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Beech
Beech maps
Historic maps of Beech and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Beech maps
Beech area books
Displaying 1 of 22 books about Beech and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Beech
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Hampshire memories
Batt Family
My faher, Herbert Alexander, was born in Church Cottage, Bentworth in 1893. His mother waa Emma Alexander (nee Batt). The Batt family had lived in Bentworth for many years. In the 1950s a descendent of the Batt family, William Loren Batt, came to England from America searching for his ancestors from Bentworth. In the 1850s his great-grandfather and several other members of the Batt family emigrated to America. He traced the family back to 1784 when Thomas Batt married Frances Gardiner at Old ALresford. On his return to the USA Wiliam wrote a small book entitled "Hunting Batts in England" about his experiences in tracing the Batt family. He also arranged for a gravestone to be erected in Bentworth Churchyard to the memory of John & Martha Batt, married in Bentworth in 1804, and other descendents of the Batt family interred in the Churchyard.
Lindsey Cottage And The White House
In 1949 my mother and I moved to Bentworth when my mother became the Health Visitor for Alton. We first stayed at rooms in the White House which was diagonally across from the Dugdales in the Big house at Bentworth. We then moved to Lindsey Cottage, opposite the Star, which introduced both of us to an outside khazi! But it was a lovely cottage and I used to listen to 'Dick Barton' on the radio whilst have a bath in the old tub in front of the sitting room fire. During the bad 1948 winter I can remember returning to the village by bus from Alton. During those days the bus went via Medstead which meant turning right to Bentworth and going down the perilous twisty road (I believe it was staightened and widened in the 1960s). The bus slid and got wedged in the narrow lane. It was a happy time as I met up with the Dugdale kids and used their tree house. After that I went off to prep school and only... Read more
Treloar Hospital
I was a patient in this hospital in 1955 when I was ten years old. There were very caring nurses and also a hospital school which helped me immensely during my stay of about two months. At that time I believe it was named The Lord Mayor Treloar hospital for Crippled Children. Not very "P C" by 21st century standards of description!
Anyway, the nurses were truly excellent and they needed to be as so many of us were long stay patients and in the 1950's the visiting hours were extremely limited so young children missed their families. In fine weather our beds were wheeled out on to a terrace and I can remember having some arithmetic lessons there. I recovered fully from surgery to both of my feet and went home with plaster casts and eventually was able to do everything I wanted - cycling, cross-country running and much much later morris dancing!
Student Nurse Shawyer
I was a student nurse at Lord Mayor Treloars from January 1962 until January 1964. Those two years orthopaedics were affiliated with other hospitals which allowed us to start training before 18 which was the minimum age for General Nursing commencement, when the students moved on the 3 year general training was reduced to two years. The hospital was a very happy place because many of the patients were long stay, young, cheerful and perfect! The nurses home is shown in this photograph, it was always warm and friendly. I had several rooms in the home, the attic window just visible beyond the second A was my favourite, the only disadvantage being if you got in from a date late, after 10pm lock up you could not get in a window, then you had to knock up a friend whose room was on the ground floor, she would then pass her laundry box out the window for you to stand on, then you had to lean out and pull the basket back... Read more
Nina Dickey
Hi My name is Nina.
I was in the Treloar Hospital during the end of world war two. I went in when I was 10 and came out on March 30th 1945. I remember being on the terrace while the blitz was on, what else could they do, most of us were in bed. The doctors and nurses were very good to me. I had club feet and peaus cavis (hope this is spelled right). I came out when I was 11yrs old. At the time I lived in Bordon, Hampshire in England. Now I am living in Canada. I was 15yrs old when I came to Canada to be with my Mother who married a Canadian soldier in Canada. My Mother left England in 1947 as a war bride to come to Canada. I remember having my shoes made in the hospital at the gate entrance and going from Bordon to Alton for new shoes for a few years after. I have never heard of anyone from this hospital,... Read more
Sweet Memories
i was in the hospital as a patient for nearly two years, as a six year old boy, i had quite a good time considering i was far from home(portsmouth),the nursing staff were brillient,how they put up with us boys god knows,our schooling was good fun as well,i will always remember nurse johns bless her, she had so much time for everyone,and could draw great pictures on the blackboard,i had weights hanging from my leg for most of the time, to stretch my leg, it worked, thanks to the time and help from all the staff,sunday dinner was magic.ice cream and chocolate yummy,i recall one xmas there was a massive snow storm, we were told no one could get though for visits,my mum and dad did,i had so many toys my parents dished them all out to the other lads whose parents couldent make it thy were so chuffed,at night the nurses all came round singing carols for us all ,such sweet memories of a wonderful hospital bless them all.... Read more
Good Times & Bad
I was in the hospital for two & a half years. I was in a plaster case with straps all the way from top to bottom. I was on my back through the night & in the mornings the nurses would turn me so I could see the other children. I made lots of friends while I was there & all the nursing staff & doctors were great. The best time was weekends when my mum, dad & my brother came to see me. It was a long way for them to come because they lived in Fovant near Salisbury, Wiltshire. They came on a Saturday & stayed in bed & breakfast then came & spent the whole of Sunday with me. They never missed coming up. Tuesday was a good day as well because my auntie who lived in Nottingham sent me a parcel. It always had a toy & a book & sweets. We had school lessons for about two hours in the mornings & I think it... Read more
