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Warblington
Warblington maps
Historic maps of Warblington and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Warblington maps
Warblington area books
Displaying 1 of 22 books about Warblington and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Warblington
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The Watermeadows of Warblington
Just to the southeast of St Thomas a Becket church there are some lovely watermeadows reaching almost to the sea shore. A small beck, or stream, runs N-S down one side. One summer's day in 1942 or 43, I went on a picnic there with the Shoesmith family of North Streey, Havant. The sun shone, the larks sang high in the cloudless sky. It was one of those unforgettable magic days of childhood, when everything was fresh and perfect, and the war was half forgotten. With my companions, John, Stuart and Angela Shoesmith, I played in the stream while Mr Jack and Evelyne Shoesmith made our picnic tea, seated on rugs on the lush grass. Somehow, one of us found a baby animal, which we assumed was an otter. It seemed quite friendly, and we took it into the water, thinking it would be in its element. But it didn't seem very keen, and Jack Shoesmith gently took it from us and released it back into the wild whence it... Read more
Hampshire memories
St. Faiths
I was christened in this church in 1959. I was 13. I was a member of the church youth club that used to meet in the church hall in The Pallant every week. We played snooker, & table tennis, together with running a Sunday league football team. The guiding light then was the Rev. David Slater, who also played in our team with us, despite the need to wear spectacles at all times.
I remember the beautiful church, and I remember being allowed to take a brass rubbing, of a figure to the left of the altar, which I was able to proudly show my teacher at Purbrook Co. High School. This was probably in 1960.
I have very happy memories of the church, not least some of the great sermons, and not least, after Sunday morning communion service, when many people gathered at the Church Hall for a cup of tea and a hot buttered bun.
School Days in War-Time Havant
In the early 1940s I went to Manor House School. It was run by Dr and Mrs Wallace, and occupied the former Rectory in South Street (the site is now covered by a housing estate and the motorway to Portsmouth). Some of the names I remember at school were Sam Butt, Ray Tribe, Dinkie Bartholamew, Lewis Strong, R? Conyers (all more senior to me), Thelma Bugg, Jennifer England, John and Stuart Shoesmith, the Brown sisters (Janet and Mary), the Al Arabi brothers, Martin Beeston, John Wilson, Nick Stokes and Denise Wilkinson. Fr Williams was one of the best teachers I have ever had: absolutely inspiring. Madame Worrell, the doughty French Mistress, was a familiar sight around town riding her massive tricycle. You didn't argue with Madame Worrell. During this time the area around Havant and Hayling Island experienced frequent attacks from the Luftwaffe (bombers and flying bombs) and many a night I spent sheltering in the cellar of our home at 31 East St listening to the sounds of screaming... Read more
Wartime Havant
Preston Watson was the wine and spirit merchants of the town. The premises consisted of a fine three-storey house with shop, a large coach house and two or three other houses on both sides of The Pallant that were used for mineral water production, bottling and storage. One of my favorite memories is helping to bottle and label cider, taken from large hogsheads. In recent years these premises were demolished and the modern Waitrose super market stands where the old house and shop were. During the war, the firm was allowed to retain its Morris Commercal lorry for deliveries. Accompanying Mr Jack Shoesmith, the proprieter, and his sons on these runs all over the south Hampshire area was one of the pleasures I looked forward to.
North Street, Emsworth And The Silver Family.
I was born into the Silver family at Palmer Cottage, 25 North St in 1928 and attended the Council School and then Manor House School Havant in the mid 40s until joining the Grenadier Guards in 1946. I was the Drum Major of the local Army Cadet Force serving with "Crusher" Crosby, Phil Collins (Westbourn), Ray Tribe (Bear Hotel Havant). Old council School pals: Nobby Wooden, Fred Heath, Eric Marshal, John and Roger Silver, John and Joyce Windybank and at Manor House, Ann Williams, Dinkie Bartholamew, Ray Tribe, Dave Hewitt (Waterlooville), Chum Cheeseman and Angels Eames nee Silver both of whom are my cousins and just missed one of Harry Stroud's daughters!!!!! Believe 25 North St is now a hairdresser's but part of the stables and cartsheds are still there. Oh yes, I was a choirboy for some years, Frank Wren the master, Bawtry Williams the organist and the Curate was the Rev King and the vicar Glenn. Some other choirboys were 2 x Priors, 2 x Eames and Markwick... Read more
The Chocolate Box
My earliest memory of Emsworth was a sweet shop called The Chocolate Box in the Square, Emsworth (now Heidi's). It was owned by my grandfather Bertie Holland from 1924. It was later taken over by his daughter and son-in-law, Jim and Blanche Greer. When Bertie retired from the shop (which sometimes had a queue of people outside for the hand-made ice cream) he, and my grandmother Connie, moved to a house at 3 (now numbered 2) Bath Road, Emsworth. I believe it was called Riviera Gardens originally. When my mum, Joyce, left school, she completed a four-year apprenticeship in tailoring with a tailor (Mr Doling) who lived in Bath Road. This long apprenticeship was a blessing, however, as she could make absolutely anything, and made all our clothes and also did alterations for Corbins Men's Outfitters in The Square and for private clients. Mum also belonged to a dance school when she was young. I know she really loved this. I think the dance school was Miss Harris's in Havant... Read more
Seaview Terrace
My grandfather Edward Dridge was apparently a fisherman of some note (3 boats), who passed in 1938. My father Earl,b. 1908-d.1981 was born in the home on Seaview Terrace. We have family pictures showing the home but I cannot locate any mention of that street(?) via the usual routes. Possibly someone on this site could clarify. Thanking you in advance . Earl
