I lived the early part of my life in North Baddesley when possibly only a few hundred people resided in the village, and it wasn't difficult to get to know everyone. I clearly remember many of these people I knew in those days and of course many of them are no longer with us. That period of the late 1920's until the outbreak of WW2 is what my recollection is about.

I attended Baddesley School until I was eleven, Miss McColl was the Head Mistress, Miss Mitchell and Miss Betteridge were her assistant teachers. The school opined in 1876 with just two classrooms. I remember the school being enlarged in the early 1930's. There were one or two traders in the village, Jos Hatch kept the corner shop and Post Office and opposite was the butchers run by a Mr Gale and later by a Mr Page. Adjacent was the pub, then the Baddesley Arms with its well known landlord Dick Lacey. The Post Office transferred to C.Kemp where Bob Leach (hardware) now stands in 1935. Early 1920's a shop was where `Alldays' now stands -Mr Perchard before 1939, also Fred Hasker.

There wasn't much in the way of industry in our village, farming was how many folks earned a living. My uncle Thomas Peckham was for many years at Manor Farm, where I did various jobs during the school holidays for just a few pennies. Tom Parkin and his father before him ran a small farm in Sandy Lane and I have seen crops of Swedes, turnips etc. growing in the field that is now the home of the village cricket team.

Bill Gradidge was the governor of Body Farm and I grew up with some of his children, a family of ten and one survivor today, Mary Gradidge who lives near me. Of course Body Farm has its own historic connections. It is claimed that when William II, king of England was killed in a shooting accident in the New Forest by Sir Walter Tyrell in 1087, his body was taken by horse and cart to Winchester and stopped overnight at Body Farm. I remember a piece of poetry I learned at school on the subject -I will recite what I can recall about it. "Walter Tyrell his favourite whilst hunting near here attempted a deer with an arrow to slay, but missing his aim struck the king to the heart and his body was carried away in a cart"

The man who drove the horse and cart was said to be named Purkiss. We may have his descendants living in the village today.

Bill (Tosser) Freeborn was quite a character and known to most people. He was a Jack of all Trades, dealer, postman, and even grave digger. Jack Taylor of Nutbum Road was in business as a horse drawn haulage contractor. I can tell a rather humorous story about these two gentlemen who were often engaged in friendly banter. When Jack died Tosser had the job of digging his grave; nature took a rather unkindly hand with heavy rain falling as the digging took place. Tossier was heard to say ` old Jack is giving me trouble right to the very end'.

Then there was Jack Biggs and family at the junction of Rownhams Road with Rownhams Lane, with his caravan residence a village landmark. I believe a bus stop known as 'Biggs Corner' still acts as a reminder to his memory.

Baddesley church has its own place in history. I have been told that Oliver Cromwell tethered his horses in the churchyard during his reign as Lord Protector -having replaced the monarchy- My own early memories of the church were of Rev. Bussbridge, vicar and choir master-period mid 1920's to late 1930's.

There is a debatable story about Glebe Cottage some 200yds from the church - I have heard say that an underground tunnel existed, starting from the cellar of Glebe Cottage and finishing in the grounds of the church. A tall story maybe but it was known that the monks did use those underground passages in days gone by.

The old Red Hut at Weeks Hill, Nutburn Road could hardly be called the Village Hall, but it held some fun-loving memories, whist drives, dances, gave much pleasure to local folks. I remember the wedding reception of my cousin Dolly Peckham taking place; no electricity or central heating existed in the building, only oil lamps and coal fires. Electricity only became available in the village in the mid 1930's. The period I refer to covered the late 1920's to the outbreak of WW2 is how I remember life in our village in those days.