The Royal Oak c1960, Downton

First Love

The Royal Oak c1960
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Having lived at Downton from 1958, I grew up opposite Downton Holiday Camp.
My father owned the builders next to the pub and I bought my first car at the garage 2 doors to the right. Somewhen in the mid 1960s  I met the new landlady's daughter, Diane! Well, despite the age gap (I was about 7 and she was 15-ish) we fell madly in love. Seeing as there were only 3 kids living in the hamlet and only one other girl, this was hardly surprising.  

The hamlet was 1 pub, 1 garage, a Post Office/store and 2 camp sites in what had been gravel extraction yards. In years to come Shorefield Camp was added between Downton and Seabreeze, and we used to be able to drive through Blackbush to Milford-on-Sea, the next biggest village.

Our house was built about 1925 in Shorefield Road, and my mother of 89 still lives there. As I gaze at these photos all the memories of a brilliant childhood, living... Read more