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Posted by John Hammerslag
on 8/7/2009, 4:57 am, in reply to "Re: Pitsea Market"
As a local kid I lived very close to the original Pitsea Market site located in Station Lane, which of course made me very close to the local cinema. Being so close to everything made Saturday for me a great day, with the choice of going to the morning movies or the market or both. Sadly most of the time the jumble of corrugated iron sheds and old wooden stalls of the market remained unoccupied, so naturally it was a great thrill for me to see the place come alive on market day. People came from miles around to the market hoping to gain a bargain, or just be entertained by all the colourful sales pitches, and to experience the general atmosphere. Having a market in Pitsea was very important for the local district in those days, since the other closest markets operating were at Wickford and Romford. Alf the Market Man ( Alf Cohen) was probably one of the most vocal and well known stallholder's , but others do remain in my memory, like the Indian man who sold very hot throat lozenges that he neatly displayed in piles on a table. Even a penny would buy you something at the market, and being soon after the restrictions of wartime, any new toy or gadget was considered to be a marvel. Apart from the great variety of stalls I remember in earlier times they kept livestock penned in an open area out the back of the market –super smelly on a hot day.
As someone who has lived in Australia for 45 years the market scene of those early days will always remain a fond memory of my childhood.
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