Peter Hammerton: My Family, My Life Living in Chandler’s Ford – Part 1

My family came to live in Chandler’s Ford in the 1880’s when my great grandfather Levi Hammerton and his family moved here from the Bournemouth area. Levi worked as a builder building houses in and around Chandler’s Ford.

In 1902 Levi was presented with a beautiful oak carved swivelled chair with a plaque that reads: Presented to Mr Levi Hammerton by the Inhabitants of Chandler’s Ford as a mark of their appreciation of the many services rendered to the Parish 1902.

When Levi died in 1913 aged 64 he was taken by horse and carriage back to the Bournemouth area. One of his sons, my grandfather Gilbert Hammerton was a carpenter and lived and worked in and around Chandler’s Ford. One of the jobs he worked on was the staircase in the Kings Court building.

Gilbert died in 1953 aged 77 and is buried along with his wife in the Pine Road Cemetery.

One of his sons Walter Maurice Hammerton, my father was born in 1907. He went to the school that stood in the grounds which is now Selwood’s and then on to Kings Road School. He was a builder and apart from being called up during the 1939-45 war where he served in the Royal Marines, he was a builder and built houses, extensions and general building work in and around Chandler’s Ford.

He died in 1984 aged 77 and is buried along with his wife in the Ramally Cemetery.

Peter Hammerton

I, Peter Hammerton was born on the 9th July 1942 in Winchester Hospital. I was one of three children, a sister Freda 7 years older than me and brother John 9 years older. We lived in Mead Road, the same road my father was born in 35 years earlier, but not the same house. In October 1942, I along with my 7 year old sister were baptised at the Congressional Church in Kings Road, now the United Reform Church.

In 1945, at the age of three I was diagnosed with Scarlet Fever and spent 12 weeks in Fryern Hill Hospital with no visitors allowed during my time there.

Starting at Kings Road School

I started school in September 1947 at Kings Road Primary School, where my father, brother and sister and many of our extended family had also attended along with the next generation including my two daughters.

As there was no Junior school in Chandler’s Ford at that time, at the age of 7, I along with my classmates were taken each morning by bus from outside Kings Road School to Shakespeare school in Eastleigh and back again in the afternoon. I stayed at Shakespeare school until I was 11 years old.

I then went to North End Secondary school in Leigh Road. This school building is now the Hampshire Fire & Police Headquarters. I stayed at North End school till the end of my school days in July 1957. The house in Mead road where I lived with my family had gas lighting until 1956 when electricity was installed.

Coming up next: In October 1960, the Monks Brook river that ran behind our house burst its banks…

Peter Hammerton: My Family, My Life Living in Chandler’s Ford – Part 2

Peter Hammerton: My Family, My Life Living in Chandler’s Ford – Part 3