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Wool
Wool maps
Historic maps of Wool and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Wool maps
Wool area books
Displaying 1 of 18 books about Wool and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Wool
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Dorset memories
Bovington Royal Armoured Corps D&V Camp
I was stationed at Bovington 1957/59 as a National Serviceman, the posting was a happy one. My job was looking after the demo: Saladin (the 6 wheel Sarecen APC Chassis but with a small gun instead of the seats ie. A Commander and a Driver plus a radio/gunner), a recon vehicle for the tanks. I have a photo with my sarecen with L plates! Driving was at Clouds Hill demo course. Saladin/ Sarecen were built by Alvis with a Rolls Royce engine and pre-select gearbox great to drive, not like the Centurion tank with the double de-clutch gear change and crash gearbox (if you missed a gear and were stuck in neutral, the tank went straight on - quite an experience on the public roads!) even at 25 MPH but weighing 50 tons. Bovington Camp was mostly a male environment until in 1958 the top floor of the accommodation block was filled with WRACS! happily for us guys. We had to do our guard duty on a bike... Read more
Dorothy Iris May Williams - My Mother - Walter Cornish - My Grandmother's Relative
Dorothy Iris May Williams was born in Winfrith Newburgh, Dorset in 1929 - her mother's maiden name was CORNISH. Winfrith Newburgh village church of St Christopher displays tributes to the Cornish family name. My mother was baptised in St Christopher's. My grandmother's relative (Walter Cornish) lived in Winfrith Newburgh until his cottage was sold. He was last known to be resident at a Council run home for the elderly in Wareham (before his cottage was sold!). When I last visited Winfrith I noticed that Walter's cottage had been renamed as 'Walter's Cottage' - a fitting tribute to the poor old man. If anyone knew the Cornishes of Winfrith I would be interested.
The Allotments
As a child I attended East Lulworth RC school. With my sister Mary and a girl named Nancy Hargreaves, who lived at Lulworth Camp we were the only Protestants in the school, although Miss Belfield who was one of the teachers was also a Protestant.
We went to the school because my mother had heard that Miss Yarnitsky was the best teacher in Dorset. She was a most talented teacher. Among other things, she played the piano like a professional, taught us how to recover a chair, make baskets and taught us dramatics (which came in handy at the school Christmas concerts). She taught the whole school how to swim and also taught us how to garden.
Every Wednesday she marched the whole school through the village to the allotments. We all had a plot of land. The oldest student taught the youngest.
We planted potatoes, parsnips, brussel sprouts, peas and spring onions together with lettuce and radishes. The way the gardens were arranged we had something to take... Read more
My Early Life
I was born 1942. My family were farming at Snelling Farm & later moved to Waddock Farm, still on the Frampton Estate.
Because of bomb damage to the church I was christened in the village hall, which I believe is still standing.
We regularly visited the shop which was run by the Hooks family. We also swam in the river just down from the shop known as Long Bridge.
My brother went to the school at Moreton. Some names I remember.....
Estate workers....Joe Caundle, Ernie Shrimpton.
Village baker.......Fred Bedford
Builder...Jim Harris, his son Noel
Farmers....Kellaway, Draper
I went to school in Dorchester & cycled to Moreton station every day at 6 years old.
I can't remember this, but am reliably informed that in a "paddy" at 4 years of age I took some knives & forks from a drawer, took them to Iron bridge & threw them in the river!!!!!
One more nam, Ben Godwin. I think he was the Estate manager?
As A Child
As a child my life was with the army. Warmwell was a transit camp for some and my father was leaving the Army. We had to live there whilst he looked for work outside the army. My brother went to Dorchester Grammar, as I was much younger I went to Moreton School. Can anyone tell me if part of the house was used as a classroom as I always pictured being upstairs at school, or is my memory playing tricks.
I remember having to say a piece in front of the class about the Royal Commonwealth Tour and I forgot my lines, oh dear was I upset. That school always syayed with me although I was only there for a very short time. Sheila
The Castle Inn at Lulworth
I worked as the kitchen porter at The Castle Inn, Lulworth in 1966. I was nineteen years old and thought it would be good to spend the summer by the coast. As I thought of myself as a bit of an artist I would have the Dorset countryside to inspire me. I wasn't a very good artist, but I looked the part with full beard, corduroy jacket and a guitar that I couldn't play. This was pre-hippie and post-beatnik days, so I probably just looked odd. All other youngsters were Mods or Rockers.
I must say in 1966 the pub looked very similar to the 1903 picture, little white fence and all. Like all pubs in those days they had a public and saloon bar with a small off-license in between, to keep the toffs and the yobs apart. In the public bar you got campers from Durdle Door caravan site and squaddies from the Army Camp from the other direction. In the saloon bar were holiday makers with... Read more
Holiday Memories
My memories as a child are walking over the army ranges from West Lulworth to Mewps (as a family group) after lunch on a Sunday to collect winkles for tea. I also remember beach combing on the shore of the bay and finding all manner of flotsam washed up - from timber to discarded cigarettes. The picture is Man'o'War rock looking east towards Ball Stone rock and St Oswald's Bay.
