Electricity
Electricity was not connected to the main village centre until approximately 1952 and to the outlying houses, i.e. Moldons, Lushs, Cricket Ground and Baybridge areas until 1956.
Water
There was no running water in any house until after the war (1940s - 1950s). There were 4 water standpipes at different places through the main village street and one in Church Lane.
There were only 12 houses in Hilly Close. We think these were built about the beginning of the war. There were no houses at all where Anna and Heather Russell now live, just fields.
School
In the old school were two big ' tortoise' stoves which kept the children warm in the winter, and on dark days they were oil lamps hung on the walls to help the children to see. The toilets were just 'earth closets', as were almost everyone else's in the village.
It wasn't until the water was taken into private houses that people were able to dig septic/cess tanks, etc; and have flush toilets in doors.
This was not until the 1950s when Beech Grove was started and the first houses were really modern, with electric light and an indoor toilet and bath. What luxury! All of us without electricity or water and envious indeed.
Bus Service
Before the war, a Mr Dovey owned a ' boneshaker' bus, and he took people to town once a week (early 1920s - 1930s).
This was the only public transport, although one or two people owned pony and trap's. The old bus used by Mr Dovey, and kept in the garden, (where Mr Jeffs lives) is now in a museum, and we have seen it on TV it several times.
It has been taken to several shows, and has even been to America and back.
During the war we had quite a good bus service. A private company called Greyfriars, owned by Mr Matthews, came to Owslebury six to eight times daily.
The drivers would also act as paperboys, butchers, postman - anything, and people would wait at their houses to collect the goods as the bus came by.
This bus company was taken over by Chesnells, the old 'King Alfred' buses, when Mr Matthews retired, and the buses have become more and more infrequent.
Milk
Milking the cows was all done by hand. Mr Lush, (Nicola and Melanie's Grandad), was the milkman, and he brought the milk every day in milk churns. It was measured out by a pint measure straight into your jugs. When he gave up this delivery we went ' modern' and it was delivered in bottles.
Longwood
Longwood house was once very beautiful. Our Queen, (then Princess Elizabeth), was often taken there when she was a little girl by her parents for shooting weekends, as guests of Lord and Lady Eldon.
During the war it was taken over by troops, and when the war ended it was left in such a bad state of repair that the private owner of Longwood estate, (Arnold Laver of Sheffield), did not have it restored. It was completely demolished in the 1970s.
Home Guard
The Home Guard Unit patrolled the area during air raids, and from several points in the village and Bainbridge the blitz of Southampton and Portsmouth could be seen.
Marwell
In front of Marwell Zoo grounds was an airfield, and from here repaired fighters were sent out over England, etc.
You can still see one of the big hangers just off the side of the road by the cottages.
Richard and David's Grandad was a great dancer, and organised village dances in the parish hall every week.
The hall was always filled with locals, soldiers and evacuees. He charged 6d. (2 1/2 p) to go in, and these dances were very popular with everyone.
There was a strong cricket team although so many were 'called up' that the team consisted of older men who were not quite as fit as they used to be, and inexperienced youths, until the soldiers returned after the war.
The village had its share of evacuees, some from London and a number of children from Acton Grammar School, London.
Walking on the cricket ground to three years ago a man stopped me and asked if I knew whether a certain family still lived here.
He had been evacuated here through the war and wanted to call and see them. Their school was Morestead House.
All through Longwood there were all sorts of troops under canvas, and these were ‘in transit’ with loads and loads of stores. The troops at Marwell were the ' East Surreys'.
There were no signposts anywhere, and everything was completely black to walk around at night. Once a week searchlight would pull in on the cricket ground, (or when there were continuous bad air raids), operates through the night, and pull out in the morning.
There were two bombs dropped on the hill towards the Goulds, (and Briercliffes), one Longwood and two more, possibly on Lush ground. A landmine pitched on one of the hangars at Marwell and a Doodlebug landed in Longwood.
Winchester had five bombs dropped in the recreation ground one night, and, early one morning, bombs were dropped in Hyde Street, flattening some houses and killing a woman waiting for a bus.
A German plane came down in the fields by the hill leading from Winchester to Morestead (by the avenue of trees), and the local boys tore off on their bikes to see if they could get any parts.
One of the highlights was when the sweet rations arrived and all the local children rushed off to one of the two shops to spend their coupons.
Sweets were rationed to 2 ounces a week, ice creams were rare, and rather tasteless, and we didn't taste a banana until the war ended.
Owslebury shared the policeman with Colden Common, and he cycled every night at different times around the village.
He always knew the houses to call on for tea or cocoa.
His wife had twin sons born during the war at Homelands, both born with two teeth each, which got a mention in the daily newspapers.
The policeman had certain points where he had to check in, and his sergeant, who presumably also cycled, would try to catch him out by waiting behind one of the many dark corners on his beat, and taking up to see that he didn't miss one of his points. |