Romford Pictures: Upminster author releases historical book on North and South Ockendon
Group of Land Army Girls, North Ockendon - 1942 - Credit: Archant
Delving into history and unearthing its trinkets is a nostalgic passion for many people.
Cecilia Pyke - Credit: Archant
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.
You may also want to watch:
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.
Most Read
- 1 Demolition 'will now begin' to make way for 120 homes at former campus
- 2 Woman dies after falling from 'substantial height' in Romford
- 3 Hornchurch man to face trial accused of teeth whitening offence
- 4 Rainham flat ravaged by late night blaze
- 5 Signals at Hornchurch 'crash hotspot' now under review
- 6 Campaigners ‘overjoyed’ and developer to 'consider its next steps' following Gallows Corner Tesco refusal
- 7 Covid-19: How has Havering fared over the last four weeks?
- 8 Altered timetable means fewer fast trains between Romford and Liverpool Street
- 9 Application to install 5G mast in Cranham refused
- 10 Romford church to offer new debt support scheme
“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:
Nostalgia: Havering in history on May 9, 1954, 1974 and 1994
Nostalgia: Havering in history on April 25, 1954, 1974 and 1994
