Colden Common memories
Here are memories of Colden Common and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Colden Common or a Colden Common photo.
My Mother's Memories of Brambridge
My mother's aunt, my great-aunt Annie was the house keeper at Brambridge during the 1920s. My great-uncle Ernest, great-aunt Annie's brother, was the chauffeur and responsible for the running and maintenance of the family's cars, and for looking after the generators. At that time Mr & Mrs Hezeltine, their daughter Eileen and sons Michael & John lived at Brambridge. There was also a baby called Charles, but Mum is uncertain who he was - possibly a child from a second marriage. Mum has many happy memories of visiting her aunt in her house keepers apartment. Her aunt Annie used to accompany Mr & Mrs Hezeltine on their trips abroad. Her uncle Ernest lived with his wife, her aunt Win, and their son Neville in a cottage close to the house. Mum and Neville used to be allowed to go to the kitchens together, and were befriended by the kitchen staff. Aunt Annie would take Mum round the house and she was shown some... Read more
Happy Memories From The 50s & Early 60s
My great-aunts, Selena (who died when I was very young) and Daisy Young (nee Francis, and died 1962?), lived in Lower Moors Road. I forget the name of the house, but my brother and I used to play in the orchard behind the house. I will always remember the two monkey puzzle trees in the front garden. The house was lit by gas, with an outside toilet, and only one tap inside. Bert Stratton was a family friend, and a real nice man, who, to a young kid, knew everything about gardening, cricket, and anything else I ever wanted to know. Years later, my father had a book about the village in which it mentioned that my great grandparents lived in the Black Horse in the late 1800s/early 1900s. I also remember visiting my mother's cousin, Jack Francis, on a few occasions.
Miss French And Maths
It must have been 1961 and I was in the infants across the road from the main school - and next door to the hall where the whole school enjoyed school lunches and where the nativity play was performed. We learnt by using aluminium measuring jugs in a huge (seemingly) butler's sink and by sharing a Cuisinaire. Does anyone else remember these times? Mr Wilkie was the revered Head and we saw one of the first broadcasts of Attenborough on the TV in the main school re arrow heads etc. - it was captivating. We performed for parents in the little quad in the main school and during morning break children could buy 2 x Lincoln biscuits on 1 x digestive at the window 'tuck shop' run by older children, The toilets were indeed outside. There were the remains of an air raid shelter behind the quad.
Oh, Yes! I Remember It Well!
My memories of Colden Common were written some time ago. Unforunately they could not easily be condensed into the 1,000 word limit here, so if linking is allowed they may be found here:
http://www.michaelknell.com/Colden\%20Common.htm
Memories of Colden Common
I have never heard of this person, although he makes reference to some people, and places in Colden Common I knew. So if anyone who knows him ever comes across this then I have been some help!
COLDEN COMMON?
Oh, yes - I remember it well!
As we get older I guess we must all suffer from nostalgic mental trips - I know I do. At least twice a year I find myself staring at your map of Colden Common and re-living a great part of my childhood - the time when I lived in this fondly remembered village - the nineteen-fifties. I sit here and I wonder: where today are all those wonderful people that I then knew? And: whatever happened to all those young and tender friendships of yesteryear? Then we believed they were forever; they were bonds that nothing could, or would, ever destroy. We thought they were immortal. But alas, they were not. Sadly, as all too often happens, time and circumstances take... Read more
2008
Although I have often E Mailed, and written to the committee of the Football Club I have not had a reply. Therefore I assume they are uninterested in my attempts.
My last memory of Colden Common is going through the village on the way to visit my mother (who lived at Shirrell Heath at the time).
I stopped and had lunch at the Fisher's Pond restuarant, and then passed through the village on the way back.
The Village Hall had been pulled down and houses were being built. The 'Rec had a nice new Club House built on it, where once there had been a children's playground. The village Post Office was no longer in 'Scott's Shop' which had closed. The Butcher's shop was now a dentist. Even my grandmother's house had changed.
Colden Common School
My memory of Colden Common School, is mainly around the teachers. Mr Wilkie the Head, and Mrs Gundrie (Spelling). Also in my day the toilets were outside (and still standing when I last went by). There was no playing field for the school, we had to go to Colden Common 'Rec on Sports Day. The 'houses' were split on colour lines, as far as I remember Red, Yellow Green, and Blue. I seem to remember I was in Red. The School had no dinner hall with it this required crossing the Main Road, (See my other memory). I remember Benny Hill walking past the school, as his family owned a store on Fisher's Pond (now demolished), and causing great excitement. Such simple memories from a far off age!
My Memories
I remember the year of 1968 well, as it is when I left the village of Colden Common, although my Grandfather and Grandmother still lived there (On Main Road) up until their deaths. Colden Common in my time had no Scout Troop, so I had to go to Twyford to attend Scouts. Often the other boys in 'Common' would laugh at us, as we had still to wear short trousers. My other memory of 'Common' is when the Parish Hall (now demolished) used show the very latest pictures, due in part to the link with the picture house in Winchester (Theatre Royal). Other than that in my time in 'Common' we used to have to go to the school which was nearer Fishers Pond. To cross the road at the School for lunch (the dinner hall is now a private house) we required the Lollipop Lady Mrs Spratt to help us. To find out the very latest about Colden Common Football Club go to: http://coldencommon.proboards61.com
Although the committee... Read more
Memories of Hampshire
Brambridge House
My great-grand parents were head gardener and house keeper at Brambridge House in its hey day, my great uncles also worked as footman, and gardeners and planted the original beginnings of what is now Brambridge Nurseries and Garden Centre. My grandmother and her siblings were born in the gardens house. After the house closed down my great-grandparents took over the Dog and Crook pub from around 1900 - 1915 and my great aunt was born in the pub, the family then moved to Winchester where we still live today.
When The Pond Froze Over
I was living at Bishopstoke and working as a lad at Cunliff Owen Aircraft during that cold war time winter when a friend that lived in Fair Oak told me that Fishers pond was frozen over and people were skating on it. I managed to borrow a pair of boots with skates on and with my sister and a few mates from work we made our way to the pond one Saturday afternoon.
The sight was spectacular when we got there. No snow, just a giant sheet of ice covering the pond completely from the inn into the misty distance. I can remember about thirty brave soles were out there on skates taking advantage of the freak weather and having such fun in those drab winter war time days. My friends and I soon joined them laughing and screaming as we slipped, slid and fell onto the ice. It was my first time but some of my friends could already skate for they did so at the rink in Southampton... Read more
A Visit to The Old Forge
Returning to England for a visit after being in Canada for seventeen years, I was anxious to find old friends and retrace steps I had taken years before when I called this my home. I arranged to meet up with my mother who had been visiting England for a few months before I got there. Together we took public transport to Otterbourne to visit the part owners of the lovely old-world resturant The Old Forge. They made us very welcome and we enjoyed a pleasant vist. My reason to visit them was personal as I was once engaged to the lady of the house, her name was Thelma. Now it's almost sixty years later and I still cherish my memory of her but that, as they say, is History! They do not own the Old Forge now, they retired some years ago and live not far away in Hampshire
The Volunteer Inn
Volunteer was built in 1703 and as far as we can find out, it possibly became a pub in 1840s. It ceased trading in 1973 when it was sold by the brewery to the Gray family. The Grays converted it back into a house.
We bought Volunteer in 2001 and it still looks much the same from the outside.
The door between the two windows (beneath the pub sign), used to lead into the Saloon Bar, which is now our study; the door was replaced some years ago with another window. We are currently renovating the property back to its former glory. Local people have told us various stories from years gone by when this place was a Pub!
Local research has shown that the Volunteer was owned by Benjamin Vokes in the 1840s until 1890s; he built the Public Bar which is to the right of the picture (can't be fully seen though in the picture). There was also a Jug & Bottle which was entered via... Read more
Twyford, Church of England School in 1965
I started Twyford, Church of England School in 1965 (until 1971) and this photo is exactly as I remember it was.
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