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.
Today I’m going to share an eye-witness’ account of what happened in WWII in Winchester, recalled and written by David J. Ward, at that time a student at Peter Symonds’ School, Winchester. [Read more…] about My Memories of ‘The War Years’ in Chandler’s Ford: 1939 – 1945 (Part 5)
The Big Freeze in 1963 was followed by the ‘Chandler’s Ford Floods’!
As the snow melted, the resulting melt water had to go somewhere – and the river systems were unsuited for the rush!
Monks Brook and its tributaries were much narrower then and the bridges formed obstructions to the passing waters which rushed through. [Read more…] about Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: Breaking Free from North End School (Part 8)
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.
Extracts from The Doug Clews Story, or As I remember it, 81 years on.
[Read more…] about My Memories of ‘The War Years’ in Chandler’s Ford: 1939 – 1945 (Part 4)
In the winter of 1963 we suffered the worst winter weather for many years.
Snow started falling on Boxing Day 1962, and snow covered the ground for over two months or more.
I was 15 when the coldest winter occurred.
We still rode to school on our bikes, on icy roads and still carried out duties as paperboys, delivering the newspapers. [Read more…] about Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: The Big Freeze in 1963 (Part 7)
After two days driving through France we arrived at our gîte in Provence for a holiday.
It is a delightful place in a 40 acre estate of olive trees and a lavender field. There were no guests in the other gîtes so we had the whole place, including 3 swimming pools to ourselves. One border of the estate was a river and half a mile upriver was a waterfall or cascade as the French call them. [Read more…] about The Waterfall
About the writer: 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.
Extracts from The Doug Clews Story, or As I remember it, 81 years on. [Read more…] about My Memories of ‘The War Years’ in Chandler’s Ford: 1939 – 1945 (Part 3)
I remain a club cyclist to this day, having ventured into competitive cycling in the 1970s. I won a few trophies with the Sotonia Cycling Club of which I am a Vice-President.
I remain involved in riding, timekeeping races, and enjoy the companionship and camaraderie the sport offers those of all ages. Some of my present day clubmates are over 80 years of age, and are still active, so there must be some benefits to cycling! [Read more…] about Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: A Summer of Hope and Sorrow (Part 6)
About the writer: 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.
Extracts from The Doug Clews Story, or As I remember it, 81 years on.
At the start of the war, there were no such things as shelters, but when the bombing started, community surface shelters began to appear. [Read more…] about My Memories of ‘The War Years’ in Chandler’s Ford: 1939 – 1945 (Part 2)
Herewith another saga……
While I was attending North End Secondary School, I became interested in cycling, not just as a means of transport, but as a sport and pastime.
I was pretty useless at conventional sports like football and cricket, so a chance discussion with another paper boy, introduced me to the Southampton group of the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC). This was and still is, a National & International club, with local “Sections” based around the country. [Read more…] about Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: Bicycle, Bicycle! (Part 5)
Earlier this year, I was pleased to meet Lyn Darbyshire MBE, former Scouting District Commissioner. Her insights into her involvement with The Gang Show led to my researching further into the show’s general history and Ralph Reader, the man behind the Gang Show.
Lyn also kindly shared her thoughts with me about the St. George’s Day Parade in Chandler’s Ford, which she was directly involved with for many years. [Read more…] about Memories of Chandler’s Ford St. George’s Day Parade: Lyn Darbyshire
Continuation of my memories of North End School in Eastleigh.
I recently met up with one of my boyhood friends whom I have kept in touch with ever since.
We met over a coffee recently, and agreed that we must have caused our teachers a great deal of anguish.
Youngsters quickly detect a weakness in others. [Read more…] about Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: North End School (Part 4)
About the writer: 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.
At age 5 at the outbreak of WW2, I did not have anything to compare life and standards of living with, so the War, as I remember it, did not seem to be such a hardship for us, as it was for many, many, thousands of other people in England.
So many of them lost loved ones, their homes, their possessions, and in many cases, their dignity. [Read more…] about My Memories of ‘The War Years’ in Chandler’s Ford: 1939 – 1945 (Part 1)
Before I relate more of my life at North End Secondary School, I might regale you with some of the other events and things happening in the area back in the late 1950s and into the 1960s.
The area at the bottom of Hursley Road, where the Central Precinct is now, was somewhat different then.
The precinct was built in the 60s, [Read more…] about Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: The Central Precinct; Bonfire Night (Part 3)
Driving along a country lane in Surrey, I came up behind a tractor with a tipping transport box attached on the back. Therein were some youngsters dressed in their best.
In front of that tractor was another, and another all with people dressed in their best togs. Further ahead we came to the village church, St Michael and All Angels in Thursley. [Read more…] about Get Me to the Church on Time
I grew up in Chandler’s Ford in the 1950s and 1960s.
When I was about 12 years old, I started my first (part-time) job.
This was as a Saturday van-boy for Mr Smith, a greengrocer, who had a shop opposite “The Hut” on Bournemouth Road. (not to be confused with Mr Smith who had a grocers shop in Hursley Road, opposite the Railway Station.) [Read more…] about Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s: Paper Boy; North End School (Part 2)
I was born, not in Chandler’s Ford, but in Tooting, South London, in 1947.
My father came from Lancashire, and my mother from Tooting.
We lived in Streatham, a mile or two from Tooting, but just before my second birthday, my mother died from influenza. [Read more…] about Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s (Part 1)
One thing I love about writing for Chandler’s Ford Today is how one subject leads to another.
For instance, my interview with local author, Richard Hardie, led to my wanting to discover more about The Gang Shows.
Richard wrote one of these with the great Sir Terry Pratchett. [Read more…] about In the Gang Show: Lyn Darbyshire
I visited the National Gallery again. I always feel uneasy about the place and have never worked out why. Do you have a sense of unease?
It is a national treasure and we are proud of it but it is not like Nelson’s Column and Trafalgar Square. [Read more…] about National Gallery and the Prince
St. George’s Day Parade in Chandler’s Ford took place this afternoon at 2.30pm.
In last year’s parade, Carolyn Darbyshire MBE retired as District Commissioner.
In today’s parade, we met Chandler’s Ford’s new District Commissioner John Leeks. [Read more…] about St. George’s Day Parade Chandler’s Ford 2015
St. George visited Eastleigh early this year.
Yesterday Eastleigh town centre celebrated everything about old England with an enjoyable family fun day – celebrating the Patron Saint of England, St. George who apparently single-handedly slayed the Dragon. [Read more…] about St. George Visited Eastleigh – Who is St. George?
