Reading Andy Vining’s recent article, Farming in the Winter and Christmas at Hiltonbury Farm, sends me back to the 1950s and 60s, when my step-mother, Dad and I lived in the bungalows in the fourth service road (nowadays the third one!), on Hursley Road.
We looked from our back garden across the field to Hiltonbury Farmhouse where, in the 1960s, Andy was milking the cows and delivering milk. [Read more…] about Oh Happy Days! Fond Christmas Memories in Chandler’s Ford 1950s – 1960s
I am now going back to the 1962/3 before I was married, it was often very cold at this time of year. I used to get up at around 5.00 am to get the cows in for milking as we had yet to build the Cubicle House to keep the cows inside.
Sometimes when it was particularly cold and wet we kept the cows overnight in the cowshed but there was only room for thirty six of them in the cowshed so some had to stay under the lean-too to keep out of the weather, usually about 10 to twelve were the unlucky ones, usually the ones giving the least milk! [Read more…] about Farming in the Winter and Christmas at Hiltonbury Farm
I read the appeal for help by Hampshire Police to find a missing teenager in Chandler’s Ford, which led me to a post by Mike Sedgwick back in April about Chandler’s Ford Policing: Burglaries and Traffic Problems and the fate of Eastleigh Police Station.
These stories in turn led me back to my own memories … [Read more…] about A Night in the Cells
When you travel along Bournemouth Road to or from Southampton, you pass on one side Keble Road and on the other Keble Close, in Chandler’s Ford.
Both were called after the Rev. John Keble (1792‒1866), vicar of Hursley from 1836 until his death (and briefly curate there in 1825‒1826). [Read more…] about John Keble: Keble Road and Keble Close in Chandler’s Ford
I spent a fascinating and hugely enjoyable afternoon at Chandler’s Ford library yesterday where I attended a talk on “Growing up in Chandler’s Ford in the 50s and 60s” by local ‘lad’ Martin Napier.
Extra chairs had to be brought out to accommodate everyone. [Read more…] about An Interactive Local History Talk by Martin Napier
On Remembrance Sunday on the 8th of November in 2015, people from Chandler’s Ford remembered and honoured the fallen.
180 people assembled outside St. Boniface Church at the Chandler’s Ford War Memorial as poppies were laid at the foot of the memorial. [Read more…] about Remembrance Sunday in Chandler’s Ford: 8 November 2015
I believe Hampshire may be unique as a county in having 3 cities within it – Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester. As a result there are plenty of historical connections to our area, some of which make for excellent days out.
The fact we can directly access the Isle of Wight, and there are many historical connections there, gives us even more to see and do. [Read more…] about Hampshire Historical Connections
By Peter David Shuttler
Here I am at the age of 83+ with still vivid memories of my early life at Chandler’s Ford.
I will have to skip for a moment but you will realise the relevance.
While I lived at Woodbridge (Tasmania) our local GP was a Dr Wilson. When mother was out here she went to visit him. Realising that she was originally from Chandler’s Ford he said that he did his internship at Chandler’s Ford. [Read more…] about My Memories of Chandler’s Ford in the 1930s and 1940s: Part 2
Some of the fringe benefits of owning and walking a dog include getting to discover some beautiful areas of Hampshire. Some of these are on our doorstep in Chandler’s Ford. One of those is The Monarch’s Way, which is a short drive away, and takes you into some glorious countryside.
This post shares some of my thoughts on the walking and wildlife found in and around The Monarch’s Way. [Read more…] about Hidden Hampshire: The Monarch’s Way
By Peter David Shuttler
I was born in Chandler’s Ford in 1932 – lived at Kingsmead (corner of Winchester Road and Ford Road) until 1946.
I tried to contact Barbara Hillier some years ago as I have two copies of her book. I sat next to David (Ginger) Hillier in Miss Drover’s Grade 4/5 in 1945/46. [Read more…] about My Memories of Chandler’s Ford in the 1930s and 1940s: Part 1
Despite knowing Thornden well and visiting the Hall for numerous parents’ evenings, this was the first time I’d visited the Hall for a show.
The Importance of Being Earnest was being shown as a live broadcast of the performance taking place at the Vaudeville Theatre in the West End. There was a short interview with the production’s director, Adrian Noble, and a further short piece with David Suchet, playing the unforgettable Lady Bracknell, before the performance. [Read more…] about Review: The Importance of Being Earnest at Thornden Hall
Banks – love ‘em or hate ‘em – we are going to lose HSBC Chandler’s Ford Branch. Closure is scheduled for 13th November 2015.
This is the bank in the Central Precinct, famous for being the site of an armed robbery in September 2007. [Read more…] about Closure of HSBC Chandler’s Ford Branch. Do Bank Branches Still Matter?
Charlotte Mary Yonge? Who is she?
She is the woman represented by the new statue of a seated figure in the approach to Eastleigh Railway Station. Yes, but who is she?
Charlotte Mary Yonge is hardly known these days but she was a notable novelist in her time. [Read more…] about Charlotte Mary Yonge in Eastleigh
L A Hally, a local architect, gave an informative talk about some of her work in Chandler’s Ford Today two weeks ago.
She specialises in designing extensions, rebuilds and redesign of houses in Chandler’s Ford. [Read more…] about What Do Architects Do?
This post reviews Station Walks by Dr. Clare Diaper. I discovered this book thanks to an earlier Chandler’s Ford Today post and am glad to say it is a delight to read and a greater joy to use.
The book is supported by the Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership, My Journey and Transition Southampton. Their details are given at the front of the book. [Read more…] about Review: Station Walks Book
Parenthood changes your outlook in many ways. One way is when it comes to secondary school education and beyond, with exams in the offing, you can be guaranteed every August without fail your blood will boil. You will be annoyed. Why?
Because, without fail, somebody will claim, as the national exam results are much improved, the exams must be getting easier. That same old tired mantra comes out every August. Your blood boils every August. QED. [Read more…] about Always Annoyed in August (Are Exams Easier?)
We have had many reminiscences about WWII. Here is one about the end of it all. The newspaper is dated 1945. At the time I was with my family, on holiday in Filey, Yorks. Picnics and games were organised for us children on some waste ground at the rear of our lodgings. [Read more…] about VJ Day
Doug Clews lived in Chandler’s Ford between 1938 and 1966. Now living in Perth, Western Australia, Doug shares his fascinating childhood memories of Chandler’s Ford with us.
Part 6 (Final)
I remember that, due to the shortage of diesel (distillate) and petrol, the buses were powered by gas, generated by a converter of some description, which was located on a little trailer towed behind the bus (very dirty and smelly).
[Read more…] about My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 (Part 6)
Some of you may recall an Antiques Roadshow of 1987. An elderly couple brought in a picture of a night scene in the desert with horses, palm trees and a group of travellers around a camp fire. [Read more…] about Genius, Madness and Serendipity
In my 15 years of living in Hampshire (since birth), I have seen enough interesting places in this humble county in the South of the UK to call it a great place to be.
There is so much history and exotic locations, some of which are very important to the country’s history. Here are some reasons why Hampshire is an important and must see British location. [Read more…] about Why Visit Hampshire?
