Hythe memories
Here are memories of Hythe and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Hythe or a Hythe photo.
Fun on The Ferry
Around about l956/57 we would all go to dances or parties in Southampton and of course, from memory, the last bus home to Hythe/Holbury/Fawley/Calshot was about 10.30p.m. Inevitably we girls missed it so there was a mad dash through Southampton to the docks to get the last ferry home which went about 10.45 p.m. I think. The skipper had always cast off but the harbour police who were nearby used to yell out and the ferry would tread water so to speak and the police would pick us up and throw us on board . It was such good fun. I expect Health and Safety would frown mightily on such antics now. We would recite Shakespeare, much adulterated, to give the other passengers a laugh and generally play silly bs. I remember one night after going to a Buddy Holly concert being left behind by the rest of the group and luckily getting backstage to meet the Crickets and Buddy; they drew little cartoon bugs all over... Read more
LEESON S SCHOOL
I remember going to Leesons (Private School). It was run by Mr and Mrs Leeson with the assistance of their daughter Joy - sadly it was closed many years ago and there is a developement of several houses built on the site now. I think it was in Southampton Road, it was the road that linked Fawley to Holbury (bypassing The Pentagon and Blackfield). I worked for Ken Wheeler briefly, delivering the Echo each evening. My passion in those days was horses (still love them), I would spend most weekends down at Mopley at a riding stables owned by Albert Nicholas. I went to Hardley School for 2 years after Leesons closed. I also remember the Esso Club and the Saturday night dances - it was the only place to go to for social life in those days.
My Old House
Just out of view on the right is 18 Langdown Road, my old house for over 20 years, from 1959 to the early 1980s. My old neighbours were Tony Beasant and his sister Pauline, Cheryl Broomfield (who had a big crush on me back then), her brother Stephen and sister Anita, Tony Rogers who lived at no.14, so many friends, we all used to play on the green at the front of the house until it got dark and our mums had to call us in. Over the road lived Michael Cofey, Bernie Dibden, Angela Dibden. I also went to Langdown Infants then Langdown Junior and lastly Noadswood schools. I now live in Christchurch NewZealand, but would like to hear from anybody who remembers me. My email is barrywells42@hotmail.com
May 1958 Stay
Our family stayed at the Westcliff Hall Hotel for a couple of weeks in May 1958. My father was working for Esso Chemicals in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA, and was on temporary assignment to start up the Fawley Refinery. I was only eight but I remember the hotel, the food (not so great), and the wonderful lawn on which my brother and I would play until late evening (since the days were long that time of year). We later moved to Lymington for the rest of the summer. It is great to see this picture although I remember the back side of the hotel more.
Philip Streets
This is the photo in the distance of the house where I was brought up (from Dec 1952 to March 1964) with my three brothers, Michael, Alan and twin Roger, N° 1 Abbey Close. Our neighbours were Mr and Mrs Orchard with their two sons Malcolm and Melvin and on the other side Mr and Mrs Jewel with their three daughters.
I remember well the names of all the families around us and those we used to play cricket and football with on the green in front of the house. We also went to school at the Langdown Infant school and Primary prior to moving on to Noadswood.
I now live in France with my wife Danielle and our children and would be glad to hear from anyone who remembers us.
Memories of Hampshire
My Memories of Dibden Purlieu
I lived in Talbot Road back then with my foster sisters and our wonderful Foster Mum Mrs. Jones. I can remember attending Orchard Road Junior School durring the Queens Silver Jubilee and getting a coin with the Queens face on it. I wish I knew where that coin was now as I could give it to my daughter. That was the year when Star Wars originally came out at the Cinema. It seems so strange now to think of how care free we were. I remember walking down to Hythe and walking the length of the pier with the train on it and catching the ferry over to Southhampton to go to the Cinema all without any adult supervision. I still can't get over that my sisters and cousins, and friends from school would make that trip on a regular basis.
I can remember one time catching the little train with my mum to go to the end of the pier and a small boy turned to his Mum... Read more
DP in The Early 60's
I can remember Dibden Purlieu just after the Merrimede shops were built and the new shops opposite on the corner were being built (where the Bathroom Acadamy is in 2009). I was abou 5 years old. In those days I could ride my first bike down the un-tarmacked Watermans Lane (which was a dead end, the Wimpey estate was being built) down the village, leave it outside Mr Storey's shop (the newsagent), unlocked, then walk home with my comic forgetting the bike! I would then walk back and the bike was still there ... and guess what, I didn't see a single car! There was nothing to worry about, I was totally safe (I expect there were dangers really!).
Another memory is my mum taking me shopping and she knew everyone she saw and she spoke to all of them. That 100 yard walk could take hours!
Dibden Purlieu Newsagents / Mr & Mrs Storey
It was so lovely to see you refer to Mr Storey (Sid) in the earlier post - he was my wonderful Grandad!
Nan and Grandad (Grace and Sid Storey) used to run the newsagents, and as a little girl, I was always in there playing - even now, years after Nan and Grandad have passed on, Grandad's daughter, my Mum Di, still sees countless people who have very fond memories of Grandad, and how he was synonymous with Dibden Purlieu.
Times were great back then, and it's brought tears to my eyes to see another reference to Grandad - thank you.
Vicki.
First Job at Sid Storeys
I must have got a Saturday job with Sid as soon as I'd turned 13 in 1972-ish for £2 a day...I loved working for him. Fond memories of gents coming into shop with a pound note asking Sid to 'change' it for them - giving it to Sid who'd slowly ring no sale into the till, carefully place the note in, extract an identical one and give to customer - duly 'changed.' Another favourite was when they asked Sid to 'split' a fiver. He'd simply tear it in two and then calmly hand it back. What a great job!
Blackfield All The Fun of The Fair
Who remembers the travelling fun fair that came to Blackfield in the 1960s? Did you go to Blackfield Junior school? What about skating on the frozen Gravel pits at Holbury in the winter 1962/3/4 or the Esso Cinema? or the local band the 007's?
Have I stirred a few memories?
My name is Julian Bishop, eldest of seven siblings of the Bishop Clan now residing in Somerset. The year was in the Autumn 1960. Our ever expanding family had grown from 3 to 4 - 6 then eventually 7 plus mum and dad. We previously had grown up in a two bed-roomed flat at 12 Manor Road, Sidcup, Kent (sadly no longer there). It was now time to move to Hampshire, to a new housing bungalow development was growing in Holbury. Number 9 Long Lane Close was our destination. The site was being developed, we even had to build an extension. There was a small copse (wooded area) at the end of the cul-de-sac. There was our next door neighbours.... Read more
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