My Early Years

A Memory of Thruxton.

my memories relate from the very early forties till the early eighties. I was born in Andover in 1937.My mother was a Lambourne and was born in Thruxton in 1903 at Rose cottage which is just to the left of the "George" looking southwards. My mother was one eight children born at Rose Cottage between 1894 and 1904 .The children being:Margaret Nina;Reginal Bertram;Olive Marion;Kathleen Violet;Montague Hugo;John Henry;MARGARET SYBIL;William Cyril. My mother being Margaret Sybil. My grandfather was Glennie Lambourne who was a Baker.The Bakery was to the left of the GEORGE and to the right of the post office which was almost opposite Rose Cottage. Glennie had a contract to supply the army at Tidworth. Ludgershal and Bulford. There was a large barn at the back of Roe Cottage and an outside toilet attached to the barn next to the stream. There was a pond next to the barn and the side of the house. The Lambournes also owned about two acres of the land towards the vicarage when I knew the land it had an old tennis court a swimming pool bee hives a chicken run and various vegtable patches on it. In the middle of the land there was a bridge over the streamwhich led down to a shed. My first memories were that there was a war on though obviously at that time I did not know what a war was. My father was a doctor in Andover and because there was a war all the young doctors had been called up. My mother helped my father and because of that I was left with Aunt Eva and Uncle Georgewho were both living at Rose Cottage. I do not know what their exact relationship to me was, This is something I must find out. It is difficult to explain how lucky I was . After I was droped at Rose Cottage I was told to go out and play but be back in time for tea. As a young child I got more an more adventuresome,if that is the right word. Eventually I found my way to the aerodrome. Serendipidy! I was able to watch the bombers taking off. I rember thinking how handsome they were! I wish I were going with them. I remember that as a five six and seven year old I was trying to work out how I could go with them. Thinking back on it now I am very glad that I could not find a way!! As I got braver and braver I even got to see the bombs being loaded. I knew the rule even then. So long as I was back in time for tea I was OK. At the age of seventy and looking back I realise how lucky I was able to explore the fields and woods of Thruxton.A final thought is that I recall how kind the aircrews were to me. How could they be with such terrors to confront them? Finally I was assured by my mother that I am related to Richard Jeffries I am trying to fint the connection