a 25ton Ketch belonging to a Mr Kenneth Maitland was driven ashore and beached in a bad storm. Several attempts to re float it took place but in 1953 Mr Maitland said “I will try and sell her for scrap”, but that was not forthcoming and she was burned on the beach in 1953. This was on the beach almost next to the Palace Pier and the one used by the fishermen. Burning a boat was deemed very unlucky.

    By John Snelling (26/10/2013)
  • I believe the ketch was called the Rustler. I remember it well as we kids used to climb all over it. Sad day when they burnt it, bad luck.

    By Mick Peirson (27/10/2013)

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