l lived just outside Southend from 1946 to 78 and actually a house over looking Southchurch park from that time until 2001 when l moved to España. During that time it was where l lived. Now after over twenty years l look back with nostalgia to a time long since past. In fact myself and a friend were filmed during the Mod, Rocker period in 1964 walking just past the Las Vegas amusement arcade.... we appeared on the 9 o'clock news. l never saw until over fifty years later on a UA-cam program about that period of unrest between rival factions...
5:00 Can we take a moment to appreciate the lighting effects on these illuminations were all done with mechanical switching and relays, no electronics.
Oh the excitement of a day at Southend! No health and safety, no one being offended or offensive. Relaxed and happy, everyone speaking English and never guessing that in 60 years we would be strangers in our own land.
What a fantastic trip down memory lane for me! Greetings from Portland, Oregon, USA. My grandparents retired and returned from Kingsbury, London, NW9 to live in Southend-on-Sea (actually Hadleigh, Essex) That was 1963, I was six. My father went to Southend-on-Sea high school. My brother and I were sent to live with his parents "at the seaside" for the entire summer holidays each year. Many a walk along the "World's Longest Pier" and a treat to ride the electric train if the weather was cold or raining. There was an RNLI Station at the far end, and every so often we'd be there for a launch. I well remember the Kursaal (mainly as it was "off limits" to us) There was the Guiness Clock on the Parade, and Osborne's cockle shed (in Leigh-on-Sea) The Southend "Illuminations (in August?) were eagerly awaited. Great to see them switch on each evening at 19:30 from the far end of the pier. The gardens in West Cliff were open as "Never-Never Land" alongside the year around West Cliff Lift (elevator that took passengers up to the cliffs road) Anyone remember "Mr Therm"? The cartoon mascot on the gas works bridge (on the main road towards Shoeburyness) I think coal barges fed the station and landed at a jetty. It was torn down in the mid 1970s, I think.
My earliest memory of Southend is burned into my soul. My delightful parents took me to Southend as a kid around 6 at the time, whereupon they swiftly and conveniently "lost" me! They knew of course any "lost" child found would be taken to the punch and judy enclosure , this was a fenced off area with Punch and Judy running all day, well best part of it, and in those days there were "attendants" no idea who they were but they were adults who would literally control the gate, and no child could get out unless accompanied by a "parent or guardian"! Hence as I was a fair skinned little child with blond hair and just shorts on, I got burned to the point of collapse under the searing heat of the summer sun. My parents "found me" there in the early evening distraught burned, hungry and dehydrated, then I got a spanking for "worrying them" by "wandering off and getting lost! They claimed to have been looking for me all day. Apparently I found out from my elder sister it was a genuine attempt to lose me "permanently" (our father told my sister the truth he was a timid man and definately under the thumb of the matriarch), but it was thwarted by a lady who my "mother"casually asked if she had seen a little blond boy looking lost at one of the arcades, for some reason that lady was suspicious when my mother said how long I'd been "missing" and she told one of the local policemen this officer walked my parents part way to the Punch and Judy place. Of course my "mother feigning tears and distress. I always knew I was NOT a favourite child, but had no idea they literally wished me gone, without it being any fault of theirs, or concern for my welfare! Ironically though I was born and raised not half a mile away from the biggest and I believe the main Dr Barnardo's home at the time in Barkingside.
I was possibly only about 4 months old when this was taken, but such wonderful times during the late 60s and 70s, miss them so much, why has everything today just gone to POT.
In the 1960s I was old enough (about eight) to follow the adult conversations around me. I recall the "outrage" of my grandparents who retired to Southend-On-Sea at age 65 (in 1963). They found the "day trippers" who came to town on the London excursion trains to be rude, poorly dressed, loud, and "ruining everything" that my elders took to be decent and good manners. Just goes to show how the generations see things differently. I retire next January. Do I find the world a mess? Are the values I grew up with (in 1960s UK) to have been lost? What happened? Sorry, to say, we can't go back. Is the modern world any better than our "good olde days"? In many respects it is so much better. Technology, social progress, standard of living (for many) have improved. Ability for average people to travel and see the world. Opportunity to experience other cultures (compared to the somewhat rigid post-WWII UK) Medicine. Democratization of photography and video Those 1960s 8mm films are the exception. In today's public life everyone has a video camera on their mobile phone. What will the decades ahead bring? Food for thought!
Oh wow, strange what u remember, in the latter part of this upload I had a flood of memories come back with the illuminations, the peacock and the ball throwing guys either side of the Kursaal especially. Thx so much for uploading ❤
Hello Roy, I'd like to apologise to you for uploading some of your video content. I love Southend-on-Sea so much and grew up there as a kid, spent many fun times in the Kursaal with my mum and dad. I wasn't thinking properly, I hope u can forgive me. By the way I love your video left a like 👍 and thanks too. Regards Ricky 😊
Hi Ricky, Thanks for your reply. I understand completely, no problem🎠🎠. My parents took us 3 kids to Southend every few weeks during the summer and the Kursal was always the highlight. It's where I became hooked on rollercoasters🎢 and still am to this day. My one regret is that we didn't have the equipment back then that is available today. With an HD camcorder I'm sure my Kursaal film would have been about 2 hours long and cover every ride and of course the picture quality would be so much better. 🎡 On a different note, I'm intrigued where you got my video from? You had it on UA-cam before I did. Regards Roy 👍
Hello. Lovely video! I am producing a short video tribute to a lady who grew up in Southend who past away. Would you allow me to use some of this video in the tribute? I would of course credit you for it's use
Hello Roy, Reaching out on behalf of the Good Morning Britain team. Does this footage belong to you ? If so would they be able to get clearance to use it on the show tomorrow. Hope you can help.
There is a reason for this. If you look back at the comments from 2 years ago, you will see that someone stole my video and uploaded a really crap copy as if it were their own. They did this before I had even uploaded this one and didn't reply when I asked where they had got it from.
Younger people are happy with the way their society has developed. They certainly wouldn't want the sort of world that nostalgic geriatrics yearn for. They are the future, not you.
I was born in 1961 and still live in Southend unfortunately the good times have gone such great times in the 60s& 70s
Gary. Agree. Good times gone,,60s 70s and sum of 80s was, good. I was born in 55.
Fantastic memories. I was six years old and remember a great deal of what's shown here.
Great Upload!!😊
l lived just outside Southend from 1946 to 78 and actually a house over looking Southchurch park from that time until 2001 when l moved to España. During that time it was where l lived. Now after over twenty years l look back with nostalgia to a time long since past. In fact myself and a friend were filmed during the Mod, Rocker period in 1964 walking just past the Las Vegas amusement arcade.... we appeared on the 9 o'clock news. l never saw until over fifty years later on a UA-cam program about that period of unrest between rival factions...
Happy you got out and hope you're well. The Great Replacement means Southend will soon be no different to Newham.
5:00 Can we take a moment to appreciate the lighting effects on these illuminations were all done with mechanical switching and relays, no electronics.
Yes, impressive indeed, like telephone technology of the time.
Oh the excitement of a day at Southend! No health and safety, no one being offended or offensive. Relaxed and happy, everyone speaking English and never guessing that in 60 years we would be strangers in our own land.
You’re so right,🇬🇧🏴🏴
A day trip toSouthend as a kid in the 50s was magical,great memories,thanks for this.
I was just 9 years old when,Best time of my life, if you was born in 1953 ,you was blessed.😇
What a fantastic trip down memory lane for me!
Greetings from Portland, Oregon, USA.
My grandparents retired and returned from Kingsbury, London, NW9 to live in Southend-on-Sea (actually Hadleigh, Essex) That was 1963, I was six. My father went to Southend-on-Sea high school. My brother and I were sent to live with his parents "at the seaside" for the entire summer holidays each year.
Many a walk along the "World's Longest Pier" and a treat to ride the electric train if the weather was cold or raining. There was an RNLI Station at the far end, and every so often we'd be there for a launch.
I well remember the Kursaal (mainly as it was "off limits" to us) There was the Guiness Clock on the Parade, and Osborne's cockle shed (in Leigh-on-Sea)
The Southend "Illuminations (in August?) were eagerly awaited. Great to see them switch on each evening at 19:30 from the far end of the pier. The gardens in West Cliff were open as "Never-Never Land" alongside the year around West Cliff Lift (elevator that took passengers up to the cliffs road)
Anyone remember "Mr Therm"? The cartoon mascot on the gas works bridge (on the main road towards Shoeburyness) I think coal barges fed the station and landed at a jetty. It was torn down in the mid 1970s, I think.
My earliest memory of Southend is burned into my soul. My delightful parents took me to Southend as a kid around 6 at the time, whereupon they swiftly and conveniently "lost" me! They knew of course any "lost" child found would be taken to the punch and judy enclosure , this was a fenced off area with Punch and Judy running all day, well best part of it, and in those days there were "attendants" no idea who they were but they were adults who would literally control the gate, and no child could get out unless accompanied by a "parent or guardian"! Hence as I was a fair skinned little child with blond hair and just shorts on, I got burned to the point of collapse under the searing heat of the summer sun. My parents "found me" there in the early evening distraught burned, hungry and dehydrated, then I got a spanking for "worrying them" by "wandering off and getting lost! They claimed to have been looking for me all day. Apparently I found out from my elder sister it was a genuine attempt to lose me "permanently" (our father told my sister the truth he was a timid man and definately under the thumb of the matriarch), but it was thwarted by a lady who my "mother"casually asked if she had seen a little blond boy looking lost at one of the arcades, for some reason that lady was suspicious when my mother said how long I'd been "missing" and she told one of the local policemen this officer walked my parents part way to the Punch and Judy place. Of course my "mother feigning tears and distress. I always knew I was NOT a favourite child, but had no idea they literally wished me gone, without it being any fault of theirs, or concern for my welfare! Ironically though I was born and raised not half a mile away from the biggest and I believe the main Dr Barnardo's home at the time in Barkingside.
Jesus that’s rough. I’m sorry you had such a awful childhood
Sorry to hear that.
Mum and Dad used to take us out to Southend once a week in the Sixties, wonderful nostalgic memories 😊
I was possibly only about 4 months old when this was taken, but such wonderful times during the late 60s and 70s, miss them so much, why has everything today just gone to POT.
In the 1960s I was old enough (about eight) to follow the adult conversations around me. I recall the "outrage" of my grandparents who retired to Southend-On-Sea at age 65 (in 1963).
They found the "day trippers" who came to town on the London excursion trains to be rude, poorly dressed, loud, and "ruining everything" that my elders took to be decent and good manners.
Just goes to show how the generations see things differently.
I retire next January. Do I find the world a mess? Are the values I grew up with (in 1960s UK) to have been lost? What happened? Sorry, to say, we can't go back.
Is the modern world any better than our "good olde days"?
In many respects it is so much better. Technology, social progress, standard of living (for many) have improved. Ability for average people to travel and see the world. Opportunity to experience other cultures (compared to the somewhat rigid post-WWII UK) Medicine. Democratization of photography and video Those 1960s 8mm films are the exception. In today's public life everyone has a video camera on their mobile phone.
What will the decades ahead bring? Food for thought!
The Kursaal, wooden scenic railway, being wood it really leaned over and scared me 😉😉 Great to see it as it was .
Really miss the fantastic illuminations
Oh wow, strange what u remember, in the latter part of this upload I had a flood of memories come back with the illuminations, the peacock and the ball throwing guys either side of the Kursaal especially. Thx so much for uploading ❤
Loved the flower hats
Everyone slim and smart! Blackpool the same back n the day! What's happened to us?
Hello Roy, I'd like to apologise to you for uploading some of your video content. I love Southend-on-Sea so much and grew up there as a kid, spent many fun times in the Kursaal with my mum and dad. I wasn't thinking properly, I hope u can forgive me. By the way I love your video left a like 👍 and thanks too. Regards Ricky 😊
Hi Ricky, Thanks for your reply. I understand completely, no problem🎠🎠. My parents took us 3 kids to Southend every few weeks during the summer and the Kursal was always the highlight. It's where I became hooked on rollercoasters🎢 and still am to this day. My one regret is that we didn't have the equipment back then that is available today. With an HD camcorder I'm sure my Kursaal film would have been about 2 hours long and cover every ride and of course the picture quality would be so much better. 🎡 On a different note, I'm intrigued where you got my video from? You had it on UA-cam before I did. Regards Roy 👍
Sadly no footage of the Kursaal Flyer...🤔
This time period was the zenith of the social contract society in the UK .
No machetes? Something must’ve changed.
Hello. Lovely video! I am producing a short video tribute to a lady who grew up in Southend who past away. Would you allow me to use some of this video in the tribute? I would of course credit you for it's use
Hi Tom, thanks for the comment. Use the video by all means. I'd be honored.
Many thanks Roy, much appreciated!
Hello Roy, Reaching out on behalf of the Good Morning Britain team. Does this footage belong to you ? If so would they be able to get clearance to use it on the show tomorrow. Hope you can help.
Ha! Love the transvestites from 3:15 onwards!
Yeah, they were a brave lot for 1962.
It was better then. Look at all them lights. More likw Black pool. Its not like it now. .
Shame this was spoilt by two letters, R S, incrusted on the screen. Why do that to fascinating old footage?
There is a reason for this. If you look back at the comments from 2 years ago, you will see that someone stole my video and uploaded a really crap copy as if it were their own. They did this before I had even uploaded this one and didn't reply when I asked where they had got it from.
We'll never get days like this again,,proper family values,, NO mobile phones in sight wiv arrogant people using them.
Younger people are happy with the way their society has developed. They certainly wouldn't want the sort of world that nostalgic geriatrics yearn for. They are the future, not you.