Andover

A Childhood Revisited

So many memories, where to start? I was born 1961 and grew up in The Crescent, just off Weyhill Road.......the rattling trains full of gravel making the house shake, the outside toilet (visits in the middle of the night in winter were at olympic record level), Mrs Mabeys apple trees...scrumping i think it was called! The smell of the pig farm if the wind was in the wrong direction on a hot summers day, building camps in Gallaghers Woods and wow betide anyone who dared venture in! The Big Bonfire at King George Road playing fields, Portway School and its fantastic playground (Health & Safety bods would be quaking in their shoes now, but OMG was so fab!).

Does ...read more here
Contributed by Kim Burnett

Winchester Street Quaker Burial Ground

This picture brings back childhood memories of the 1940s. Behind the wall on the left was a Quaker burial ground, a small grassy area on which one was free to stand upon.Opposite the wall were thatched cottages which were destroyed by fire later in the same decade I believe. A friend of both me and my sister was living in one of the cottages at the time.
Contributed by Terry Clary

The Old Andover Grammar School

This building, now a museum was in the 1940s the home of a famous old Andover gentleman Mr A C Bennett. He wrote a book about Andover St Mary's Church and played the organ in the church. He was also my piano teacher at 2 shillings a lesson(10p) and I don't think anyone tried his great patience more than I did.
I remember well as a lad of 11 years walking up to that, what seemed, huge door and banging on it and hearing him shuffling down the stairs to let me in. He must have felt the cold at his age as he always wore several layers of overcoats.
In hindsight I wish I had practiced more instead of ...read more here
Contributed by Terry Clary

happy days

I was stationed in the RE's in Andover - Barton Stacey camp. Remember shopping in 'International Stores' supermarket as they had good looking girls ! I also recall being in a cafe when some of the Troggs came in. Happy days, must return for a visit some day.
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Saturday afternoon shopping

I do remember Andover about this time. We lived in Tidworth at the time and my father had a car with petrol allowance as he was a Barrack officer. We went to Andover, mum, myself and him every Saturday afternon and had to park centrally. It had all gone when we last went - just modern car parks now. He did a truly nineteen forties thing and sat in the car whilst we shopped. What a lovely childhood I did have there.


Joan Battershill (nee Norman)
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My time nearAndover

WE were married in July 1966. As I was stationed at Middle Wallop, after our honeymoon in London we caught the train to Andover and stayed for 2 nights at the White Hart (is that the name? Opposite the old bus station near the canal and post office). We hired a flat on Weyhill Road and decided we must have a washing machine, so with great reluctance bought one on HP - sinful in those days) at a place opposite Squire's electrical shop near the post office.
After a while we moved to rotten old Married Quarters in Middle Wallop and had our first child, Julian there. (He was born at the War Memorial Hospital in Andover - I would go ...read more here
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Memories of my two years

We spent two years in Andover, two of the children went to Eastfield School and one daughter was born there. If I remember right, I had to get the baby milk from a pub. I have been back a few times and my goodness what a change has taken place, hardly could find my way around. I remember the really pretty villages, all the thatch roofs, lovely memories.
Contributed by patricia perring

The Library

Before Chantry Way was developed, the town library was situated in the building on the right of this picture.  The thrill of being able to indulge myself, for free, in books, books and more books still resides in me today. I swear I can still smell the distinctive aroma of the building once you stepped through its doors!
Contributed by Kim Burnett