Born In Aldershot In 1946

I was also born at the Cottage Hospital, hard by the 5-arched railway bridge, in 1942. I grew up in Aldershot (in Lower Farnham Road), attended the Park Primary school, and later Farnborough Grammar School (see the latter's website for some of my memories there). That hospital was demolished some time in the early 1970s, and replaced by a Mormon Church. I believe that now that has also been replaced, but I'm not sure by what! I have been living in the Orkney Islands ever since 1970, and have only made rare visits to Aldershot, but have never forgotten the place, and always have an affection for it. As a teenager I used to go for long walks up through Rowhill Copse and on to the military lands beyond which was a sort of wilderness of heath and sandy stony soil, but a fine place to wander and have discussions with friends. There was also an army water reservoir fed by small artificial canals from the surrounding woodland, and there was a tank testing ground which was a plain of churned-up clay and mud. Walks in the opposite direction would take one through the village of Badshot Lea, across the Hog's Back road and on to Crookesbury Hill. In the same general area was Mother Ludlam's Cave, reached by a long tree-lined track running past Moor Park College. The cave had a stream running out of it, which went into the adjacent marsh. You could continue onwards and end up at the ruinous Waverley Abbey. I remember there was a belligerent farmer who used to shout and complain about people trespassing on "his" farmland! I think his name was North. Another walk was from Runfold along the road to Tongham which ran close by a derelict railway line (which left the present electrified track just where the Hog's Back road ends at a roundabout, and ran through Tongham and Ash Green Halt to join the line that connected Reading with Guildford). As a child I remember lines of wagons were stored on the disused part of the line (between Tongham and Farnham Junction), and also that the other section (Tongham to Ash Junction) was used for sending wagons of coal to the Aldershot gasworks, served by a long siding from Tongham. The line was eventually closed completely on the demise of the gasworks. But I do recall going on a special excursion train which travelled from the junction with the Guildford line via Ash Green Halt to Tongham and back - that was part of my activities as a railway enthusiast.