My Dear Home Town Of Bournemouth

A Memory of Bournemouth.

I was born there in 1928, in Boscombe Hospital, Bournemouth, and lived in Bournemouth till 1962. There is no where like Bournemouth, lovely beaches, stores, theatres, the Chines, and Shell Bay. An excursion to Poole and then to Canford Cliffs, and on a little ferry across to Shell Bay. Of course, you then wanted to go to Corfe Castle. Another favourite spot for my mother and I was Hengistbury Head on a Sunday afternoon with our picnic and the sometimes, a trip from Bournemouth Pier on the boat to the Isle of Wight. Also I remember, having a little boat and playing with this in the little river down thru the Gardens. Later on, thru the war years, my favourite place was the Pavilion, where being a dance nut, I spent all my free time listening to great music and dancing the n ights away. Of course, our town was a little different thru 1941-1945, with all the troops based there, thousands and thousands, but I just loved going to the Pavilion to dance, with my twogirl friends, and then walking home to Annerley Road, having to go up Bath Hill, towards Lansdowne and beyond. Or altenatively getting the double decker bus home. What times we had there, now I live in Ontario, Canada, have been here 47 years or so. My eldest son was born at Aston Grays Nursing Home, in 1952 and my middle son who lives in Canada was born there too in l963 and then a daughter was born here in Ajax, Ontario. Before I left for Canada I lived a short time in Southampton and strange as it may seem, that is where I am living now for the past 20 years, Southampton, Ontario.My maiden name was Webber. I was married at St. Peters Church opposite Beales, the favourite store at Xmas time.This was a great place to find toys. I sometimes wish I couldfind some of my old friends from that era. My mother was a Chef a the Grove Hotel, and the Gresham Court Hotel, on Grove Road, Bournemouth from about 1936 to 1960. I have been back to visit many times, my eldest son was living in Bournemouth and then moved to Bath which is also a lovely City. Oh such great memories, there isnt anywhere I would have rather been born or grown up as Bournemouth. I was back on the Cliffs in Bournemouth two years ago, and do you remember the lift down to the Beach, still there, and the Zig Zag walk to the Beach also. Boy that was quite the walk coming back up from the Beach to the top of the Cliffs. Oh such memories. Then the Walls Ice cream trolley was there, the man riding the bicycle with ice cream and a real treat on a hot afternoon. I worked in the Jaeger Store, on Old Christchurch Road, what lovely sweaters could be had there. Does anyone remember Edwin Jones, the store, that had everything on Old Chrustchurch Road too, my first job was there. I remember Fortes too and the great concerts at the Winter Gardens. I could go on and on. Hope this brings back memories to others