Perhaps to non Ealing residents of old this could be viewed as tad dreary early 1980's documentary of some west London suburb. For me not so. I grew up only a 200 yards away from St Mary's Church and still live in Ealing. I found this footage really fascinating and I can clearly remember as a kid walking down the Uxbridge Road going past the Safeway, John Sanders, Lilley & Skinner and Lamertons and so on back to the parental home. The former Library at Pitzhanger Manor also raised a warm smile!
Lived in Hanwell. Ealing Broadway was my favourite, didn't like Ealing as much and looking on street view it appears its gone down hill. Moved away in 2004. Ealing Broadway centre was great in the 80s, seemed very modern. Watched Blue Peter turn on the lights in Ealing Broadway Centre in the 80s. Loved going to Argos. I remember when the Waterglade centre opened. That looked super modern and had the fancy see-through lift. That didn't seem to last long though as lots of shops moved out of it. Also remember where Woolworths used to be on main Street they turned into a big toy shop. The old cinema where I went to see star trek and T2, can't remember other movies I saw there (I see that is now gone).
Great to have a trip down Amnesia Lane. I grew up in Ealing Common - 1980 - I was just 10 yrs old! I now live in the Netherlands (Haarlem) and can show my Family what they have missed ! ;P If you have anymore such docs on Ealing, PLEASE do share. As someone commented already, it does raise a warm smile for those grew up in Ealing!
born and raised (for the most part) in Ealing. this was a really great look into the history of this part of London, cant thank you enough for posting. will show the video to the rest of the family.
I was only ten back then, growing up in the nearby Hanger Lane area of Ealing. Seeing it back then with all the old stores etc brings back all the nice memories. It all looks dead grotty now.
Wow. I used to ride all over Ealing and I remember all of those shops. Grew up in West Ealing and then moved to Ealing Broadway. I used to shop with my partner at the time in Safeways, the one in the video. Then a long walk all the way back past the station, shopping bags in hand, back up Madely Road to our bedsit. They were good days despite not having the Internet (as OkaniJMCA points out. Back in those days, we did things like visit people, start bands, go to places and create things. Not knocking the Internet or harking back to the "good old days", all days are good.
How an entire Capital city and country can go from this to what it is now within 30 odd years is beyond me. I won't let anyone ever tell me i'm wrong. Disgusting what has been allowed to happen.
I grew up in West Ealing, St kilda road. I lived there from when I was a baby until my early 20's. Although I don't live in West Ealing now, I still very much consider it home. Myself and siblings used to go to the swimming baths every Saturday, which was situated at the back of the town hall. I loved the department store Bentals, which was stood in corner, opposite John Lewis department store...Great video! 😊
You would be sad to find out how much ealing has changed. I have grown up in ealing for the last 20 years and find it fascinating to see my home unrecognisable 40 years ago
Lived in central Ealing from 1976 till 1996, this brings back some fond memories, shame it has progressed into something else now, the majority of people have moved on from these days.
Lived in the Borough my whole life, Acton then ealing common then hanwell than back to Acton now I'm back in Hanwell, both my grandparents were from southall and mum's dad from Paddington
Raised in Ealing in the 60s. In the days when Ealing would shut down for half day closing on Wednesdays and on Sunday mornings the only people you would see were those going to Church. No shops opened on the Sunday. Went to Drayton Green Infants and Juniors when they had the 'Cinder' Track in the park (Drayton Park). Lillian Board (athlete) would train there. I remember the little shops on the hill leading to West Ealing Station. I remember seeing Matt Munro (singer) who lived on Sutherland Road in houses that we thought were really posh. I remember Daniel Departmental store being at the bottom of our road opposite Callows the Newsagent I remember Bensted Record shop where you used to go into individual booths to listen to the latest hit record. I remember FH Rowse as the big departmental store in West Ealing. Saw Jerry and the Pacemakers there at the height of their stardom. I remember the 'Triplets'... Woolworths, British Home Stores and Marks & Spenser, being side by side and opposite the Sainbury (Butchers and Dairy produce on one side of the store, tin goods and dry goods on the other side. Green Shield stamps were the must have collectable. Do you remember the Paraffin sellers in their Bedford Vans. Pink and Esso Blue. The Pools man would come and collect my Father's completed form and money without of being mugged. I remember the families that had the Fruit and Veg barrows on the side streets opposite Ealing Lido park I remember the old Mattock Lane Hospital or Ealing Hospital as it was known then. Mattock Lane Theater where you could see Charlie Watts (drummer) playing Jazz Ealing Grammar/Ealing Green had some notable musicians who were just ordinary school kids when I attended. I remember getting school lunch from Young's Bakers and having their fantastic home made Malt loaf (Mid 70s). Crusts (also shown) was a trendy new place for the cafe society. I'm sure there was a Pub on the corner next to the zebra crossing leading to the school. Lamas Park anyone?... I remember going to the 'Kinnocks' house when they lived near there... Is the tree still in the middle of the road, the one that is on the flag of borough? So many many memories living there from childhood
I enjoyed this - although I don't know how much dear old Fred's presentation style would have appealed to anyone not from Ealing. I grew up in Hanwell, and left in 1983, just after this came out - this is the Ealing I remember. Haven't been back at all for over 10 years - maybe I should to check out how different it is from what I remember.
@Iain McNulty Yes the new immigrants are extremely xenophobic towards the Welsh, Irish, Scottish and English. Why do you want the Welsh, Irish, Scottish and English to become a minority in the UK? If current trends continue the Welsh, Irish, Scottish and English will be a minority by 2050.
"I'm perhaps standing in one of the front gardens of the houses built many years ago". Probably true pretty much anywhere you stand in London. Gardens, trees, parks, ponds, all slowly disappear forever. Sad really. Meanwhile another great slow paced documentary from the ye olde BBC. Thanks for uploading.
Fascinating video...wasn't expecting to watch it to the end but was captivated. I've been living in Ealing for 4 years, interesting to see how Ealing Broadway looked in the past.
Yes absolutely. It was of course a bomb site and there were a few houses left. I used to pedal down there fairly regularly. It was a real adventure. People also used to dump cars there too and I regularly used to prise bits off them and even have side and headlamp switch off an old Rover still.
Has anyone researched the brooks and rivers that ran through Ealing? A neighbour once told my son of a waterways that ran into Llamas Park, before the local railways. When the houses were built, my son heard how a gap was created between terraces that ran from the park to Little Ealing Lane. A narrow channel can still be seen running between Mt. Carmel school and the building alongside Our Lady of Hungary Church/Saint Istvan's.
Thank You a million times, just amazing to be able to watch people of that far away time walking and going about their business. We can't help but think fifteen years ago, this footage would have been accompanying other footage like it on a regular television series. Sad to say today many take this minor mirracle as "just another clickable video!" Well, either way, watching this is one of the good reasons for being here in our time.
I was born in West Ealing.Good old memories, remember passing that old Safeway on the way to school. It's all been turned into a modern day restaurant and coffee shop town. Government, the council and Enterprise rent a car have ruined Ealing with all the the road restrictions.
Really interesting and some great shots of old Ealing. I remember the lady and her hub. selling flowers on the corner down from the station. Are they still with us I wonder?
Me too. He didn’t show the church that was permanently “condemned” because it was supposedly about to collapse at any moment. Can’t remember its name. St Stephen’s perhaps? Ring any bells?
@@madgemuso7314 Hi. Yes it was Saint Stephens at the end of The Avenue in West Ealing. Now converted into residential dwellings. I guess it wasn't mentioned because FH stayed within W5 of Ealing. 40 plus years on and Ealing is still recognisable - just. Looking back, the past feels to be better days❓
@@petercurry6222 Definitely simpler times in a lot of ways. My family lived high up on Mount Avenue. I went to Montpelier School on Montpelier Rd. My best friend lived in the flats at the far end of Hanger Hill Park.
I worked at that Safeway after school and on Saturdays back when you could 79/80,saved most of my wages to buy a moped 😀 also worked at The Feathers pub across the road.
Great to look back at Ealing as it was but also sad too it looks nothing like it now My middle school was Christchurch the memories are wonderful, they used to call it Queen of the Suburbs. Worked behind the town hall just great memories, then our politicians destroyed it
Nice to see a documentary without loud background music and cinematic effects, with a presenter attempting to look respectable who speaks in full sentences. Compare that with today.
Fascinating stuff so glad this exists as someone born and raised here who can clearly remember those shops that no longer exist..pity the Bentalls building was not shown in it's full glory now wiped clean from existence...what I find ironic is that the council is planning to raise the civic centre to the ground built after this video..barely 35 years after it was commissioned...what waste of public money it was a contraversional building at the time costing tens of millions back then. That's progress eh..creation and destruction in less than half a generation..this is why new housing stock is literally worthless, it simply won't be around..
@@johnster1964 indeed it was a magnificent building with that sweeping stairway on the left as you came in the front, lead right up to the toy department. And the hair salon on the 1st floor... remember it so well as my sister worked there ! Sad it is gone along with John Sanders and Rowse in West Ealing .. those old school department stores had a certain charm and character about them.. always reminded me of the sitcom are you served.. hey ho gone but not forgotten
I have just finished digitising a lecture given by Janet Spavold “Discovering Your Place: Sources for the History of Local Communities in the Midlands” at St. Helen's House Derby 2- April-1982. It was clearly inspired by Fred Housego’s series of programmes “History on Your Doorstep”, he was even name checked. The series had a paperback book associated with it, I will have to search it out. Have you got any more episodes to upload?
Unfortunately his comment regarding pubs seeming to always remain, isn`t the case now. The feathers the Bell, and the Green man have long gone and the latter i used to drink in after work at Art Wallpapers in West Ealing probably went about the time he was filming. It`s now an area that was like Southall was in the 70s.
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I think I remember. I think it was along side the three pidgeons pub. When Fred walked down it and looked to the right, You are at the back ofthe shops. I actualy belive that pitched roof outbuilding is still there Behind that builders fence would be the elevated road leading to the car park....I Think. Lamertons(beds and carpets) became an o`neils pub. The new building going up atthe end is opposite the Queen Vic.(finnigans wake)...I Think...Ealing born and bred, left 15 years ago.
Live in west Ealing and Ealing since early seventies and it breaks my heart to see how you can much it has changed for the worse, I blame local people government, it's not about people, it's greed, money. Look at the councilors they have asked us to vote for, and try and get them to help you then you will find, you are completely on your own, I live in Broughton ct and we are plagued by Ant Social behavior, it is so bad you actually dread the sun shining
Harsh but true, i was raised in Acton, moved out of London in the 80s, used to drink in the New Inn in Ealing, and mum had her handbag stolen in Safeways.
What a difference 40 years makes. Mass migration is population replacement. What will the UK be like when the Welsh, Irish, Scottish and English are a minority?
