Living in North Boarhunt - 1965-1968

My parents moved to North Boarhunt in 1964/65. We lived at the top of Trampers Lane - sideways to what was then Doney's Garage. Our house was called "Tryfan". I went to Newton Primary School and have very fond memories of this school with the two teachers, (one) was called Mrs Mahoney, and two classrooms. The main  classroom had a coal fire which burned away behind the teacher's desk, and outside was a large store for all the coal - next to the outside toilets! We had a lovely field to play in, with a "Wendy House".   If you took an egg to school, in the afternoons you were allowed to make fairy cakes. I also remember thinking the school was very advanced because we had a libary and a music room and used to listen to education programms on the radio. When the weather was fine we would go on lengthy nature walks and learn about frogspawn, birds and catkins. My best friend at school was called Lyn Johnson, who lived further down Trampers Lane towards the Rec, and I also used to play with David Stairs who live on the other side of the Portsmouth Road. I was also friendly with a girl called Jackie Smith, the family lived next door to Doney's garage (I think) which was at the back of us.  Another girl I remember was Maria Crook who lived in a row of cottages near the Rec. We used play on the swings at the rec and try climb on the roof of the nissan hut.

My mother was an  member of the WI and used to go to dressmaking classes at the hall. I also remember seeing the Black & White Minstrel Show in the hall.

Sometime I used to go out walking with our next door neighbour Mrs Cantel; we used to walk down the lane on the other side of the main road and and pick primroses and bluebells. I remember this all being closed off when the Foot and Mouth outbreak occured and remember the awful sight of  the cows all being cremated in a field en route to school one morning!  

We were collected for school by an old royal blue coach (I think)! I also remember coming home from school one day to see pylons errected across the fields opposite which wasn't very pretty.  

Opposite our house was a farm which belonged to a Mrs Beattie (I think that was her name) and she had a very fierce sheep dog who was always chained up by his kennel.

I learnt to horse ride when I was 6 and was taught by the daughter of the Dadds family, who lived just up the road from us along the road to Wickham. On  the other side of this road were "market gardens" that grew huge dahlias and crysanthamums! Whenever I see these flowers now, I am always reminded of these happy days!

My parents had friends who live in Hundred Acres (and they are still there now)!  they had four children, all around similar age to my sister and myself . We used to run amok in Hundred Acres wood and have a great time building camps etc.

In 1965 my sister was born at home. We used to walk with the pram along the  very narrow road grass verge / pavement to Mr Chalmers store, which was on the way to Wickam. One year we went to the circus at Wickham - it was really spectacular, with performing large aminals and cats pushing pushcairs!

I loved my short time living in North Boarhunt and was really sad when we moved to Ringwood, Hants in 1968.