Oakley memories
Here are memories of Oakley and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Oakley or a Oakley photo.
Ancient Burial Mounds
I can remember ancient burial mounds at Battledown (along Pack Lane, towards Kempshott) and on some of the farms surrounding Oakley.
Does anybody know their age?
Railway
My father and his brother used to visit East Oakley as children, in the 1930s. They stayed in (we think) Railway Cottages, the family was William Catch and his wife Rose (who is my great grandmother). If anyone has any information it would be lovely to hear from you. William Catch worked on the railway as a plate layer. They later moved to Southsea. Any information would be really helpful.
Memories From my Father (Rod Dean)
This is what Dad had to say when I emailed him this site and the photos from 1955. Dad lived in Oakley from childhood until 1987, when as a family we moved to Adelaide Australia. I myself lived in the village from birth in 1970 to 1987.He refers to Upper Farm, as this was where he lived. Now the site is covered by Upper Farm Rd, Yew Tree Close etc. I also lived in Yew Tree Close as a kid. Unfortunately we have no photos of the farm, but would love to have some.
"In 1955 I used to walk down Hill Rd each morning (to school) past those cottages then past the village pond then on past Cooper & Field ( once a week I was allowed to call into Cooper & Field to spend threepence, I used to get four fruit salads, four blackjacks and a large gobstopper or now and again for a change I would get threepence worth of broken biscuits) and then on... Read more
Memories of Hampshire
Village Life
We first lived in White Cottages, when I was about 2, my dad Des Brown worked as a dairyman on the farm, and my mother Audrey cleaned for a Mrs Henshaw. When I was 4/5 we moved up the road to 3 Wheatley Close, next door to Mrs Bond and Mrs Ayres, and went to the village school, the head was Mrs Tanner, she had a dog called Lucky. My teacher was Mrs Haycock, she would pick me up from my gate and take me to school, as I didn't want to go, I preferred playing in the fields, or helping my dad on the farm. I remember coming back from a Christmas party one evening, and Teddy Ayres said that there were big holes under the tunnel (they were puddles really) and I wouldn't go under, my dad had to carry me, the tunnel was pitch black in those days.
Fairfields School
Is this caption right? 42064 seems right - this is the Board School established under Act of Parliament. http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Leducation70.htm.
I believe that John Arlott went there, and Ruth Ellis. My children went there, both as Infants (nearest building) and Juniors (up to age 11) between 1973 and 1981. This was the last of the "old schools" in the town, where children were expected to learn, not play. It seems to have served the children well, judging by exam results in later life. This changed when the Headmaster Mr Thomas retired.
Farfields School
I suspect either caption "Basingstoke Boarding School" or "Fairfields School" is correct, depending on your time period. I attended this school in the 1960s & 70s when it was aan ordinary (non-boarding) Infants & Junior school called Fairfields, and yes I remember Mr. Thomas, the headmaster, as an authority to be feared.
But the building was much older than that, and I remember seeing a keystone with "1898" written on it. Quite likely it was a boarding school in its early days.
Secondary Modern
I went to Fairfields in 1956 until 1961 and it was a Secondary Modern school then, and the infants were at the bottom end. I believe it was turned into a junior/infants school after that as most went to Charles Chute School which was brand new.
I Was Married Here
I was married there in 1964, long before it was swamped by the town centre. My daughter was christened there. I then went to work at Van Moppes, can anyone remember it? I was living at Viables Farm, a working farm then, I believe it's a craft centre now. They were good days.
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