Archives: Articles
June 19, 2020|
Supporting the war effort – Spitfire production
During the Second World War, Park Place was turned into a factory sorting rivets used in the manufacture of the Spitfire fighter plane. At that time, James Bird, naval architect and aircraft engineer, was the owner of Park Place. In 1919 Squadron-Commander James Bird became a director of the Supermarine works at Woolston, buying the company…
Find Out More »May 29, 2020|
John Pearce – Memories of an Evacuee
At the outbreak of World War II, Portsmouth children were evacuated to the Isle of Wight. My mother refused to let me go, as she reasoned that if the Germans invaded our country, they would use the Isle of Wight as a bridgehead. However, when the bombing of Portsmouth became very bad early in 1940,…
Find Out More »May 29, 2020|
Eric Tucker – An exciting boyhood
Ann Tucker was about 12 years old and was living on Hoads Hill about the time of the build up to the invasion. She remembers convoys of military vehicles going up the hill and one of the vehicles, which could have been a halftrack, caught fire and exploded showering the area with debris. Ann was…
Find Out More »May 8, 2020|
Ernie and Stan Woodford: Brothers separated by 5000 miles
Ernie and Stan Woodford were brothers, brought up in houses on the Winchester Road, nearly opposite Lower House, and also at the bottom of Mill Lane. Mrs. Woodford with Stan and Ernie -Toll House Winchester Road c.1933 Their father worked at Buddens Farm. They were both called up early in the War – Ernie at…
Find Out More »May 8, 2020|
Peter Merrett – working for the war effort and the A.R.P – an nearly killed by a German fighter
Peter was 20 at the outbreak of war, living in Bedford Place (now Dairymoor) with his parents. He was serving an apprenticeship in his father’s garage (Forge Garage), and in 1940 volunteered with his eldest Muriel sister for ARP duties – Peter working at night, with his sister by day, as ambulance drivers. The ARP…
Find Out More »May 8, 2020|
Ron Parkins – Rookesbury Park Gardens
Ron lived through the war with his parents and sister at The Bothy, Rookesbury Park Gardens, off Hundred Acres Road. He was 12 years old in 1939, and attended secondary school in Harrison Road, Fareham, which had about 500 boys and girls from the surrounding area. He travelled to and from school by bus, run…
Find Out More »May 8, 2020|
Rosemary Copeland – Keeping life normal in Wartime Wickham
My father, Mr Jack Urban Froud, was the boot and shoe repairer – his shop was at the corner of Mayles Lane, in what later became the Pine Furniture Shop. He was too old to be called up but like most men of his age in Wickham was in the Home Guard, and apart from…
Find Out More »May 8, 2020|
Wickham During the War Years: 1939-1945
When we commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Victory in Europe this month, many of you will remember the war years here in Wickham. Recalling that broadcast made in 1939 announcing that our Country was at war with Germany, it was a most sobering moment. It was not long before everyone was involved in the preparation…
Find Out More »May 7, 2020|
Murder most foul – The Crocker Hill tragedy
Ever looked at the Brazilian Steakhouse at Crocker Hill, halfway between Wickham and Fareham, and wondered about the history of this building? Some may remember it as a Thai restaurant, before that, Krakatoa, a shop specialising in furniture from the Far East, but it was originally built as the ‘new’ Old Vine public house in…
Find Out More »May 7, 2020|
Celebrating VE Day in Wickham
Victory in Europe Day – VE Day – signified the end to nearly 6 years of war. People rejoiced in the news that Germany had surrendered and marked the victory with street parties, as did Wickham. Rationing was still severe, and so there were sandwiches – probably jam and paste – but not many cakes….
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