Memories of Eastleigh
Get involved in the Frith Memories Community - savour and share Memories of your favourite places.
You can start now: Add your own Memory of Eastleigh
or a Eastleigh photo.
Eastleigh, High Street c1960
Ref: e167020
Reading the other memories I remembered a group of us watching - oh what was his name - an artistic painter, doing up the Chocolate Box opposite the Chamberlayne Arms on the corner of Blenheim Road and High Street, and we watched practically the whole day, fascinated by his art from chalk lines to fully paint shop name. Even when it was finished we failed to notice the spelling mistake. It was later explained to me that such large names from close up on a ladder was very difficult. I can see his long stick with a cloth ball used to rest his arm on whilst painting. His face was badly damaged, I don't know whether it was the war or birth that caused it but I do know that his work was a really professional job despite the spelling.
Shared on 23 October 2009
Eastleigh, High Street c1960
Ref: e167020
I was born at 15 Factory Road in 1936 and left to work in London in 1954. I cannot recognise the shops in the High Street photo. 'Detective' tells me that the view must be from the Factory Road/High Street corner, looking down towards Leigh Road, I do not recall any trees in the street. The left hand corner was Stubbingtons furniture, Greens greengrocers, The Salvation Army chapel (Mr (Major) Stubbington)) was in charge there, opposite was the Post Office and coming back up high street a newsagency, a 'ladies' shop, Mrs Luffman's confectioners (the story went that she was advised during wartime of the death of her son or husband, I'm not sure which, and instinctively put her hand to her head and when waking the following day discovered a palm sized patch of grey hair), a bit further up the local fish and chip shop, what was on the corner, a clothing shop perhaps? Then Blackman's confectioners and ice cream, a greengrocers, and after the war a re-opened men's hairdresser, a couple of houses and, on the corner of Market Street, a haberdashers. The only reason I have for thinking it is taken looking towards The Rec is because I was born in number 15 and that would be on the opposite side to the number 39 in the picture which must then be High Street and further down to Leigh Road would be the start of numbering.
Shared on 11 September 2009
Eastleigh, Parish Church c1955
Ref: E167003
My father passed away in 1955. I returned from National Service in Germany in time to visit him in Winchester hospital, sadly my older brother Ron was a regular soldier serving in Hong Kong and could not get back in time to see our father but was one of the pall bearers at his funeral in the parish church. If indeed it is the one at the back of the Rec, I called in the area on holiday from Australia in 1998 to find that church had been burnt to the ground and got the story from the club manager next door. Sad to see such iconic buildings have been 'allowed' to pass on.
Shared on 08 September 2009
Eastleigh, Recreation Ground c1960
Ref: e167041
I remember going down to the Rec a million times, but mainly remember the soccer ground on the right, the bandstand, the back of the WVS where I had lunch for a few pence because Mum was at work in Pirelli's, and the the 'invasion' when the Yank troops were camped on the Rec. We would wander on the Leigh Road pathway hunting for 'lost' coins, a very lucrative foraging trip, and occasionally a comic or two. I also remember the speedway track (bicycle) and practising what is now mountain biking on the 'out of bounds' bomb sites.
Shared on 07 September 2009
I remember a school colleague either at Chamberlayne Road or Peter Symonds (Winchester). His name was Tony Lawford, any relation to you please? I was born at 15 Factory Road in 1936 and lived there till I went up to London to work at New Scotland Yard, then 2 years National Service in Germany and Cyprus (leading up to the Suez 'crisis'). I came back to the Yard after demob but then moved into cinema management with Rank Organisation, 1963 joined Post Office Overseas Telegraph and by 1969 had decided to move to Australia, first 6 years in Melbourne then 26 in Mackay. I retired to Townsville in 2002 and last year (2008) one of my sons got me into a Retirement Village in Brisbane, near to his place. I have been here nearly a year and guess what I do to occupy my time, Yep, I surf the Net. Added 17th September 2009 I have just been contacted on my "Friendsreunited" site by one Tony Lawford who through another contact Peter Salkeld reminded me that Tony & I sat next to each other in school som 66 years ago.
Shared on 07 September 2009
As a pupil up to 1948 I do believe the head was B L Shotton (Bandy Legged), teachers Kerridge, Mrs Treacher don't remember any more. I remember the air-raid shelters in the yard, and the school toilets which due to their disgusting condition taught us to hold on until we got home, and hobbling along Factory Road with one foot in the gutter to compensate for my leg-irons. Does anyone remember the Firefly Boys Club just along the road in the Fire Station yard?
Shared on 23 August 2009
Hillikers faggots and potato fritters
1946 and Jacqueline Jackson's memories stirred my mind again. We lived across the lane from the back gate of the fritter shop, in fact when Mum and Dad first came to Eastleigh from Andover circa 1928 they lived in the flat next door to Hilliker's - above Ron and Ennis Bayliss's fresh fish shop. One of my early youth jobs was delivering meat to the Nissen huts and prefabs on a Saturday morning. Now it all seems so long ago and far away - Oooh wait a minute, it really is!
Shared on 23 August 2009
Eastleigh, Market Street c1955
Ref: e167001
I remember queueing on a Saturday morning in the lane between the smell of the corner bakery and the Saturday morning flicks at the Regal when mum could afford it, old school friends Len Meek (his dad worked on the Queens), Cliff Holloway (his dad was a builder), Harry Hann (his dad owned Dorset Dairies next door to my birthplace at 15 Factory Road), the Baptist Church on the corner, Brehault the photographer, Chamberlayne Road School, I saw pictures of it recently and it looks much the same except air-raid shelters have gone, Blackman's sweet shop, next to a greengrocer and then a returned soldier cutting hair as if he had never been away, Mrs Luffman's sweet shop round the corner in High Street, further down to Torbocks and the Post Office, back to Market Street and I can remember Burton's tailors, they made me my first suit when I returned from National Service in 1957, wasn't there a Jewellers too - Ruffs? Thank you for your website, I am enjoying myself immensely surfing around. I am about to post your address on Peter Symonds's Old Boys site (more nostalgic memorabilia), many of whom are also residents of Australia and New Zealand, after I have gone through a few more photos.
Shared on 23 August 2009
Eastleigh, Parish Church c1955
Ref: E167003
Mum & Dad married here. (Dorothy & Ken W)
Shared on 10 August 2009
Eastleigh, the Swimming Pool c1955
Ref: E167316
Tried the big pool when I couldn't even swim!
Shared on 10 August 2009
My name is Malcolm Snow, I was born in 1939. I grew up in 7, Bleinheim Rd. My Dad was Les Snow from Fair Oak, and Flo Jennings from Eastleigh, Grandparents where Frank and Annie Snow, and Louisa Jennings later to be Mellish. Grandad Jennings was killed in WW1. Our house was demolished to make way for the Salvation Army building in Bleinheim Rd, and my Grandma Mellish's house made way for the swan shopping centre. My parents later moved to 6, Doncaster Rd.
I went to school in Chamberlayne Rd, Headmaster was Alan Shotter?. My first job was with James Hand and Son Milk Deliveries, and then a Meat man next to Lord Ranks estate at Sutton Scotney. I then worked in Prices bakery, Leigh Rd working with the Parnell family, I then went to work in Ford, and later in Pirelli's.
I remember my friends were Michael Street, Malcolm Winter, Jimmy Alderslade and Michael Stracey.
Does anyone remember Barney Barnes the pie man next door to Sheppards the Butcher, and Bendons the furniture shop. The Bakers near the bus station was Jarvis. Also Symonds the Bakers. Next to my Nan's house @ 6, Bleinheim Rd was a lady who sold flowers. Mr Bristow was the manager at the Co Op Bakery.
Shared on 12 February 2008
My Nan and Grandad lived on the corner of Factory Road, and Cranbury Road, opposite Stan Brehaut the photographer, who went on to work with Jack Hargreaves in his programme 'Out of Town'. The Centre of Eastleigh holds such fond memories for me, but especially the faggots and savoury duck shop, with Mrs Hilliker (I think) behind the counter. There used to be a cat sat on the counter when you went in, no health and safety in those days!! The smell was amazing, but in the week, it also smelt of the railway men that used to call in for their lunch, as she had a dining room at the back of the shop. Clemoes shops in Eastleigh, I actually went to school with John Clemoes, Pinks the Butchers next to Woolworths, and a stationery shop just along the road from Woolies, and a milliners.Opposite were the public loos, where the lady sat and smiled as you went in. There was a 'boot/leather' man in Market street, and the smell from there as you walked past was lovely. Cyril Ayley, the bike man in the top end of market street, my dad actually made fishing rods which Cyril sold in his shop. Next to him was Shepherds the butcher, and these shops were near Radio Rentals, which in turn was opposite the bus station, where my mum worked as a clippie. The two cinemas, The Picture House and the Regal, were opposite each other, and next to the Picture House was the fish shop where my aunt worked, and as a teenager the only place to be seen was the Imperial, above Burtons (now). I grew up in Nightingale Avenue, when the houses were new, we had been moved from the nissen huts in Chestnut Avenue, and the Polish refugees then moved into the huts. I went to school in Cranbury Road, and as a teenager went to the youth club at St Fancis of Assisi, with the Rev Julian Eagle. We had such good times there, and he also told us that if we came to church on Sunday evening, he would let us have an extra club night after church, so we all went. The green hut in Stoneham Lane, where I went tap dancing and did acrobats, and then we would put a show on in the Town Hall. I know I'm jumping from one year/decade to another, but there is so much to say!!
Shared on 21 December 2007
Eastleigh, the Swimming Pool c1955
Ref: E167316
Wow! I had almost forgotten about this pool. I have already recorded memories of swimming in the rivers at Bishopstoke, but when there was an epidemic of Polio we were all stopped from going into the river and went to the swimming pool instead. My favourite memory was having a cup of hot Bovril after an afternoon in the pool. It did become very crowded as it served Eastleigh as well as Bishopstoke and Fairoak. The girls changing booths were one side and the boys the other, although I think it was cheaper if you used the open hut at the far end.
The name A Webb on photographs rings bells, as my mother had one and I believe she went to school with him. His name was Arthur if that helps at all. Sorry cannot provide any further details as Mum passed two years ago.
Shared on 30 November 2007
I am just hoping that somebody has got some memories of Redbridge, near Eastleigh? I am hoping that somebody might remember if there were any children's homes or foster homes in this area in the 1930s. Also I have been given the name F Pearce of a man who was a market gardener in the Redbridge/Millbrook area. Does anybody remember him? I would appreciate any help in this matter.
Many thanks.
Diana White, Somerset
Shared on 22 August 2006
Need to revise your search? Click here for our Search Homepage, where you can browse by Place, Postcode or Keyword.
