I’ve picked up a few books about Chandler’s Ford from the library and you may find them interesting.
1) Capt. A.A.J. Fortune: Chandlers Ford, 1859 – 1969. The book cover reads, “An account of the growth of Chandlers Ford from a hamlet to a village by 1897, now the largest residential area in the Borough of Eastleigh.”
Price for the book was 10/6. (10 shillings and six pence, equivalent of 95 pence today.)
This endearing little book has an orange cover with an image of the parish church.
This little book was printed by Farleys (Fareham) Ltd. at West Street, however, it doesn’t have a date of publication. I gather the book was published in around 1970, as I read from an old blog (last updated in 2006), Chandler’s Ford History by Chris, that Captain Fortune died in 1973 aged 82.
In this book, Captain Fortune mentioned, “My parents came to live at Chandlers Ford, at Ford Farm, in the year 1885. Chandlers Ford at that date was but a Hamlet.” I’ll write in more details about this fascinating memoir in another post.
2) Barbara Hillier and Gerald Ponting:
- The Chandler’s Ford Story, from earliest times to the 21st century, published by Millers Dale Publications (2005)
- Chandler’s Ford – Yesterday and today, published by Millers Dale Publications (1998)
3) Barbara Hillier:
- The story of Chandler’s Ford, published by Paul Cave Publications Ltd.
- Chandler’s Ford, a pictorial history, published by Phillimore (1994)
4) Gordon Daubney Cox: Around Eastleigh, including Chandler’s Ford, Bishopstoke & Botley, published by Francis Frith Collection (2005)
5) Dr. Gavin G.S. Bowie: In Old Picture Postcards: Eastleigh, Bishopstoke and Chandler’s Ford. Published by 1986 European Library – Zatbommel/Netherlands.
In Old Picture Postcards is a series of book which sets out to show what a particular place looked like and what life was like in Victorian and Edwardian times.
If you have read these books, or any other books about Chandler’s Ford, do share your reading with us, and tell us what you like about the books.
Can you recommend any other articles or books about the local history of Chandler’s Ford? Do you know of a local historian? If so, share your story here with us.
Ruby says
10 shillings and sixpence is 52.5 pence, not 95 pence 🙂
Janet says
Haha! I asked a mathematician and he worked it out as 95 pence. Could you show your working out? I’m fascinated! Many thanks.
Ruby says
There were 20 shillings in a pound, and 12 pence in a shilling. So 10 shillings and sixpence = 10.5/20. of a pound = 52.5 pence.
OR, a shilling is the equivalent of 5 (new) pence, sixpence is the equivalent to 2.5. (new) pence*. 10 shillings + 6 pence = 50 pence + 2.5 pence.
Your mathematician owes me a beer 🙂
*for quite a while after decimalisation, the old “sixpence” was still in use, with a value of 2.5 pence. And the conversation “have you got 2 and a half pence” “yes, I’ve got a sixpence” caused absolutely no confusion whatsoever (seriously – it really didn’t).
Janet says
Wonderful explanation — as if I understood all of the points. Chandler’s Ford has a few fine pubs, and you could pick one.