Where did the event take place? A number of people have now told us that the picture was taken at the “bomb crater”, which was also used for children’s film shows at Christmas.
What was the event?
Do you know who is in this photo?
When did it happen?
If you can help with any of these questions, please leave a comment below or contact us.
16 = Cecil Gregory (information from Cecil John Gregory)
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Hi Tracy
I remember the Coleman family well. I lived at 22 Thackeray Avenue all through my school days up to about 1965 and they lived next door (No. 21). As far as I know they never lived in Kipling Avenue.
However, I do remember going with your uncle Joey when he was visiting a relative who lived in Kipling Avenue. It was the last house on the right next to the field. I think they were elderly, so maybe your Great Grandparents!
Your Nan Emily used to work in the Commercial Café in Dock Road.
I have vague memories of your Granddad Joe being unwell from time to time due to Malaria when he was in the Army.
Another memory I have is when your dad Ron had a driving job collecting Bag Wash (Maybe Tilbury Laundry)
I used to go along with your uncle Joey to help on a Saturday collecting the bags of washing. We would have bag fights in the back of the van which was open at the top. Now and again a bag would miss and fly out of the back of the van. We had to bang frantically on the cab to get Ron to stop so we could get it back. When collecting from the Dwellings we used to throw the bags over the balcony so we didn’t have to carry them down the stairs.
I think he got fed up with us mucking about (Don’t know why!) and stopped asking us to help him.
I think Ron’s words were “you are more hindrance than help”
I did post some memories about two years ago on https://www.tilburyandchadwellmemories.org.uk/content/places/1980-poets-corner-estate-in-tilbury-being-demolished
I know this is a long shot but my dad Ron Coleman was a porter at Tilbury Riverside for a short while before I was born in the 1960s. He lived in Kipling Avenue Tilbury with my nan Emily grandad Joe, his brother Joe and sister Brenda. Does anyone remember them?
used to drink in the Bomb in the 80s when I worked at Blundells and crompton…the cheese rolls were the best…we had great liquid lunch breaks there fond memories
Anyone remember the Barrett’s or Harris’s?
Number 8 is my grandad Albert (Toss) Constable. He spent his whole working life on the railway ending up as as possibly the proudest driver on the line.
No 10. Francis Guy Pitcher (Joe), is our grandad, who worked as a steam train driver on the Tilbury Riverside line. This was his one and only job, which he loved very much.
The Pitcher family.
I remember lunching in the Bomb in the early eighties, the cheese and hame rolls were somthing to beholden, i was a trainee tech on the S&T under the signal box
Terry I also remember Georgie Hewitt singing Chicago (who strangely never stuttered when he sang) , as well as Joe Williams singing I’d like to get you on a slow boat to China Mary Jelly with I want to be Bobby’s girl and Sandy Nunnery’s wife belting out Sally. More often than not they were accompanied by a lady on piano and Ted Burst on drums.
Incidently your brother Nobby played football with my father Arthur and I played with your brother Tony. I also remember your father whose nickname was Suet I believe.
Percy Dalton
The first time I visited the Bombcrater was in the early 1950s It was for a children’s party It was two large Nissan hut type buildings.This was replaced by a prefabricated building ,which was used until it moved to the main ferry building Although I didn’t work for BR until 1986 I had two older brothers who were drivers at Tilbury depot They were regular users of Bomb one Roy(Nobby) Clark was one of the many who would go on stage and sing one of his favourites was Pat BOONES April Love my other brother John sang as did my cousin Georgie Hewitt He ALWAYS sang Frank Sinatras Chicago My Mum who was usually quite shy would give her rendition of Ramona I had another brother and a sister who also sang there Although didn’t go there very often like myself
Number 27 is my father Tom Fitch who worked in Tilbury Riverside signal box along with Bill Russell number 25 for many years. Number 5 is Ted Gray who lived in Feenan Highway and I believe was a Engine Driver at the Tilbury Loco Sheds. By Roy Fitch 18-10-13
Hi Margaret and Maureen, my nan was your mums Joans bridesmaid. Her name was Iris Malthouse. Do you remember her?
My grandad is number 20 Frank Charles Dupree , he worked at Tilbury Riverside and lived at 176 st.chads road opposite birds fish and chip shop, I have fond memories of tilbury, we used to stay with my grandad in the school holidays and he used to take us blackberry picking over the horsie fields behind chadfields , and over the daisy fields and we used to go to the old barbers on dock road and buy old records from outside, we used to go to the community centre in civic square and walk for miles all over tilbury, my brother and I treated it as our second home, and my father frank met my mother in the Stella Maris , he worked on the docks as a lad and was a merchant seamen and was born in the house at st.chads
Yes No 9 is Albert Pike, he was also my Grandad, and my Dad Ron Goater was the Chairman of the New Bomb and was member of the bomb “Old” and “New” until he died in 1987. Over its time most of my family worked at the Bomb, my mum Doris Goater, and aunts and uncles, Dave Pike, Peggy Pike, Gladys Ross, Ivy Goyette and for a short while myself, Happy memories
If this was the BOMB Crater does anyone remember the huge cheese rolls served down there!
No. 25 is Bill Russell he was a signalman at Tilbury Riverside. He was also a founder member of the Tilbury Band and was its secretary for many years.
No. 13 I think is my father Richard Fox who was born and bred in Tilbury. He was a member of the Bomb Crater for many years and we used to go there every weekend. He was also a very keen supporter of the Tilbury Band
Number 31, definitely our Dad, Cliff Cowin, how I wish he could see this picture. I also think number 11 could be his friend Bert Bridgehouse.
Number 31 is my dad Cliff Cowin a porter at Tilbury Riverside he was affectionately known ( I hope ) as Garth due to his small frame. He died in 2008 age 88 he loved his time at Tilbury Riverside.
The get together of retired rail staff was held on good fridays. No 1 in the photo is Vic Cheek he was my chargman in Tilbury goods yard, where i first started on the railway.
The photo was taken in the bomb crater(B.R.S.A.)club.I have very fond memories of Dave and Peggy and a lot of other good people who used what was a wonderful club.I also remember has a young railway man putting the big blue benches on the station concourse together for a big photo under one of the large station clocks.I remember a lot of the faces of what was then a retired staff annual get together.The only real sad memory is of waving the last passenger train out of Tilbury Riverside pulling the gates together outside the “old bomb” locking them together and handing the station keys over to the P.L.A.
32 …really think this is my grandad the late Harry (boy ) Kettridge who was station master at Tilbury Town station retired early 60’s
This picture was taken in the lounge of The B.R.S.A Tilbury the famous ‘Bomb Crater’ number 9 is Albert Pike my Grandad His son my dad Dave was steward of the Bomb with Mum Peggy from the 1970’s until its closure.The picture looks as if it was taken at one of the railway reunions that were held at the club
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