Maxwells Of Selborne
A Memory of Selborne.
The brother of my 5xgt grandfather William Maxwell, was Thomas Maxwell, born in Harting in 1754. Thomas and Elizabeth's son Henry Maxwell, born 1807 in Harting, was by the census of 1841 living in Selborne with his wife Jane and two sons, Henry Thomas Maxwell and George Alfred Maxwell and daughter Emma Jane. Henry was listed as a Grocer and Draper and this business continued into the 1900s, run by his son Henry. Henry Thomas marries Jane Maria Waterman in 1861 and they have three children, George, William and Kate. His sister Emma Jane marries John Waterman in 1868, perhaps a brother of Jane Maria... The last Maxwell in the village, I think, was Henry George Selborne Maxwell, son of George, who lived to a ripe old age of 97!
In the introduction to Gilbert White's book 'The Natural History & Antiquities Of Selborne & A Garden Kalendar', the editor Richard Bowdler Sharpe writes - "Mr Henry Maxwell of Selborne, who has helped me so much in the elucidation
of the history of the village ...". He goes on to mention Henry Maxwell's memory of carts running through Selborne. He receives a second mention towards the end of the Introduction "...especially Mr Henry Maxwell whose assistance will be more fully acknowledged in the course of a more detailed work which I have in preparation".
I hope my research is correct and as I have just discovered my family's connection with Selborne, I would love to read any other memories of the Maxwells of Selborne... I can't wait to visit!
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Betty and brothers Gordon, Eric and Phillip they all went to the Village School. My sisters and I spent lots of days playing around the Farm in Gracious
Street. Having rides on the farm trailers up to the fields.
Where Eric Woolhead and his son Ivan were working. Such freedom!
The first time we saw a television ,was the Queens Coronation, as my Grandmother and our Family were invited into the front room of the grocery shop to watch it, and we were given Ice Creams and the Adults had Sherry. I think, it was owned by Mr and Mrs Maxwell., although Mr and Mrs Butler took it over. It was the shop on the Plester which became the Artists Gallery.
My two sisters and I loved Selborne, it was an adventure playground for us children in those days. Opposite our house in Gosling Croft there was a steep bank ,we used to slide down it into the woods. Also at the end of the close was a Copse where we picked Bluebells.
We would often walk through the Village up to the Lions Mouth, putting our hands under the water to have a drink. Then watch the Blacksmith in the Forge preparing Horseshoes and Shoeing a horse. We would stop at Bubbles Palmer's Shop if we had been given a few pence to buy penny chews. My sisters and I also our younger brother were all Christened in St Mary's Church , and we would go as a Family on Sunday to the Service .The Vicar was John Darlington. We children often walked through the Churchyard to the meadow beyond , sometimes we were luckier enough to have a ride in the wheelbarrow by the lovely man who kept the Churchyard neat and tidy.
Our family used to know most of the people in Selborne and they would often say Hello'. Such a lovely friendly village.
I remember the Parkers, Andrews, and the Bright's. Also Miss Green (my grandmothers friend, whose father was Caretaker of the Wakes) Also I think I remember Isobel Bailey the Opera Singer had a holiday home in Gracious Street.
I remember once my Grandmother took us girls up the Zigzag, which was a struggle for me , as I am asthmatic, but the view was amazing.
Once or twice a year I come to Selborne to visit the Churchyard where my grandparents are buried, sadly I no longer see anyone I remember and there are a lot of changes in the Village, but it holds precious memories for me, and my sisters.