S.A.R.C, Florence Road and more....

Year: Unknown

S.A.R.C, Florence Road and more....

Woolston seems to have played quite a big part in the history of our family, so it's appropriate I guess that as an adult I have ended up living here with my Husband!! It started as far back as my great great great grandfather Boxall, my nan's granddad, who was Chief Fire Officer for Woolston for many years, he was based in what is now the 'Old Fire Station' Doctor's surgery in Portsmouth Road, we have many photographs of him looking very handsome, if not a little stern and almost regal in his immaculate old fashioned uniform, adorned with many medals and badges.  My nan Mary was born in Radstock Road, but the family later moved to Hamble which is where she spent most of her life, and her father Jack Bailey was an Instructor at the ATS air training college at the top of Verdon Avenue. On the other side of the family my grandad Ron Carter was born in Marsh Cottage in Hazel Road, one of many brothers and one sister, his father George Carter was the Ferryman on the river for many years and it was the Carter brothers who founded S.A.R.C (Southampton Amatuer Rowing Club), we have lot's of pictures of the brothers in the club surrounded by trophy's and wooden polished oars. It was a big part of their lives and my grandad rowed for many years in lots of competitions at Coalporter's and the like, going all over the place in a bus with the wives and chidren (of whom my mother was one!) in tow. It seemed a really happy time and I can remember personally going to the regattas on Weston Shore and at Mayflower Park, listening to 'Tickle' doing an amusing commentary service, and the lovely apple pie my nan loved to buy from the big food and beer tents!  My nan and grandad actually met in Woolston at a chip van, how romantic!! they married at Peartree Green church, and were photographed in the Echo, as they left the church and walked under a formation of rowing oars!! My first memories of Wooston was going to the Rowing Club with my nan and grandad on a Saturday for a drink, and also going with my mum on the bus from Hamble (where we lived) to a magical  toy shop called Keith Paul's, it was my favourite shop, and I always came home with something!! Now I am living in Florence Road, in what was the farmhouse for Woolson. It was built in the 1800's and was here before any of the other houses, surrounded by fields the cows used to walk down to the river to drink! We would love to know what the farm was called, or any information on it at all, a photo would be amazing!! So if anyone knows anything please can you you let me know?? Leave a reply or e-mail me at tracy@tracythurman.wanadoo.co.uk Thanks.