Romford Pictures: Upminster author releases historical book on North and South Ockendon

Delving into history and unearthing its trinkets is a nostalgic passion for many people.

But an Upminster writer has advanced it from a hobby and is now on her third historical book.

See picture gallery to the right.

Cecilia Pyke, of Meadow Way, has just released Voices of North and South Ockendon a non-fiction book that recounts people’s memories of the areas.

She chose the Ockendon areas because of their interesting pasts as she did when she previously wrote about Rainham and Upminster.

Mrs Pyke spent a year travelling around to speak to those who could recount the areas’ histories before, during and after the Second World War.

“It’s hard going at times,” she said, “as not everybody wants to talk to you.

“But it’s the people that are interesting - I like talking to the locals and hearing about their pasts.”

The retired Mrs Pike said that it is fascinating how North and South Ockendon are so distinct.

“It was all farmers in North Ockendon whereas South Ockendon was more community based with lots of shops,” she said.

The book is published by The History Press and is available in print at thehistorypress.co.uk or as an e-book from amazon.co.uk

Read more:

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