Lover

The Fountain Inn

I have many fond memories of Whiteparish. My Gran and "Uncle Stan" (Stan and Florrie Pulford) had that pub for a few years until about 1975. The pub looks very different now but I can still picture my sisters and myself running around the bars in the afternoons after closing and listening (at the door from the stairs) to the merry voices from the bar.

I was born 26/3/1940 in Whiteparish, at a place called 'Justacot. My mother's maiden name was Kathleen Goody. I was bought up by my grandmother so know nothing more about my mother. Does any one know anything about the above place or any other information?

Saddler Shop in Whiteparish.

My great-aunt and uncle, Edna and Jack Hyde, lived all their married life in Whiteparish. Jack Hyde started working from about 14 years old, in the saddler's shop. Mr Till owned the shop. When Mr Till passed away, Jack carried on the business, and worked there up until he retired. He had worked there for 50 years or more. I have happy memories of visiting them in Whiteparish, as a child, and even after I had grown up, and had children of my own. I remember going there as a child with my grandmother, she was Jack's sister. We used to stay for tea and cakes. Then I would go down to the saddler's shop, and watch Jack sew the leather. Sadly Jack and Edna are no longer here, but I have happy memories of them, and of Whiteparish.
Brenda.

Tracing my Roots

My great-grandfather's name was Woodford and I believe that he was the post master for Whiteparish during the Second World War. I know very little of that side of my family and for myself and my children, I wish to learn more about the Woodfords. If any resident has any details or knows where I might  find some it would be much appreciated.

General Store, Whiteparish

My parents owned the General Store which features as photograph 16 of the 18 available. The picture must be at least circa 1961 since my parents did not purchase it until that year (You can see the names AG & N (Alan George and Norma Taylor)on the hoarding. The saddlery was next door and Jack Hyde was the Queen's saddler at the time. Mrs Pulford, referred to in another memory, worked for my parents and knitted me a short sleeve sweater that I still have. At the time my parents delivered milk, groceries and newspapers throughout the area, a service that was soon to disappear as supermarkets became prevalent. It was a wonderful place to grow up.

Memories of Downton

My family moved to The Research Station at Forest Road, Redlynch at the end of the war, and from there to a house in Moot Lane, Downton.
My father (Oliver) was in the Royal Artillery during the 1914 - 1918 war, and my eldest brother (Oliver) joined the Royal Artillery when we lived at Godshill.
My next eldest brother (George) joined the R.A.S.C. when we lived at Godshill, and my next eldest brother (Michael) joined the Royal Marines when we lived at Forest Road, and I joined the Royal Marines about a year after that.
My brother (Mike) and I both worked at Downton Tannery before we joined up.
I was the Light Welter Weight Champion of the Royal Marines, when I was stationed at Portsmouth as a recruit.
I married a Downton girl (Jean Slade) whilst I was home on leave, and she later moved to married quarters in Malta, where our son (Gregory) was born, who also joined the Royal Marines when he was sixteen.
I served with... Read more

My Family

My father's family lived in Charlton from the late 1880s to the mid 1900s. My grandfather was a shepherd & after farm foreman for a Mr Charles Reid whose brother Bertie also had a large farm in the Charlton area. The village had a school which I attended in my early years & a village shop & bakery also selling haberdashery, my cousin Dorothy Dorothy West worked there. The baker was a Mr Duffy, the owner of the shop was a Mr Hodges.  I was in the church choir. The vicar was a Mr Winterton & by the vicarage you could cut through to the Trafalgar Estate across beautiful meadows, in the meadow there was a lovely walnut tree where you could gather nuts when in season. There was also a pub & blacksmith. My father, also William Goodridge, left in 1909,serving in the Royal Marines for 22yrs and came back again in 1931. He had a house built called "Medina", named after a ship he served on. It was... Read more