Watercress Beds

A Memory of West Ashling.

I have no memories of West Ashling but somewhen before 1860 my G/G/Grandfather James Hare started the watercress beds there. It was not untill quite recently we found out what we know about this family. My G/Grandfather George was not infact registered as a Hare he had his mothers name which was Mayhew. All his children from his first marriage were all registered as Mayhew's and were all born in the East End of London where George was a railway porter. We think he brought some of his children which included my grandmother down to West Ashlingin when his wife died in 1872. My grandmother lived in the area and married my grandfather Kennedy Larbey at Westbourne in 1890 and they lived in and around the area until 1897.
The family to this day still own and run the watercress beds at West Ashling and at Hambrook. George Larbey