Bournemouth Echo: Leisure: Leisure: We'll Meet Again: Memories

Use this section to share your memories of Dorset with the world. If you have moved away from the area, let us know what you miss most. Or if you still live in the county, let us know what memories you have of the people, places and events of Dorset in the past.

Enter your memories and thoughts in to the form below and they will appear on this page soon. And remember to check back here often to read the latest submissions.

You must, though, copy the 'Security Image' number in the 'Security Text' field.

Name:
Email:
Message:
Security Image:
Security Text:

*Newsquest cannot be held responsible for any email messages you may receive

LYNETTE (posted April 14, 08)

email: lyntris@hotmail.co.uk

I was one of the three Wheeler girls, Susan, Kim and myself. We lived in Havelock Road, Branksome. My parents Tony and Pat were well known in the area - my Father for his collection of Tibetan stamps and his work at the SEB and as a family for our long holidays abroad.

I went to Ashley Cross School. Sue and I used to go clubbing in Bournemouth in the late 60s to Le Kilt and Samanthas. I was a real hippy child and used to hang around the square and go to the Winter Gardens and the Pavilion to see bands such as John Mayall and Free.

I’ve had lots of adventures since and now live in Alicante region, Spain. I must write about all this soon, before I forget. Would love to hear from anyone who remembers me.

SUSAN THARBY (posted 15.11.07)

e-mail: newhorizons5@hotmail.com

I'M currently writing my memoirs and have reached the time I lived in Westbourne near Bournemouth, about 1945 to 1950. We lived at the Garden House at Westbourne.

Memories of my first school PNEU School in Westbourne and my walks to school down rhododendron lined pavements - just beautiful, and walks down to Branksome Chine to the beach and the rocks there where we collected tiny swimming creatures and brought them home in our buckets.

I used to ice skate at the Westover Ice Rink, to the standard that my father bought me a set of white skates. But we moved house and I never ice skated again.

The Brabazon was another memory as it had its maiden flight from Boscombe Down (Filton) over Westbourne, which scared me half to death as it thundered just above the treetops over our lawn. I hid under a tent made out of deckchairs and a blanket, as the plane shut out the sunlight as it flew over.

I remember the amazing Christmas Grotto at Beales store that made such an impression that I was convinced there were fairies at the bottom of the garden and fairies danced round red toadstool rings when the moon came out. Still remembering.

GRAHAM BRANDRETH WILLS (posted 10.9.07)

e-mail: grahambw@gmail.com

I am wondering if anyone from Stourfield School, Southbourne days has the words to the old school song that begins, Father Thy high Calling. I would be most interested to receive a copy. My postal address is, Brandrex, Post Box 9183, Marion Square, Wellington, New Zealand.

JENNIFER WOODHEAD (posted: 20.8.07)

e-mail: jennymilne9@hotmail.co.uk

I have fondest memories of being in Fontmell Magna, aged nine, with my father and sister. I remember happy Christmases, lovely walks, pantomimes in Bournmouth, ice skating.

I remember the coming of Spring and the plants, flowers and us waking-up. Summers of bliss. A neighbour and friend teaching us the names and habitat of wild flowers, We would sit listening to the bees busily buzzing, eating my father’s home-grown produce, and enjoy the summer fetes. Above all I remember the peace and tranquillity.

I met my first and true love in the summertime Peter C. He was a gorgeous guy in looks and character. He told my father he was a boy scout but he was really in the Airforce.

We had a neighbour Mr & Mrs Parham who came rushing in one day, saying: “We have been given a BOX. It was a television and we showed them how to work it and on occasions were invited to tea and TV.

There were many safe walks for us girls. My favourite was alongside a stream, which led to a trout pool. It was near here I received my first kiss, with a cow watching us over the hedge. A bit further along was a hill and from the top you could see for miles, it was a wonderful place.

-----------------------------------------------

RUSSELL BARNES (posted: 03.8.07)

email: r.barnes4@btopenworld.com

Born in Maxwell Road, Winton in 1929. My parents moved to Moordown in 1930, where I lived until 1966. Attended Coronation Avenue School. At the very outbreak of war (1939) my father became the ARP Warden for the Moordown area. I'm steadily committing to paper my memories of local characters, hours spent by the Stour and, of course, the wartime problems. Is anyone else doing the same?

-----------------------------------------------

CLIVE RUSSELL (posted: 02.8.07)

email: spikesdad44@hotmail.com

Attended Winton & Moordown School 43-53. Memories include the Embassy Girls Club in Brassey Road. The Modern Cinama, usually showing Johnny Mack Brown on a Saturday Morning where Pauline's Grandfather was the Front Door Bouncer. The school's Playcentre open in the evenings during the week. I remember Sunshine Corner off Peter's Hill. And the Canadian Teacher, Miss Jewell, who taught me in Infants Class 8 and impressed me greatly! Love at first sight no doubt. The Eagle comic where a good mate was Eagle Club Member Number One. And, of course, the school trip to The Festival of Britain. Anyone remember?

-----------------------------------------------

GEOFF LANE (posted: 22.2.07)

email: glane@ebtech.net

My memories date back to the pre-war years when I attended Collegiate School on Poole road and boarded with teachers, Mr. and Miss Pigott, on Penn Hill avenue. When at home in Moordown I'd cycle to school as the war started and later attended Bournemouth School for Boys, a school we shared with Southampton's Taunton School. I'd like to hear from any old boys or Moordown residents who can recall the Forties and Fifties.

-----------------------------------------------

DERIC BOTHAM (posted: 30.10.06)

email: dericbotham@hotmail.com

I was born and grew up in Bournemouth. I went to school at Summerbee, I worked at Beales in 1966. I appeared at The Palace Court theatre throughout 1967/68.

I saw The Beatles at The Gaumont (Now Odeon) in 1964.

I moved away in 1972 but I try to get back as often as I can even if just for a day trip with my wife. I love the Pavilion theatre and wonder why the Winter Gardens and Westover Ice Rink closed. I spent most Saturday evenings at Westover Ice rink with my first girlfriend Anita Small.

I saw a host of famous stars at the Winter Gardens including Stevie Wonder, The Supremes and The Four Tops. They even showed the original 1933 version of King Kong.

Bournemouth used to have an air of real class. Sadly through what look like the approval of ridiculous planning schemes this has been lost. The town is now a mish-mash of half thought out ideas. The Square is a complete mess. I recall the wonderful roundabout with the clock. The flyover past the Pier is a monstrosity. The old bus station has been disused for years. Bournemouth council should get a grip and try to return the town to its proud glory

----------------------------------------------

LEIGH SCARD (posted: 13.7.06)

email: ebomacc@hotmail.co.uk

WE are urgently looking for people to come forward who remember the old Weymouth Carnival balls. Ladies Alive is a local charitable organisation, which has organised a carnival ball this year and is desperately trying to get the event off the ground. If you have any information about the old carnival balls please don’t hesitate to contact us…

----------------------------------------------

JUDITH GREGORY (posted: 8.5.06)

email: greggers1939@yahoo.co.uk

We moved to Bournemouth when my parents bought a house, called Fairmount, in Priory Road on the West Cliff which had belonged to a lady called May Frear. My parents turned it into a hotel and ran it successfully for years.

I was taught to skate at the Westover Ice Rink by a gentleman called Joe Baskin. I had two good friends there Anne and Nita. Nita turned out to be Anita Harris.

I remember Fortes Ice Cream Factory at the bottom of Priory Road. They had an old English sheep dog, which used to roam a bit. We used to take it back and get free ice creams.

Ken Bailey was such a character dressed as John Bull we loved him.
I won the Daily Mail sandcastle competition when I was about nine - and a prize of £1 - a fortune then!

We lived at the top of the 99 steps from the Winter Gardens and had a pet squirrel called Dennis the Menace. He fell out of the nest when only a few days old and we fed him from an eye dropper milk and bread dipped in milk. He lived and joined us on a journey to Liverpool by car - so is still probably the only recorded journey of a Bournemouth Winter Gardens squirrel travelling through the Mersey Tunnel.

My brother and I used to give puppet shows to the children at Dr Barnados in Suffolk Road every Christmas. I am just about to sell our Pelham Puppets from the 1940s!

In summer we used to get a packed lunch from the kitchen and spend the day on the beach with a 16 man rubber dinghy - no idea where it came from and would probably be disallowed today but have wonderful photographs of lots of children playing with us on it!

We also won the treasure hunt at Studland Regatta one year when we hired a very small rowing boat called 'the dish' and rowed around for hours diving off to look for the treasure. We eventually found it - an empty bottle of gin tied to a piece of iron drainpipe. My brother opened it on his 21st Birthday.

I tried to look at Bournemouth on that marvellous site Google Earth, but I couldn't recognise The Square and the area around the Pier and I believe someone in their wisdom closed the Ice Rink! Still think fondly of Bournemouth and the surrounding areas.

----------------------------------------------

ROB MOULIS

email: rob.moulis@dewr.gov.au

I stayed in Christchurch in 1998 for about four weeks to visit an Australian friend of mine who was living and working there. Stour Road has some lovely bed and breakfasts. I fell in love with the area and enjoyed myself immensely. I must have visited every attraction there is in Christchurch and surrounds. I especially love the Priory. Bournemouth too is a great place. Heaps of tours to go on from Bournemouth pier. I visited Isle of Wight, Glastonbury, and Beer in Devon from here. The beach is fantastic as well.

Visited Weymouth and Portland a couple of times also. Loved checking out Nothe Fort - fabulous place.

I'm planning to return hopefully in 2007. Can't wait.

---------------------------------------------------

JUSTIN FOSTER DYESS

email: jfosterdyess@hotmail.com

I moved to Bournemouth from the USA as a student in 2002 and fell in love with the place. I'd been to England before but decided Bournemouth was too lovely to leave. I had to move back to the states after only a year and have been trying to get back ever since.

I was finally able to visit for two weeks back in Sept-Oct. I can't tell you how good it was to be back. It was like running into an old friend. Almost everything was as I remembered and the few differences were great improvements, such as the weekend market in the square... we Americans love such traditional European institutions. It beats the hell out of shopping at Walmart.

Keep it up Bournemouth. You have a genteel and beautiful little town with a coast and countryside that take ones breath away. I will return as soon as possible!

---------------------------------------------------

PETER FRANCIS

email: peterfranc@tiscali.co.uk

I worked at Steamer Point 1952-1966 on military communications research. My lab was on the cliff top at Friars Cliff and during this time I worked on several ground breaking projects. I was living in Bure Close and able to walk to work along the beach and many a lunchtime I went for a swim in the sea. This period was the most exciting of my working life in scientific research. I have created a website in dedication to SRDE and it can be found at www.srde.co.uk.

---------------------------------------------------

GILLIAN CORNELIUS

email: gilliancornelius@hotmail.com

Having lived for more than 30 years in Poole and more recently the lovely Boscombe (or BosVegas as my friends and I call it) I have moved, with my partner, to Canada and am currently living on Vancouver Island. It is very beautiful here but I miss Dorset, its rolling hills, coastline and history. I recently read Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson and he talks very fondly of Dorset and Bournemouth, he actually worked at the Echo for a period (very funny paragraph in the book).

I ended up in sentimental tears as he waxed lyrical about walking the clifftop and looking over towards Poole and wandering through Bournemouth and popping into Waterstones etc. It all made me ache with homesickness. Its funny, I even miss Ashley Road and the Fleetsbridge roundabout, now thats saying something! I know I will return to this area, even if its just to visit family and friends and I will always think of this beautiful place as home.

---------------------------------------------------

JACQUELINE VESPASIANI NEE BUCKLEY

email: ejvespasiani@sympatico.ca

I was born in a house on Balfour Rd, Winton, during the war. I lived at 2 Denmark Rd with my lovely Auntie Margie. I attended Winton and Moordown school with my best friend Mary Alston (we are still best friends) and visit back and forth often. Emigrated to Canada 1n 1954 with my mum and dad. Times were tough but I have so many happy memories of my childhood and I would not change a thing. Bournemouth will always be home to me.

---------------------------------------------------

BARRY WHITTAKER (posted 17.10.05)

email: barryandjanet@yahoo.ca

Where have all the shops gone Growing up in Ringwood Road, Poole, I have many fond memories of the shops between the Old Wareham Road, (when it was just a dirt lane), and Constitution Hill. See if you can remember a few of the shops.

Starting at Rosemary Road there was a small variety store, was it called Rowntree's Then the grocery store Axfords, opposite Cynthia Road, later it would change its name to what On one side of Broadbanks Lane there was Cutler's the seed people and on the other side Masons, later to change to Jefferies. Two houses further down was Blinkhorns and near the club cant remember whether it was a Conservative or a Labour club - there was a fish and chip shop with another store in between a convenience store (Phew's) in total three shops, can't remember there names.

As we get to the old post office before it had a half round about, we had an iron mongers where we used to go and get our accumulators charged for the radio. There used to be three or four stores together the first the iron mongers and the last a bakery shop, was it Green's Bakery.

Before you went up the hill opposite Grove Road was Fanny Russells store.

There were many other stores as you came closer to Constitution Hill, at the top closer to where the buses turned around was Kenny's. There was also Bentleys Barber Shop where I had my first hair cut.

Going to Branksome Heath School I used to pass a lot of these shops - I've missed out so many.

The newspaper shop on the corner of Grove Road, the chemist, the butchers, and close to Croft Road fruit market there was another fish and chip shop.

I've probable missed out at least ten more shops. If you can remember some of them we are probably around the same age (65)
---------------------------------------------------

GRAHAM BRANDRETH-WILLS email: aka@phat.co.nz

I am wondering if anyone from Stourfield School, Southbourne days has the words to the old school song that begins, Father Thy high Calling. I would be most interested to receive a copy. My postal address is,

Brandrex,
Post Box 9196,
Marion Square,
Wellington,
New Zealand.
---------------------------------------------------

BILL (SONNY) DUNCAN

email: bill@duncan5752.fsnet.co.uk

I arrived in Weymouth as a baby from Aberdeen in 1926. My father, Jock Duncan, was to run the Cosens cold store and ice factory for more than 20 years.

My schools were St. Mary's Infants, Melcombe Regis Boys' and the Grammar.

I remember life on the beach leading the donkeys (we lived in Belle Vue in a Cosens' house) and driving them to their field next to the Rec at the end of the day. For a penny or two, I also stacked deckchairs and spend it on chips.

Names I remember include Jack Benison, The Taylors, Harry (Mr) Rendell, Neville Bray, Gordon Arthur,Brian Monger and Jim Staples.

From the WGS in 1941 I was an apprentice at Bincleaves until, at 20, I was called up in to the Army. I returned briefly to Bincleaves, until I went to work in Gloucestershire, with Laurie Hawkins who'd been called into the RAF at the time they got me!

From there I emigrated to Canada for three years and then to the US in 1956 for seven years. I marrying there and returning to England with my wife and daughter in' 1963. From then until retirement at 61 I worked for Plessey at Swindon and latterly in Northampton where I've remained.

I'd like to hear from anyone who remembers me or those days during, and before the war in the place where I spent all my childhood.
---------------------------------------------------

PETER MORTON

email: Pecomo1@aol.com

I left Wool in 1970 - something to do with a broken heart - pathetic I know. Until recently I always returned to the village at least once a year. I now live in Dubai but miss the Dorset that I remember. Is it the same Probably not, but having travelled, lived and worked in many parts of the world, Dorset still has a real pull for me. For those lucky enough to live there enjoy it and appreciate what you have.

Newsquest
Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy © Copyright 2001-2008 Newsquest Media Group A Gannett Company
This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network

Hot Jobs