The Cricketers Arms

A Memory of Eastleigh.

I too remember the Cricks. The outside toilet was a plank of wood with a hole in it. The post office was the second to end thatched cottage, which is opposite Stoneham Lane. At the top of Chestnut Avenue, past the BMW garage was Jean Lanham's kennels, Clausentum, and I believe she bred boxer dogs, 'cos iIm sure that's where we got ours from. This was after the nissen huts were demolished. I lived in one before the Nightingale Avenue estate was built (The Avery), and after we were all shipped out onto that estate, the Polish refugees were moved into them. We used to play in the Chestnut woods for hours and if we came home before tea time we were in trouble!! Happy days.

Comment from Jacqueline Jackson on Monday, 6th December 2010.

RE: Re: The Cricketers Arms
The Polish refugees also strike a memory as one was enlisted to assist my father 'Harry' who was a plumber. He was a most accomplished artist and our house along with many others was adorned with the country scene that he painted on sawn cross sections of trees. After the war I met another Polish refugee through the Fireflys Boys Club on spare land in the Fire Station complex at the end of Factory Road, off Nutbeem Road. Even after all this time his name remains with me, Jaroslav Jarecki. He was without doubt the most accomplished table tennis player I had ever played against, especially so since he suffered extreme asthma and in order to save breath he took up a stance at the end of the table using the penholder style, rarely moving his feet during a game. My son is getting married at Christmas in 2011 in Elgin to a Scottish lass he met in Australia and I will be travelling back for the nuptials. I only hope I have time to detour around Eastleigh and Chandlersford and see the many changes to the town (already seen on Google maps) but I doubt if many old faces will be available except perhaps Tony Lawford who was at primary school with me and is known to Francis Frith colleagues for his many photos of Eastleigh and district.