Hurstbourne Tarrant, Village c 1955

Granny Green's Shop.

The building in the middle of this photo was the village shop. It was owned by my grandmother, Hilda Green. It seemed to me as a child to sell just about everything I could ever have needed in my life. Granny was also the parcels agent for the Wilts & Dorset Bus Company. Upstairs was a room that we called the 'Toy Bedroom', and spread out on the floor were loads of very old toys, still in their dusty boxes. We were allowed on special occasions to select one from the pile.
Set back in between the shop and the cottage on the left of the photograph was a narrow tumbledown cottage. This served as the workshop for my grandfather, Maurice Green, who ran the local carpenters' shop, together with my father, Geoffrey Green.
Just inside the front door was the bike shed, where people could leave their steeds, when they took the bus to work.
Opposite was the Post Office with its two Esso petrol pumps and its repair workshop. In the early 1950s the building behind the ESSO sign was demolished by one of the several Tank Transporter crashes, when the vehicle ran away down the 1 in 7 hill. This is now a private house.
The left-hand cottage of the row on the left of the photograph, was lived in by my great uncle, George Green, who worked for Northants Builders, on the Newbury road, which was off to the right of the picture.
I lived with my mother, father and sister, up the Hill in number one, Rookery Cottages, opposite Rookery Farm, where I spent all my spare childhood time with my Uncle Reg, who was the farm manager, for the farmer Reginald Burder.

Village Street St Mary Bourne

I have good memories of the white thatched house in the picture.  I was evacuated with my Mother during the latter part of the War to this house which at the front was the local sweetshop and it was run by Tilly Annals and her husband Fred. The house which is partly shown was owned by Tilly Annals' two sisters and four brothers who kept cows in the sheds behind the farmhouse.   I did go to the village school for a few months when my Mother decided that we had to go back to London.  Many years later my husband and I visited the Annals and stayed at the white thatched house.   I have many happy memories of Fred and Tilly Annals and my wartime stay.

My Aunties cottage in 1962

Many happy childhood yrs spent here remember Mrs Pike who used to lIve next door and then my Auntie bought her cottage to make it into one. So many happy years in summer and yes can still see the jeep scars! Auntie has gone recently so no more chill out zone but will never forget

Always in my heart Liz

Love Jo

Church Street, St. Mary Bourne

This shows the notorious bend as you enter the village from the south, which is still almost the same today, made worse by the increase in traffic. The white house right on th bend was occupied by Mr. Pike who lived to be over 100.