Leigh Road And Living In Eastleigh

A Memory of Eastleigh.

My grandmother lived in a flat in the Eagles building behind Collins the butchers. In the 1951 picture, the girl on the bicycle could easily be me! I would have been 10 then and my coat was a light green with black around the collar, and I had a bike with a basket. I spend much time in the rec: on the swings, swinging high enough to see over the fence into the bowing green. I attended a dancing class in the hall with the teacher Wander Tibbett and Janet Shears. The railway Institute opposite was used as the british restaurant during war time, and it was self service with metal trays.
Although I was born in Chalvington Road Chandlers Ford I went to Cranbury Road Girls school from 1945 - 1951. There were 2 buildings, one for infants and the other for juniors. In the playground of the infants there were 3 grass covered air raid shelters. We used the nearby hall for country dancing and plays etc. When I was in the juniors we had a visit to Prices bakery to see the bread making and were lucky to have a sample in the staff mess, which was delicious. I can remember most of the teaches names.
I moved to Cranbury Road Eastleigh when I was nine and lived opposite Barton Peveril School.
My parents had 2 shops in the High Street the first an electrical shop at the top of the High Street where my Dad charged up accumulators used in wireless sets, and mended irons and other electrical appliances. The other was a toy and gift shop round about number 45 High Street.
I have many happy memories of the area and was so pleased to see the Eagle building still there when I visited recently. I really enjoyed the book which brought back so many memories.
Monica Kitchenside