North Tidworth

North Tidworth, Station Road

I remember playing cricket on the green here. The cinema across the road was where we once listened to Norman Wisdom - from the outside, we couldn't get in aged 12!
I visited this road July 2009 for the first time since then, and was horrified that a Tesco now stands where we played. But Furze Hill Road remains exactly as it was when I watched England win the 1966 World Cup. New windows on the houses of course, but the hill at the top of the road, then just grass, now has trees all over.

Tidworth Down school

I attended this school circa 1965. Remember the woodwork class on far right of building seen here. Football in the foreground field. The bus back to Tidworth, living in Furze Hill Road.

Home

Moved in here with my parents in 1972 and moved out in 1989. They still live there. So many memories of growing up living above a sweet shop!

Ram Inn

We moved in 1948 and on return to visit friends my mother and I were told that someone we knew had "won the pools" and had "run off then with the barmaid from this pub". I believe he won only a couple of hundred because next year he had returned and life was as normal.

Joan Battershill (was Norman)

Jean & James H Whitwell

Hi Joan,

We're trying to locate Susan Whitwell born 1960 while living at 32, Zouch Avenue, can you help?.

David Thompson

Choir Practice in this Churchu

My friends and I were all in the choir here - I think it outnumbered the congregation usually.  We had to share a vicar with Ludgershall.  Choir practice was on a Friday evening.  When the War ended in 1945 they were desperate for bellringers so us kids all got to help. It was not much of a holy peal though.

I spent many happy sumer days sitting on the ivy covered wall outside waiting for Sunday School to start.  My father's funeral service was conducted here in 1947 as the Military Cemetery does not have a church closer to it. The vicar's name was a Mr. Miller  He was a lovely Christian man and always came to the wedding receptions after he had married the couple.


Joan Battershill

Flooding in these cottages

I lived with my parents in Zouch Avenue nearby but did go to school with a girl who lived in one of these cottages.  The River Bourne is/was directlyopposite and every winter it overflowed, ran across the road and flooded the downstairs of these cottages.  The pianola lived permanently on a pile of bricks.  The way upstairs here was a ladder in a cupboard.  I did envy that child as I was only about 5 myself.  The same families through the generations seemed to occupy these cottages but they were all pulled down when I last visited. They also had outside bucket toilets and every Wednesday afternoon the emptying lorry came and the smell standing at the bus stop opposite was quite dreadful. Buses came hourly to Andover.
Joan Battershill

Childhood memories

My mum Dorothy Elizabeth Pratt was born in Nepaul Road in 1927. I was born in Salisbury Infirmary in 1950 and lived with my mum and granny and grandad (Bill and Eileen Pratt), I had a great time when I was little playing on the Garrisons football pitch, I use to sit in a tray and slide down the hill onto the pitch. The Ghurkhas were posted at the Garrison at the time and they were so friendly. My best friend Barbara Harris lived down the road with her family. My grandad worked in the office at Bulford Camp sorting out the supplies. He use to come home at 1pm for his dinner, and then the big army lorry would come and pick him up and take me with him. I always remember, even though I was only about 4 years old, I was left in the office on my own for a few minutes, but in that time I managed to stamp every piece of paper that was laying on the desk. My grandads boss though it very funny, I use to go into the stores when I was allowed and the people would give me sweets. My grandad was the curator at Tidworth Church, he is also buried there along with my granny and my mums ashes and also my great aunt is buried there.