history

Christmas Message by Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford – 2023

December 4, 2023 By Churches Together in Chandler's Ford Leave a Comment

‘Opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts…’ (Matthew 2:11)

I wonder what sort of gift-giver you are? Do you have creative ideas, effortlessly putting together fun, interesting and unique Christmas presents for your loved ones? Maybe you reflect on each person on your list and come up with perfectly personalised gifts? Perhaps you’re on the other end of the spectrum and pick up random items, in blind panic, on Christmas Eve? Most people are probably somewhere in the middle, working their way through a list of names and doing their best to find a meaningful gift.

As I have been re-reading the Christmas story this year the above words from the bible have stuck in my mind. They come from the story of the wise men who found the baby Jesus at the end of their journey. Filled with joy they bowed down, paid homage and opened their treasure-chests, and offered him gifts… The wise men lived in turbulent times and were overwhelmed with joy in finding the new king who would rule with God’s justice and bring peace.

Willow tree nativity set - from Rev Hayley Richens — Willow tree nativity set – from Rev Hayley Richens

Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, Christianity, Christmas, church, churches together, community, history, local interest, religion, tradition

70 Years of Selwood Christmas Tree in Chandler’s Ford

November 26, 2023 By SO53 News 11 Comments

Selwood Christmas tree 2023 - image by Jill Mayes — Selwood Christmas tree 2023 – image by Jill Mayes

When is Christmas coming? In Chandler’s Ford, it’s when the Selwood Christmas tree is up.

The Selwood Christmas tree has been lighting up Chandler’s Ford since 1953. It’s been 70 years. Thank you Selwood for doing this every year, and keeping this wonderful tradition alive for the joy of the local community. [Read more…] about 70 Years of Selwood Christmas Tree in Chandler’s Ford

Tags: Bournemouth Road, Chandler's Ford, Christmas, community, history, local businesses, local interest, memory

Remembrance Sunday in Chandler’s Ford 12th November 2023

November 12, 2023 By SO53 News Leave a Comment

The service for Remembrance Sunday in Chandler’s Ford was lead by Rev Penny Thatcher. The Mayor’s representative was Counceller Bruce Tennent.

Debbie Pearce from Debbie Pearce Photography has kindly shared some photographs of the Remembrance Service at the Chandler’s Ford War Memorial with the community. She has captured pictures of the parade on Hursley Road and the service at St. Boniface Church. Thank you Debbie.

Remembrance Sunday - at St Boniface Church — Remembrance Sunday – at St Boniface Church

Chandler's Ford War Memorial — Chandler’s Ford War Memorial

Credit: All photos Debbie Pearce Photography.

Tags: community, culture, Eastleigh Borough Council, education, history, Hursley Road, Information Chandler’s Ford community, local interest, memory, Remembrance Sunday, St. Boniface Church, war memorial

Pure Nostalgia

October 4, 2023 By Mike Sedgwick 4 Comments

Last Century

Long ago, my little sister and I had a holiday with our parents and grandparents in Dunoon, Scotland. Grandfather loved things mechanical, steam-driven and related to the sea, so the opportunity to sail aboard the Waverley, a paddle-driven steamship, was as close to heaven as he could get on this earth. He bought tickets lasting a week and we sailed the Clyde with him every day.

From Dunoon, the Waverley set across to Wemyss Bay for more passengers, and the adventure began. We approached the Isle of Arran, a misty blue hillock on the horizon. Gradually, it resolved into a mountain of colour, green bracken on the lower slopes, replaced by yellow gorse and then purple heather over the top backed by the blue sky. At Lochranza, groups of young people disembarked to visit the Youth Hostel. Would I ever be old enough to be considered a youth and leave for an adventure on an island? I hovered between childhood and being a youth, wanting to be considered grown-up.

We sailed on to Campbelltown and then by bus to Machrihanish, where North Atlantic rollers dashed against the rocky shore. Against the wind, the roar of the waves and sea spray like a fog on the land, we held bags of chips in our hands and felt good to be alive.

In the gloaming, we sailed the smooth obsidian-black waters of Loch Fyne with mountains on either side. We had a feeling of space and stillness on the quiet waters. Sheep grazed the hillsides, and white-washed cottages dotted the shore.

Later that year, the Scottish Nationalists removed the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey and took it back to Scotland.

SS Waverley off Swanage image by Robert Mason CCO — SS Waverley off Swanage image by Robert Mason. CCO

Last Month

Seventy or more years passed, and my sister and I embarked, once more, on the Waverley but in Southampton. On a beautiful sunny day, our cruise took us to Portsmouth, Yarmouth, around the Needles to Freshwater Bay and back. [Read more…] about Pure Nostalgia

Tags: adventure, culture, family, history, memory, nostalgia, storytelling, travel

Local newspaper report from different times

September 17, 2023 By chippy minton Leave a Comment

While visiting a museum in New Zealand earlier this year, I came across this reproduction of a local newspaper report from 1925. It is such a wittily written report, I thought it deserved a wider audience. Who knew that once upon a time local newspapers were worth reading? [Read more…] about Local newspaper report from different times

Tags: history, newspaper report

A Parish Newsletter from Days Gone By

July 2, 2023 By Christine Clark 5 Comments

I recently had the opportunity to see the original of the St Boniface Monthly Parish Paper of March 1943. I was only allowed to handle it wearing gloves and then only briefly. Fortunately, its owner was kind enough to send me a scan of it, which I have read avidly, delighting in a piece of our parish history.

I imagine this was the forerunner of the parish magazine. It is just 4 pages, sized something near A5 (although in old imperial sizing, of course) and is priced 1d. There is a lot in it of interest to present-day readers.

It starts with an inspirational motto from Psalm 127 and then lists the names of the Vicar (Rev. Harold Fryer), churchwardens, PCC secretary and treasurer. It then outlines the Sunday services for the month. There are three services each Sunday with 8am Holy Communion and Evensong every Sunday, and Sung Eucharist and Mattins alternate Sundays.
The letter from the Vicar is next, where he encourages people to prepare for Lent. He also outlines his plans to change the schedule of Sunday services. [Read more…] about A Parish Newsletter from Days Gone By

Tags: Chandler's Ford, church, history, local interest, memory, St. Boniface Church

Getting Ready for the Coronation of King Charles III?

April 24, 2023 By SO53 News Leave a Comment

The Coronation of King Charles III is fast approaching. Are you getting ready yet? Any street parties, tea parties… in Chandler’s Ford?

We have found these pretty knitted dolls on Bournemouth Road.

The Coronation of King Charles III 2023 — Very creative way of celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III

Tags: celebrations, Chandler's Ford, community, event, Hiltingbury, history, local interest

Mary’s Christmas Story – In Her Own Words

December 17, 2022 By Christine Clark 4 Comments

MARY’S STORY

Oh, I’m so tired. I’m glad I’m able to ride some of the time on Eysl, our donkey, though I do have to walk some of the time, to give him a rest too. I hope we’re nearly there. My back aches and I’ve had some pains – I wonder if that’s the baby coming. I haven’t mentioned those to Joseph – I don’t want to worry him. He’s already worrying about where we‘ll stay when we reach Bethlehem, what with so many people on the road going for the census, like us.

I’m tired and I’m afraid. I’m afraid of what people say about me being pregnant and unmarried. Afraid that the shame will mean we can’t find anywhere to sleep tonight. Afraid of what having the baby – the Son of God – will mean for the family. Will Joseph and I be able to have a normal family life? I’m afraid of what the future holds for us all.

The Virgin in Prayer. Artist: Sassoferrato. © The National Gallery, London. Via Wikimedia.

I do love Joseph. I already did, when we got betrothed. But then when I had to tell him I was with child, I was sure he’d want to walk away. He told me he thought he might, but without making too much of a fuss. But he didn’t, he said he’d stand by me and the baby. He told me he had a dream where an angel told him to take me as his wife, that what I’d said was true – that the baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit, that it’ll be a boy and we’re to call him Jesus. And that he’ll save people from their sins. I’m not sure how that last bit works – but we’ll see. I wonder if it’s what the prophets foretold all those years ago. Could he be the Messiah? My little baby? [Read more…] about Mary’s Christmas Story – In Her Own Words

Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, Christianity, Christmas, church, community, history, religion, storytelling, tradition

Christmas Angels – Churches Together in Chandler‘s Ford

November 28, 2022 By Churches Together in Chandler's Ford Leave a Comment

Belief in angels is common to many religions, and some recent research also shows some atheists admitting to believing in them. They are important in the Islamic tradition as well as Jewish and Christian faiths. Angels feature in popular culture, films, songs, and street art including works of Banksy. Some people believe in ‘guardian angels’ and others think of them more as messengers from God.

Bringing a little joy into Chandler's Ford community this Christmas through the knitted angels. — Bringing a little joy into Chandler’s Ford community this Christmas through the knitted angels.

At this time of year Christians think of the angels who brought messages to Mary and to Joseph, and those witnessed by shepherds; first a single angel bringing the good news of the birth of Jesus and then many, singing of peace on earth.

In these unsettled times, news of joy and peace are much needed and so Churches Together in Chandler’s Ford have combined to bring a little joy into our community this Christmas through the knitted angels that you will find popping up around the streets and public places in mid-December. [Read more…] about Christmas Angels – Churches Together in Chandler‘s Ford

Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, Christianity, Christmas, church, churches together, community, history, local interest, religion, tradition

Hiltingbury Polish Dependants’ Hostel in Chandler’s Ford

November 23, 2022 By SO53 News 8 Comments

By Pawel Basisty

My name is Pawel Basisty and I’m member of Friends of Polish Veterans Association in Southampton. Our organisation is trying to make sure that our army veterans and important history dates are not forgotten but celebrated. Often we take part in the same events as British Legion.

This time we will celebrate the unveiling of the commemorative plaque for 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Hiltingbury Polish Dependants’ Hostel in Chandler’s Ford.

The story of the Polish Dependants' Hostel, Hiltingbury by Marian Sobieraj — The story of the Polish Dependants’ Hostel, Hiltingbury by Marian Sobieraj

Unveiling of the commemorative plaque will take place at 4.30 pm 27 of November 2022 in Polish Club Southampton 507 Portswood Road SO17 2TH.

PHOTOS: Remembrance Sunday Tribute in Chandler’s Ford 2022

November 14, 2022 By SO53 News Leave a Comment

Local people in Chandler’s Ford have come together to honour those who served and to remember their sacrifice. Debbie Pearce from Debbie Pearce Photography has kindly shared some photographs of the Remembrance Service at the Chandler’s Ford War Memorial with the community. She has captured pictures of the parade on Hursley Road and the service at St. Boniface Church. Thank you Debbie.

Remembrance Sunday 2022, Chandler’s Ford. Image credit: Debbie Pearce Photography

Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, community, culture, Eastleigh Borough Council, education, history, Hursley Road, local interest, memory, Remembrance Sunday, St. Boniface Church, war memorial

Remembrance Day Service at the Parish Church of Chandler’s Ford 2022

November 13, 2022 By SO53 News Leave a Comment

On Remembrance Sunday, many people gathered to remember those who have given their lives to protect our freedom.

Representatives from Scout groups across Chandler’s Ford, together with other local community groups, laid wreaths and attended a service of remembrance today at the parish church of Chandler’s Ford.

Image credit: Remembrance Sunday image 2022 4th Chandler's Ford Hiltingbury Scout Group — Image credit: Remembrance Sunday image 2022 4th Chandler’s Ford Hiltingbury Scout Group

The service was held in conjunction with the Royal British Legion and the Borough of Eastleigh. It was led by the Rev Hayley Richens and the Rev Penny Thatcher.

Remembrance Sunday - screenshot from the live stream. — Remembrance Sunday – screenshot from the live stream from the parish church.

Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, community, culture, Eastleigh Borough Council, education, history, Hursley Road, local interest, memory, Remembrance Sunday, St. Boniface Church, war memorial

Remembering

November 11, 2022 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

Image Credits:-

Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Others are taken from the Chandler’s Ford Today archives.

Today is Armistice Day. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month – a poignant moment in history.

This year’s events will be familiar and as moving as ever. I think this year they will seem more so I suspect to many of us given one familiar figure will no longer be laying a wreath at The Cenotaph.

[Read more…] about Remembering

Tags: Armistice Day, history, memorial services, memories, remembering, war, war memorial, World War One, World War Two

Making Monarchs

September 18, 2022 By Mike Sedgwick 3 Comments

The Accession Council

The most urgent matter after the death of a Monarch is a meeting of the Accession Council. When King George VI died, the council met the same day to decide that Elizabeth was the rightful heir to the throne. They adjourned and met again a couple of days later when Elizabeth had returned from Africa. At the second meeting, she was asked to take the Oath. Next came the Proclamation.

Beautiful flower tributes for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. at Winchester Cathedral. — Beautiful flower tributes for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
at Winchester Cathedral.

For me, the Proclamation of Elizabeth as Queen was on a cold February day in 1952. It was an event presaging a brighter future. We assembled at school in Cheltenham while the mayor proclaimed the Queen in his broad rural Gloucester accent. He reminded us to sing ‘God save the QUEEN’, not King, and we became Elizabethans. Now we change back. I sang God save the King in Winchester on September 11th. We are now Caroleans.

St James Palace where the first Proclamation is read. (by Helloworld314 CC BY-SA 4.0)

1952

In those days, city centres were being cleared of rubble from the blitz and slowly rebuilt. Some foods, sugar especially, were rationed, and hardly anyone had a TV or a car. Some public buildings, like our school, had central heating but it didn’t work. Wartime identification cards were abolished that year.

In the arts, The Archers was already established, and The Mousetrap opened; both are still running. The church of Rome banned the works of André Gide (who died 1951), while the Soviet Union executed thirteen Jewish poets. The diary of Anne Frank was published. In the sciences, Alan Turing published an important paper on Morphogenesis and was arrested for indecency. Experiments showed DNA to be the material of genes, not protein, as previously thought. Understanding DNA is one of the great scientific advances of the Elizabethan age. Two animals were sighted for the last time before becoming extinct. Britain declared that it had the atomic bomb. That winter, we suffered the Great London Smog, which killed thousands.

Civic and Army dignitaries arriving for the Proclamation in Winchester

Who shall be King?

[Read more…] about Making Monarchs

Tags: community, education, history, memories, Queen Elizabeth II, school, science, storytelling

Tributes to Queen Elizabeth II

September 12, 2022 By SO53 News 4 Comments

There are many ways to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II. In Chandler’s Ford, members of the public have laid flowers by a cross outside the St. Boniface Church on Hursley Road.

Chandler's Ford people lay flowers to pay tribute to to Queen Elizabeth II. — Chandler’s Ford people lay flowers to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.

Tags: Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, history, Hursley Road, Romsey, St. Boniface Church, Winchester

Old School Reports

September 3, 2022 By Mike Sedgwick 5 Comments

All parents will have received a school report this summer depicting their offsprings’ achievements during the Summer term. From those achievements, they will extrapolate the next 10 years of the child’s life. My parents must have despaired when they received this report from the Spring Term of 1949 when I was 11 years old. How did it all turn out for me? The school reports I have seen in recent years are wordier and less direct.

Holy Scripture – Must put more energy into this important subject. The school was run by a religious fanatic, and we were forced to read and memorise parts of the bible. By this time, I would have read the Bible through once. In the next two years, we were forced to read it again. A few years later, I got a distinction in Divinity for GCSE. As a result, I am one of the best-informed atheists in the Christian religion. In recent years I have learned something about Buddhism also.

French – Tended to laziness. I tried but was it le, la or les: de, du or de la? I had a 33% chance of getting it right. When I needed to learn some French as an adult, I began to make progress only when I forgot all about school French. [Read more…] about Old School Reports

Tags: community, education, history, memories, school, science, storytelling

Photography on the Isle of Wight

August 6, 2022 By Mike Sedgwick Leave a Comment

We like to think of the Isle of Wight as quaintly fifty years behind the times, but one hundred and fifty years ago, Hester Fuller, William Thackeray’s granddaughter, declared Freshwater was equivalent to the Golden Age of Athens under Pericles. The analogy does not hold up as Pericles was involved in the Peloponnesian Wars, whereas Freshwater’s Golden Age was roughly coterminous with Queen Victoria’s reign, the period known as Pax Brittanica.

Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879) was the facilitator of the Freshwater intellectual powerhouse. Her house, Dimbola, became the site of an artistic Salon from 1860 onwards. Alfred Tennyson, the poet laureate, lived nearby at Farringford and was a regular visitor, as was G F Watts, the artist with his child bride, Ellen Terry, actress. Members of the pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood – Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt were also visitors. [Read more…] about Photography on the Isle of Wight

Tags: arts, history, museum, storytelling

Favourite Places

April 1, 2022 By chippy minton 2 Comments

On a recent trip through the Midlands recently, I managed to slip in a long-promised visit to Burton Dassett Country Park, just of the M40 between Banbury and Warwick.

This was a popular venue for family outings when I was a child, but I’ve not been there for about 50 years. It is still as wonderful as I remember. The hills aren’t particularly high or steep – nothing is in that area – but on a clear day they give fantastic views in all directions.

[Read more…] about Favourite Places

Tags: days out, history, industrial heritage, parks

Hand Gestures

April 1, 2022 By Mike Sedgwick 2 Comments

Of the many hand gestures, from the encouraging thumbs-up to the vulgar V sign, there is one that drew me to the history of the Popes; the sign of benediction. With the hand held aloft, palm forward and the thumb, index and middle fingers extended, and the little and ring fingers curled into the palm, the priest intones the benediction and blessing. See the diagram below.

Jean-Marc Rosier from http://www.rosier.pro, CC BY-SA 3.0

The three-fingered sign of benediction and of damage to the ulnar nerve.

Strangely the same hand posture is also a sign of damage to the ulnar nerve. The ulnar is one of two main nerves supplying the skin and muscles of the hand. It is usually damaged the elbow. Most of us have banged our ‘funny bones’ and experienced unpleasant tinglings in the ring and little fingers. That is a temporary bruising of the ulnar nerve. [Read more…] about Hand Gestures

Tags: history, literature, memories, storytelling, writers

A Walk on a Beautiful Sunny Day – Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

March 20, 2022 By Janet Williams 2 Comments

Have you been to Sir Harold Hillier Gardens recently? We went for an afternoon walk this afternoon with Chippy and his wife Annie. They also did a 10k run in Eastleigh this morning. Wondering how many steps they have done today?

We have captured some photos to share with our readers today. [Read more…] about A Walk on a Beautiful Sunny Day – Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

Tags: days out, gardens, Hampshire, history, nature, recommendations, review, Romsey, signs of spring, spring, travel, walking

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Last Century

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Image Credits:-

Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Others are taken from the Chandler’s Ford Today archives.

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The Accession Council

1952

Who shall be King?

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