On this page we record the many tales and memories

 recalled by our villagers past & present. (Most Recent First)

If you can identify with any of these or if you have memories of your own or please let us know!

50 years ago, on Saturday the 12th of January 1952, Britain's newest Atom Bomber the Vickers Valiant crashed in the woods behind Harrow Farm. It was on trial flights from Hurn and was a familiar sight flying around the Christchurch area with its shiny fuselage and distinctive note to its engines.  At about 2pm it exploded as it flew over Hinton Admiral. There was only one fatality, one of the crew of five that baled over Hinton was found dead in a field in Fuzzy Lane Hinton.  One piece of a wing landed in Ringwood road near to the Church. 

    Contribution from an anonymous donor, in January 2002

I remember my father telling me folk-lore tales of Bransgore and its history many years ago, (he died in 1976), all of which centered around the Danes and King Alfred.  I always understood Bransgore was named after the battles around Derritt lane across to the Lamb Inn between Alfred and the Danes. 'Brans' from "Brains," and 'gore' from "blood," whether this is true or not who knows!

Harpway Lane apparently got its name from the fact King Alfred dressed as a wandering minstrel whilst doing recognisance on the Danish encampment.

Merryfield, an area off Derritt Lane was where the soldiers made merry after the defeat of the Danes. My father said a burial mound was still there in the 1800's.

    From Richard Frampton in November 2001

My sister Judith, younger brother Geoffrey and myself were the siblings of Mr. William H Bennett, the school headmaster between 1927 and 1962.

Like Geoffrey we girls also began our education at Bransgore before moving on to Talbot Heath as day-girls, and what an undertaking that was in the light(?) of the existing public transport of the 1930/40s coupled with wartime hazards. But that's another story. My main purpose now is to fill in ,to some extent, the gap in your records of the Headship of the school immediately before my father's tenure. I am sure that it was a Mr. Harris. I have no direct knowledge of him, but I do have clear memories of hearing our parents speak of him when discussing past times in the school and village. Do the past log-books, painstakingly kept by the Heads of the school no longer exist?  I well remember that one of the last things my father did before leaving the school was to bring home his log-books to read with my mother and me. I was the only one of the family around at the time, probably because it was a school holiday or half-term, and I had followed Dad into the 'education business'. 

When I saw this website, one thing struck me as being out of character with my memory of my father in the village. Times have changed, and we all make free with Christian names, but from 1927 until 1962 I doubt whether anybody in Bransgore ever addressed him or even referred to him as 'Bill' apart from my mother. Nor can I remember any of his predecessors being referred to in that way. This is not a criticism, merely historical fact and I think worth the observation. I think both Judith and Geoffrey would agree with me that Dad was a much loved member of the Bransgore community, but he was always 'Mr Bennett' His father was a cabinet-maker who worked for Pottle's in Westbourne and as such was known to others of his craft in the area. I remember asking my father, when I was perhaps 6 or 7, "Why does Mr. Baker (Arthur Baker of Neacroft) call Granddad 'Harry' but call you 'Mr. Bennett'? You get the picture.  ('School Heads' through history page now suitably amended, out of respect!, Ed)

Judith went on to Guy's hospital where she did great things in the nursing world and in 1967 went to Boscombe Hospital as deputy matron and subsequently married George Wilkins, the vicar of St Stephen's church. I went to the Royal Academy of Music and taught in Shropshire, Warwick, Canada (nothing to do with Geoffrey being there now) and finally at Benenden which is partly how I come to now live in Hawkhurst, Kent now. Our mother lived to the age of 97 and died in 1995. 

    From Nancy Bennett in October 2001.

Some 'ramblings' from a former student of Bransgore School. (Chris's words not mine! Ed.)

I started at the school in 1954/1955.  I started in the church hall which was away from the main school with Mrs. Troke as the teacher (her husband was Headmaster of Brockenhurst Grammar). When we advanced from there after the first year we went to the main school under Miss Allan. She was a rather large women who I think would have been better teaching older children as her patience seemed very short at times. I think the next class was with Miss Wade but I don't remember having her as a teacher. The final class, where I spent almost 2 years was with Mr. Edwards who I remember as a good teacher but not remarkable. He drove to school in a Sunbeam Talbot 90 car and we all thought that was neat having a teacher with a sports car.

Bill Bennett had a passionate love of music and the school always entered the local music festival. He had a sister who was a very good pianist and she would record the four songs for the festival on a Grundig reel-to-reel tape recorder and we would learn the songs with the tape as the backing music. He always impressed on us that it was not a competition and nobody came first but the judging panel made a report on the effort of each choir. After I went to Twynham Secondary school he sent a message via the headmaster of Twynham that he would like the choir from our year to return to Bransgore school to sing for him and, I believe the following year he retired. Although he caned me when I was five or six years old I had the utmost respect for him as a music teacher and a head master. I will never forget him.

The boiler room that Geoffrey mentions was still there when I went to the school and was an old coke boiler that an elderly lady (whose name I forget) used to stoke each night and the school had radiators in each class room. The lady that stoked the boiler had no eyebrows and if you asked her about it she would tell you that the boiler blew back one night when she added a bit too much coke dust on the shovel. The kitchen was already a part of the school at this stage and meals were served to the kids each day. I remember having meals at my desk when I was in my final year but I don't remember where we ate when we were in the lower classes. In about 1959/1960 there was a massive re-development at the school and at that point the old peat toilets were demolished and a proper assemble hall/ dining room and internal toilets were added and the kitchen modernised and extended.

During this time Holmsley school closed and we took the children from there so the expansion was necessary.

The kitchen was run run by ladies from the village. I believe the woman in charge was Mrs. Dickie but the meals were supervised by volunteers :- Mrs. Pitt from Ringwood Rd. (she may have been kitchen staff), Mrs. Nan Cutler from Burley Rd., Mrs. Alice Hoare from Burnt House Lane, and Mrs. Gladys Williams, my mother, from Burnt House Lane.

There was some sort of cesspit in the front playground and every so often a truck would turn up to pump the tank out and the smell was atrocious.

I would be really pleased to hear from some of my former friends if they would care to contact me. (contact through the webmaster@bransgore.org.uk)

    From Chris Williams in October 2001

Bransgore was actually called Bransgore at least as long ago as 1820 as early deeds for our property show. The name 'Bransgrove' is really quite erroneous!  The deeds to my property also show that the land between the top of Poplar Lane and the Ringwood road being then known as Sculls. We think at some time the area at this end of the village was known as Tulscroft but we would be grateful for more information.  Incidentally this document also shows that in 1840 Bransgore was not a collection of "mud huts"!

    From Mrs Liza Wood (Chairman of the Parish Council) in June 2001

In the time of Bill Bennett being the head, there was a major construction job undertaken at the school. Bill carved some information into a brick that was placed above the door to the new kitchen. I can't remember exactly what he carved but I think it was his initials and the year.

    From Chris Williams in March 2001

In 1881 my grandfather, William Frank Hobbs, lived in the village with a John & Helen Broom. I have no idea how he came to be living there as he was born to an unmarried lady in Blandford. Perhaps they were relatives?  Does anyone know where they might have lived?  My grandfather and the Broom family later moved to Bournemouth. 

Are there any records of children who attended the school at that time? (~1881) 

We now live in Australia but when we returned home last year we came to visit Bransgore.

    From Noreen Coombes in September 2000

Re: origins of the name for Burnt House Lane, Hazarding a guess and I'm not sure if it helps but when I was little, in about 1976, I used to play around the back of the houses along the top end of Burnt House Lane, there was a rough road along the back, and I can remember a very large section of a brick built chimney with metal climbing staples up the inside being up there, must have been from a large house or industrial building.  I would love to know what it was there. 

Also I would like to know in what year the old village hall cease being used and when it was eventually torn down. 

Oh I also remember now, my grandmother telling me they used to have organized bicycle races in a rough carved area in the woods now built on, over the road from the newer village hall. 

    From Steve Edwards in September 2000 

I would very much like here more about the church in Bransgore, St Mary's. 

Who was the Vicar and Choir Master at the church between the years 1969 - 74?   I used to be in the choir at that time and would love to know what happened to them.  I lived in Shackleton Square. I was 10 years old at the time and played for Bransgore FC.  I used to go to school in the village then went to Tyneham school.  I had a great time in the village of Bransgore. My mother has now returned to live in Christchurch after having lived in Cyprus and other places in the UK. I now live in Aylesbury Bucks. 

    From Steve Wilkie in July 2000

Also see other items people have left in the Guest Book

Last modified: 25/11/05

Copyright © 2001- 2008 BRANSGORE.ORG.UK    e-mail : webmaster@bransgore.org.uk