15 January 2016
Friday morning was all blue sky and the first frost of the year. It was too nice not to be out walking So I thought I’d take a little wander back in time to a place I lived for seven years in the 1980’s. Once it was called Olafs tun, after the tenth century Viking leader Olaf I, who established a fortified tun on the east bank of the Itchen. Later this was adapted to Olvestune and this is how it was known in the Domesday Book. Finally it became Woolston, probably as a result of cargos of wool carried across the river from nearby Itchen Ferry Village. What little is left of Itchen Ferry Village is now part of Woolston.
So I marched down Peartree Avenue without stopping until I came to the railway bridge on Bridge Road where Woolston really begins. Most people would call the area above the bridge Woolston too although it is actually Itchen. When I was young this was the only bridge on Bridge Road, these days there is another right after it, the end of the Itchen Bridge, which opened in 1977 and made the old floating bridge obsolete.
Woolston has changed a great deal since Olaf built his fort. The Itchen Ferry brought trade to the small hamlet, then, in 1836, the floating bridge came, crossing to Southampton became easier and Woolston got busier. In 1866, the railways arrived and the little village began to grow. This was where I started my tour. On the other side of the railway bridge I walked along a small cutway to Garton Road and Woolston Railway Station.
The grade II listed station building hasn’t changed much since it was built to serve the Royal Victoria Military Hospital at Netley. These days trains run through once an hour from Southampton to Portsmouth. Like most small stations, Woolston is now unmanned, with an automatic ticket machine at the gate. If you want to talk to a human being about your train, or need some help with your luggage this is a pain but it did mean I could walk onto the platform for a little mooch around.
There was still frost on the roofs and some workmen were busily spraying weed killer about. Other than that I was alone on the platform. The boarded up windows of the old signal box gave the place a slight air of dilapidation, but the station itself was clean with nicely painted wrought iron work. It could easily have been very different. During the World War II air raids on the nearby Spitfire factory, the station along with a waiting train were hit. The station was damaged but it survived. Once there also was a large goods yard to the north of the station but this was closed in 1967 and the area is now modern housing.
Thanks to the Spitfire factory, Woolston was badly bombed and much of it was destroyed but there are still some interesting old buildings. It wasn’t long before I came to the first of these. At the cross roads of Garton Road, Portchester Road and Manor Road South is the Masonic Hall. It’s an imposing building with what might once have been a round window on the gable end. Beneath this is decorative frieze with the emblem of the lodge, an eagle, and the name Clausentum, although it’s far from the Clausentum site. The hall was built in the late ninteenth century on an area known as Roselands Estate. Although very little information about Roselands exists, it’s likely it was the manor house that gave its name to Manor Road.
A little further along, in Portchester Road, is the old Public Baths building. These were slipper baths used by local people who, in the main, had no bathrooms at home. It’s hard to imagine houses without bathrooms and inside toilets but many of the little cottages and terraces that grew up around the railway and the shipbuilding industries had none and the public baths undoubtedly made a welcome change from a tin bath in front of the fire. Today the building is still providing a service to the public giving advice on welfare benefits and employment law. It’s nice that they left the old signs in place as a reminder though.
Thankful I didn’t have need of either service so I headed back towards Portmsouth Road. In the distance at the bottom of the road I could just make out the Itchen Bridge as I walked towards St Patrick’s Church. In my opinion WIlfred C Mangan’s 1938 built church isn’t particularly pretty but it did survive the blitz, despite being gutted and it is undoubtedly nicer than the 1909 corrugated iron church it replaced.
Across the road were a couple of buildings far more familiar to me. The Bridge pub, once called the New Bridge Inn and, before that the Railway Inn I think, was the venue for my friend Libby’s eighteenth birthday party. Although I lived in Woolston, that was the only time I remember going inside but it was a memorable evening of dancing and fun. Sadly, this was to be her penultimate birthday so the memory is bittersweet. The other building, just along the road, was the library. Many happy hours were spent in there browsing the shelves and I was glad to see it hasn’t gone the way of so many other libraries.
Rather than heading down to the High Street I turned around and made my way up Portsmouth Road towards the old doctor’s. The surgery I remember is long gone and a new fancy building stands in its place. Right across the road on the corner of Hazeleigh Avenue is another surgery in what was the fire station when I lived in Woolston. It seemed strange to see it without all the fire engines but fire stations are closing down almost as fast as libraries it seems.
This is the posh part of Woolston, with large houses that have, in many cases, been turned into flats. It seems the further you get from the water, the larger the houses get and, at that point, I was walking away from the Itchen. If I kept going I’d end up in Sholing so I turned down Hazeleigh Avenue towards Obelisk Road. There was a quick stop to look at Woolston Infants School where I used to stand in the playground waiting for Philo and then Bard to finish school. Memories came flooding back of little hands in mine, the faces of the other mothers, trips up and down the road pushing a pushchair. Happy days.
Soon I was in Obelisk Road, named because it points directly from the river to the obelisk erected as a monument to Whig politician Charles James Fox in Mayfield Park. Directly in front of me was the Obelisk pub, affectionately called The Obbie by locals. It opened in the 1850’s as the Obelisk Inn on the opposite side of the road to the modern day pub. In 1900 the original pub closed and the current one opened, renamed as the Obelisk Hotel. It’s still a popular pub and remains largely unchanged. It even has the original beautifully etched glass in the doors and windows.
Turning onto Bedford Avenue I was heading towards the southern border of Woolston, Swift Road and the Archery Ground. Whether the Archery Ground was ever used by actual archers remains a mystery but I like to think it was. Today it’s a grassy park surrounded by trees with a stream in the woods at its southern edge. On a different day I might have walked through the woods to Mayfield Park and Millers Pond but right now it’s likely to be very muddy. Besides, there was a lot more of Woolston to see.
Swift Road is a road of two halves, a little like Woolston itself. The eastern end beside the Archery Ground is filled with large houses, many now converted into flats, much like those I’d left behind in Portsmouth Road. Across Archery Road it’s a different story. Heading down towards the water the narrow road is lined by modest terraced houses and cottages, probably built for the shipbuilders who worked In the waterside shipyard.
Before I left upmarket Woolston behind and returned to the modest terraced houses I knew best, there was one more detour along memory lane. At Church Road I turned. When I came to Woolston I was a first time mum with baby Philo in my arms. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone, my friend Mandy moved to the area at the same time and she too was a first time mum with a baby exactly the same age as Philo. We compared notes on their progress and quirks, feeling relieved when both did the same things, meaning whatever it was must be normal. When they both turned three and we were both expecting second babies we enrolled our boys in Playschool, giving us a welcome morning break each week. The Playschool was in Church Road in the Community Centre.
The Community Centre, half way between our respective houses, was originally St Marks Infant School, built in 1872 on land donated by the Chamberlayne family. While our boys were having fun with the other children, we would walk down to Woolston High Street, buy cakes and retire to one or other of our houses for coffee and a chat, undisturbed by children. The cakes probably didn’t to a lot for the baby weight it took so long to lose but it was time we both looked forward to.
Across the road from the Community Centre is the parish church, St Mark’s. The land for this was also donated by the Chamberlayne family and was consecrated in November 1863. It was designed by William White and built by Joseph Bull and Sons using Swanage, Bath, Tisburns and Corsham Down stone along with Bath and Devonshire marble. Originally it was planned to build a tower and spire in the north west corner but, in the end, this was only built to aisle height.
Unfortunately, the church lacks a churchyard so there would be no looking at interesting graves. The reason for this omission is twofold, there wasn’t really enough land and the land there was was badly drained with salt water from the river a few feet below the surface. This would never have been a good place to be buried.
With the church, my pleasant stroll down memory lane in the more salubrious part of Woolston had come to an end. The next part of my walk would take me back to the familiar terraced streets. Right about then I was wishing there was a Costa in Woolston. Still, I guess nowhere is perfect.
If you like what I write and would like to help me keep doing it, you can now buy me a virtual coffee by clicking on the little orange coffee cup at the bottom right. If you’re interested in my historic novels, Plagued is available now on Amazon.
So many familiar landmarks and memories for me, Marie. 🙂 Among them, I had a Saturday job in Woolston Library in 1976-78. Mum and dad moved from Bitterne to St Anne’s Road in the early 80s and I had a flat in West Road throughout the 90s. My flat looked out onto the green at the back of Woolston Infant School. I used to enjoy the summer fayres the school held on the green back then. There was always a live band and country dancing! Although I lived in Bitterne throughout my childhood and, as you know, I was at school with you, it seems we were probably both living in the same vicinity again without knowing! It’s a small world!
Wow, it really is a small world! I moved to Woolston in ’83 and back to Bitterne in ’91. Probably walked past your house thousands of times. It was a great place to live, lots of real characters and friendly people. We had a service lane at the back of our house and a lady called Lil used to feed all the stray cats from the Vospers yard.
What a well-written post. I’m fairly familiar with Woolston (even that it was originally Olaf’s Tun: I did the signwriting- and logo-design for the short-lived Olaf’s Snooker Club, named after that connection, in Obelisk Rd in the 80s). My grandparents lived in Archery Grove since the 30s (that’s before they were grandparents!), so regular trips to Weston Shore, sometimes via Swift Road to see the Docks across the water, and more occasional trips to Archery Rec. were embedded in my childhood.
Later I occupied a small premises off Victoria Rd. running a framing business (from about ’91 to ’95) and lived upstairs for a while. The shop more obvious, and joined to my portion, was M.R.Video, now a pedicure place, I think, on the corner of Lake Rd. My bit overlooked the yard of Cooper’s Coaches, also now no more .
Sad to relate, I gather Woolston Library is set to vacate that nice building, to be replaced by one in the Centenary Quay development.
I attended a friends’ mother’s wake inside the Masonic Hall, and hadn’t really noticed the building before then. Knew nothing of its history, and had presumed the Clausentum reference was the result of a move from somewhere in Bitterne Manor Also been to a Folk Festival at St Mark’s Community Centre.
All in all, a lot of good and interesting memories triggered. Thanks.
I remember Olaf’s Snooker Club well, it was at the end of our road. The Archery Ground was also somewhere I played when my sister lived in Weston. I remember M.R Video too. It’s a shame Woolston Linrary is moving but at least it isn’t closing for good. These days I live fairly near the Clausentum site so I thought it was odd the Masonic hall was called Clausentum. Perhaps it did move from there. Glad to have brought back some good memories for you. It did for me too.
Just a bit of information about the Masonic Hall and it’s name. There are many Masonic Lodges (groups of freemasons) around Southampton and they meet regularly in Masonic temples or halls.
The land on which the Woolston hall is sited was given to one of these lodges – called Clausentum Lodge. They built the hall, hence the name.
Thank you.
It must be a little nerve wracking to see fire stations closing. Libraries would be bad enough!
The old saying says you can’t go home again but it’s always fun to try. I seem to try regularly, often without even realizing I’m doing it!
I think they’re closing the small fire stations and making the big ones bigger. At least I hope so. We still have two near us. Hope I don’t need them though. I really would love to see my old garden.
How did we manage before Costa?! thank you again
I think Costa should pay me for advertising. At the very least I should get free coffee 🙂
There is a lovely new coffee shop in Woolston next to, and owned by Olafs Tun micro pub, opposite the old Woolston cinema. You won’t need to long for Costa hopefully next time you walk that way!
December 2024
Lovely walk down memory lane and all the old landmarks still standing , even if now used for different services . Lets hope New Woolston adds to the quality and offers ALL what it did once serve . My dad was born in Church road , worked at Supermarine and could relay a very good history of the area and it s locals. Well done Marie for really bringing Winter sunshine into ourlives x
Gary, I’m glad you enjoyed following me on my little walk. I bet your Dad’s stories were interesting, you should share them some time. It’s a shame so many of these personal histories are lost because they are the history of our city too. It really does look as if Woolston is beginning to thrive again and I’m glad to see it. Long may it continue.
I have to ask when your Dad was at Supermarine. An artist whose archive I manage was apprenticed in the drawing office there from 1947-52 (it may have been Vickers-Armstrong, then: I’ve not quite sorted out the changes of style, in my head). Name of Eric Meadus, locally renowned for his images of The Flower Roads but died, before fulfilling all his artistic promise, aged 39.. Worked alongside Alan Margetson, then from Winchester, still alive in Thornhill. Would be curious if yours had been in touch with either of these two.
Eric Meadus lived near my in laws. They had an old fire guard with one of his paintings on.
On the corner of obelisk road and church road is a building that looked like a former shop or pub..anyone know what it was?
I think you mean Roynon Dance school which is in the old department store building that was Lancaster and Crooks. I think it was the homeware section (they had a few branches selling different thing in Woolston) and it later became Ponts Furniture shop.
When I was a student in Edinburgh, I didn’t have a bath in either of my flats and made good use of the public baths. They were great, big tubs and as much hot water as you wanted.
We had a bath in Woolston but it was in a lean to and terribly cold in winter.
I reckon the library will be turned into flats when the new one opens down at the new development. It would be a lovely building to live in.
I have only been to the Obelisk pub once for a quiz evening years ago, we did say about wandering round there during the summer but it didn’t happen.
Just a couple of weeks ago the area by the train station was dense with bushes and now it’s all been chopped back, I was worried for the birds. It would be lovely if they could restore the old signal box.
Lisa x
You’re probably right about the flats, it’s a big house. Going to the library was one of my favourite things. We had little money so anything free was good and I love to read. The boys all had library tickets too and would choose books for bedtime. I noticed they’d cut back the shrubbery by the station, probably something to do with all the work on the bridge. The signal box could do with some loving care, it’s a pretty little building.
Just love this post and avidly following all the comments especially between you and Paul Clarke. It is filling me with warmth.
It’s been an interesting exercise. Paul has. Rough back some lovely memories.
Hi Marie: You mention whether Archery Ground was ever really used as an archery ground. when I see some street names and signs on buildings, I often wonder about the origins too.
It’s fun to speculate about them. I think the Archery Ground probably was once used for archery. As my son pointed out recently, it’s bowl shaped which would keep stray arrows from doing any damage. It’s nice to think it was a real archery ground anyway.
Sorry Marie, I always press a wrong button! I was going to say that my Grandmother who lived with us was the Head Waitress at the Masonic Hall and I remember helping her set up tables when there was a meeting due and spent many hours sat is the kitchen. The Library was also a regular haunt for me as my Mum loved reading as well. I remember the little gate at the desk as you went in. I hope they don’t spoil the building when they redevelop but I assume it’s listed. As I got older I went to Harry & Betty Wilcocks Dancing Classes in the Ebenezar Hall almost opposite the library – it was knocked down when they built the new bridge. Thanks for the article, I may well trace your steps some time.
Thank you for adding your memories. The Linrary building is listed so they won’t be able to knock it down thank goodness. I hope you do retrace my steps, it’s an interesting walk if you come from Woolston.
Marie
Just thought of something else. Archery Grove probably was used for archery as in medaeval times all males were required to practice archery so they would be able to defend the town as they would be called up if any invasion occurred. Obviously the pre-runner of National Service!
It’s nice to think of people practicing archery there.
Thank you all for a delightful and nostalgic trip down memory lane. I have many wonderful memories of my life in Woolston as a child. My Grandparents owned the store at 97 Obelisk Road way back when it was quite a sizeable property with arable land behind the building and I lived there with my parents and brother and a black labrador called “Laddie” for many years in one of the flats above, whilst my Grandparents and elderly Great Grandmother lived in the other one. The original store was completely bombed in the Blitz whilst the family were down in an air raid shelter which was installed under the back lawn. My Grandparents saved for several years to re-build the building as it is today, as there was no Government compensation, during which time they commuted back and forth daily from another of their properties in Bournemouth by train. Back then it was just the one large shop owned and run by Dorothy May Phillips with familial help from all of the aunts and great aunts as well, who all worked different shifts within the store. My Grandfather and Father both worked the land at the back of the property in their ‘spare time’, growing fresh produce for the store with fresh chicken and duck eggs also available during those austere post war days. Both men also held down full time day jobs at Portsmouth Dockyard and my Dad at BOAC – such was life in post war Britain. My Father built himself a car in the garage there, with help from my Grandfather who was an Engineer, so that they could make grocery deliveries once a week – and how well we children all remember riding in that car – the one with the square wheels! I say ‘we’ children as our family was myself and my Brother and our four Cousins who all lived in St.Anne’s Gardens. My Mother (Terry) used to look after the six of us one day and my Aunt (Brenda) the next whilst they both did their ‘shifts’ in the store and the high jinx we used to get up to in the back garden as we got older, doesn’t bare repeating. Nothing bad – just great fun as we climbed through all the fruit trees, hauling the younger ones up with us, as we balanced precariously on branches then running across the tin roof of Dad’s workshop on the Canada Road side – our known antics certainly kept the parents on their toes. These were the days when children could actually play in the streets, marbles in the gutters, carefully avoiding the drains, with jacks on the pavement, and made ‘tents’ out of the Monday wash with white sheets billowing in the breeze as we caught an edge and tied it down – usually to the pram in which there was invariably a sleeping baby out getting the fresh air. Sadly my Grandfather was killed in a motor accident in his fifties on his way home from Portsmouth Dockyard and that was when our idyllic lifestyle changed dramatically. My Grandmother remained in shock for many many months and didn’t want to continue with the store. It was decided that she would sub divide and sell to a local builder. The land which went from the property down Canada Road was sold for development and there are now houses all the way back to what used to be our rear perimeter fence. The shop was also divided into two and both were let out to different companies. Likewise the two flats were let out through an agency and my Grandmother continued to own the building for many years. We all in turn moved to Hamble where we continued our childhood with many nostalgic trips back to Woolston. I also ended up working in Woolston for a Marine Surveyor & Consultant once I finished school. Yes, we are all extremely lucky as we have many many very happy memories of Obelisk Road, Ludlow School, St. Mark’s Infant School where we all ultimately went, St.Mark’s Church where we all went to Sunday School and where my cousin Lynda got married some fifty years ago, to her childhood sweetheart Derek who lived in St. Anne’s Road. The Archery Grounds, where we played for hours and our imaginations ran wild through many sets of cowboys and indians. The Dancing School where my younger cousin took ballet, Lankester & Crooks, the #5 Bus which stopped outside our store and took us all-round the houses and into town on a Tuesday, shop closure day, with our Nan. She used to take us all, in turn to get our Easter Clarks Sandals and then onto the Cadena Cafe in the High Street Southampton, for afternoon tea which we had whilst the revolving piano was played and we, in turn, were waited on by my Dad’s older cousins who all worked there. I have to close this now otherwise I might just get started on the magical Christmas’s in Obelisk Road and I’m sure you don’t want to hear all about that!
Thank you for commenting and sharing your wonderful memories. It’s always a pleasure to hear real life stories of those times and to realise just what it was like.
Hello, thank you for bringing back my childhood memories so vividly. I lived in Canada Rd and liked nothing better than going to Phillips to get things for my mum. Sometimes I was sent to buy paraffin from the machine outside. When I was old enough I delivered leaflets for Mr Phillips but cant remember how much money I got. I recall the new houses being built on the land where there were fruit trees. The number of times I sheltered from the rain in the doorway waiting for the No. 5 bus into town.
My mum worked at The Obelisk for many years.
There was a house opposite the shop which was derelict called Dunrobin – we were told it was haunted. Kind regards Lorraine
Thank you for sharing your memories. I love to hear other people’s stories.
Ann, thats a lovely memory of the area. I live in Canada Road and have often wondered how it got its name. One of the older neighbours told me that there was a house nearby called Canada Place, probably off Obelisk Road next to the shops you describe. I wonder if you remember that house?
Sorry Stephen Barnes but I cannot remember how Canada Road was named – it was well before my time. I will ask my cousins if they have any ideas on this – we all now live in British Columbia, Canada.
Does anyone know what was built on the grove tavern before it was a pub on Swift Road
Sorry, I don’t. I know the Grove was built in the 1930’s but not what was there before.
Not sure,
Don’t know but Soton Archaeology did a survey before it was pulled down and checked plans and apparently all the original kitchen units and other fitting in the pub were still (mostly) original. I have to go to the library next week so may be able to find out for you.
Interesting.
Good to see the Public Baths are still there. When I was at college in St Mary’s Road on the Soton side back in 1959 I shared a room in a house in Portchester Road, which had an outside loo but no bath, so we got to know the public baths very well. As mentioned above, great big baths & unlimited hot water. Catching the floating bridge could be a challenge. One day I cut it a bit too fine – I just managed to scramble on, but my bike wheel caught under the ramp, so I had to let go. Fortunately some kind person had dragged it out of the water by the time the bridge got back..
In those days before Security you could freely cycle all over the docks (trying to avoid the railway tracks) & even attempt to board the liners at Ocean Terminal – visiting American warships were far more welcoming of unofficial visitors.
The floating bridge was a real treat for me, being a Bitterne girl. My husband is from Woolston though and spent his childhood going back and forth. Our house in Woolston only had a shower, to a bath, and it was in a lean to along with the only loo. That was in the 1980’s. How times have changed!
Just sharing information from here with my 89 year old mum
She wonders if anyone has a picture of The Coffee Tavern which she thinks was by the floating Bridge but definitely in Woolston?
My great grandfather’s second wife Verna Nellie Crook (nee Green) worked there for many years.
Mentioned in her obituary from Echo circa 2004 when she was 90.
It might be worth going to Southampton Heritage photos and asking if anyone has a photograph. It is surprising the things that turn up on that group,
Hi, what a great read and a trip down memory lane. I lived in Swift Gardens Woolston virtually from birth in 1943. The house was behind The Grove pub in Swift Road. I was christened in St Marks Church and went to the infants school opposite. My parents ran a concert party called The Swifties, so called because most of the members were from Swift Road or Swift Gardens. I played in The Archery Ground and spent many happy hours along Weston Shore. When older I got a Saturday morning job as a delivery boy with a butchers shop opposite St Marks school. I don’t remember the name of the butchers shop (it might have been Spakes) but I do remember the huge bicycle I used for deliveries which had a frame in front of the handlebars on which was placed a metal ‘box’ containing joints of meat with a receipt attached with the address of the delivery and the cost. Not too much health and safety in those days. Each box contained about 15 joints and I had to cycle quickly as the bike had a slow puncture so I had to do each round before pumping the tyre up again!!! I was a very keen footballer and played for the YMCA football team and had a trial with Southampton schoolboys. Fresh from performing with The Swifties, aged 16, I played piano and sang rock n roll and performed often at The Royal Pier and other venues along the south coast. The days of The Brooks Brothers, Tex Roberg and others. I remember later joining with my father the Woolston Social Club in the days when women were only allowed in the club on Saturday nights, the rest of the week was men only !!
Thank you so much for the lovely memories provided by all the contributors of this excellent web site.
Thank you. I’m glad to have brought back some happy memories. Thank you for sharing yours too. The slow puncture made me laugh, although I imagine it wasn’t funny at the time.
Further to my earlier memory, I also remember holidays in the 50s. My father being a Northerner made us holiday in Blackpool, but only every other year, so the alternative was a weeks travel tickets on British Rail from Woolston Station. I think the tickets for two adults and two children was 15/- (is that the way to put fifteen shillings). We could get as far as Bognor Regis, Littlehampton, Southsea and Portsmoth etc along the coast. My mother had to do sandwiches and we went to a cafe for tea (evening meal). It was always a mad rush to get to the station on time to catch the train in the mornings, and things were made worse by having to run over the footbridge to get the train which was on the other platform opposite the booking office. Many a time as we ran up and over the footbridge the train would be approaching the station.Great fun for my sister Pauline and I but a constant worry for Mum who had to carry the sandwiches, a bag of swimming costumes (weather permitting) and other necessities, whilst Dad struggled with the rail tickets and precious little else.In the third class seating you weren’t allowed to lean out of the window in case you got a spark in the eye from the steam train engine. At the end of a tiring day we had to walk from the station to Swift Gardens, past the library, Lancaster and Crooks, St Marks school, past Godfreys the garage, and then home. Pauline and I were tired, Mum was exhausted, still carrying the equipment, but Dad was remarkably fresh still just carrying the travel tickets…….
very evocative memories. I find myself identifying with your mum.
Interesting memories Bill. I only knew you when you were part of our travelling showband with the Nevitt Brothers, the Blackjacks and myself, around 1959-60.
Woolston was such an inspiring playground in the 1950’s with Peartree Green and it’s bomb crater ‘ponds’ to the Archery Grounds where you could gain access through a gap in the railings and work your way up to Millers Pond. We used to be out all day and nobody needed to worry about us.
I was 8 and lived at 52, Portsmouth Road next door to Belvoirs (pronounced Beevers) Garage, the Railway Inn and Monty’s sweet shop. The Library has been tastefully converted looking quite smart, but I miss Lowmans Bakery further down the road. Went to a couple of party’s at the Ebenezer Hall and we had no bathroom so once a week taken to the Slipper Baths.
When 19 to 20, I too was part of the Royal Pier scene in the late 1950’s in the Wranglers Mime Group on the bill with the Brooke Bros, Pete Broyd & the Blackjacks. Tex Roberg is still with us in a local care home I believe. For more on So-ton Music scene Google David St John who is still on the boards.
Apprenticed in the Aircraft Industry, used to cycle then motorcycle to work at Folland Aircraft, Hamble,
so am well retired now, not too far away in Bursledon and writing an Ebook Memoir with loads more Nostalgia of the area over the last 75 years Titled ‘A Real Apprentice’. Hopefully I publish this year.
Thoroughly enjoyed your writing and comments on others replies. Good luck with your publishing.
Thank you for sharing your memories. My husband worked at the aircraft factory in Hamble, although it was called Aerostructures when he started there. I wish you luck with your book. it sounds like the kind of thing I’d be interested in.
has this book been completed? Why? As my Father “Tom” Haysom worked in Follands and “Thornys” we lived in Butts Road Sholing. Woolston was our Shopping place and of course my library. Which gave me the love of books, thanks to brilliant librarians
(this iwalkalone come up when searching for Supermarines So interesting to read the main script and the posts!)
I’m glad you have enjoyed it. My husband worked at Thorneycrofts and later at Aerostructures, once Follands. There are posts about Hamble and the factory on the blog if you search. My books are all historic fiction set in and around Southampton. They can be found on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marie-Keates/e/B09P575J3M/
Hi Alistair. Do you know anything about the Harkotte family that were murdered at no 57. I hate to ask you, but I have been unable to find any articles.
Hi Tilly.
November 1981. Bill Harkotte bludgeoned his wife, Kathy and teenage children, Lisa and Karl whilst they slept and then hung himself from the banisters a day later. Bill was German and ran a roofing business and allegedly had money problems. Kathy and Lisa worked at the BT exchange near Weston Shore. Karl was a machine operator at Vernitron at Thornhill.
Hi, I used to work with Carl, early eighties. He used to give me a lift on the back of his motorbike to Vernitrons factory along Bursledon Road. He was a lovely guy and we became good friends.
I remember reading the front page of the echo stating that a father had killed his wife and children in their sleep and then hung himself. Carl’s older sister lived in Hythe I think. The discovery was made by someone looking through the letter box I believe. I was absolutely devastated when I read the article and his age was reported incorrectly, so I hoped it wasn’t him. Such a waste of lives. Walked past the house yesterday and the memories came flooding back. RIP
What fabulous memories this website provides. I haven’t visited Southampton for years and years. Now that my Mum, Dad and Sister have all passed away I have no relatives living there. However, As I’m 79 next month but very active and healthy, I am going to take my wife’s advice and we’ll have a weeks holiday down South to visit all my old haunts. Swift Gardens, The Archery Ground, Weston Shore, The Royal Pier in the docks area (if it’s still there)(the Royal Pier not the Docks area), Shirley Warren School, The Civic Centre where I worked as a school leaver.Like a previous subscriber, I remember the Royal Pier Rock n Roll nights. I performed (on piano and vocals) often with the Brooks Bothers and The Blackjacks. The HiFi was a great backing group which included a saxophone player which was unusual in those days. Len Canham was the entertainments manager of the Royal Pier and was a bit outrageous !!! I performed regularly till shortly before being aged 19 I told Len that I was retiring from Rock n Roll to join the Met Police. I’ve never seen someone change colour so quickly, trying to remember whether I had been at any of his wild parties. I had, but my lips are sealed. Thanks for all the happy memories you have re-kindled for me. Billy Cunliffe.
I’m so glad to have brought back some great memories and inspired a trip to rekindle them.
Lovely to read your story sitting here so far away in Perth Western Australia. I was born 1944 in Archery Grove, went to St. Marks Infant Scool, then onto Ludlow Primary Shool and finished my schooling at Woolston Secondary School. My first wee job was delivering papers for Mr Pooks Newsagents just before the railway bridge going up Bridge Rd. My first girlfriend was Janet Piddington also in Bridge Rd. I played so much sport as our home backed onto the woods of Mayfield Park and we would play until 9pm in the summer. We even built our own cycle speedway track in the woods. I have great memories of Woolston and was very pleased to be able share pictures with my wife of 58yrs Dorothy. Thank you for sharing your walk Marie.
Ivor Jones
Perth Western Australia.
Thank you. I’m glad to bring back such happy memories. Thank you for sharing yours.
Lovely piece- took me back to my early years from 1948 when living at my grandparents big house on Manor Road next to the railway bridge-now covered with a jungle! Split into flats many years ago. Then my parents bought their first home at the top of Garton Road so I know every step in the area shown! I left Soton in 1972 after a few years of singing in local ‘beat’ groups to seek fame and fortune in London as a solo entertainer- still at it now… Have published 5 books via Amazon with 4 of them telling many stories of Southampton across the years. The other book is my story of appearing on some 34 TV quiz shows, leading to a Guinness World Record in 2014. It all started by reading books at the Woolston Library – never dreamed what would come of my natural curiosity as well as being lucky to retain a lot of information ever since. Just Google ‘david st john comedian tv quiz southampton’ and you will find me! My ‘Southern Roots’ book has a mass of stuff based on Woolston which I still miss. Thank you for this lovely trip down my own Memory Lane!
glad you enjoyed it.
I love looking at old photos of Woolston and the area around. I grew up in Woolston on Keswick Rd., right behind the shipyard, from 1944 until 1958. I went to St. Patrick’s School and then to Woolston Secondary Girls School. Loved the library. Loved the Floating Bridge. Started working a 15 yrs. old in a solicitor’s office in Southampton. Had to go on the Floating Bridge all the time. I remember all the men from the shipyard coming down Keswick Rd., on their bikes and dashing to the Floating Bridge. Some made it and some half-made it, with their bikes hanging off the bridge! Used to take evening summer walks down to the “shore”. We had an outside toilet, next to the coal-house. The tub was on the wall outside and brought it once a week and everyone took their turn (there were six of us in the family) and I was the youngest, so I was lucky if the water was still warm. I remember babysitting for family friends on Oakbank Rd., for a bath in payment of it.
I’m 84 now and living in the lap of luxury, in Tucson, Az., with a lovely bathroom and heating and cooling in the house, which now seems normal. That’s what I call luxury!
Thanks for the memories.
Thanks for sharing your memories.
Thank you so much for providing lots of information of yesteryear Woolston. I grew up in the Pear tree area and was recently reminiscing about the local area does anyone know or remember what the shop Wookies or Wookeys was and where it was , thank you.