Memory Lane Southend Town Centre

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

Now this is not about the town centre but I didn’t know where else to put it. One of my wife’s friends is hopefully moving to Bailey Road near Highlands Boulevard, offer accepted. The vendor has lived in the terraced house for years and says it was built for the foreman of the brickworks that used to be where Belfairs school now is. As most will know the Highlands estate was built on land owned by the Salvation Army and no pubs were allowed. There is a covenant on the house that says that there must be an apple tree in the garden as the house was built on an orchard. There was a very old apple tree which died but the woman has replaced it. I had a very good friend who lived down Highlands Boulevard and remember there were loads of apple trees in the central reservation. I can only assume that they didn’t build on this land as it was part of the orchard and they wanted to maintain some memory of what was there before. I think most of the trees have gone now but I haven’t been down there for ages.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

It's this place, it transpires.

The Grand Pier Hotel.

Sometimes you just shouldn't demolish certain things!

Totally agree. Built by Ramuz of Ramuz Drive. He also built the Grand in Leigh. It looks like the renovation is nearing completion. About time. By my reckoning 17 years after the last pint was pulled.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

Now this is not about the town centre but I didn’t know where else to put it. One of my wife’s friends is hopefully moving to Bailey Road near Highlands Boulevard, offer accepted. The vendor has lived in the terraced house for years and says it was built for the foreman of the brickworks that used to be where Belfairs school now is. As most will know the Highlands estate was built on land owned by the Salvation Army and no pubs were allowed. There is a covenant on the house that says that there must be an apple tree in the garden as the house was built on an orchard. There was a very old apple tree which died but the woman has replaced it. I had a very good friend who lived down Highlands Boulevard and remember there were loads of apple trees in the central reservation. I can only assume that they didn’t build on this land as it was part of the orchard and they wanted to maintain some memory of what was there before. I think most of the trees have gone now but I haven’t been down there for ages.

Most of the apple trees still standing, are the crab apple variety which the local wildlife enjoy!.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

I’m going back over 50 years and the trees were definitely apple rather than crab apple. The apples were left to rot when they fell. The trees probably lived til there natural life span and were replaced. Glad they didn’t build on the central reservations of both Highlands and Sutherland boulevard. They are a really nice feature. The original farmhouse is still there on the corner of Olive Avenue and Sutherland Boulevard. Mr Walker the builder who bought the land off the Salvation Army was Scottish hence the Scottish theme in the street names. There is a nice double fronted house called Walker House on the corner of London Road and Walker Drive that I’ve always assumed he built for himself but that is very much an assumption on my part.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

I’m going back over 50 years and the trees were definitely apple rather than crab apple. The apples were left to rot when they fell. The trees probably lived til there natural life span and were replaced. Glad they didn’t build on the central reservations of both Highlands and Sutherland boulevard. They are a really nice feature. The original farmhouse is still there on the corner of Olive Avenue and Sutherland Boulevard. Mr Walker the builder who bought the land off the Salvation Army was Scottish hence the Scottish theme in the street names. There is a nice double fronted house called Walker House on the corner of London Road and Walker Drive that I’ve always assumed he built for himself but that is very much an assumption on my part.

I believe Mr. Walker is still alive & now in his mid 80's?. The reason i know this is because he also built Highlands Court ( 33 Flats on the A13 next to Bathworld ) & the current landlord is now selling them all ( they have always been rented ) because if Mr. Walker dies then for whatever tax reasons etc, the landlord ( based in the I-O-M ) would be liable for a colossal tax bill or something similar!.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

I think it must be his family as Mr Walker bought the farm in the 1920s. There is a good article on the Hadleigh history site which shows how many farms the Salvation Army actually owned including 2 Tree Island which they sold to Leigh Urban District Council for the sewage farm now called the egret ponds.

William Booth

Land and Property purchases since 1891

www.hadleighhistory.org.uk