• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chandler's Ford Today

  • Home
  • About
    • About Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research
  • Blog
    • Blogging Tips
  • Event
    • Upcoming Events
  • Community
    • Groups
    • Churches
    • Schools
    • GP Surgeries
    • Leisure
    • Library
    • Charities
      • Eastleigh Basics Bank
      • Cat & Kitten Rescue in Chandler’s Ford
    • Fair Trade
      • Traidcraft stalls in Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford Parish Council
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Site Policies
  • Site Archive
    • Site Archive 2018
    • Site Archive 2017
    • Site Archive 2016
    • Site Archive 2015
You are here: Home / Community / A VERY L–O–N–G Shot from Australia

A VERY L–O–N–G Shot from Australia

January 25, 2019 By Doug Clews 9 Comments

Phil, a friend of ours from Sheffield, England, is over here in Perth, Western Australia at the moment visiting family … on Saturday, he visited us in Glen Forrest, as he has done for the past eight years.

On this occasion, he presented me with a copy of Barbara Hillier’s book, ‘CHANDLER’S FORD, A PICTORIAL HISTORY’ (1994 edition – Front Cover shows Fortune Court and a VERY blue sky) … Phil bought it via Amazon U/K from a bookshop in Reading, Berks …

Chandler's Ford Books by Barbara J Hillier and Gerald Ponting.
Chandler’s Ford Books by Barbara J Hillier and Gerald Ponting.

Here’s where the ‘long shot’ comes in …

The blank page inside the cover is inscribed, by hand, ‘With Love & Best Wishes to Jan, from Mum – 1996’

What are the chances of me discovering who Jan and Mum are ??? … slim, I feel, but not impossible, and I am sure they would like to know their ‘off-cast’ now has a welcome new home in Western Australia.

Keep smiling …

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email

Related posts:

Tags: books, community, travel

About Doug Clews

My family moved to Meadow Grove, Chandler's Ford around 1937, where I
spent my childhood, teen years and early twenties. I was educated at
King's Road School Chandler's Ford, Nethercliffe Preparatory School in
Winchester and Peter Symonds' School, also in Winchester. I served an Electrical Engineering Apprenticeship at Pirelli's, did National Service in the Royal Artillery, and was a Representative for Birdseye Frozen Foods. The move to Western Australia came in 1966, where I continued a 'Sales' career. I retired in 2000 and lived in a 'Hills' suburb east of Perth City until August 2019. I currently live happily in a Nursing Home in Georges Hall, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mike Sedgwick says

    January 26, 2019 at 12:58 pm

    I have no idea who Jan and Mum might be. You can tell you friend Phil that there is one person from Sheffield helping to keep Chandlers Ford going. My Grandfather was born in Bramall Lane so that’s a good pedigree. I am ashamed to say that I was born in Jessop’s Hospital for Women. Lived in Handsworth and moved up to Ecclesall. Uncle ran a petrol station in Intake.

    I left in 1956 to go to University in Bristol.

    Reply
  2. Doug Clews says

    January 26, 2019 at 2:00 pm

    Hi Mike … this world gets smaller every day … I have taken the liberty of sending a copy of your comment to our friend Phil, who is currently enjoying a stop-over in Thailand before returning to Blighty … my second wife comes from Sheffield (I met her in WOZ) and her (our) daughter was born in Jessops at the time of the hurricane … her Great Grandies lived in Scarsdale House in Derbyshire Lane, next to Norton Cemetery, both of which you might know … Phil lives in Meersbrook

    Reply
  3. Barry Goater says

    January 27, 2019 at 12:26 pm

    I cannot say who Jan and Mum were, but the photo, fig.16 in my copy,
    shows the tranquil track through the woods, now Queens Road, with my grandmother, Nellie Sarah Adamson, with my sister Jane (not a son) in the state of the art pram, with me, the little squirt standing beside it.

    Reply
  4. Doug Clews says

    January 30, 2019 at 11:53 am

    Hi Barry … LONG time no speak … the last time must have been during the days of ‘Relievo’ around the Lake in the early 50’s, or even before …

    You have lost me with your comment … you quote ‘the photo, fig. 16 in my copy’ … this does not appear to connect with my post, nor is there a photo … as Mr. Woodhouse used to write in our books at school ‘please explain’ …

    Cheers

    Doug Clews

    Reply
    • Barry Goater says

      February 1, 2019 at 10:02 am

      Hi Doug, Those were the days, and what fun we had. I have 1st edition of Barbara Hilliers book, which I quoted accurately. I also have a more recent edition, in which the same photo appears on p.49, simply captioned Queens Road, Chandlers Ford, 1935. Dramatis personae the same.
      Best wishes, Barry

      Reply
  5. Doug Clews says

    February 1, 2019 at 12:26 pm

    Hi again Barry …
    Now it all makes sense … thanks ! … I too have both books, and fig 16 is definitely the better photo … I had forgotten the caption though … I guess Jane would have been about 1 year old in that 1935 picture, as I seem to remember we were about the same age …
    I regret to say I have lost contact with the ‘Lake Gang’, with the exception of Tony Grinyer and his cousin David … I did meet up with Diana Sykes (Ostler) and her brother Christopher, here in Perth back in the late 70’s … At the time, Diana was Chief Dietician at Princess Margaret Hospital For Children in Perth, and Christopher was with the Agriculture Department Of Western Australia from memory.

    Keep smiling

    Doug from WOZ

    Reply
  6. David Magrath says

    February 1, 2020 at 12:44 am

    Hi, Doug.
    My name is David Magrath and from 1951 to 1956 I lived with my parents at Pine Corner, 1 Lake Road, right opposite the “Lakes”. I played Relievo with a younger “Lake Gang” Which comprised such people as Brian Prentice, John Bronsdon, Derrick Banerman, Chris Arnold, Bob Sykes and his sister Ursula, The Pratt sisters Sonya and Hazel, The Burnidge Brothers, Richard Jenkins, Richard Janes and Jenny Vining. I’m sorry if I spelt names wrong. We all subsequently joined the YC’s that you know about, led by Godfrey Olson who I believe died about a year ago. I also belonged to the 2nd Chandlers Ford Scouts when Jack Hall was Scout Master and I connected with another group of boys including the Harding Brothers and Nat Cotel. Jack was ably assisted in scouting by David Brand and Tony Grinyer.

    I took up an apprenticeship in Structural design in East Greenwich and used to return to Ch’Ford on weekends and went to YC dances at the Ritchie Hall. I subsequently met up with a lovely girl from Eastliegh named Diana Blundell and we eventually married and have spent most of the rest of our life in Canada. We now live in Halifax Nova Scotia.
    Best regards to you in Oz and Hope you are surviving from those awful fires.

    Reply
  7. Doug Clews says

    February 1, 2020 at 3:47 am

    Hello there David …

    I do remember you from YC’s and the Lake, as well as most of the people you mention …
    I also remember Michael Arnold, older brother of Christopher, and Ursula and older sister Diana Sykes and older brother Christopher Sykes (both of whom I came accross a couple of times in Perth Western Australia) but I do not remember a Bob Sykes …
    Unfortunately, you are correct about Godfrey Olson, whom, incidently was my Best Man and I his, when he married Joan …
    Jack Hall lived 5 doors away from me in Meadow Grove … A peter Brand married a girl from Meadow Grove, Anne Johnson, but not sure if he was related to the David Brand you mention (I know he had an older sister, Pamela I think) … I also remember Andy Vining, younger brother of Jenny, and Andy Burnage …
    Good to catch up with you and memories …
    Keep smiling David …

    Young Doug Clews from Sydney Australia

    Reply
    • Brian Wadham says

      July 14, 2020 at 8:51 am

      Hi Doug, I have just found a post of yours where you mention Michael Arnold and his younger brother Chris. Both these boys were great mates of mine when I lived in Chandlers Ford in the early fifties. Do you have any contact with them or know their whereabouts, I would love to catch up with them. I clearly remember their parents came to our house to view the Coronation in 1953. Mr Arnold was manager at the egg factory in Pine Road right next door to where we lived.
      Always keen to talk about old times
      Kind Regards
      Brian Wadham

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Chandler's Ford Today blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Archives

Top Posts & Pages

999, 111, 101, 112? Emergency Numbers You Must Know
101 Things to Put into Room 101
101 Things to Put into Room 101 - Part 7 - The Final Leg
Home
David Beckham's Chinese Tattoo
My Favourite Short Walk - Itchen Navigation from Bishopstoke to Allbrook
My Passion For Woodwork
Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: North End School (Part 4)
First Aider and First Responder
The Dragon of Wantley - Chameleon Theatre Company - Review

Categories

Tags

arts and crafts books Chandler's Ford Chandler's Ford Today Chandler’s Ford community charity Christianity Christmas church community creative writing culture Eastleigh Eastleigh Borough Council education entertainment event family fundraising gardening gardening tips good neighbours Hiltingbury Hiltingbury Road history hobby how-to interview Joan Adamson Joan Adelaide Goater local businesses local interest memory Methodist Church music nature news reading review social storytelling theatre travel Winchester Road writing

Recent Comments

  • Allison Symes on Paragraphs and Punctuation in Fiction
  • Mike Sedgwick on Paragraphs and Punctuation in Fiction
  • Robbie Sprague on Mrs Doncaster
  • Jill Leask on Mrs Doncaster
  • Allison Symes on Originality in Fiction
  • Mike Sedgwick on Originality in Fiction

Regular Writers and Contributors

Janet Williams Allison Symes Mike Sedgwick Rick Goater Doug Clews chippy minton Martin Napier Roger White Andy Vining Gopi Chandroth Nicola Slade Wellie Roger Clark Ray Fishman Hazel Bateman SO53 News

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

Reviews of local performances and places

Reviews of local performances and places

Copyright © 2022 Chandler's Ford Today. WordPress. Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.