I was born in Chelmsford. My parents left in 1964 and I cannot remember any of it. Here I return for the first time whilst my mother recollects what it was like in the early 1960s.
I lived in Chelmsford from 1963 until 71, living in Spalding Way in Great Baddow, My sister was born in St Johns Hospital and the door at the top of the fire escape at 1.13 was where I first saw her when I was 10 as dad and I pulled into the car park. Mum was standing in the doorway holding her so thanks for that footage. I moved to Sussex and have been here ever since but strangely still call myself an Essex lad as I have great memories of the place and the many friends I had at Meadgate School. My school blazer in Sussex had 6 birds on it and I can remember being gutted that the three Saxon Swords were not on it like back in Essex. Strangely enough a number of my colleagues at work in Sussex come from the area, one from Billericay, one from Danbury, one from Writtle and another from Witham so it is a small World as they say. Unlike you I have not been back for decades but would love to see the old stomping grounds again. Cheers for the memories Alan.
I lived in Chelmsford from1970 until 1982 and as a child I spent a couple of days at St John’s hospital. I lived near the football and cricket grounds in a terraced house in Upper Bridge Road great memories and I have not been back there for 20 years or so , Thanks for a walk down memory lane nice clip.
Hi Alan. A nice little trip around Chelmsford. I am 28 and have lived in Chelmsford all my life. I enjoyed your first trip to the town and thought I would point out a couple of things that you might be interested in. I was born in St Johns Hospital too, it is now (2014) almost complete as houses, the main work house building seen at the beginning has been kept and incorporated into the estate. The Beeches road prefabs, were built after the war for quick housing, and were so popular and good for elderly people that they stayed. Still there now. My grandmother lived from 1930's until 2008 in Waterhouse Lane. The main road at the bottom of Beeches Road seen at 3:22. At 4:00 you parked in New Street which is now about 400 years+ old now. I am sure you noticed the Shire Hall at the top of the high street built from 1760s-1790s. I is now being renovated and is under scaffolding sadly. The Saracens Head building is unchanged from 1800's. The earliest photo known of Chelmsford High Street in 1880 is surprisingly recognisable. Sadly in the 60s & 70s developers knocked down many historic old buildings and replaced them with the 60's boxes you see today, Like at 4:28. 5:24 Baddow Road, is one of the oldest intact sections of road in Chelmsford. The buildings along there pre date the massive through road known as Parkway which is a bit further down in the distance. That ripped through the middle of the town in the 60s too. Baddow Road that you show and Moulsham street further down from where you were are still very old fashioned to this day.
Interesting Video,unfortunately Chelmsford is devoid of any real character which seems to have been lost in the 1960s to 2016 housing boom which see Great Baddow,Writtle,Broomfield and Springfield joined by house after house with more to come. Look up the old photos and you can see what's been lost 😩
I had the oportunity to visit Chelmsford, and i must say its a beautiful town, small and peacefull with friendly people. And the houses, omg, those houses are just splendid, i used to walk during evening, near the Oakfield Park, and stare to some fancy houses :p. Its a beautiful town to live with family. Excuse my english im not a native speaker. Cheers!
The prefab houses in Beeches Road were put up after WW2 (around 1948|) to temporarily house people who had been bombed out, originally there were about 100 of them, they were supposed to only be up for 10 years, 60 years later they are still there, they have needed some modern insulation and windows but are good large bungalows.
I live here and it's amazing. The town is beautiful the houses are amazing. Just in annoyed that saint John's hospital Is s homing estate now. Omg were u are I recognize all of it
@longlat39 This is a HD definition video - I have been using it for a year now so the last 150 films or so have been with this camera. The problem is the amount of time it takes to upload material. I left the computer on in the office all night and only one film uploaded! Also it is not compatible with windows movie maker so it takes a bit of time to prepare things. I was surprised at how good the neighbourhood looked, especially considering that it was comparitively cheap in 1961.
Part 2: Hi again, The river at 6:00 minutes is the river Can, just before that at 5:50 you were looking towards where the River can meets the River Chelmer where the City gets its name from. The hideous building at 6:00 on right, replaced a Church on that corner in the 60s which your Mum may remember. The original origin of the town was when the small hamlet of Moulsham was granted a market and turned into the market Town of Chelmsford. It used to be the high street, until the livestock market was moved to where the current market is. Hideous 60s car park now covers the market, but there are plans to redevelop this area. Thought it would be interested to give you some background to your shots. Hope you don't mind.
That is great Steve, thanks for writing. I cannot remember it at all as I was less than three when my parents left. However I shall tell my mother of your comments. I am sad that the hospital went but at least I saw it before it was pulled down - I am glad I managed to do that!
I see that Cater House (that hideous '60's building) sold for £1.75M recently & has succeeded in receiving development right for up to 35 city apartments. So I have to say it'll continue to be a landmark to stay for some while & someone's going to make a pot of money out of it. I still haven't workout out the side pattern. My younger sister was born in St. John's in 1971. I visited it couple of times, as a 2 year old trying to eat a glass bauble XMAS tree ornament & another time when I had to have my hand set in a plaster cast from falling off the side of the slide in Oaklands Park.
Very interesting, Alan, I lived at 128, Beeches Road.. You lived close to a school mate of mine, Peter Kemp, who lived at the bottom of Benedict Drive. Your mum would surely have known them. However, we were born in 1955, a bit earlier than you! We all went to the Westlands schools, the secondary now called Hylands. Although I was born in Dartford, I spent my childhood in Chelmsford, from 1958 to 1971. I still think of Chelmsford as home! So many good times spent in and around the town, chasing mates and later, girls! Saturday morning flicks at the old Odeon, riding the 55 into town, 3d to get there 6d for the flicks and 3d home, a whole shilling, great value! Lots of open spaces around where we lived, Admirals Park, the brickfields, hills for sledging in the snow, etc. I am shocked by the extreme development to the north if the town, up Springfield way. Thanks for the memories, Alan.
There seems to be more clarity in the picture quality in this video compared to your other ones. A different camera or something? Your old neighbourhood is very well maintained for being 50+ years old.
All full of cardboard cheap crap houses.... I was born there as were both my children and brothers... Very sad. Marconi is now 'developed' now also. Just like the old Hoffmann bearing factory... Can't even recognise the town anymore and I'm only 32!
![Walking in Chelmsford High Street, Essex, UK 🛍️ Summer 2022 [4K]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/L9wI7XpbI5s/mqdefault.jpg)
![Walking in Chelmsford High Street, Essex, UK 🛍️ Summer 2022 [4K]](/img/tr.png)
I lived in Chelmsford from 1963 until 71, living in Spalding Way in Great Baddow, My sister was born in St Johns Hospital and the door at the top of the fire escape at 1.13 was where I first saw her when I was 10 as dad and I pulled into the car park. Mum was standing in the doorway holding her so thanks for that footage. I moved to Sussex and have been here ever since but strangely still call myself an Essex lad as I have great memories of the place and the many friends I had at Meadgate School. My school blazer in Sussex had 6 birds on it and I can remember being gutted that the three Saxon Swords were not on it like back in Essex. Strangely enough a number of my colleagues at work in Sussex come from the area, one from Billericay, one from Danbury, one from Writtle and another from Witham so it is a small World as they say. Unlike you I have not been back for decades but would love to see the old stomping grounds again. Cheers for the memories Alan.
Thank you for this..it was a lovely look around a town/ city that's changed so much
I was born there!
I lived in Chelmsford from1970 until 1982 and as a child I spent a couple of days at St John’s hospital.
I lived near the football and cricket grounds in a terraced house in Upper Bridge Road great memories and I have not been back there for 20 years or so ,
Thanks for a walk down memory lane nice clip.
Thanks Jason! Obviously our time there did not overlap as my parents left in 1964 - I left with them but I can't remember it!
I was born in that hospital in 1968....I drove past 2018/19 & there now new quite stylish homes on....
Also born at St. John’s in 71... lovely to see Chelmsford again. I left around 17.... so late 80s.
Hi Alan. A nice little trip around Chelmsford. I am 28 and have lived in Chelmsford all my life. I enjoyed your first trip to the town and thought I would point out a couple of things that you might be interested in. I was born in St Johns Hospital too, it is now (2014) almost complete as houses, the main work house building seen at the beginning has been kept and incorporated into the estate. The Beeches road prefabs, were built after the war for quick housing, and were so popular and good for elderly people that they stayed. Still there now. My grandmother lived from 1930's until 2008 in Waterhouse Lane. The main road at the bottom of Beeches Road seen at 3:22.
At 4:00 you parked in New Street which is now about 400 years+ old now. I am sure you noticed the Shire Hall at the top of the high street built from 1760s-1790s. I is now being renovated and is under scaffolding sadly. The Saracens Head building is unchanged from 1800's. The earliest photo known of Chelmsford High Street in 1880 is surprisingly recognisable. Sadly in the 60s & 70s developers knocked down many historic old buildings and replaced them with the 60's boxes you see today, Like at 4:28.
5:24 Baddow Road, is one of the oldest intact sections of road in Chelmsford. The buildings along there pre date the massive through road known as Parkway which is a bit further down in the distance. That ripped through the middle of the town in the 60s too. Baddow Road that you show and Moulsham street further down from where you were are still very old fashioned to this day.
Interesting Video,unfortunately Chelmsford is devoid of any real character which seems to have been lost in the 1960s to 2016 housing boom which see Great Baddow,Writtle,Broomfield and Springfield joined by house after house with more to come. Look up the old photos and you can see what's been lost 😩
I had the oportunity to visit Chelmsford, and i must say its a beautiful town, small and peacefull with friendly people. And the houses, omg, those houses are just splendid, i used to walk during evening, near the Oakfield Park, and stare to some fancy houses :p. Its a beautiful town to live with family. Excuse my english im not a native speaker. Cheers!
I was born at St John’s in 2003, one of the last generation born there!
I love Chelmsford I would love to live there love the wild life love your video best I have seen so far.
Thanks Penny - that is very nice to read!
Not sure you'd feel the same now in November 2021.
You'll need plenty of cash to buy a house there now 😢
The prefab houses in Beeches Road were put up after WW2 (around 1948|) to temporarily house people who had been bombed out, originally there were about 100 of them, they were supposed to only be up for 10 years, 60 years later they are still there, they have needed some modern insulation and windows but are good large bungalows.
I live here and it's amazing. The town is beautiful the houses are amazing. Just in annoyed that saint John's hospital Is s homing estate now. Omg were u are I recognize all of it
Chelmsford looks like a beautiful town to grow up in!
James Ferraro well im from there it is nice, but boring allot of he time theres only so much you can do :P before it gets boring year on end
App Man agreed I also live there but I've seen everything.
Isn't Chelmsford a city?
Fab place in the 60s, when I grew up there on Beeches Road. Changed an awful lot since then.
@@edibleshoes2025it is now, a relatively new change.
@longlat39 This is a HD definition video - I have been using it for a year now so the last 150 films or so have been with this camera. The problem is the amount of time it takes to upload material. I left the computer on in the office all night and only one film uploaded! Also it is not compatible with windows movie maker so it takes a bit of time to prepare things.
I was surprised at how good the neighbourhood looked, especially considering that it was comparitively cheap in 1961.
There is my school down the road with yellow house!, Westlands cps
Part 2: Hi again, The river at 6:00 minutes is the river Can, just before that at 5:50 you were looking towards where the River can meets the River Chelmer where the City gets its name from. The hideous building at 6:00 on right, replaced a Church on that corner in the 60s which your Mum may remember.
The original origin of the town was when the small hamlet of Moulsham was granted a market and turned into the market Town of Chelmsford. It used to be the high street, until the livestock market was moved to where the current market is. Hideous 60s car park now covers the market, but there are plans to redevelop this area.
Thought it would be interested to give you some background to your shots. Hope you don't mind.
That is great Steve, thanks for writing. I cannot remember it at all as I was less than three when my parents left. However I shall tell my mother of your comments. I am sad that the hospital went but at least I saw it before it was pulled down - I am glad I managed to do that!
I see that Cater House (that hideous '60's building) sold for £1.75M recently & has succeeded in receiving development right for up to 35 city apartments. So I have to say it'll continue to be a landmark to stay for some while & someone's going to make a pot of money out of it. I still haven't workout out the side pattern. My younger sister was born in St. John's in 1971. I visited it couple of times, as a 2 year old trying to eat a glass bauble XMAS tree ornament & another time when I had to have my hand set in a plaster cast from falling off the side of the slide in Oaklands Park.
RIP Caters Supermarkets! I worked there whilst at school, Friday evenings and Saturdays, filling up the jam and marmalade locker, amongst other jobs.
Thanks for pointing them out Steve. As I was not yet three when I left, there was no way I could remember!
I want to visit since I've been watching Xfactor UK lol
Very interesting, Alan, I lived at 128, Beeches Road.. You lived close to a school mate of mine, Peter Kemp, who lived at the bottom of Benedict Drive. Your mum would surely have known them. However, we were born in 1955, a bit earlier than you! We all went to the Westlands schools, the secondary now called Hylands.
Although I was born in Dartford, I spent my childhood in Chelmsford, from 1958 to 1971. I still think of Chelmsford as home! So many good times spent in and around the town, chasing mates and later, girls! Saturday morning flicks at the old Odeon, riding the 55 into town, 3d to get there 6d for the flicks and 3d home, a whole shilling, great value!
Lots of open spaces around where we lived, Admirals Park, the brickfields, hills for sledging in the snow, etc.
I am shocked by the extreme development to the north if the town, up Springfield way.
Thanks for the memories, Alan.
+ratmanbug That is interesting to read - however I was born after you - not before!
@@VanlifewithAlancorrected!
@@ratmanbug Always great to get a response from so many years ago!
I lived in Ravensbourne Drive from 1959 to 1967 at number 21
You look much younger in your picture Alan!
65 in June this year!
Congratulations - you must llive a healthy life!
Wow I lived chelms
There seems to be more clarity in the picture quality in this video compared to your other ones. A different camera or something? Your old neighbourhood is very well maintained for being 50+ years old.
Before it was twinned with lagos.
All full of cardboard cheap crap houses.... I was born there as were both my children and brothers... Very sad. Marconi is now 'developed' now also. Just like the old Hoffmann bearing factory... Can't even recognise the town anymore and I'm only 32!
St. John's hospital is now a housing estate.
I managed to see it just before it went!
I think most of us were born there :'(
I guess it's progress, but it's not what it was.
Jumped the gun mate, Chelmsford didn't become a city until 2012.
Lol