Nostalgia: Havering in history on June 7, 1953, 1973 and 1993

Romford and Hornchurch Recorder, June 1, 1973 (Image: Archant)

Sixty years ago – 1953

A six-year-old girl received almost £6,000 in damages for the horrific injuries she suffered after being knocked down by a motorcyclist in Colchester Road, Harold Wood.

The Queen’s Bench Division awarded £5,960 to Lynda Hinton of Fairford Way, Harold Hill.

In court, Lynda’s injuries were described as ‘most grievous and terrible.’

She was thrown between 15 and 20 feet and her injuries included a fractured skull and laceration of the brain.

Consultant surgeon, John Talbot, said it was one of the worst cases of head injury seen at Harold Wood Hospital.

The defendant, motorcycle rider William Henry Tracey of Melville Road in Collier Row, agreed to pay the costs.

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Fire services were called to a building site in Harold Hill after a six-year-old boy became stuck in a pipe.

Geoffrey Wilson of Leyburn Road was playing with other children when he crawled into the earthenware pipe, just 15 inches in diameter.

Attempts to rescue Geoffrey failed until a man passing by heard his cries and broke the pipe with a house brick before the fire services arrived.

Geoffrey was taken to Harold Wood Hospital with slight abrasions to his legs.

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A Harold Hill man who jumped into the River Thames to rescue an unconscious 75-year-old drifting downstream was recognised for his bravery.

William Baker, 46, of Coine Drive was ‘mate aboard’ the MV Ohmid when he spotted Williams Kates of Battersea between Wandsworth and Putney Bridges.

The ‘all hands on deck’ signal was given and Mr Baker dived fully clothed into the water to save Mr Kates.

Mr Baker received a certificate on behalf of the Royal Humane Society at Romford Magistrates Court.

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Forty years ago – 1973

A ‘revolutionary housing plan’ to make homes affordable to thousands of people was taking shape.

Under the scheme, Havering Council was hoping to provide the mortgage loan for half the agreed value of a house and retain a half share in the property.

Council leader Ald. Jack Moultrie was the mastermind behind the plan and the average price of a three-bedroom semi-detached house in Havering was £12,000.

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Police were called to an outdoor children’s show presented by Uncle Dennis in Upminster Park after receiving complaints about noise.

Members of Upminster Cricket Club, playing a match nearby, were also disgruntled and asked for the amplifiers to be turned down.

Club secretary, Robert Hill, said: “The microphone was turned up to a ridiculous level.”

But angry parents claimed the complaints were unjustified and ruined the entertainment for 200 children.

June McGowan of Upminster, who attended the show with her three-year-old daughter Melanie, was very annoyed and said the noise was not loud.

She added it was ‘disgusting’ the police were called and said some people ‘just didn’t like to see people enjoying themselves.’

Show organisers Havering Council said some of the complainants were ‘unnecessarily awkward.’

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Angry pickets helped to turn lorries away from the Ind Coope’s Romford Brewery after 26 electrical workers had been sacked.

The men were dismissed by W T Parker Ltd, the main electrical contractors on the site of a new £3m extension being built at the Waterloo Road brewery.

Members of the Electrical Trades Union had been negotiating a code of practice but the sackings took place before an agreement was reached.

The pickets appealed to the lorry drivers attempting to enter the brewery for their support.

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Twenty years ago – 1993

father who drove past a roadside accident scene on the Romford ring road said he had a premonition of disaster.

Terry Cason’s worst fears were realised when he recognised his son’s Kawasaki Zephyr motorbike at the junction of Victoria Road and Thurloe Gardens.

His son, 26-year-old Andrew Cason, was being attended by paramedics and a doctor after his motorbike had been in a collision with a car.

Despite a desperate fight to save his life, Mr Cason of Fourth Avenue in Rush Green was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Bomb-proof litter containers were being considered by Havering Council in the wake of recent terrorist attacks, including the incidents in Warrington.

Cllr Chris Purnell said a number of bins had been moved from The Liberty shopping centre in Romford as a security measure and alternatives were being considered.

He said information had been received regarding the provision of litter bins designed to withstand bomb attacks.

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Shoppers and motorists watched in amazement as a daredevil car owner hung on to his stolen new car for 150 yards.

Miraculously, Edward Few escaped only with a grazed leg after his £12,000 Nissan Primera was snatched just seven minutes after he bought it from the Glyn Hopkins showroom in London Road, Romford.

Mr Few, a 46-year-old printer, was paying for his first tank of petrol at the Jet Garage in High Road, Chadwell Heath, when an opportunist thief spied the sparkling K-registered car.

Mr Few grabbed the rear spoiler and only let go as the car approached a sharp left turn.

He was taken to Oldchurch Hospital where his grazes were treated.