High Street c1960, Eastleigh
High Street c1960, Eastleigh Ref: E167020
Memories of High Street c1960, Eastleigh
My Early Years in Eastleigh
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... Read more
Post War Memory
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.
Post War Memory
My Nan and Grandad lived near the corner of Chamberlayne Road and Bleinham Road - 108 Chamberlayne Road - Mr and Mrs Ayley. Grandad kept ferrets and racing pigeons in the back garden.
Eastleigh & local memories
Read and share memories of Eastleigh and Hampshire inspired by Frith photos.
Working at The National Provincial 1958-62
I worked at the office between 1958 and 1962 under the managers, W T Jones (not my favourite manager) and Mr Reg Virgo, who really set me on my banking career. I worked variously as cashier and security clerk. Others on the staff were Mr Douglas Atterbury (Senior Clerk) and Mr A T Williams (Accountant), Les Kingdom, Terry Siney, Gloster Jackman, John Bellenie, Barbara Sant, Norma Tull and a few other girls. Vivid memories are of railway pay day every Friday, when we used to pay out over £40,000 all in £1 notes. The Railway paymasters would come in at 9am to collect 'the loot', as soon as they had separated the amounts required for the Loco works and Carriage works the doors would be opened to a motley collection of helpers, who stowed the cash in large canvas bags to be transported to the two works. No Security Express or Securicor in those days, and I am not sure they had much protection from thieves, apart from their quite... Read more
Eastleigh Memories
All the pictures have such lasting memories. I was born on Nutbeem Road in 1935 and attended Chamberlayne Road Boys School and Barton Peverill Grammar School. Three of us, Dave Gardner, John Young and myself, started at the same time at Chamberlayne Road school at the outbreak of WWII in September 1939 and, amazingly, we are still in constant contact with each other - Dave still lives in England while John and I now live in Southern California. John and I are also still in touch with many of our Old Bartonian friends from the football team of the 1950s. My wife, Sylvia (nee Standley), now sadly deceased, lived on Desborough Road with her brothers John, Allen and Tony and sister Barbara. I had cousins, the Hoffmans and the Greens who also lived in Eastleigh. I well remember the swimming pool (us boys would access it surreptitiously from the adjacent Boys Club!), the airport when it had only a grass runway (Sylvia and I... Read more
Wedding Baybee.
My grandparents got married here.
Mrs Phillips was present.
Swimming Pool.
I remember spending many hours at the lido with my sister and my friends, and the memory of buying cups of hot bovril from the hut, warming up and enjoying it so much. And the endless hours of fun spent there.
Swimming Pool
My uncle, Arnold Spencer, was the superintendant at the pool for many years. His wife Gladys used to make hot drinks of Oxo to sell to the children. He retired when they built the new pool at Fleming Park. He is sadly now in Residential Care in Dovercout, Essex. He loved his time at the pool. Does anyone remember him?
Harry 'Ginger' Scott
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.
Wartime Memories
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.
Memories of A Long Time Ago
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... Read more
Nearly Drowned
Tried the big pool when I couldn't even swim!
Wedding
Mum & Dad married here. (Dorothy & Ken W)
Swimming Pool Drinks
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.
Chamberlayne Road Boy' School
Interesting to read John Scott's recollections of Chamberlayne Road Boys' School. Strangely enough, I can remember nearly all the teachers. I started in 1942 in Miss Stockwood's class, then progressed to Miss Scott, Mrs King (both of these were very keen on a ruler on the knuckles if you misbehaved), Mrs Bennet, Mrs Treacher, Miss or Mrs Walker (I can't remember which), Mr Martin (assisted by a trainee Mr Clements), Mrs Russell (reputed to be a bit of a dragon, but I got on well with her), Mr Kerridge, and finally Mr David Davies. I also remember Mr Ben Davis and his wife, although I was never taught by them. Ruling over all was Mr B L Shotton the head master, who I seem to remember wasn't a bad chap, although I do remember him caning a couple of boys in front of the whole school for some misdemeanour. I remember each morning marching to assembly with Mr Martin playing 'Pedro the Fisherman' on the piano. We had a prayer... Read more
Stoneham Lane Primary School
Life started for me in 1948 in Lower Upham, we moved to Nightingale Avenue, Eastleigh around 1952. My older brother and two sisters were going to North Sonehan School so that's where I went, there were two teachers, a Mrs Payne and a Mrs Parker. We did all sorts of things including country dancing, going to the one hand clock church to do brass rubbings, once a year there was a country fete where we danced round the maypole. By the church there was Park Farm, on the farm there was a caravan park, the children who lived there went to the school, a friend of mine's father was cowman on the farm. A few of us used to meet up there and go up around the woods and the lakes..The school shut in 1960, it's the Concord Club now. I went on to North End Secondary School, made friends with kids from Chandler's Ford. We used to go to the boys club in Park Road, Chandler'sf Ford. I left... Read more
Terror of Chamberlayne Road Boys School
I remember when I was going there I used to have nightmares of the school. One teacher slapped me around the ear when we were having an ear test, because I couldn't hear the bleeps. Also, when I was putting empty milk bottles in a crate to help tidy up I was caned across the hands, three on each...I must have been 7 at the time, by the then head teacher Varco Bayliss. One particular day after the head went home. He made me and another student stand in the corner with our hands on our heads, and because we weren't allowed to move off the spot the other student wet himself because he wasn't allowed to go to the toilet. One teacher came out, I think he was the best out of all of them, and said 'leave it to me, I'll sort it out tomorrow, you go home lads'. Even today now I'm 54, I still cringe hearing about the school.
Family History
My memories are very recent. I have just been visiting Eastleigh England (2011), my husband's grandfather lived there in the 1930s. The town and surrounding areas were just what I thought a English village should be. But is there anyone out there who can give me any information on Harold Gladstone Gough and his wife Jane? They owned Fair Oak Park Mansion, it was burnt in 1938.
Cruelty of Chamberlayne Road Boys' School
I remember the time when a poor boy stole ten shillings from a teacher's purse. Later the school was assembled, the gymnasium horse installed in front of the audience; we boys. The headmaster, instructed several teachers to hold the boy down on the horse. He was then give several strikes. I cannot remember how many. The shrieks of the boy were so terrifying. We had to sit through the terror. It is such an awful memory. I have other stories to relate about this man. How he came to be employed and was sustained in the role beggars belief.
Neighbours
I have just been contacted by a Heather Shepherd who recognised my surname as it turned out her grandmother and I were neighbours for the first 20 years of my life. I write to say thank you to 'Francis Frith' for enabling my memories to become so active and I recommend to any one searching for friends/relatives do not give up as Francis Frith makes it all possible. My impending visit to UK in December 2011 has suddenly become even better than I was expecting
The Cricketers Arms
I too remember the Cricks. The outside toilet was a plank of wood with a hole in it. The post office was the second to end thatched cottage, which is opposite Stoneham Lane. At the top of Chestnut Avenue, past the BMW garage was Jean Lanham's kennels, Clausentum, and I believe she bred boxer dogs, 'cos iIm sure that's where we got ours from. This was after the nissen huts were demolished. I lived in one before the Nightingale Avenue estate was built (The Avery), and after we were all shipped out onto that estate, the Polish refugees were moved into them. We used to play in the Chestnut woods for hours and if we came home before tea time we were in trouble!! Happy days.
Comment from Jacqueline Jackson on Monday, 6th December 2010.
RE: Re: The Cricketers Arms
The Polish refugees also strike a memory as one was enlisted to assist my father 'Harry' who was a plumber. He was a most accomplished artist and our... Read more
Visit to UK December 2011
I have internet friends from Chandlersford, John & Gloria Sibson currently visiting their homebase, from their current residence on Queensland's Gold Coast and they will attempt to photograph sites in Eastleigh as part of a memento for me as I did not think I would ever return again, however last month my eldest son from my 2nd marriage informed he would be returning to his fiancee's home town of Elgin (Inverness) in December 2011 where they would be married and he has kindly offered to take me along (just the wedding not the honeymoon) I hope to be able to visit briefly a number of my old school, friends still resident in the area.
John Scott
waxrose@me.com
Brisbane Australia
The Cricketers Arms
On the right side of the road up from Passfield Avenue past the turnoff to Stoneham and the one hand clock where the smithy used to be on the corner then on to the Cricketers Arms on the right halfway up the hill. I have long since lost the photo but the memory of the road's centre line marking is clearly imprinted on my mind, straight as a die up the middle of the road all the way up to the Cricketers' and then the workers must have adjourned to the pub for lunch because after that the line was, to be kind, somewhat erratic. but who minded in those days.
Chickenhall Lane
My parents squatted in the ex-army barracks in Chickenhall Lane. We lived there for about 5 years before moving to the relative luxury of the prefabs in Eastleigh, known as The Hundred.
Tony Lawford
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... Read more
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!
Chamberlayne Road School
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?
Eastleigh
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... Read more
HILLIKERS FAGGOTS
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... Read more
Redbridge Near Eastleigh
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
