North Baddesley Village Website-Recollections Dibble page

MEMORIES OF BERYL GREEN

NORTH BADDESLEY 1968-1992

When I came to live in the village in mid 1968 Baddesley was well on the way to becoming the developed area we know today. Ringwood Park Estate had just been completed with a small parade of shops plus the Bedes Lea Public House in Seymour Lane newly opened. The five shops were a small Supermarket owned by the Smith brothers under the Wavy Line banner (now SPAR), next door was a Greengrocers (The Salad Bowl), then a Laundrette (now Hong Kong Chinese and English Take-away), then a Ladies Hair Salon (now Lore), a Newsagents (now Seymour News) and finally the Pub. Most of these shops have changed hands, some more than once, but only the Laundrette has ceased trading.

Opposite the shops where the Sylvan Drive development is, was a Pig Farm and Kennels for boarding Cats & Dogs. In those days Seymour Lane opened onto Rownhams Lane, this was closed off in 1983 when Sylvan Drive was completed. The Rownhams Lane Service Station was open and owned by a Mr Locke, when this changed hands in the 80’s the business expanded to include the sale of secondhand cars.

The Fleming Avenue Precinct was also up and running, consisting of a small Supermarket (VG Foodstore), with a Gents Hairdressers above (now a Betting Shop), a Butchers (John Sargent’s), a branch of Nat West Bank, which closed its doors in the spring of 91 and is now a Video Shop, a Newsagents (Forbuoys), then a Greengrocers (Baddesley Fruit Centre) withh a Ladies Hair Salon above (Salon 25), a Hardware Shop (now Brownhill Pet & Hardware) completed the precinct. As with Seymour Parade, most of these shops have also changed hands, but only the Bank and Barbers have ceased trading. There was also a small parade of shops in Rownhams Road opposite Fleming Avenue, then as now this had a Chemists (W J Hodge), a sub branch of Lloyd's Bank and Woolcraft.

All the roads in the village other than private roads were made up and street light¬ing installed (later upgraded to those we have today). The flat roofed Council Flats in Fleming Avenue were occupied, with Gainsborough Court (sheltered housing for the eldery) opened in 1969, the small bungalows were added to this in 1989-1990. Most of the development in Middle Road including Laburnham Close existed, as did Firgrove Road, Spring Gardens, Crescent Road etc. There were however still quite a few of the self built, corrugated iron clad, shanty type dwellings (for which Baddesley was noted) remaining, mainly in Firgrove Road and at the Scragg Hill end of Rownhams Lane. During the 70’s most of these were sold to developers, with often more than one detached house being erected on the site, some were condemned by the Local Authorit¬ies as unfit for human habitation, their owners being rehoused in the Council Flats in Fleming Avenue. The exception to this was 32, Firgrove Road which still exists and is a more substantially built property (only the roof is corrugated iron), and is very well maintained. How long it will survive its current owner remains to be seen, although all main services are laid on and there is an indoor toilet, it does lack a bathroom and falls short of what is required for late twentieth century living. It is however an interesting example of how the village must have looked pre the sixties, and is the last link with Baddesleys more modest past.

Other shops and businesses I remember being open in the late 60’s were The Bungalow Stores (now Scorpio Hair & Beauty Care) in Upper Crescent Road, a small shop for DIY decorating, paints, wallpaper etc; operated from a Bungalow in Rownhams Lane, near West Lane (now a private dwelling No 20). In Rownhams Road, Borden Chemicals and Badd¬esley Ennel were well established, further along Baddesley Car Spares was operating from a site which contains a rather dilapidated bungalow with Baddesley Stores painted on one window and an advert for Brooke Bond Tea on the other, (presumably once one of the small shops that abounded in Baddesley before the precinct was built). There is a current planning application in for the redevelopment of this site. At the crossroads there was the village “local” The Baddesley Arms, built in 1924 by Strongs Brewery. This was modenized and refurbished in the 70’s and survived until the spring of 92 when it changed hands and the new owners severed its association with the village by renaming it The Steak and Stilton. Opposite the pub where Circle (K) is, was the Village Shop and Post Office, owned and run by Mr & Mrs Montgomery with a sister Miss Montgomery, when they retired in the 70’s the shop was taken over by Eric Sier the current Post Master, who ran it with his wife for many years before selling out to Sperrings in the 80’s. Sperrings demolished the existing premises and built the shop that is there today, and subsequently Circle (K) took over.

Next to the Post Office was the Village Hall, (now a cleared site awaiting redevelop¬ment), then four detached bungalows of which three of the older style ones have recently had upper floors added, turning them into modern chalet type houses. Further along at the junction with Six Oaks Road, there was a Fish and Chip Shop (now The Peace House Chinese and Fish & Chips) which had a few tables for eating in. On the other corner where Course & Beachams is was a small Petrol Filling Station - Baddesley Motors, owned by a Mr Day, who later moved to much larger premises further down Botley Road under the AMOCO banner (now ELF), the existing site at Six Oaks Road became in turn an Industrial Cleaners and Balmoral Secondhand Cars before in late 91 Course & Beachams took over as a dealership for DIAHATSU Cars. The Newagents (now NSS) was a family run shop for many years, this was also a bungalow that grew into a house. Nightingales Restaurant was Len's Transport Cafe ( in the days before Motorways and Juggernaughts) there was parking at the rear of the premises, and cooked breakfasts and the like were served all day. When this closed it was completely gutted and remod¬elled to reappear as a rather upmarket restaurant called Hugo's, that remained for several years before it in turn gave way to Nightingales. (I am not sure if this is still in business as the property has a rather neglected air about it).
Further along Botley Road past the turning for Firgrove Road, was PolyStructures (now Al Protective Coatings). this site has a current planning application in for re¬development. Opposite this is Hall & Tawse (which used to be Reema Construction), in 1989 the Test Valley Industrial Park was started and the site is still being actively considered for further development.
Back along the Botley Road towards the crossroads we have Bob Leach DIY, this used to be owned by George Holden who ran it with his son Kevin, whilst daughter Pat had a Ladies Hairdressing Salon above. When the business changed hands, both the property and the range of goods sold were extended, and the upper floor reverted to living accommodation.
On the Southampton side of the crossroads I remember Great Covert was a petrol Station, which in the 70’s gave way to secondhand car sales, Servicing and Body Repairs, until in the spring of 92 a new showroom was built and became a dealership for SEAT cars.

The small Baddesley Industrial Park adjacent to Great Covert was built in 1985 and comprises seven units of varying kind.
Back along the Botley Road past Hall & Tawse we have Baddesley Close, which used to be Army married quarters until they became surplus to requirements in the late 70’s or early 80’s and were sold off for private housing (where the army were and what they did I never found out).
Throughout the 70’s and 80’s Baddesley continued to grow, with private development at Hoe Lane meeting up with that in Sylvan Drive. The Council built additional blocks of flats in Fleming Avenue/Bracken Road (St John's Court etc;) with private housing completing the development of Bracken Road. There were various little enclaves built on the sites of old properties allover the village, the Vineyards is one example. The only land left to the Local Authorities in the village is the Heath Road site, which is due for redevelopment now that the Red cross and Boy Scouts have vacated their old premises in favour of new purpose built ones, the Red Cross to the rear of the new Village Hall and the Boy Scouts to Mountbatten Park.
Finally after much wrangling and opposition, development took place in the north of the parish, and Valley Park was built in the 80’s. This at the moment is completely separate from what one thinks of as Baddesley, being closer to Chandlers Ford, but under pressure from the Government for still more housing in Hampshire it seems likely that development will continue despite vigorous opposition from Hampshire County Council.

TRANSPORT
Back in the 60’s public transport was provided by Hants and Dorset Bus Company who ran two routes through Baddesley between Romsey & Southampton. Route 63 from Romsey along the Botley Road, turning into Rownhams Lane and on to Southampton via Shirley.
Route 62 from Romsey along Botley Road, Chilworth and the Avenue to Southampton, both were hourly services. Wilts and Dorset Bus Company then as now provided a twice weekly service to Eastleigh, this continued until the buses were deregulated in 1986, when Hants and Dorset became Hampshire Bus and continued to offer the same service through Baddesley, this in turn gave way to Solent Blue Line, who radically altered the service, reducing it to one route, but. serving the whole village by re-routing from the Botley Road into Rownhams Lane, up Rownhams Road into Fleming Avenue, Bracken Road and re-emerging into Rownhams Lane to continue via Shirley to Southampton, at twenty minute intervals six days a week, providing a much improved service. Southampton City Bus provide the Sunday service.

HEALTHCARE
Back in 68 healthcare was provided by the Abbey Mead Group Practice from Romsey, with Dr’s Wattie, Rankine and one other whose name I cant remember. They conducted a morn¬ing and evening surgery from small premises behind Lloyd’s Bank in Rownhams Road until in 1978 with the population of both Baddesley and Romsey continuing to increase, they withdrew from the village. The new Group practice operated from a house in Middle Road No 37, as a training practice with Dr’s Sanderson (senior partner), Skeates and Still, there was a Portacabin in the back garden which served as both reception and waiting room. Morning surgery often found student Dr~ sitting in on consultations (with the patients consent). The practice continued this way until Nov 1984 when a new £250,000 purpose built Health Centre was opened in Norton Welch Close, off Fleming Avenue. This as can be seen today offers much'improved and extended facilities. The Group Practice still continues as a training one but I have never seen any student Dr’s there, but they do seem to have a fairly regular turnover of young Dr’s who I think are newly qualified and spend a year or so at the surgery gaining practical experience. The current practice consists of Dr’s Skeates (senior partner) Still and Scofield, with doctor Warren as the additional doctor.
Dental care first came to Baddesley in 1979, when Mike Phillips opened his practice in the former Dr’s surgery behind Lloyd’s Bank. This was taken over in 1989 by Henry Clover and his wife Nerina Hendrickse who continued there until september 1992 when they transfered to new purpose built premises in Fleming Avenue (adjacent to the Health Centre) where they offer a very modern up.todate dental service.

Nov 1992 Beryl Green

FOOTNOTE: Nightingales Restaurant became Kings Chinese Restaurant in the summer of 93. As from 1st October 1993 Dr Peter Haig joins the Health Centre as the fourth partner in the practice.