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Odiham memories

Here are memories of Odiham and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Odiham or a Odiham photo.

Family Roots

Old Houses, Cemetery Hill 1910
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My Great, Great grandparents, John and Jane Crocker lived here in 1915 before they both died.

3524585 Cpl Sullivan J

My brother Joe is buried in Odiham He was in the Royal Air Force.

Chalk Pit & The Hunt

Julian's hunt story is almost right. I was living at the Chalk Pit at the time, and still do. It was about 1981, on a Saturday lunchtime, when the hunt came over the top, but it wasn't on Boxing Day.  The hounds were chasing Hares.  The leader of the hunt knew there was a main road so directed the hunt across the field.  The Hare was chased through a hole in the hedge at the top of the Pit, and the dogs followed through.  From about 34 dogs they lost 18. Mr Cleverley, the local vet, had the sad task of ministering to the injured dogs.  To my amazement the Kennel Maid knew every dog by name, and sat in our barn with the survivors.  I've not seen a dog hunting near the Pit since, though we have had dogs fall over the top.  And, on one sad day, a local man fell to his death.
Some of the buildngs in this photograph still survive, as we live in one.... Read more

Bad Day at The Hunt

The chalk pit at Odiham looks much the same today as it did over 100 years ago, except that most of the buildings are no longer there. An old story I heard in the The Bell Pub, mentioned the local hunt gathering in the Bury Square on boxing day some years ago. They left in the direction of the Chalk Pit on a foggy morning, only to lose half of the poor hunting dogs over the shear face of the cliff. It seems the wily old fox had the better of them on this occasion.

Peskett Family of Odiham

My grandfather, and his family came from Odiham. They lived at Bury Cottage until at least 1908. I am connected to the Peskett, Clark, Champion, Pink, Lee and Windiate families of Odiham. Regards, Andrew.

Wharf House, Odiham

I grew up in Wharf House Odiham. I have wonderful memories of growing up there, and would love to hear from anyone who knows the house and its history. If you have any photos of the house and gardens I would appreciate them being e-mailed to me. Sadly I do not have many photos, and would dearly love to see some. Odiham is a wonderful place, full of character and history. I hope one day to take my daughter there to see where I lived and spent a very happy childhood.

Memories of Hampshire

Ken's Memories

My husband and I took his father, Ken Benwell, back to North Warnborough today, for his 90th birthday. He was born on 25th April 1919 and lived there until he was three years old. He then moved to Suffolk with his parents. He has never been back since.
He recognised Perrys Cottages straight away, as the place where his grandparents once lived. He also remembered the football field, which backed onto the cottage where he used to live with his parents. Sadly the cottage was no longer there.
He was delighted to visit the ruined castle, where his mother used to take him and where he would 'fish' for tiddlers in the stream.
All in all, it was a super day and he thoroughly enjoyed his birthday treat.
Sue Benwell.

Laurel Cottages

A few years ago, along with two of my daughters, I came to look for Laurel Cottages as my mother had lived there up to her death in September 1942. My mother, Mona Braithwaite, was a cook and lived at 9 Laurel Cottages. Whilst visiting Plymouth she was buried under a building for two days but survived and was taken first to Basingstoke hospital and then transferred to the Royal Berkshire hospital in Reading where she died. She was aged 27 years. As I had been adopted at 6 weeks and had only just found out details of my mother I was interested in finding out about the area whre she had lived and worked. Sadly I have not been able to trace her place of employment and we found that Laurel Cottages and been replaced by another building.

Greywell

The Church of St Mary The Virgin 1904
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I have many fond memories of Greywell. My grandad William Edwin Poulter was born there in 1908. He built his bungalow 'Coomberry' and he used to bell-ring at the church. He lived there till he was about 90 before moving into a home and he sadly died in 2003.

The Fox And Goose

The Fox And Goose 1908
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My great, great grandfather Richard Ragget, a sawyer, lived in Greywell and used to drink regularly at this pub. Stories tell of the Duke of Wellington also drinking here. Does anyone else know of this? Does anyone know who the people are in this picture?

Vine Cottages

I recall going to a Queen's Coronation party in the village hall, where we were all given a coin and a mug. My mother used to work at the Fox and Goose pub, the owner's son, myself and another girl played in a field at back of pub we slid into a dell he ended up in a bees nest and got badly stung. We lived at 4 Vine Cottages for a few years, my father worked for Lord Dorchester on the farm there. One year there was a May fair and a maypole was erected, I danced round the maypole with other children. I recall walking to the post office across the field along a footpath that came out by a stream. We left village for Rowlands Castle but returned this time living in the house on Greywell Hill Farm.

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