Grays was my world. Born in 76, raised in William Street, schooled at Arthur street Juniors. When I was a lad you could go into town for the day and come away with everything you needed. The light went out of the town when that huge concrete monstrosity opened down the road.

Fantastic video thanks for posting.

My father was Ernest Milbourn

Another forgotten past! I am seventy-four. I carry forgotten days in my pocket. To watch the spaces between generations torn down for the myth of progress, breaks my heart. When will it end?

Great memories. Working the Evening shift after another full days working in Basildon.

Born at 33 Spencer walk miss old tilbury

I knew a girl who lived in Stanford le hope , lived in butts rd I think by the station ,mid 1970s , long way for me from Putney west London but nice girl , 👍

I lived on the Bata Estate from 1955-68 as both mum & dad worked at the shoe factory. Many of these photographs evoke cherished memories-what was the old Espresso Bar opposite the cinema. The Bar had a great jukebox. Bata Hotel was where I obtained my first pack of cigarettes (half crown in the machine with thruppence change), the Nook cafe along Princess Margaret Road near to the junction with Bata Avenue, and the garage where I’d get a puncture fixed if dad wasn’t around. The playground next to the tennis courts where 20-25 boys would be playing football of an evening. You’d get a knock on the door and be asked to get down there where you’d find yourself being shoved in goal being a latecomer. It was a marvellous place to grow up.

I used to live in South Ockendon as a kid and would hear talk of Ardale boys, I didn't know much about the place or really what it was until now. Somehow the Ardale boys got a tough reputation but I had never met or seen any and wasn't quite sure what it was all about. But funny thing is it looks simular to the children's home where I grew up (Hutton Poplars) then I just learned it later got turned into a common home, well I ended up going to one and hated it, it was in Wiltshire, don't know why they chose to send me all they way up there when I had a community home just a stones throw away. Also the place where I was at was also previously an approved school. I actually thought approved schools were for hard nut criminals with strict prison like rules and punishments. Just wanna say thankyou for educating me on all 8f this. Up until now Ardale was a mystery but I now know I too was one of those boys, and brought up from a toddler in very similar surroundings wish I had met a couple of kids from Ardale now, we had so much in common but I didn't know it at the time ❤️

I’m 14 now but my family has been here since the mid 90s and can remember some of the old places

I was an approvee between 1965 and 1967, having been sent there by the Newcastle Juvenile courts for being too toe-raggish. Richard Crossland and Shirley Wlliams, realising that the 11+ was producing superior intellects to the entitled classes, and of course, 'we can't have this', so they abolished grammar schools in 1962, cancelling Bevan's vision of real equality of opportunity. 'Can't have these proles challenging us', bad idea, 'Off with there heads' as it were. Anyway, sent to Ardale, found that of the staff were decent people and on our side! I;ll never be able to forget those guys (and a few women), who only wanted the best for us wayward kids.

AMAZING - i was born in Tilbury and still live there and ive learned more from this video than i already knew. You can actually see my house in the daisy field flood pic ( still standing lol ) always wanted to see inside tilbury hospital and never could find a picture . they knocked it all down and the dwellings (houses) down that way . Crzy how much history this town has - the queen has been here to open riverside train station and even centuries ago some pirate smugglers body was in a cage near the fort so passing ships could see his rotting body as a warning to other criminlas what the king would do to them - We got our name apparently from the great plague times because bodies were put here ( Until they were buried Til-bury ) before they crossed the river to Gravesend . Thanks for this video its great

Look at the old world buildings, high cielings and well maintained. What has happened to our society.

5:14. That’s not the art room, it’s the painting workshop. Among other skills, we learnt sign writing and what you see there are pub signs in progress, (mine was ‘ The Jolly Butcher’)They were part of the Building Craft-Paint and Plasterwork GCE exam (note, not the watered down GCSE of today, it was a tough ‘Pass or Fail’ exam with no ‘grades’ like today’s nonsense- designed so that every candidate gets a certificate and nobody fails.

My mum and dad used to threaten me with sending me to Ardale during my early years in the 40's to 50's if I didn't behave myself

Same here. I know the guy below. My family ❤

A beautiful reflection of Grays. Love this video

Thanks for sharing. Mum and Dad both worked at Batas. It's where they met. I was born in a bungalow on Princess Margaret road started my schooling in the now demolished christian school ( it was made from shiny black flint). Dad and I used to sail our model yacht back and forth across the moat at coalhouse fort, followed by a pineapple juice for my sisters and I and a shandy for mum and a beer for dad. Fond memories, we migrated to Adelaide Australia in December 1971. I have never been back to visit, now I'm retired and covid is no longer causing the travel restrictions I should get over and take a walk on English soil again it's been a long time.

Went to school in Stifford Clays not far from Ardale and knew a few who were there. Left Grays in 1986 and joined the Royal Marines, live close to Dartmoor now, a world away from Essex and the South East but fond memories of a happy childhood.

I remember going to Batas to get school shoes.

I used to live in Thames Close, Corringham, and certainly remember riding my bike down Wharf Road to go fishing at The Warren. There was also a fishing tackle shop, The Bait Box is I remember, and then Standford tackle on Wharf Road. My father worked at Shell Haven Refinery and was also a retained Fireman. I recall the station and library in Stanford-le-hope, Butts Lane for some reason and definitely Mucking Church. I also seem to remember going in the Catcracker pub with my late father. I would have been 10 or 11 and would have had a coke and a packet of crisps on the door step while he had a pint inside. Thanks for sharing these images.

I used to spend 2 weeks in the summer hols with my nan and aunt in Corringham Rd.

There must be few around now from back in my time.I was there early sixties .It was a steep learning curve to a boy from south devon trying to fit in with the hard men from the smoke.I ended up with an east end accent which the girls liked ,so not all bad.I reckon I could still do lead welding ,but it wasn't allowed on plumbing jobs I did as a builder in the 80's.Mr parker I think was ex merchant navy.I never did plastering as taught in the plastering shop,nor made any architraves on a shellacked table.It did however give me confidence to do plastering as a general builder.I met up at different times with 2 old boys,not in the best of circumstances but that was in my mispent youth.I ended up for the last 20 years of my working life as a computer engineer ,still doing training to keep up with current hardware and software. we need these kind of establishments back again,there are so many gifted people who seem to waste their lives these days.How many must have been "afflicted" with Autism,ADHD and aspergers and had it undiagnosed.There were certainly some exceptionly gifted people there with way above average IQ's Hope all who survived are in good health,cheers to you.Pete ,ex Nelson house

Hi you lot, Is anyone from this time, this place, still alive? i am, and would love to hear from you. Esp. Colin Betts - what're you doing these days? Cheers, with the usual razz, ping etc, George Wake

I went to Aveley Tech (Aveley County Technical High School) in 1961. A great school. We were proud to wear our maroon blazers.

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.

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.

I also was there very bad memories and violent memories my saving grace was mr Morris ex army and his dear wife and sons helped me get through it

I’m from Stanford and I think anyone who’s grime here as well can agree king street is the first lace you go everyday and that the library is the most iconic Stanford landmark

Where I was born left in the 70’s

Great video, after it closed in 1994 and was left derelict, as a kid we used to climb up on the roof and get in to the buildings to explore, fascinating place. Very interesting to see some of them buildings in their glory days.

So many memories Thank uou

Where I was born but left when I was 12, school memories and childhood was great!

I was there in 1971/2 . I was in Nelson house.

we moved down from Eastham in 1958. my mum hated it , but i grew to love it. So many memories of stanford and the surrounding areas it would take me years to write them down.

Thank you - so informative.

Excellent, thank you

I think Thurrock Scuba Club used the swimming pool for training. I have a memory from about 1964 of going there at least once, then the club moved to a pool in East Ham direction.

You have done a great job of romanticising the town, helped by the music. Pity the reality doesn't live up to it. It is a great place to leave.

I actually live in Aveley, they made a new village there and it’s really modern and yet they still use the old shops that used to be there.

I was in Tilbury hospital around 1963 I guess, to have extra teeth in my gums pulled out. Also remember Tilbury Ferry station. Part of the terminal to board liners is or has been renovated, beautiful decor inside. I was 1yr 1mth old living in Stifford Clays when the floods happened. I was born a nissen hut in Purfleet which used to be a prison camp for the Germans during WW2. After the war they were converted into living quarters for demobbed married couples who had no where to live, Stifford Clays was built and they got a house there in 1952. Interesting history video.

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 great grandfather and my father work at the docks.

I went to aveley secondary school, my grandad would play tennis and cricket at the firemans clubs.

I grew up in purfleet and had my first pint with my dad in the royal hotel.

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

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.

Hi any of you lot still alive, Been in touch with Rogan (Mick) Bryan, trying to contact Colin Betts; everyone I was there with seems to be Doctor this, Professor that (me included), thanks to the staff, who actually believed in us. they don't make it like that any more, hope you're all happy rehabilitated geezers, flash, new, it doesn't matter any more, respect you lot, ping, razz, etc. George

Still here 1991 - .... awsome stuff Thanks

I was in Stanley House between 1964 and 1967, one of the most positive experiences of my life. The staff were amazing, dedicated to saving us delinquents from a life of crime. I remember in particular Mr ''Enery' Cooper, our housemaster at Stanley house, and Mr KGE Swan, the science teacher. Also Mr 'Jack' Thomas, who at almost every morning assembly, after hymns, would exhort us to 'never say you succeeded because of Ardale, always say that you succeeded in spite of Ardale. Thanks Ardale and the staff, you showed me a better path