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Southampton Nostalgia...


SW11_Saint

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I'd forgotten a lot about the old Southampton until this thread popped up.

 

I remember the Gaumont when it used to have its name up on a roof gantry in illuminated red letters that could be seen from the Rose Garden roundabout outside the Civic Centre. There was also a London Steakhouse restaurant there where KFC and Sta Travel is now.

 

Not seen the BMX track down by the old Pirelli site mentioned yet, spent a lot of time there at weekends in the early 80’s. Got numerous bumps and scapes coming off my bike there.

 

Anyone remember the small Newspaper stand that used to sit where the Bargate Centre is now, I think HMV used to be just inside behind there before it moved to Hanover buildings?

 

I’m sure traffic flowed better around the Six dials roundabout coming out of Southampton back then before it became all road and traffic lights, I don’t recall much being in the middle though other than a mechanics garage surrounded by overgrown grass.

 

Bitterne too wasn’t pedestrianised and was a straight through road that carried on down Lances Hill, I used to have to help my Mum with shopping back to Thornhill Park and on the way back she would let me stop at the pet shop to look at the animals just before catching the bus home from outside the Mann & Co Estate agent hut.

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Talking of Alec Bennetts I bought a BSA C15 from them "several" years ago, also does anyone remember

Syd Lawton who had a motorcycle business in Millbrook Road. He was the Aermacchi dealer and a member

of Southampton & Dist Motorcycle Club. They used to have their clubhouse in Sholing.

 

http://www.aermacchi-racing.com/

 

Some bikes used a Rickman brothers frame called a "Metisse" and they built lots of frames for all makes

of engines. The fastest one I rode was a 750cc Honda 4 cylinder one.

Edited by Saint in Paradise
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Mmmmmmmm!!!!!! maybe :-k, Slightly confusing though when you're 16 years old and you get off a bus in town to be confronted by a person of Asian origin...completey ****ing themselves with laughter whilst looking at you!......he never told me he was laughing with me, & I wasn't laughing at anything anyway.....so he wasn't laughing with me!

 

Double HTH! :D

 

I'd probably pee myself laughing if I saw a large white rabbit getting off a bus!

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btw, anyone remember the rockabilly band 'Get Smart'? They used to play in the precinct and I also saw them up at Covent Garden a few times too.

 

They were brilliant and I have an old LP with one of their tracks on. The lead singer's name will come to me, but they had a double bass player and the lead singer looked soooo cool in his leather 3/4 jacket and shades, I wanted to be him. I think he lived in Hedge End?

Is it Roy Phillips? He used to sing lead in a band that used to busk in front of Top Shop in the 80's (they used to wear fez's if memory serves). Not sure if this is the same lot, but he looks like him (looked a bit like Roland Gift from FYC in his younger days). Used to go to my school, as did his brother Lee who died young I believe. Think Roy also played for the Southampton Seahawks American Football team.

 

Couple of other memories while I'm at it...

 

Godwin's fish & chips - behind Edwin Jones, back of Queensway. Happy memories there.

 

Also, McQueen - up near Tyrrell & Green near that Coffee Shop. THE place to buy your denim in the 80's (from 'Gay Robin' the manager).

Edited by SW11_Saint
typo
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Lots of old music venues here...

http://www.davidstjohn.co.uk/venues.html

 

That was a very interesting read and brought back lots of memories for me.

 

I'd forgotten about the Kasbah! I do still remember the Concorde - in fact I was in the same year at school as Cole Mathieson's daughter. I remember seeing Manfred Mann there.

 

Ohhhhhhh - nostalgia rules :)

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That was a very interesting read and brought back lots of memories for me.

 

I'd forgotten about the Kasbah! I do still remember the Concorde - in fact I was in the same year at school as Cole Mathieson's daughter. I remember seeing Manfred Mann there.

 

Ohhhhhhh - nostalgia rules :)

 

I saw them there too!

 

The Kasbah had a video juke box - I can only remember seeing a Francoise Hardy video on it, though.

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That was a very interesting read and brought back lots of memories for me.

 

I'd forgotten about the Kasbah! I do still remember the Concorde - in fact I was in the same year at school as Cole Mathieson's daughter. I remember seeing Manfred Mann there.

 

Ohhhhhhh - nostalgia rules :)

I remember seeing The Crazy World of Arthur Brown there when it was at The Bassett. Although it was a small stage and the ceiling quite low, he stiil set fire to his headgear and danced about and made the place smell of paraffin (or something like it). Also saw Pompey band Simon Dupree and the Big Sound (later to become Gentle Giant) and they were superb. I wish that I could get hold of there album "No Reservations" that I used to have on vinyl. Great great days!!

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Remember Alec Bennett's?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Bennett

 

Rememeber bombing down Stoneham Lane, pre Thomas Lewis way?

 

Incidentally, re Thomas Lewis way, did people know that it holds the World Record for the longest street party ever. Cool eh? Were you there that day?

 

I bought my first motorbike from Alec Bennett's; must have been 1979ish.

 

My sister got married at the 1 handed clock church, St Nicholas's in Stoneham Lane.

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The official name is St. Nicholas Church. Interesting snippet though!

 

Yes, they should mark the anniversary in some way in my opinion. Perhaps The Fleming Arms could have a fireworks party and a bonfire in the car park? I would attend.

 

There is a 'Willis Fleming Trust' actually ESB. People may be interested to know that the Fleming family paid for the North Stoneham War Shrine in the park (designed by Capabilty Brown) opposite the Cricks in Chestnut Avenue. The society has recently restored it and there is to be a service there on Rememberance Day.

http://www.northstoneham.org.uk/warshrine/events/index.html

 

Ther's an identical one at Havenstreet on the IOW, which I assume has Fleiming family links too, due to there being another Fleming Arms only a couple of miles away from it.

 

There was during WW1 a depot for 'sorting' horses for the cavalry (amongst others) in the park, iirc more than a quarter of a million horses passed through their hands. I think it was where St Georges and the flower estate now stands? They even held a Royal Show there at one time!

 

There are some great old maps on the site too, here's one of my faves:

http://www.northstoneham.org.uk/archive/greenwood1826.html

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Is it Roy Phillips? He used to sing lead in a band that used to busk in front of Top Shop in the 80's (they used to wear fez's if memory serves). Not sure if this is the same lot, but he looks like him (looked a bit like Roland Gift from FYC in his younger days).

 

That rings a bell SW, I'm actually going to try to find out if they still gig in their new guise as I thoguht they were brilliant and they are in actaul fact the reason that I like that genre.

 

Someone earlier mentioned The Sun pub at the bottom of town. I saw them play there and also inThe Pier.

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I bought my first motorbike from Alec Bennett's; must have been 1979ish.

 

My sister got married at the 1 handed clock church, St Nicholas's in Stoneham Lane.

 

Not my first ever, but my first ever brand new one, a Yamaha RD80LC. Stucka Micron 'can' on it and woke up my neighbours with it at 5 every morning on my way to Eastleigh post office where I worked at the time.

 

I have family married and buried at St Nic's too.

 

BTW, genuinely loving this thread, cheers to all for cheering me up.

 

xx's

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I might be able to participate in a thread like this in 30 years time or something... Interesting reading peoples memories and the like though.

 

Might be interesting to hear what you youngsters think might be on your own nostalgia list actually. What will you miss the most in 20-30-40 years time? IKEA, West Quay? Will we still have a St Mary's stadium do you think?

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Might be interesting to hear what you youngsters think might be on your own nostalgia list actually. What will you miss the most in 20-30-40 years time? IKEA, West Quay? Will we still have a St Mary's stadium do you think?

 

Well as I used to live in Netley but now I live near Winchester I do miss a lot of things already, despite only being 18. Not 'Nostalgia' as such (yet) but I have a lot of memories from Netley and 'town'.

 

I don't reckon I would miss IKEA as I have been there once and the only thing cool about it was the size, I remember West Quay being built (I was 9 when it was completed) so that's cool.

 

I guess I just miss usual stuff of childhood, bike races, building dens etc. And I am not old enough yet to reminisce on my drinking days of early adulthood, but I guess when I can I will have a lot more to say!

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I can remember jumping/diving off the bridges at Mansbridge and the Redbridge Causeway and never once thinking that I could kill or paralyse myself (tombstoning was a phrase that hadn't been invented then....).

 

Pitch and putt at Riverside Park seemed like a proper round of 18 holes when I was a nipper. Incidentally, my youngest got a hole in one on the 14th up there last year, spawny little git!!!!

 

And fishing on the river there or up at the fishing lake in the Common. After a while the carp up there would get wise to hair rigged luncheon meat so a change to cheese did the trick one day. Me and a mate were the only kids catching that day!!!!

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Is it Roy Phillips? He used to sing lead in a band that used to busk in front of Top Shop in the 80's (they used to wear fez's if memory serves). Not sure if this is the same lot, but he looks like him (looked a bit like Roland Gift from FYC in his younger days). Used to go to my school, as did his brother Lee who died young I believe. Think Roy also played for the Southampton Seahawks American Football team.

 

Couple of other memories while I'm at it...

 

Godwin's fish & chips - behind Edwin Jones, back of Queensway. Happy memories there.

 

Also, McQueen - up near Tyrrell & Green near that Coffee Shop. THE place to buy your denim in the 80's (from 'Gay Robin' the manager).

 

Great spot! I thought it was Roy Phillips. We worked together at GKN in Bishy about 7 years ago. He was a right one for his early doo wop and rockabilly stuff!

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Yes, they should mark the anniversary in some way in my opinion. Perhaps The Fleming Arms could have a fireworks party and a bonfire in the car park? I would attend.

 

There is a 'Willis Fleming Trust' actually ESB. People may be interested to know that the Fleming family paid for the North Stoneham War Shrine in the park (designed by Capabilty Brown) opposite the Cricks in Chestnut Avenue. The society has recently restored it and there is to be a service there on Rememberance Day.

http://www.northstoneham.org.uk/warshrine/events/index.html

 

Ther's an identical one at Havenstreet on the IOW, which I assume has Fleiming family links too, due to there being another Fleming Arms only a couple of miles away from it.

 

There was during WW1 a depot for 'sorting' horses for the cavalry (amongst others) in the park, iirc more than a quarter of a million horses passed through their hands. I think it was where St Georges and the flower estate now stands? They even held a Royal Show there at one time!

 

There are some great old maps on the site too, here's one of my faves:

http://www.northstoneham.org.uk/archive/greenwood1826.html

 

Thanks mate, that's a great map BTW.

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Is it Roy Phillips? He used to sing lead in a band that used to busk in front of Top Shop in the 80's (they used to wear fez's if memory serves). Not sure if this is the same lot, but he looks like him (looked a bit like Roland Gift from FYC in his younger days). Used to go to my school, as did his brother Lee who died young I believe. Think Roy also played for the Southampton Seahawks American Football team.

 

Couple of other memories while I'm at it...

 

Godwin's fish & chips - behind Edwin Jones, back of Queensway. Happy memories there.

 

Also, McQueen - up near Tyrrell & Green near that Coffee Shop. THE place to buy your denim in the 80's (from 'Gay Robin' the manager).

 

gay Robin died a few weeks ago aged 57.was always a face round town and mixed with the Warrens and Wagon boys.RIP.

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Anyone remember "Mad Mo" in Totton in the '70's. Used to go round without a shirt on in the freezing weather. Tattoo on forehead. Often ****ed. Used to take about 6 old bill to take him away.

 

The tattoo was actually on his chest - just said 'Mo'. He'd have his shirt wide open all weathers to show it off.

 

Was a funny geezer - really hard to understand him and sometimes he'd go 'crazy' for no real reason. ie he'd just decide to run after a bus screaming 'f**** c****' at it. Could be surprisingly intelligent & clued up about things sometimes though.

 

The old bill definitely did hate having to deal with him cos he genuinely didn't give a flying one.

 

Sadly he died about 3 or 4 years ago. Officially! (over the years there were so many rumours about him dying but this time it was true).

 

There is a plaque with his name on in The Ele'. Mo Hutchings RIP I think it simply says.

 

Definitely a Totton legend.

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Is it Roy Phillips? He used to sing lead in a band that used to busk in front of Top Shop in the 80's (they used to wear fez's if memory serves). Not sure if this is the same lot, but he looks like him (looked a bit like Roland Gift from FYC in his younger days). Used to go to my school, as did his brother Lee who died young I believe. Think Roy also played for the Southampton Seahawks American Football team.

 

Couple of other memories while I'm at it...

 

Godwin's fish & chips - behind Edwin Jones, back of Queensway. Happy memories there.

 

Also, McQueen - up near Tyrrell & Green near that Coffee Shop. THE place to buy your denim in the 80's (from 'Gay Robin' the manager).

 

I saw in the deaths in the Echo that "Gay Robin" died about two weeks ago"

He really was gay as gay can be.

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The tattoo was actually on his chest - just said 'Mo'. He'd have his shirt wide open all weathers to show it off.

 

Was a funny geezer - really hard to understand him and sometimes he'd go 'crazy' for no real reason. ie he'd just decide to run after a bus screaming 'f**** c****' at it. Could be surprisingly intelligent & clued up about things sometimes though.

 

The old bill definitely did hate having to deal with him cos he genuinely didn't give a flying one.

 

Sadly he died about 3 or 4 years ago. Officially! (over the years there were so many rumours about him dying but this time it was true).

 

There is a plaque with his name on in The Ele'. Mo Hutchings RIP I think it simply says.

 

Definitely a Totton legend.

Another, sadly deceased, So'ton legend not mentioned yet - Jim Redpath ("Southamptons biggest psychopath" as the song went). (or was it Ripath? was never sure).

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Has anybody heard this expression before? I'm convinced it's local. Basically it means "The sky over there looks a bit overcast and we could be in for some rain."

 

There are Sotonians that I know that know this expression but my missus (who hails from Norfolk) looked at me like I was mad when I said it to her once.

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Used to miss the last number 5 bus from the bottom of lances Hill and had to walk from there all the way to hightown flats. My route would take me past

 

1 sholing sports FC

2. Elephant & castle pub

3. The target pub

4.The target pub bridge (known as "over the bridge" for all the scraps after school for those who attended Hightown middle school (also gone)

5. and finally hightown secondary school (now centrepoint??)

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Used to miss the last number 5 bus from the bottom of lances Hill and had to walk from there all the way to hightown flats. My route would take me past

 

1 sholing sports FC

2. Elephant & castle pub

3. The target pub

4.The target pub bridge (known as "over the bridge" for all the scraps after school for those who attended Hightown middle school (also gone)

5. and finally hightown secondary school (now centrepoint??)

the number 5 went from the sports centre down hill lane. We also used to take the no 2 from shirley. Then jump off the platform before the bus stopped much to the chagrin of the conductor.Of course when you got it wrong and landed on your ar## you got up quickly trying to pretend it didnt hurt.Lol
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the number 5 went from the sports centre down hill lane. We also used to take the no 2 from shirley. Then jump off the platform before the bus stopped much to the chagrin of the conductor.Of course when you got it wrong and landed on your ar## you got up quickly trying to pretend it didnt hurt.Lol

 

yes i was thinking of the number 5 bus going the other way... past the Dell and all the way to hightown and then down Butts Rd to Weston.

 

Oh and just another great bus ride that rivals the number 5 epic is... is... the Hants and Dorset 93!!

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Guest Dark Sotonic Mills
Another, sadly deceased, So'ton legend not mentioned yet - Jim Redpath ("Southamptons biggest psychopath" as the song went). (or was it Ripath? was never sure).

 

I'm sure it was Redpath, the name was very well known around town thirty or so years ago.

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OK... anyone remember the "Long Live Dubcek" graffiti on a wall along Mansbridge Road near the Garden centre(Haskins??)/Hobbycraft, used to go past it in the early 70s, as half of our Tyro league U10 team travelled to away games? I took a picture of it once (b/w) I will check to see if i still have it... is the wall/graffitti still there?

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Has anybody heard this expression before? I'm convinced it's local. Basically it means "The sky over there looks a bit overcast and we could be in for some rain."

 

There are Sotonians that I know that know this expression but my missus (who hails from Norfolk) looked at me like I was mad when I said it to her once.

 

Yeh, have heard it from a couple of people. One of which I used to work with in Winchester, but her parents lived in Norwich. How contrary to your post.

 

All this Southampton nostagia sounds like a basis for a Men They Couldn't Hang song.

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The real Spitfire bridge (not really Southampton but what the hell).

 

A big digression on that point, the Winchester Bypass was probably the first dual carriageway in Europe as it was built before the Second World War. By all accounts the man who's airforce dropped more bombs per capita on Southampton than London, heard about the Winchester Bypass and thought that this 2 lane road system across Germany linking the big Cities would make travelling much quicker he called them Autobahns.

 

Apparently it was a Mustang P51 that flew through the bridge.

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OK... anyone remember the "Long Live Dubcek" graffiti on a wall along Mansbridge Road near the Garden centre(Haskins??)/Hobbycraft, used to go past it in the early 70s, as half of our Tyro league U10 team travelled to away games? I took a picture of it once (b/w) I will check to see if i still have it... is the wall/graffitti still there?

 

It's dtill there, I'm sure i saw a website about Southampton graffitti a while back that had a pic. I'll waste 10 minutes looking for it just for you.

 

be back sooon.

 

While you're waiting, can't believe that no-one's mentioned 'Floaters'!! You can have a meal on the old floating bridge which is permamnently mooored down at The Elephant boatyard:

http://www.ferryrestaurant.co.uk/ go on, you owe it to yourself anf to it's memory to get your arese down there.

 

I have to say that being an adoptee of Southampton (from 1980 to present) this thread is a cracker.

Edited by hamster
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