Видео

As someone who has grown up in and around the old town since the 90's and sail from my mooring on the creek, thought I had seen a lot of change! Really appreciate this content mate, fascinating to see how the place has developed and become the beautiful place I wish nobody knew about.

We where living on the seafront in Thorpe Bay I remember dad coming in from work and telling us that the sea was coming over the sea wall we were lucky but people living just along from us with cellars were flooding

That was really interesting - thank you. When I lived in Broadway West as a child (1950s) I used to cross the (original) railway footbridge down to the smaller enclosed area (next to it with a small beach - see photos) to sail my sailing boat. I remember plainly the old seawater-replenished pool but, even in my time, I never recall it used by anyone. It was pretty broken down even then - blue/white perhaps in colour -rusting of course - and without what appears to be the greyish buildings on the railway side of the pool. We’re they the changing sheds? When was the original structure built? The area that abutted the pool on the other side - a raised area for the storage if real sail boats - was of course the storage area for the Essex Yacht Club (whenever that started). In passing, just a minor correction, when, at the end, you are showing photographs, you mention one with the “new” bridge in the centre and the foundations of the old swimming pool to the left. That isn’t quite correct - the “foundations” you identify are actually the concrete walls that created the smaller pool/pond/beach area abutting the swimming pool to the east. The swimming pool foundations would be (if they are still there) behind the bridge and the right. But a small point and it’s good to see a picture of the old bridge in situ and the large number of people surrounding the pool - 1920s?

Thank you for this interesting video and your others. I remember using the bathing station although it was known as Leigh Swimming pool but I guess the nearby and purpose built Westcliff swimming pool took over. Do you know when it closed?

Fascinating. I live very close 🤔👍👌

Really enjoying your series on Old Leigh and the original Gypsy Bridge (tho i don't remember that name) near where i used to live, from 1967 to 1979. I'd almost forgotton the bathing station until you showed it; it was demolished soon after we moved there. My ears pricked up when you mentioned the Cotgrove family as i'm sure that was the name of the family we bought our house from on Ashleigh Drive. Helen Mirren, or at least her parents, lived just around the corner in Queens Rd.

My town ❤

Thank you for your work …. It’s excellent. Not sure where to put this comment but here is something you may not know …. If you go to Google Earth and put in a search for 28 Cliff Parade Leigh on sea. Turn around to face the Thames Estuary and you should see an old derelict street light - and to the left of that a park bench and another old street light - in the grass. What you may not know is that these two lights were leading lights for boats entering Leigh Ray. Each street light has four glass faces and, in some time before I left for New Zealand (1970s) the seaward facing glass of both lights was red. They were originally gaslit but became electric and were used to help craft enter the Leigh Ray Gut from the Leigh Middle buoy area in the Thames. I found an old navigational chart of the Thames Estuary that shows this leading line (cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0010/6908/8823/products/Leigh-Map-11.jpg?v=1618219411) although the designation for the lights is 2 Lts F (indicating fixed white lights) rather than 2 Lts FR (indicating fixed red lights. Of interest is another leading line seemingly associated with St Clements Church steeple (and something else?) that seems to mark the entrance to Leigh Creek. It’s all very interesting ….

Fantastic Video, very informative, especially being a Leigh resident with the Surname "Flood" too!

Love this and it's exactly what I needed today! Bless our fishermen of leigh. Always prepared to roll up their shirt sleeves and join the effort!

Already subscribed … liked & shared. I live on the ‘Highlands Estate’ so, “I’m alright Jack” as they say. MY daughter, who now resides in Great Wakering, is probably screwed.

Well …. Thank you for all that hard work too! I well remember the black “tank” engine and coaches towards the end of the video - they seem to be crossing the old level crossing to the Old Town. I haven’t come across any mention on the effects of the disastrous 1953 floods on the Old Town. I seem to remember seeing markings on the front wall of a building on the north side of the High Street portraying the height to which the water rose. Are there any photos of that era somewhere?

Born in Broadway West in 1947, I remember a lot of Old Leigh. The Peter Boat where I had my first pint, the signal box and the level crossing - not to mention the old metal bridge over the railway. I don’t remember the Mayflower pub though - I am sure that that building was the Beach Shop where we were bought our ice creams and sandcastle flags for our afternoon on Joscelyn’s Beach. The steps down to that beach are familiar in my memory as is “climbing the greasy pole’ competition on the same beach. Thank you for all your hard work in portraying all this.

The Railway made a Right Hatchet Job on the old Town.😢

Great channel. Do you have any old photos of Hadleigh Road? I’ve looked everywhere can’t find anything.