The head of my department at the University took on two foreign students but he did not have the patience to supervise them. He wondered how the young, green lecturer would cope. I came to be supervisor of two Egyptian men ‘of mature years’ as it is quaintly put. That is, older than most students reading for higher degrees.
It took them a while to overcome the culture shock and get their English up to a reasonable standard. [Read more…] about Immigrants
D & G stands for Des & Gabby, a couple who ran D & G Hardware in Canberra, capital city of Australia.
D & G later returned to Winchester and ran their independent, much-loved hardware business in St. George’s Street in Winchester for about 30 years.
In June 2006, Toby Roberts took over D & G Hardware in Winchester from 86-year-old Des. [Read more…] about D & G Hardware: from Canberra to Chandler’s Ford
Twenty years ago, our daughter Lisa was studying at Charing Cross Medical School. She once wrote a letter to say that she had just been to an oncology lecture and was very alarmed by the high incidence of women’s cancer and at a relatively low median age.
In the letter, she said she looked around the lecture theatre and wondered who would not be around at the age of 40. Prophetically, and bitterly sad, but [Read more…] about Lisa Clark’s Legacy
Mr Peter Green would have turned 99 on the 8th of May 2014.
I’m sure you know about Peter Green, our local high quality furniture store in Chandler’s Ford with a 58-year history.
Well, last night I watched Eurovision with my son. Do you know the first Eurovision Song Contest was held in 1956? Peter Green was established in Eastleigh [Read more…] about Peter Green
Every four years the scout movement holds a World Jamboree attended by scouts from all over the world.
In 2007 – the centenary of scouting – the jamboree was held in Britain. To coincide with this, Hampshire County Scouts held a large camp at the New Forest Showground near Brockenhurst. [Read more…] about Remember World Scout Jamboree Hampshire 2007
I met the Fat Controller Russell again in Chandler’s Ford.
Russell and his father Chris charmed the people who rode their steam train at the Fryern Funtasia last Monday.
I spent most of my afternoon at the steam train, observing people and watching the steam train puff out its smoke and steam as it chugged along its 100-foot-long track. [Read more…] about The Myth of Thomas The Tank Engine
Update 1st Nov 2016: Closed: Stairway Bakery and Coffee Shop at Fryern Arcade
Original post (below):
Before the opening of Costa Coffee (3rd May 2014) in the Fryern Arcade yesterday, there was a large sign on the outside wall of the building.
The advertisement read: [Read more…] about Fryern Arcade Old and New
Centenary of World War One 1914 -1918
Commemorations of the Fallen of World War One will start this year and continue through the next four years until the end of 2018. It is not intended that these commemorations are in any way an attempt to glorify war but rather a way of an acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by millions of people, both military and civilian. [Read more…] about Chandler’s Ford War Memorial. Can You Help?
About half way along the road from Southampton to Winchester were three fords, nearby lived a family named Chaundler. This was the case in the 16th century. Earlier, there is no mention of Chandler’s Ford in the Doomsday Book though Eastleigh, Otterborne, Chilworth and Twyford are there.
Nothing changed in this wooded land until the 19th century when a large brickyard developed [Read more…] about About Chandler’s Ford
Here are some images to remind you what a remarkable day today was in Chandler’s Ford.
The St. George’s Day Parade on 27 April 2014 was a special day many of us will remember.
Outside Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church, I saw the Mayor of Eastliegh, Councillor Malcolm Cross. I also saw [Read more…] about Splendid St. George’s Day Parade
Happy Birthday, Bill.
I was never as enthusiastic about Shakespeare as one is supposed to be. I was made to study him at school like most people. We did Merchant of Venice and I thought it a poor show how Shylock was treated. [Read more…] about Happy Birthday Shakespeare!
Fifty years ago on 28 March 1964, Radio Caroline stated broadcasting. It’s quite difficult with our plethora of pop music radio stations (most of them playing the same old crap) to realise just what a revolution In British broadcasting history Radio Caroline was.
Let me set the context.
In the 1960s British broadcasting was [Read more…] about Radio Caroline: Golden Anniversary
On Monday, I went to Southampton on a visit to Southampton Old Cemetery with some of my classmates from Toynbee School in Chandler’s Ford as we were on a history trip. I found out several interesting facts about the cemetery and the area.
The cemetery was built in the 1840s and over the years, it slowly became an area of over 27 acres. [Read more…] about Visit To Southampton Old Cemetery
My son and I walked in glorious sunshine last Sunday morning in Hocombe Mead, thanks to our guide Dr. Andy Barker, and his helpful friends from Friends of Hocombe Mead, and Southampton Natural History Society.
In the two-and-a-half hour guided tour in Hocombe Mead last Sunday, Andy, with passion and patience, introduced to us fascinating features in this beautiful local nature reserve, including: [Read more…] about Hocombe Mead Guided Walk
This morning, I did my shopping in a farmshop – in a white van.
I discovered the clean white van on top of Brownhill Road.
It is an amazing mobile farmshop. It stops on Brownhill Road every Wednesday from 10am to 10.30am. [Read more…] about Magical Farmshop In A Van On Brownhill Road
I’d like a tube of mending glue,
For my heart is broken clean in two.
I see you’ve a shelf called: “Mend with precision”;
Do you have a box of peripheral vision?
I’ll take a repair kit for a lost sense of smell;
I’ll take a tin of motivation as well. [Read more…] about Supermarket?
A budgie flying past one day,
Over a garden in Kent,
Did the thing that birds must do,
A little gift he sent. [Read more…] about The Unexpected Gift
Note from Janet: 30 years ago, doctors warned that Sally would be a “blind, crippled vegetable.” Sally from Chandler’s Ford is still recovering from her brain injury.
Sally said writing has helped her survive trauma.
Let’s enjoy Sally’s poem. [Read more…] about The Precious Present
Yesterday I read about the fun-loving, passionate Linda Read from Chandler’s Ford through Janet’s post.
Linda teachers First Aid for the Red Cross. Actually, I know Linda from my Eastleigh St John Ambulance days – Linda has been a group leader for British Red Cross in Eastleigh for over 20 years. [Read more…] about Red Cross, St John Ambulance And Red Cross Parcel
This post John Tavener was written by Dr. Hugh Benham, writer, composer, and choir director of St. Boniface church in Chandler’s Ford.
I interviewed Dr. Hugh Benham last year in this post: Concert, Life And Passion.
Hugh celebrated the life of the brilliant composer Sir John Tavener with us. [Read more…] about John Tavener
![Sir John Tavener features in Word Made Flesh: By Devlin crow (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://chandlersfordtoday.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Sir_John_Tavener_features_in_Word_Made_Flesh-220x220.jpg)