Memories of Tilbury

Vera Lynn and Max Bygraves at the Tute

I was born in Tilbury in 1930. I can’t remember if I was born at home or in the Tilbury Hospital. My mum lived in Toronto road and when I was 3 years old we moved to the Circle. We had 8 girls in our family but no boys. My dad was very strict and protective of all his girls and wouldn’t allowed any boys in the house!! I can remember having parties at Christmas time with my mum playing at the piano. She played by ear and I thought it was wonderful. My sisters and I would stand around the piano whilst mum played and all sing together. Even as we got older our dad wouldn’t let us have any boys at the house not even to a party!!

Some of my sisters started to go to the Tute for a dance. I would go too and can remember seeing Vera Lynn singing on the stage there. Max Bygraves was there as well. I finally met my husband when I was 28 years old at my sister’s VE party at her house. After courting for about year and half he was allowed in my house – my dad approved of him, thank goodness! We were married in 1956 and had 2 daughters. One is still living in Tilbury. Sadly, my husband died of cancer after 20 years of marriage and my youngest daughter was only 8 years old. My mum lived in the Circle all her life and when she died in 1980, I moved back there and still live there today.

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  • I would like any information on a man from Tilbury called Sydney Marlton who tragically died while working at Tilbury docks (I think) he was very young at the time in 1975ish & would of been my grandfather. Any information would be appreciated, I have heard his funeral procession stopped the whole of Tilbury.

    By Candice Edwards (13/03/2023)

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