Branksome

A Day at Alum Chine In The 1960s

The Beach 1918
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It's a few minutes before 8.30am, and I've just returned with the newspaper for Dad bought from the Riviera Hotel next door. I have to rush downstairs again in time to ring the gong for breakfast - Mr Lacey, the owner of Westhaven Guest House, always lets me ring it before breakfast and dinner, so I mustn't be late. After the other guests have appeared, I dash into the dining room and take my place on the window seat as usual. Looking behind me, the sea is shimmering brightly in the morning sunlight, and the Isle of White is just a grey shadow in the haze.
Breakfast always took too long. I wanted to be out and about, whether it was ambling into Westbourne or Bournemouth to spend some of the holiday money I'd been saving all year, or going straight down to the beach hut near Alum Chine. Even the walk to the beach was filled with anticipation as we passed hotels with names you simply didn't... Read more

Self-Catering Holidays in Swanage

The Beach 1918
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When living in Reading, my family spent most of our holidays in Swanage. At the time we had little money and had to put up with chalets in residents' gardens. I'm sure, some were converted garages! We found Studland Bay (now known as "Knoll Beach"). In those days most of Purbeck was owned by the Bankes family, who, fortunately, left it to the National Trust. One year, we were able to buy a beach hut It was on stilts and the sea flowed under it a high tide. Subsequently, we all had to hire contractors to move them back from the sea. This happened twice. Naturally, we retired to Swanage. Wonderful memories. Grateful to the successors of Francis Frith for publishing his countrywide photos and encouraging us to add our comments

My First Job

Lower Parkstone, Shore Road And Evening Hill 1904
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My memory - in 1964 I left Henry Harbin Secondary School, aged fifteen, the world was my oyster, well that was the theory. I spent two weeks laying on the sand at Sandbanks, until my father took me to Bluebird Caravans and I ended up in the cabinet shop. After a week my dad's words came flooding back - 'Your best days are at school'. I hate to admit it, he was right. Well I met some really nice guys, they became good work mates. After about 18 months I left and managed to get employment at the new Magnet Bowling Alley at Branksome, where I stayed until made redundant. Those were good days, Parkstone was a good place, Pete's Grill, the Regal etc, and where has it all gone, who knows. Cheers Bob Burton, late of 13 Farcroft Road, born and bred, thanks.

Parkstone in The Early 60s

Lower Parkstone, Shore Road And Evening Hill 1904
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I remember as a very young child of up to 11 years old going to stay in my father's aunt's house in Mentone Road. Every summer we would go there. The early memories I have, is going on my scooter (which I was very proud of) around the roads nearby. I can recall a bakers shop nearby. My mother used to often buy Millers Pies, which she said were the best. My father who loved steam trains, was always intrigued hearing the uphill noise steam climbing the gradientnearby at the end of Mentone Road, going I think onto Swanage. I also have happy memories of going to Kimmeridge Bay, it was so peaceful there up on the cliff top, looking out to sea. My grandmother, I remember but not sure where it was, used to work in a munitions factory maybe on the way to Wareham. Am not quite sure, but I do remember there were a lot of rhodedendrons surrounding the area.

Parkstone

I was born in a flat on Ashley Road above Selbys Garage, they used to sell petrol with a pump that used to swing out across the pavement and fill the cars on the road. I used to go to the Regal cinema on Saturday mornings and afterwards spend some money buying marshmallows in Woolworths or getting chips or scraps from a chipshop off Albert Road. We moved to Wallisdown and I went to Saint Aldhelm's School and moved to a brand new school at Alderney and finally went to Kemp Welch until 1963 when I started work. Parkstone has some great memories and I would love to hear from anyone who remembers me or any of my family.
Peter Bennett.

I'm wondering if anyone has a photo of the house called "Torvaine" which was situated on St Peter's Road in Parkstone. It stood in grounds and gardens of about 1 acre. It had wonderful memories for my late grandmother, Dorothy Davenport and therefore it would be wonderful to be able to see a photo of her home before she left England forever to go overseas. It belonged to my great-aunt Cecilia Davenport from approx 1907 until 1922 following her death. It was also the home of Rev John Metcalf Davenport of St Clement's Church, Bournemouth after his resignation from the ministry due to ill health and before his death in 1913. I believe it was also an annexe at one time for Ashley Girls' Grammar School. I will be so grateful if anyone can help me - thankyou.

Millers Pies

Millers Pies, are they still made in Sterte, Poole?