Macadam Square.
My dad was in the para 1 squad,we lived at 23 Macadam Square for about 2/3 years, I remember them as some of the happiest of my life. I know that the houses are all gone now, but just wondered if anyone else remembered us, the Eskdale family? I was only around 7 when we lived there before going back to Scotland to live. I attended a primary school that was built at the top of a hill, we used to pick up the conkers from the chestnut trees that grew there and have conker fights. Another school was built nearer the town, I went there after leaving the school on the hill. Does anyone know its name or name of headmistress? Or if its still there? Does anyone have any pics. of the square or the old school? I would so love to see it again. I live in New Zealand now so it's not likely I ever will get back for a visit. I had my tonsils out when I was around 6 at the local hospital and my brother Martin was born at the local hospital too in August 1964. I remember going to the big picture theatre with my friends and seeing Saturday morning movies, the girl always came around with a tray selling ice cream and Kia-ora orange drink. Also remember the library in town and going there sometimes with my dad to change my books, I was very excited when I got my first library card...We used to play along the river banks of the Basingstoke river, it looked deep and water was pretty dirty, with lots of reeds growing in the water... If this jogs anyone's memory, please do reply, I would LOVE to hear from you. Thanks and God Bless.
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Comments
RE: RE: Macadam Square.
Was the school "east end" at the top of hill, and "the national school" at the bottom? If so, Mrs Garrett was headmistress. I was there in 1963 to 1966. My father was also in 1 para.
Comment from Shaun Fraser on Friday, 1st April 2011.
RE: RE: Macadam Square.
I think my family were living in Macadam Square when I was born in 1948 at Louis Margaret's Maternity Hospital. For certain my earliest memories of Aldershot are of living in Jerome Square which was next door to Macadam Square. I went to Stanhope Lines Infant School just up the road at the top of Middle Hill (I googled this, but it's all different now). The headmistress when I was there was Miss Coppley. I went to Marlborough Lines Primary School by bus as the local junior school was annexed to Manor Park School. By then we were living just off Hospital Hill (a bit further along from Middle Hill). I think the school nearer the town was called Talevera (or something like that). It was built after we'd left Aldershot so I'm not sure. I believe this was at the bottom of Hospital Hill near where we eventually ended up living. We left Aldershot in 1962 so the new school must have been built after that. I too remember going to the Ritz on Saturday mornings and the library on saturday afternoons. A group of us kids would also take a walk down Queens Avenue to the Basingstoke canal - usually during summer school holidays. We'd also spend days at the Lido swimming pool. Once a year, there would be a fair at Manor Park. My father was based in the depot and worked in the Pioneer shop in Maida Barracks - just a stones throw from Jerome Suare. He must have found it strange when we came to Manchester having to make a 40 minute journey by bus to work!
Comment from Myra Hughes-Croston on Monday, 18th July 2011.
RE: RE: Macadam Square.
Just a correction to my post re: Talavera School. It is on Gun Hill I think. Not Hospital Hill. Well, it's been a long time and I'm getting old - that's my excuse!
Comment from Myra Hughes-Croston on Monday, 18th July 2011.
RE: RE: Macadam Square.
I lived in Jerome Square around 1958, and remember the Jerome Square kids would have raiding parties to McCadam Square for wood from their bonfire for ours. I remember the air raid shelters in the centre of the Squares. Going to the Ritz for Saturday morning matinee, and sometimes going to the Odeon just up the road. But you didn't want to get caught at the Odeon if you were in the Ritz gang as I was.
Comment from Robert Jenkins on Wednesday, 11th January 2012.
RE: RE: Macadam Square.
I lived in Macadam Square from 1957 to 59. aged 7 -9. Crikey Robert, I probably knew you! I remember 3 names: Jennifer Ash, Dennis Kent and Lorry Weir(?). Like all Squares we had a gang. So, was it Jerome Square, next to us, I thought it was Cowey Square? For Guy Fawkes night we collected wood and stored it in one of the air-raid shelters, before building a bonfire. One year, the gang from the adjacent Square came in the night and set fire to our stored wood. My Dad (worked in the Stores), saved the day by organising lorries to deliver wood, presumably surplus to requirements, and some soldiers built a bonfire for our Square. Come Saturday morning we all traipsed down to the cinema. I remenber girls who sat in front had their hair pulled, and when 'Zorro' was playing, we shouted along with the action. The cinema once ran a competition for the best made Go-Cart, or something like that...Our gang from Macadam Square decided to enter, and under the guidance of Lorry (Laurence) Weir, the oldest, we cobbled together a Fred Flintstone type cart...and what a ramshackled thing it was! But great fun. One day, my friend Dennis Kent and me discovered a dead cat near St Michael's Forces church, Queens Avenue,and decided to bury it in the church cemetery. The Priest saw what we were doing and came out and persuaded us to join the choir. Whilst singing in the choir I was violently sick and was rushed to hospital. We played football on the nearby army field, climbed the trees and cut our initials into the trunks. I may be wrong but I have a hazy memory of the Royal Military Police HQ being nearby. I think the Square was knocked down in the late 1960s.
Comment from Roger Turley on Saturday, 14th January 2012.
RE: RE: Macadam Square.
Hi, I am in Melbourne, Australia these days but used to live in Macadam Square. I lived at #11 from 1955-1963. I was Carol Wilmore then. I doubt if any one will remember the name as I don't remember anyone's name I'm sorry to say. Went to the nearby school in Buller until it closed and we all had to go to Manor Park. Later when Buller Barracks was demoshlished to make way for the new one my family (I was married by then) moved to the new homes nearer the town. Their new home was in Anzio Close and faced Gun Hill, first house behind the NAAFI Club. The new school that was built (also on Gun Hill) was Talavera and my son went there in the late sixties when he started school. The school is still there but the married quarters are all gone and private homes there now. I worked for the Army too and the last 2 years before we first came out to Oz I was working in the CMH.
Comment from Carol Tubbs on Sunday, 22nd January 2012.
RE: RE: Macadam Square.
Wow, what a memory jogger, I too went to Stanhope Lines and remember Mrs Copley, after that it was Marlborough Lines where the head was Mrs Woolgar, so have lots in common with Myra, my dad was also a para based at the depot. We lived first in Jerome Square 1952-56 and then in Scott Moncrief Square 1957-61 (separated by a swing park). If memory serves me Cowie Square and Macadam were next to each other and nearer Buller Barracks. Roger, I remember the "soap box" competition and the name Lorry Weir rings a bell. Happy days. Saturday morning pictures, the lido, great memories, I built a raft with my mates on the Basingstoke canal, (thought we were river pirates). By the way Carol, my mother worked at the Cambridge Hospital.
Comment from Ian Powell on Tuesday, 24th January 2012.
RE: RE: Macadam Square.
I lived at 84 Macadam Square from 1954 to 1958, my name then was Margaret Barnham. I had an older brother, David who used to play with Lorry Weir and his younger brother, Tommy. I remember the incident concerning the bonfire and my dad was one of those that helped rebuild it, my dad was a sergant and also worked in the stores. I also remember the school at the top of the hill past the parade ground and the Christmas parties laid on for the children at the NAAFI were something I will always remember. Happy days.
Comment from Margaret Humphreys on Sunday, 29th April 2012.
RE: RE: Macadam Square.
Hi, just a correction - I should have spelt Laurie instead of Lorry Weir. Remembering back, I also had a friend called Roseanna Fitzpatrick, does anyone remember her family?
Comment from Margaret Humphreys on Monday, 30th April 2012.