Lower Parkstone, Shore Road And Evening Hill 1904, Poole

My First Job

Lower Parkstone, Shore Road And Evening Hill 1904
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My memory - in 1964 I left Henry Harbin Secondary School, aged fifteen, the world was my oyster, well that was the theory. I spent two weeks laying on the sand at Sandbanks, until my father took me to Bluebird Caravans and I ended up in the cabinet shop. After a week my dad's words came flooding back - 'Your best days are at school'. I hate to admit it, he was right. Well I met some really nice guys, they became good work mates. After about 18 months I left and managed to get employment at the new Magnet Bowling Alley at Branksome, where I stayed until made redundant. Those were good days, Parkstone was a good place, Pete's Grill, the Regal etc, and where has it all gone, who knows. Cheers Bob Burton, late of 13 Farcroft Road, born and bred, thanks.

Parkstone in The Early 60s

Lower Parkstone, Shore Road And Evening Hill 1904
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I remember as a very young child of up to 11 years old going to stay in my father's aunt's house in Mentone Road. Every summer we would go there. The early memories I have, is going on my scooter (which I was very proud of) around the roads nearby. I can recall a bakers shop nearby. My mother used to often buy Millers Pies, which she said were the best. My father who loved steam trains, was always intrigued hearing the uphill noise steam climbing the gradientnearby at the end of Mentone Road, going I think onto Swanage. I also have happy memories of going to Kimmeridge Bay, it was so peaceful there up on the cliff top, looking out to sea. My grandmother, I remember but not sure where it was, used to work in a munitions factory maybe on the way to Wareham. Am not quite sure, but I do remember there were a lot of rhodedendrons surrounding the area.

My Father Worked at Millers

My father worked in quality control at Millers for a couple of years in the early 1960s. He loved singing and one of my earliest memories is of him singing in what must have been the loading/packing bay. It had good acoustics! I was two or three years of age.

Millers Pies

Millers Pies, are they still made in Sterte, Poole?

I'm wondering if anyone has a photo of the house called "Torvaine" which was situated on St Peter's Road in Parkstone. It stood in grounds and gardens of about 1 acre. It had wonderful memories for my late grandmother, Dorothy Davenport and therefore it would be wonderful to be able to see a photo of her home before she left England forever to go overseas. It belonged to my great-aunt Cecilia Davenport from approx 1907 until 1922 following her death. It was also the home of Rev John Metcalf Davenport of St Clement's Church, Bournemouth after his resignation from the ministry due to ill health and before his death in 1913. I believe it was also an annexe at one time for Ashley Girls' Grammar School. I will be so grateful if anyone can help me - thankyou.

Parkstone

I was born in a flat on Ashley Road above Selbys Garage, they used to sell petrol with a pump that used to swing out across the pavement and fill the cars on the road. I used to go to the Regal cinema on Saturday mornings and afterwards spend some money buying marshmallows in Woolworths or getting chips or scraps from a chipshop off Albert Road. We moved to Wallisdown and I went to Saint Aldhelm's School and moved to a brand new school at Alderney and finally went to Kemp Welch until 1963 when I started work. Parkstone has some great memories and I would love to hear from anyone who remembers me or any of my family.
Peter Bennett.