Oakhanger, Hampshire

A Memory of Oakhanger.

Grew up in Oakhanger and enjoyed the freedom of exploring the common in the centre of the village. Some good times were had sledging down a hill on the common in the snow. Also, finding and catching tadpoles in the pond opposite Rookery Farm. Maypole dancing on the village green at the annual May Fair under the guidance of Mrs Warren and riding in a trailer on straw bales through the village with the May Queen and her attendants. The anticipation of winning a prize at the annual Flower Show in August.

You could walk across the fields, avoiding the cow pats, and do a spot of fishing in the river.
Oakhanger Farm had pigs, dairy and beef herds. They also grew wheat and potatoes.

Mr Boyson had Oakhanger Farm and the Chappell, and later the Bennett, families had Chapel Farm. There was apple picking at Rookery Farm too - the lunch break was taken in a wooden hut with a log burner in the centre.

The Shady family had the village stores - and delivered bread and cakes to the door on a Saturday in their blue estate car. Cheese was cut with a wire to order and when we went decimal the imperial numbered till in the shop was updated with hand written decimal stickers. They also had petrol pumps outside the shop too - none of that self service in the 60s and 70s.

The Edlin family had The Red Lion. A very traditional pub. There was both Public and a Saloon bars at this pub. In the 60s and 70s you could, as kids, knock on the pub door and one of the regulars would answer, take your order for crisps, a bottle of beer for dad, take your money and bring you the goods to take home with the change.

Zeke Cornish ran the tyre business in the centre of the village near the phone and post boxes.

Liss stores came to the village every Thursday night and parked up for us kids to choose from an array of sweets - a highlight of the week.

Later there was a visiting fish and chip van that came to the village too. Until that arrival we would visit the fish and chip shop at the top of Bordon where Ashmead is now located.

---

---