EPW046792 ENGLAND (1935). The Ship Carbon Co Works, Goodmayes Hospital and the surrounding area, Little Heath, 1935

Chadwell Heath Railway Station"" - Set on the London "Liverpool Street" to "Southend Victoria" line. Back in 1935 it was under the ownership of the L.N.E.R , the "London North East Railway" of which my Grandfather was an express train (steam train) driver & part of. > Ironically he actually became a Steam Engine Driver (mainline express) in 1935, the very year this picture was taken, after serving years as an L.N.E.R 'Footplate Fireman'. > And of course he lived (from 1932 until 1978) in neighbouring Valence Avenue, which I've also pinned..& included an image....

"Barley Lane Mental Health" institution (Asylum), as it was, even as late as the 1970's. > Don't get or be remotely fooled by the much newer latterday "King George's Hospital" which is set to the North of this site AND a very pale poor imitation of it's former brick & purpose built namesake over at Newbury Park - (set alongside the A.12) - which was sadly demolished in the late 1990's, a much more substantial building than it's seemingly poor & cheap-build latterday counterpart, even "if" it is equipped with modern tech'

"The Hawbush" Pub - Public House - Yet another tragic loss of a truly lovely old English Pub that WAS over 100+ years old, now turned into "faceless flats" (sighs !) ? This following link gives an idea (even in it's latter "closed state", of what a nice place it once was - now lost to the sands of time.... http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/essex/littleheath_hawbush.html

"Morganite Ships Carbon Works" - Grove Road Chadwell Heath - They were still recruiting as late as 1978. > The multifarious HUGE chimneys had been reduced to THREE brick built & one (much smaller) steel one by 1978, as they could be seen nearby to the North from our house. > After 1939 the Ships Carbon Ltd constructed industrial strength Air Raid shelters for their workforce to the West of their site, within the grounds. > They were still there, extant as late as 1970-1971 - I shall mark those with a separate pin (to show location) as no trace either now or in this fabulous 1935 photo'. > It's worth marking these, because as history fades, there is no trace or record of them online, outside of here....

Former site of the "Sadgrove Aircraft Works Ltd" which was used to construct World War I combat aircraft, switched to war-work as former cabinet makers. > It appears that some of the Women fell (understandably) ill from the constant inhalation of cellulose thinners & "dope" used to tighten linen across wings & fuselages. > Despite living near there from 1961-1983, I never knew this fascinating aspect from Grove Road's strong links with WW.I aircraft manufacturing. Ironically, when I lived there in the 1970's that EXACT same site (different structure) was "Phonogram Records" storage facility & distribution for 45rpm & Album records In it's final years, I even used to attend there with my Royal Mail Parcels truck each night (in the 1990's), so all the above spans near on a full century....

Valence Avenue RM.8 - Dagenham by address, it was all part of the L.D.C's & Henry Ford's "Becontree Housing Estate", back then, the world's largest. >> Take note of the grass division that runs the full-length of Valence Ave - It used to be a small service railway, used to haul the materials to build the estate. >> After construction was finished, the small Welsh type colliery miniature locos were removed & the lines torn up & infilled with grass, to make it look tidy. >> Ironically, at the far Northern end (nearest camera) in late 1939 a Bus crashed into the main Air-Raid-Shelter at the apex of this division, four years after this picture. My Grandparents lived there from 1932 until 1978 - (Hence all the info') - Grandfather was an LNER Steam Express Driver who drove B.17's & Britannias on this main line.

Christie Gardens RM6 is already taking shape in this photograph, easily distinctive by it's "two bends" awkward snaking shape & far-end 90-degree turn Northwards. - Interesting to point out that Christie Gardens houses only ever occupied one side of the street, laid out as "odd numbers only" from 1-121 - "No even numbers" whatsoever These were ALL built during 1938 , just one year before the outbreak of WW.II - Again, ALL had "stained glass windows" as standard fit, rather upmarket.for it's buyers ! - Luckily for the Christie Gardens residents, a German V.1 "Doodlebug" flying bomb fell on the far-side of what became huge playing fields during 1944 - (no casualties). During the early 1950's those same lush (but bombed) playing fields would then become part of "Mayfield Girls School" - today known as "Chadwell Heath Academy" - Just to point out that "Mayfield Girls School" circa 1953-1977 backed onto Morganite Ships Carbon's sports field, separated only by a large long brook & a few trees. Yet in THIS photograph from 1935 it just looks so uncluttered....& as yet, unspoiled.

Primrose Avenue , RM6 It links Grove Road with Barley Lane

Eccleston Crescent

Manin Road RM6, with the road itself already constructed, but some houses still under construction. All these houses in Christie Gardens, Priestly Gardens, Manin Road & Primrose Avenue were built by Percy Tripplett to a very high standard & were very expensive (in their day) . All of these houses came with "stained glass windows" at the front, including their front doors, very deep & rich in colour, all part of the attraction to those 1930's buyers... It clearly appears by this photograph that Galsworthy Avenue and Arandora Crescent haven't even been built yet, nor has Christie Gardens, which has yet to take shape

The road that is and will become Gresham Drive, RM6 At it's opposite Eastern end there is (was) a beautiful Victorian water tower that was still extant in the 1970's - Sadly it's not there any longer... Gresham Drive ran along the absolute Northern end of Morganite Ships Carbon's works periphery. I used to walk my Boxer dog at night (quiet nights) along Joydon Drive, Gresham Drive & Grove Road & back to Christie Gardens - ( all later postcoded as RM6 ). Surprising as to just how quiet those 'light industry' works of Morganite Ships Carbon and Wiggins Teape paper-mill really were at night-time.

Joydon Drive, RM6 - It's houses actually backed onto the "sports field" of Morganite Ships Carbon , which later had it's own brick built sports pavilion added For many decades the local "Sea Cadets" unit was stationed where Joydon Drive & Morganite's sports field meet at it's Southern end, with a 6-inch gun mounted outside. Note that Joydon Drive and Abercorn Gardens properties have already been built & established, whereas Christie Gardens hasn't been built on yet** **( Not until 1938 just three short years after this photograph was taken & just one year before the outbreak of World War II ) - Manin Road is under construction here...

Main Highway known as the A,12 , or locally as "The Eastern Avenue" The aircraft from which this image is taken, is overflying what became RAF Fairlop , a satellite station of nearby RAF North Weald RAF Fairlop was later used by Spitfire Mk.V's, Spitfire Mk.IX's and later Hawker Typhoons

London North East Railway - LNER - Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria Railway Line Note two steam trains approaching towards each other in the vicinity of the locally known "Iron Bridge" - Accessed by the former "Greyhound Pub" - (now a 'Harvester') The Iron Bridge's footpaths linked the Western End of Chadwell Heath with Becontree Heath (Green Lane) & Goodmayes Park & crossed over four lines - (all in use back then)

Main A.118 Romford to Ilford High Road - ( leads to Stratford & Mile End, London )

Chadwell Heath Lane

Barley Lane

Goodmayes Park.