Flashback: A body in the river, pensioners’ eviction victory and mum admits child abuse
The River Roding at Woodford Green - Credit: Archant
Stories from this week 60, 40 and 20 years ago
1957: A golf course attendant spoke of his shock in discovering the body of an elderly lady in The River Roding.
Joseph Hines, from Courtland Avenue, Ilford found the body while he was searching the river for golf balls.
With the help of another man, Mr Hines pulled the body closer to the bank.
The lady was proven to be of around sixty however was never formally identified.
The current of the river was seemingly running very quickly so it was theorised that the woman entered further upstream perhaps near Wanstead Park.
Up to the time the Recorder went to press the body of the elderly lady still hadn’t been identified.
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1977: Three pensioners were given the wonderful good news that they would be spending Christmas in their own home after an eight month eviction threat finally came to an end.
In May, Redbridge Council announced their plans to turn the good friends out of their bedsits in order for it to be converted back to a home for one family.
Charlie Johnson, John Johnson and Jack Perret lived together in Eastwood Road, Goodmayes. They’d seen more than two hundred Christmases between them.
Charlie, 75, said: “It’s been terrible not knowing. We hadn’t even bothered getting in a Christmas tree because we didn’t know how it was going to turn out”.
The three were thick as thieves, treated each other like family and didn’t want to be separated.
Thankfully, due to the length of time that they had all spent in the bedsit, the council deduced that the house was not suitable for enforcement procedure. They enjoyed a celebratory drink after the council lifted the eviction plans.
1997: A young mum who admitted child abuse charges was spared prison after a judge was moved by her description of her own difficult childhood.
The Newbury Park woman pleaded guilty to five counts of child cruelty but was handed a probation order and ordered to receive psychological help when she revealed she has suffered similar abuse as a toddler.
The psychological toll of that abuse had seen her become obsessed with finger and toe nails.
