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Salisbury memories

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

SORRY, BUT WE USED TO CALL IT GIBBS AND SPEW

Three Swans And Brewery 1992
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Yes, I worked there when I was 15 with two other boys. I remember Tony Fletcher and Alan Blackman (are you still out there?). It was a dark warm place when on full tilt, it looked like London in the fog. I remember the characters like old Seth, he could drink beer straight from the fermentation tank whilst it was still hot, yes, it was free, we used to have a ration of two pints a day hence I was legless after my first, then I used to save it till the weekend to sell to the oldies who could drink as much as they could get. Seth was a bomb, he loved the gee gees but it would take him 26 minutes to go to the bookies and back so he devised a way of getting out. I didn't know where he did work in the brewery, only that every now and then he would come to where I was on the barrel wash, it was a monster to... Read more

Gibbs Mew

Three Swans And Brewery 1992
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I worked in the brewrery on the keg line with Jake W, Pat B, and Andy D, I ended up running the cask beer department under Trevor G, who was a brewer. I made some very good friends in the brewery, I have been trying to contact Jake Willis but to no avail, he moved to Swansea I think, I used to rent the detatched house next to the house between the last roller shutter door and the car park. I'm now back living in Swindon but have fond 8-year memories of the brewery/warehouse, Harnham warehouse, also briefly investments tried a take over in the 1990s so I think Gibbs ended up aquiring UK Drinks in Kings Cross and also opened up a warehouse in Northampton if I remember correctly a Mr Nick Wetting Steal went on to run that after moving from Salisbury......

Memories of A Temporary 'home'

Blue Boar Row c1950
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At the time, I was in the RN, serving in a Joint Servce org attachd to the Army at Wilton. My wife and I lived in Manor Road, just off London Road. Most of our shopping was done at weekends, starting off with a 'refuel' at the Cadena, a trawl through Style and Gerrish, a leisurely walk through the outdoor market in the square, sometimes Pinders hardware shop, possibly a browse in Annetts china store. From there, it was often through Butcher Row, into the High Street (coffee at House of Steps), browse again at Simmonds Bookshop. From there it was into New Canal for cakes etc at The Bay Tree. From here, it was on to Winchester Street to see Bill Voller at his stamp shop(I was a collector even then). Next it was Bedwin Street, Bourne Hill, London Road and home. Other memories - living in the flat below us was Mr and Mrs Dickinson - he was the Verger at the Cathedral - a lovely couple, perfect... Read more

Salisbury College of Art

Lit And Scientific Institute 2004
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In 1960 this was the main building of Salisbury College of Art. The college specialised in photography, fine arts and, when I joined, was one of the first provincial art colleges to award a recognised graphic design qualification. It also offered courses in hairdressing and sign writing. There were several very popular tutors, Tony Brown, Fox-Talbot (not the original) and Charles Cusden among them. Mr Cusden, who had previously been my art master at Bishop Wordsworth School, went on to have his own television programme on the arts. As the college grew it expanded to take in other buildings in Salisbury including what is now the older part of the coffee shop opposite the entrance to St Thomas's Church. Here was printing and typography with studio space on the first floor. Earlier in the 1900s the New Street building had also housed the Bishop Wordsworth School's girls.

GIBBS MEW BREWERY

Three Swans And Brewery 1992
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Does anybody remember Gibbs Mew Grewery on Gigant Street?

Street Where I Live

Catherine Street 1906
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Nice to see that not a lot has chnaged since this photo was taken to what it is like to day.
More cars and people now of course.

The Old School

Godolphin School 1928
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My place of work. I have done a lot of work on collecting archive photos and making electronic copies of some of the many fascinating letters and articles written by the old girls 1880's to present.

The Town Path

The Cathedral From The River 1887
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Have seen this view many times in my younger days back in the late 1920s and early 30s, just after crossing the footbridge over the river, when on my way to see my dear old gran at Harnham. I can still remember the smell of the old mill.

Spagettie's, Fisherton Street

Hey, do you remember Spaggetie, a small dumpy Italian who used to shout all the time. But what a place, all me mates would meet there, you didn't need money, he would give you a cup of coffee. Now, let's see if I can get them all! Dougie Hood, Larry Shirely, Hickie, Dinga Harding, Moggs, Frank Blackman, Willy Gill, Manfred, Patty Cope, Barry Thorne, Ian Packwood, Steven Packwood, John Gunston, Zipper, Noddy, Bernie Scammel, Jock Frazer, Bob Frazer, Tony Fleatcher, Bob Payne, Alex, Donny, Paul, Ricky, Franzie Pan, all the Coons, the girls Anna Blackman, Jane Feltham, Susan Burrows, Maggie Arnold, Brenda Jago, Brenda Harding, Pat Simons, Jenny Roek. On Saturday you would find us all, Frank and the boys, in front of the town hall, In those days there were sometimes big fights in the City Hall, the biggest ruck was when a band called the Courled Rasens hit town, Hicky was sodrunk he turned in to a war chief, ripping his shirt off his back before doing his... Read more

Memories of Wiltshire

Life in The Park.

Longford Castle 1887
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I was born in Longford Park in April 1942, my father was "Bill" Ashman, head gardener to the Earl of Radnor from 1940 until 1965 (approx).  My younger brother Peter and I were fortunate to have been brought up in the relative calm and prosperity of the Longford Estate immediately after the war.  Many reminders of the estate's wartime role were still evident in those times especially the Nissen huts occupied by the American troops prior to their D Day landings.

The park in those days boasted four gate lodges at Britford, Bodenham, Nunton and Alderbury, although the Nunton lodge was demolished to assist in the improvement of the A338 main road to Bournemouth.

I am reminded of many characters from that era, Vic Gray the head keeper, Arthur Morril the butler later succeeded by Fred Gibson, Jim Wilson the chef, Freddie Sims the chauffeur, Frank Freeman the groom, all neighbours and all living within 200 yards of the castle.

As my brother and I came... Read more

Maidment Family

My paternal grandparents lived in a house called "Chuzzlewit", opposite the Green Dragon. My grandfather was called Hedley and my grandmother was Francis Sarah. I lived for a time at "The Tetherings" in Whaddon and went to Alderbury School. My father (Dereck) and myself also sang in the church choir. My parents were married at Alderbury church in 1942. My maternal grandmother (Alice Brown) and my mother ( Aline nee Fyfe) lived in Whaddon in the 30's as well.

Dad''s Panic

Dad was village copper for several years (our old Police House is now "Peelers" in Thorneydown Road) and had a number of people he got on well with.  He tended not to panic too often but one day a message came through that had him rush out in panic because of the loss of one of his friends, Pat Pocock from the Post Office.

I can't remember the exact year but it was early 1960's.

Later the Post Office was moved to a shop in Thorneydown Road and later still it was taken over by Frank Gaulton who still ran it when we left Winterbourne in 1964.

My Family

My father's family lived in Charlton from the late 1880s to the mid 1900s. My grandfather was a shepherd & after farm foreman for a Mr Charles Reid whose brother Bertie also had a large farm in the Charlton area. The village had a school which I attended in my early years & a village shop & bakery also selling haberdashery, my cousin Dorothy Dorothy West worked there. The baker was a Mr Duffy, the owner of the shop was a Mr Hodges.  I was in the church choir. The vicar was a Mr Winterton & by the vicarage you could cut through to the Trafalgar Estate across beautiful meadows, in the meadow there was a lovely walnut tree where you could gather nuts when in season. There was also a pub & blacksmith. My father, also William Goodridge, left in 1909,serving in the Royal Marines for 22yrs and came back again in 1931. He had a house built called "Medina", named after a ship he served on. It was... Read more

Re Bodenham Village

Our Gould family moved from Buggs Farm to Bodenham and lived next door to the Post Office in a long row of cottages that can still be seen from the main road.
They must have moved somewhen shortly after 1901, g granny was still living there in the late 1920s. One of the sons, Horace was working on a farm or farmed at Odstock in 1923 or thereabouts. Do you have any recollections of the family?
G Grandad died in 1923.Our 2nd cousin ( her father and Horace were brothers) aged 86 yrs, clearly remembers staying with Granny, and we have photographs taken of them outside the front door, Granny in long skirts down to here ankles.

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