South Warnborough

A Memory of South Warnborough.

I lived in South Warnborough 1968-74 at 'Thatch End' and latterly The Old Parsonage. Both were on Lees Hill. From here I was collected and went to school in Alton. My sister attended Long Sutton Primary. Her headmaster was my cubmaster, B.O. Wright. Bob-a-Job Week was always a happy time for me, greatly enjoyed.
I sang in the local church, the Vicar was David Ince; both his children, Peter and Giselle, also sang with us. The 1950s film 'Charlie Moon' staring Max Bygraves briefly shows a shot of Lees Hill although most of the film is set in Upton Grey, the next village along, towards Basingstoke, where I now live.
The local farmers were the Butlers. Elsie and George Freeman ran the local shop, a grocers. It is still a shop today but very different I am sure! The garage was run by the Trotters, Michael Trotter was a friend of my father's. The pub was called 'The Plough'. I think it became The Poachers in the 80s. Many of our neighbours seemed, to me, elderly spinster ladies. These days, the village looks largely unchanged but most of the people have, of course, changed.