Nostalgic memories of Fair Oak's local history
Share your own memories of Fair Oak and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying all 9 Memories
Hello Gary, we live up the road from your mother Sheila at Hall Lands. My memory is of Mortimer's Lane as a very narrow winding sunken lane. I used to ride next door's pony and was always nervous of meeting traffic at the top of Mortimer's Hill. My children Nicki, Steve, Alice and Frankie Copseywent to Wyvern school but they are a bit younger than you. How Fair Oak has grown and is now threatened with even more houses. Oh dear .
During 1957, at the age of 13 I was 'sent' to live with an elderly Aunt in Burnetts Lane. I attended the local school and made many friends in the area. My Aunt's name was Fanny Godwin. Her neighbours on one side were the Thompson brothers and their sister Anne. My cousin, John, lived on the other side of 'the Bays' at 'Kelso' where he farmed pigs and chickens. He later went on to run the ...see more
I was born in 1949 and lived at the top of Haig Road. The road, at that time was a stoney lane. As you turned into the lane there were a few houses to the right and a sand pit to the left. At the top of the hill were 6 houses on the left, I lived at number 34. A bit further along was Instralls farm. The area where I lived was, for me, the most beautiful place on earth. I remember the little ...see more
I remember lots of the names on the memory of Horton Heath. My grandparents were the Craggs and lived at Horton Heath as well. I went to school in Fair Oak. It was a long walk from Horton Heath. I remember Mrs. Treasure, Mr. Clarck and Mrs. Douce, in fact she took me to hospital to have my knee stitched after I fell down on the grating at the entrance of school. I still have the ...see more
It was that cold, cold winter of 43/44 during the war that I remember so well. Please forgive me for I was not a Fair Oak boy but my memory is from there. I lived in Bishopstoke as a lad before, during and after the war so I knew Fair Oak very well. I had the privilege to lay on my back as a "casualty" one Sunday morning for a ARP exercise in the square and I found it cold and hard but I ...see more
55 years on I still remember the infant school in the village. The toilets were outside at the end of the playground with very cold seats in the winter - pre the flushing variety!! (or does my memory serve me wrong) and there was a round heater in the classroom that we all used to gather round in the cold weather. We used to walk up to the building that is now the Acorn club for some of ...see more
My first day of school was September 1965 at Fair Oak Infants. It wasn't too bad the first day as my Mum was allowed to stay at the back of the classroom, but after that I was left on my own. I became very frightened and one day I thought I'd make a "run for it". My plan was to ask to go to the toilet, and while I was gone (as in those day's the toilet block was at the other end of the ...see more
We moved to Fair Oak in 1950 and yes, Gloria, I remember Mrs Treasure and Mrs Dowse and was taught by both of them between 1950 and 1953. I also remember Hatch's corner shop, wonderful smells of sweets. I'm surprised the photos are dated 1965, I would have put them earlier than that. I think the Morris 8 in one pic belonged to the District Nurse who lived just there by the Cricketer's Arms. ...see more
I am surprised that no one has added any memories to this page.
When I was a child the village was small and everyone knew everyone else, now it has changed out of all recognition, apart perhaps from the very centre by the tree.
Fair Oak Primary School: The headmistress was Miss Elizabeth Ayers (she married late in life and became Mrs Treasure), and who remembers Mrs. Dowse who taught in infants ...see more