Verwood, Dorset

The Village School

I was the Head Teacher of the Cranborne First School from 1974-1978. The school was situated just off the square. It was a delightful little school and I have happy memories of my time there with my two teachers: Mrs Barbara Bayes and Mrs Gawman (who succeeded me as Head). Lord Salisbury was the Chairman of our Governors and occasionally I... [more]

The shoe shop

I am only 23, but I remember the shoe shop very well, as it belonged to my grandfather Alex Adams, and had been in the family for many years.  And I do believe the child being walked up the road is my mum Linda Bright, nee Adams, and her gran, my great-gran Emma Adams.  She would have been 2-3 years old.... [more]

Cranborne 1938

I was living at Cranborne where my father was the police sergeant. At the time of a crisis, members of the government came to stay with Lord Cranborne at the manor.
The  matter of security arose and it was decided a policeman should be on duty at all times as he would notice any strangers. Around the same period the massive... [more]

Cranborne in the early sixties

I lived in Cranborne for two years from November 1963. My father owned the shops at the far end of the terrace in this picture and the building immediately facing, although it was derelict at that time. My sister and I were enrolled in the local secondary school that had opened two months earlier.

Gaunts Common

My sister remembers cycling to Gaunts Common just after my great-grandfather died, my great-grandmother stayed at a house there, there was an old railway carraige in the garden which was used as a caravan, and my grandmother stayed there for a while. The owners were probably Steele-Bartlett-Sweatland or Chalk, all family names. Also there was a photo of my great-great-grandfather Edward... [more]

Sister Enid Butler's Orphanage.

I was a child that lived at the 'Sister Butler's orphanage' in the early I960s.  This message is to anyone that was also at the orphanage at that time, particularly Alison Burbidge, as I have read her account stating that Alison would have been at the orphanage at the same time as me. I have a lot of memories of... [more]

Hinton Martell

There was also another lady, sadly deceased, called Mrs Sturney that would have adopted me but was sadly considered "too old". Any information on these people gladly welcomed. Mrs Sturney's first name was Gwendoline as far as I can remember

Orphanage

I was looked after by a lovely lady called Sister (Enid) Butler who took in unwanted children until they were re- homed either by fostering or adoption (this was me).
There was a young lad there called Peter who allegedly set fire to the original building with a cigarette end. I was adopted in about 1962 by a family who lived... [more]