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Brownsea Island
Brownsea Island photos
Displaying the first of 13 old photos of Brownsea Island. View all Brownsea Island photos
Brownsea Island maps
Historic maps of Brownsea Island and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Brownsea Island maps
Brownsea Island area books
Displaying 1 of 16 books about Brownsea Island and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Brownsea Island
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Dorset memories
Crossways
I stayed at Crossways (a beautiful 1920/30s? bungalow) on a family holiday for 2 weeks in 1961 with my parents, sister, grandparents, great-aunt and a family friend when I was 6. I remember it as one of the best & happiest family holidays I ever had - despite my sister (then 2) having sunstroke after a boat trip around Brownsea Island and going hysterical over a grain of sand on the car rug! We also met family friends on honeymoon in the New Forest - the bride was later found to have TB and my sister & I had to be tested and innoculated on going home!
The house was a large bungalow situated at, as the name suggests a crossroads about two roads back from the sea front in the centre of Sandbanks. There was a large garden full of big pine trees. It was a very hot summer, hence sister's sunstroke. I was filmed by southern TV on Bournemouth station with... Read more
Living on A Houseboat in Poole Harbour
My mother Elizabeth and my father, Graham Thomson, lived on a houseboat in Poole harbour during 1950 and 1951. I was a baby and they had to move to dry land when I became a toddler! My mother used to tell me how she used to hang nappies from the sail masts on deck. I don't remember much, apart from the clinking of sail masts which I still find very soothing. My mother and father used to go to have a bath at the public baths. They used to take me in a carry cot. I don't think the baths are there anymore. My father used to take people on boat trips around Brownsea Island. He was very lively and made everyone laugh. My mother used to say that he had a lovely speaking voice rather like John Mills. They used to go the The Shiprights Arms on a little rowing boat which sounded like great fun. What a shame it's no longer there. My father died... Read more
Poole Lifting Bridge
For anyone who has lived in and around Poole the Hamworthy Lifting bridge provokes memories. In 1991 I met my first wife who was from "The other side" of the bridge and this necessitated regular trips to Hamworthy. The bridge lifts every hour, on the hour to let various boats through. The lift generally lasts about 15 minutes, although it can take longer. Therefore I would regularly find myself cursing my luck as I sat in a large traffic jam (particularly in Summer).
ASHLEYCROSS SCHOOL
THIS GRAND ENTRANCE, USED TO BE THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO ASHLEYCROSS GIRLS SECONDARY MODERN SCHOOL. WE USED TO WEAR RED BERETS, RED JUMPERS AND RED STOCKINGS. THE WINDOW ON THE LOWER LEFT, WAS THE HEAD MISTRESSES ROOM (MISS ASHHURST) AT THE TIME WHEN I WENT. IF WE DID NOT WEAR OUR BERETS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL THEN IT WAS TO THAT ROOM WE WERE SENT. THE ROOM ABOVE IS WHERE WE DID NEEDLEWORK, WE LIKED THAT ROOM AS WE COULD SEE THE WORLD GOING BY OUTSIDE THE WINDOW. IT WAS A GOOD SCHOOL AND I ENJOYED MY TIME THERE. WE PLAYED NETBALL AND WE HAD TO WALK TO A SPORTS FIELD IN NORTH RD TO PLAY HOCKEY AND OTHER GAMES. INSIDE THE SCHOOL HALL WE HAD OUR MORNING ASSEMBLY AND INDOOR GAMES, CLIMBING ROPES AND FRAMES ETC AROUND THE HALL, JUMPING HORSES, PLAYING PIRATES WHERE YOU WERE CHASED AND WHEN CAUGHT WERE OUT, NOT MY FAVOURITE THING. THE MAIN SCHOOL WAS DEMOLISHED AND HOUSES ARE NOW IN IT'S PLACE, BUT THE... Read more
Parkstone Girls' Grammar School
This was the entrance to Parkstone Girls' Grammar school where I went from 1956, with Miss Allen as headmistress, until we moved to the present site in Sopers Lane in, I think, 1960 or 61, when these buildings were taken over by Ashley Cross Secondary School. The carved doors in the centre of the front were featured on the cover of the school magazine. Behind the little door to the right, which I don't remember being open, was a cloakroom, and the big window to the right of the main doors I think was the staff room. By the side of the wall in shadow on the left was an alleyway which I remember had the cookery room to its right.
The school was a maze of passageways and stairs. It also incorporated in its grounds two old houses, The Oaks, which mostly housed the fifth form, and The Lawns where the sixth form had their common room.
At the top of St Peter's Rd, behind the... Read more
My Wonderful Childhood
My memories start when I started school at the age of five at Green Road primary school which was in the same road as I lived and my friend Margaret Marchbanks lived right next door to the school. My other good friends Marion and Grace Brimecome and Marion Byles also lived in the same street. I always remember Marion Byle's mum always singing at the top of her voice opposite us while she was in her kitchen, it always made me feel so happy. Marion and Grace's dad Pompey had a few cockle stalls on Poole Quay and when I was old enough he used to let me work on them with his daughters, I thought it was brilliant and he used to pay me for it too. Me and my brothers used to dig for cockles and sell them tohim for 10 shillings a bucket. Oh happy days.
My First Job
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.
