Did you recognise this location in Chandler’s Ford? Tim Deacon from Southampton sent us this unique photo to share with Chandler’s Ford readers.
The photo shows two R.A.F. Launches (built by The British Power Boat Company in Hythe) being transported by lorries through Chandler’s Ford over the road/rail bridge near the station in the 1950/60s.
Tim is a volunteer boat builder at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Part Two: 1913
If we now time-travel twenty years or so to the eve of the First World War, let’s see what has changed on our route. Once again, we come up from Southampton to the Asda roundabout and up Bournemouth Road. Chandler’s Ford now has a police constable who lives at the police house at 5 York Villas, Bournemouth Road. We pass the home of one R. E. Burke, a lounge steward on HMS Titanic who sadly perished when the ship foundered last year. As we pass the Hut Hotel (see image below, forgiving the cars!), we may see Chandler’s Ford United FC training in a field behind, using the hotel as their changing room. The big brickfield on our left is still busy.
[Read more…] about The Main Road Through Chandler’s Ford: Historical Snapshots (Part 2)
Like most schools, mine had inter-house competitions. One year, it fell to me to be House Captain of Music because I was the oldest boy who could play the clarinet. The Housemaster chose the Captain on age, not on ability. Every boy had to sing in the choir, and the performance piece chosen was John Ireland’s setting of Sea Fever by the poet laureate at the time, John Masefield.
Everyone had to sing, from the few with treble voices to the tuneless late-teen tough-guy growlers. We learned about melding music and words, how to enunciate ‘whetted knife’ as if you were cut by a cold wind; how to sound the sibilants to suggest gale and spray and how to prolong the final word – over. The poem was ended, but the feeling and atmosphere lingered on. [Read more…] about Forgotten Letters of John Masefield
Part One: 1895
You probably know that most of Chandler’s Ford has developed in the last hundred years or so and that prior to the twentieth century, there wasn’t a lot here, apart from a few cottages, the brickfields, farm land and woods. I’ve been looking at the history of one important feature of our town: the main road – Bournemouth Road and Winchester Road – stretching from Asda to the Nuffield Hospital. I wonder what you know of its history?
Let me take you back to 1895. Let’s say you want to travel from Southampton to Winchester and for some reason you don’t take the train, preferring to ride your horse / travel in your carriage or cart by road. The road that goes through our town was the most direct route, a turnpike with an improved surface since the early nineteenth century, unlike other local roads.
Before the railway came in 1847, this road would have been heavily used by the stage coaches that plied between Southampton and London. The horses were changed every six miles and being this distance from both Southampton and Winchester, Chandler’s Ford was the obvious place for the changeover. The coaching stage in our town was where the Fryern Arcade is now, but by 1895 the stables had been redeveloped as a house. [Read more…] about The Main Road Through Chandler’s Ford: Historical Snapshots (Part 1)
And with that welcome to October!
Pinch, punch, the first of the month is one of those peculiar sayings most of us picked up on during childhood. And yes it was followed up with the pinch and the punch. (I suspect the rougher the school, the harder the pinch and the punch too).
The idea behind this phrase, and the one that often follows it (”white rabbits”), is that by saying it, we are meant to have good luck for the month in question. Naturally you wouldn’t want to miss out on said good luck so the moment the calendar shows it is the first again, out comes the saying again.
Gran does not feel well on September 1st 1985 – she often feels sick and unable to eat, has troublesome back pain and sometimes is very sleepy. After a two-hour afternoon sleep this Sunday, and not eating owing to a prolonged bout of acute hiccups, she watches television but finds it disappointing at first, saying this:
“Songs of Praise” [came] from the Greenpeace Festival and consisted of all pop versions of worship, appealing only to youngsters who were wound up to such a frenzy of clapping, dancing and arm waving, which left me wondering if it were a great love of God or only of Pop “music”. A later programme about English silk was very interesting and enlightening.
Her ailments, considered by stoical Gran as simple inconveniences, rarely prevent her doing what she wishes, so, on September 17th:
This afternoon I gardened for just over an hour, weeding more of the Crocus – Cyclamen bed, which was made difficult by the presence of many minute new cyclamen seedlings, with only one tiny leaf showing amongst the moss and the insidious Sheep’s Sorrel. I also dug up some Brambles, Goutweed and Ivy, after which I was very tired and came in and slept for close on an hour.
Image Credit: Book covers from Chapeltown Books. Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Author images taken by Adrian Symes.
Today would have been my late parents’ 61st wedding anniversary. (They made it to 55 years together when we lost Mum in 2015).
Anniversaries are important. They form much of our history (1066 probably being the most famous and yes the entire year is an anniversary date. A less “well known” year for this is 1936 – the Year of the Three Kings – George V, Edward VIII and George VI. There has been a Year of the Three Queens too – 1536 – Catherine of Aragon, who always maintained she was rightful Queen of England, Anne Boleyn, both of whom died in this year thanks to the same brute of a man, and Jane Seymour. I’m no fan of Henry VIII incidentally as you might have been able to tell!).
Many people love a day at the races. But can you imagine the roar of the crowd, the thunder of hooves, the cries of the punters here in Chandler’s Ford? Yet indeed, Chandler’s Ford used to have a racecourse. Complete with grandstand and a course length of 2.25 miles, it was located on fields near the railway station (now Valley Park) and was described in the newspaper as ‘presenting a lovely appearance to those who come to drink a draught of nature.’
But why here at Chandler’s Ford?
Gran has joined several coach tours, mainly to the West Country, in recent months, organised through her Club. She enjoys noting the passing scenery and wayside flowers but is often frustrated by stops for refreshments and shopping. She usually wanders off on her own at these times.
On June 12th 1985 there is a half-day outing into Berkshire, which includes a canal trip:
We went over a level crossing towards Hampstead Marshall where the Kennet and Avon Canal was our stopping area… Our barge, the Avon, was awaiting us and after we embarked, I learnt that it was purpose-built for these excursions but on the traditional narrow-boat principle though now is a motor barge and not horse-drawn as originally… The windows were large with seats all round and a little shop and bar at one end. I bought a little ribbon plate for Ruth, a thimble with our barge on it for Sue, a booklet, “On the Kennet and Avon” and a biro for myself.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 175)
March 2nd 1985 is not a pleasant day for Gran: there is some domestic conflict and she writes:
After an unpleasant morning of continual complaints, I spent the afternoon in my room, wishing to be alone in tranquil and quiet surroundings. I mostly read Arthur Marshall’s book. “Life’s Rich Pageant” and had a short nap. This evening more reading and listening to the radio and, later I stuck in today’s cutting about Julian.
The cutting is from The Daily Telegraph concerning Julian’s decision not to run in the National Cross Country Championships, owing to a heavy cold. But the following day, after the race is run, she is pleased to read in The Sunday Telgraph that the first eight home in yesterday’s National Cross Country have been chosen for the England team, “plus Julian Goater who has been so consistent always”. [Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 174)
We have two beautiful rivers in south Hampshire, the Test and the Itchen. Both chalk streams, in their upper reaches these are noted for their water quality. In fact, due to the chalk aquafer on the Itchen, which has excellent storage and filtration, we get our water supply from this river.
But here in Chandler’s Ford we know of another, less well-known river, the Monks Brook. ‘Fordians see it popping up here and there, through Hiltingbury Lakes, at the bottom of people’s gardens, under roads: sometimes pretty as in Flexford Reserve, sometimes business-like as it rushes down a manmade culvert under Hursley Road.
Half of us will have cancer at some time in our lives. By far the most common is prostate cancer for men and breast cancer for women. These exceed lung, bowel, ovary and testicular cancers by a factor of 2 or more.
I never asked for a PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) test, but I got one anyway when my GP checked me over one day. The result was high, so did I mind if he did a rectal examination. I said it would be OK if he promised not to enjoy it any more than I would.
‘You’ve got cancer there. It’s a decent-sized lump but still in the prostate, hasn’t spread. We’ll zap it with radiotherapy; surgery is not a sensible option. It’s 99% curable for five years, and you might die of something else in the meantime.’ My doctor is a straight-talking man, I was pleased not to be offered surgery. When I was a junior doctor, I assisted in prostatectomy operations and looked after the patients afterwards. I was called up most nights to deal with blocked catheters or excessive bleeding. Later on, many of the men suffered urinary infections and other complications. [Read more…] about Cancer Ward – My Story
On October 27th 1980, Gran records local drizzle and says: “But we were lucky. In Lancashire torrential rain had caused the Ribble and the Wyre to burst their banks and the road above Preston is flooded… I have been anxious about Marsh Lane”.
And later:
This evening my dear Jane phoned, guessing that I should be worrying about the family and, indeed, the Ribble has filled Marsh Lane right across, the Doulton’s house next door to Jane is flooded and water is in Jane’s downstairs in places and the carpets and other things are upstairs. As usual, Jane said, friends are being a wonderful help, and the piano and other furniture is raised on bricks and the council has taken precautions, but she and the children expect to be baling all night.
Gran discovers the next day that it was not the River Ribble that flooded Marsh Lane but a local stream, whose sluice gates should have been opened to allow flood waters to drain away. Minor damage is caused to the house and Jane, Andy and Katie had, indeed, been busy dealing with the problem overnight. [Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 163)
On June 30th 1980, Gran watches tennis on television with some pleasure, writing:
Play at Wimbledon started at noon again today… there were more excellent matches and results were much as to be expected except that Britain’s last hope, Virginia Wade, was beaten by the American fifteen-year old, Andrea Jaeger.
“But”, she says, “My main pleasure had already taken place!”
We have read once or twice of her encounters with the Wryneck, a rare woodpecker-relative once fairly widespread in the south, and on this day she has another one:
Looking into the garden instinctively from the television, I saw what I at first thought was a juvenile Green Woodpecker feeding on the ground by the Silver Birch on which the nearest nesting box hangs. Closer inspection, however, proved the bird to be a Wryneck, which was feeing in characteristic manner, on ants, I expect. After it flew across the bottom of Kingstons’ garden, down the Kingsway ones, I got out the Handbook and identification was absolute. I have only ever seen three Wrynecks, including this one, so it is a splendid record. I phoned Barry this evening to tell him and he was amazed and pleased. Geoff has yet to see his first!
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 162)
On May 9th 1980 Gran, as always, working in Fahrenheit, records that it was:
… the coldest May night this century (according to the television weather man) with a minimum temperature here of thirty degrees, this morning was clear and sunny though still cold.
Post brought “Athletics Weekly” which informed me that Julian had a good run in the 3000 metre race in the southern Counties A.A.A. representative match at Crystal Palace on April 30th. His time was 7:58.9 seconds, only just over one second outside Sebastian Coe’s best time of 7:57.4, which he achieved the week before.
“Bird of the week” on radio this morning was the Nightingale and records were played of Beatrix Harrison playing her ‘cello in a wood with a Nightingale accompanying her, of a Nightingale singing with enemy aeroplanes droning overhead, and of the bird on its own. I was reminded of the war days here, when, after an air raid, the “all clear” siren sounded and we rushed upstairs to hear the Nightingales singing down by the Lake. Alas, present day disturbance there has driven these lovely birds away from this neighbourhood.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 161)
Book 180
On August 24th 1979 we find Gran at Coverack, in Cornwall again, sharing a holiday with Barry, Jane Elizabeth, Geoff and Robin. Barry is running his moth-trap and some of the family’s time is spent sitting on the beach, but on this day, she says, “Geoff and I walked towards Black Head instead of going to the beach again and I must admit that this was more in my line”.
She writes of Barry, ever the enthusiastic schoolmaster, on August 27th:
Barry has been showing the children from the [nearby] hotel the contents of the trap and an elderly lady has been keeping a list of the species. Today a small crowd of about fifteen people gathered and the “star” was the Convolvulus Hawk, which allowed itself to be picked up and admired, and when Barry had it he was even able to draw out its very long proboscis to show the company and the moth then curled it up again.
[Read more…] about Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal (Part 160)
Music, especially classical, is one of life’s great joys as far as I’m concerned and I count myself lucky to be able to enjoy listening to this while writing my stories and blog posts. Two fabulous things enjoyed together – lovely.
But how did I get into classical music at all and what connections had I already formed with it before getting into it “properly”?
The u3a nationally has been going through a re-branding of late and the new Chandlers Ford u3a website launched only last week.
The Chandlers Ford u3a group was formed in March 1998 and now has more than 400 members. The Chandlers Ford u3a would normally meet on the 3rd Monday at 2pm of each month at the Dovetail Centre of the Methodist Church in Winchester Road, but they have had to resort to Zoom of late.
Members of the u3a have a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience which as a self-help group can be shared with others. We have around 50 special interest groups which meet in members homes covering topics such as languages at varying levels, the arts, literature, history and science. We also have outings to theatres and gardens, local places of interest, and countryside walks.
A u3a is a learning co-operative of older people, which enables members to share many educational, creative and leisure activities. Activities are organised mainly in small groups that meet regularly, often in each other’s homes. Members, through sharing their knowledge, skills and experience, learn from each other.
Although all local u3as remain operationally independent, they are members of The Third Age Trust. As such they must abide by both the original Objects and Principles written by Peter Laslett in 1981 and the Principles of the u3a Movement (2014).
The Trust is a national, umbrella body (a registered charity and limited company) which represents all u3as in the UK at national and international level. It is run by a National Executive Committee democratically elected from the membership and offers a range of services, to support and advise local u3as.
The image of Compton Lock was taken on a walk from Shawford, Compton and St. Cross.
The aircraft image is from a visit the u3a members paid to the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at Old Sarum, just outside Salisbury.
You can contact Chandlers Ford u3a with email: admin@cfordu3a.org.uk.
Gran’s albums of newspaper and magazine cuttings about her twenty-six year old grandson Julian’s athletics career are getting thicker and thicker. She writes with considerable pride that he has quite a following amongst her aquaintances in Chandler’s Ford. On May 9th 1979, she says:
I scurried round this morning to get the new stamps for the election to the European Parliament and to take my “Julian” albums for Mr Biddle to see before Sheila came for me at half past ten. We went to Buckler’s Hard, via Ibsley, where we saw a Brimstone and the first foal of the season.
Buckler’s Hard, alas, is almost completely spoiled, being completely commercialized and only the little main street just about its old self. To begin with we had to pay 40p each to leave the car in the car park. There is a new, modern restaurant with concrete forecourt and iron tables and chairs and a new, large museum, and one cannot walk down the old street from the top but has to go between these new buildings and enter the street halfway down, thus losing the old, familiar, breathtaking views from the top. The waterside has become a marina, full of yachts and after passing my “dream cottage” one cannot follow the track by the river because a huge boatyard has been built.
A bird new to the British List has been at Pagham Harbour during December 1978 and Barry and Geoff, who have already seen it, are keen for Gran to enjoy it too. She writes on Christmas Eve:
Barry, Geoff and I rose at six-thirty and set out optimistically for Pagham to see the very rare avian visitor, which the two had seen earlier… we went straight to the area which our special bird had been frequenting and Barry soon located the Greater Sand Plover which, even now, in winter plumage is a beautiful bird. It is larger than a Ringed Plover, which we also saw, sandy-buff above, white below, with black ear-coverts and band across the forehead. It is an Asian bird and is accidental in Greece, Sweden and Germany. Barry got it focused in his scope and told me to look, and I was so excited that I lay flat in a puddle to reach the telescope.
