The late actress Joan Sims was born in the Staion Masters house at Laindon along this line and there is a very small Blue plaque on the wall of this building commemorating this event. despite being born nearby myself and being the very keen railway enthusiast I have been since childhood, I never got to meet this Lady. I did write to her when she was ill and sadly just before her passing, but never had a reply. I have a copy of Joan's autobiography and there is a picture in there showing Joan in the station yard.
Joan's Dad was the Station Master when I was there, but can't recall ever meeting him either. He had started as a booking clerk in the East End of London, then went to Grays before moving to the job at Laindon.
Not so many weeks ago, there was a dcumentary shown on ITV about Joan and it showed quite a bit about her life on and around Laindon station. Now Joan can be seen almost weekly in the screenings of the 'Carry On' films in which she starred.
Geoff Mansfield
Re: The Late Joan Sims
admin wrote:
The late actress Joan Sims was born in the Staion Masters house at Laindon along this line and there is a very small Blue plaque on the wall of this building commemorating this event. despite being born nearby myself and being the very keen railway enthusiast I have been since childhood, I never got to meet this Lady. I did write to her when she was ill and sadly just before her passing, but never had a reply. I have a copy of Joan's autobiography and there is a picture in there showing Joan in the station yard.
Joan's Dad was the Station Master when I was there, but can't recall ever meeting him either. He had started as a booking clerk in the East End of London, then went to Grays before moving to the job at Laindon.
Not so many weeks ago, there was a dcumentary shown on ITV about Joan and it showed quite a bit about her life on and around Laindon station. Now Joan can be seen almost weekly in the screenings of the 'Carry On' films in which she starred.
I worked for Mr Simms in the 1940's at Laindon Station and remember Joan well. She was a schoolgirl then, but showed promise as an actor even then.She joined a group of actors in Laindon. I think a Mr. Wheeler was the leader of that group. Others working at Laindon Station then were Sid Cordery( lived in Tylers Ave ) and Don Harvey.
admin
Welcome to the forum Geoff. I was born in Tyler Avenue and knew the Cordreys.
Geoff Mansfield
admin wrote:
Welcome to the forum Geoff. I was born in Tyler Avenue and knew the Cordreys.
I think Joan had a small part in a film called 'The Sea Shall Not Have Them' a film about wartime rescue of 'downed' airmen in the Channel.
