Ferndown In The 50's

A Memory of Ferndown.

I lived in Church Road from 1956 til 1970..and my parents continued to live there til 2000 . I remember going to the zoo and crying at the caged lion..can't believe the animals lived in such small cages . The town is so different now...we used to have our groceries delivered in a little red van from a shop called Wallis's on Victoria Road on a Friday night ...it was owned by 2 sisters .There was a butchers on the Wimborne Road called Feys . At that time beef was cheaper than chicken..7shillings for a joint that fed 4 people for 2 days !! On the Ringwood Road was a family run bakery but I can't remember the name . ..maybe White's ?Once a year on the playing fields was The Ferndown Festival where children could enter lots of art..cooking and handcrafts competitions to be awarded certificates and cash prizes . The milk was delivered by horse and cart and it always amazed me how the horse stopped just at the right houses . In 1964 the snow was so thick that nothing could get through for several days and we loved it as school was shut due to the outside loos freezing up .On Church Road was a lady called Mrs Froud who had a greenhouse that seemed to stretch right back . She grew the most wonderful tomatoes I seem to remember . The buses were Hants and Dorset and when I went to school in Wimborne we'd sit upstairs where there weren't seats for 2 but long seats for 4 or 5 .Cherry Grove was near our house and was all council housing..I expect they are very desirable houses now ? . I have enjoyed reading these memories and wish there were more ..so hopefully someone will read this and tell us more . Does anyone know anything about 74-76 Church Road when it was a farm please ? Cathy