Farnborough

 Saturday 20 / Sunday 21st July

Our wonderful drought breaking rains over the past week has kept me indoors. I took the opportunity to catch up with the final blog posts of our overseas holiday in 
June /July of last year. There will be 4. No 1.
[250mm has fallen] 

Farnborough
Our walking in the Wye Valley had come to an end all too quickly. Our destination was now Farnborough, where my husband had lived until he was 27 years old. In 1974, a chance walk past Queensland House on the Strand in London, was the catalyst for him to opt for 12 months teaching in Blackwater, Central Queensland. He stayed on. At the same time, I was on a working holiday for 3 years in England and Europe. On my return, it was pure chance that my teaching career took me to Blackwater and now our children are roaming the world.

This weekend was Frank's time to revisit old haunts and reignite memories of his youth.

Leaving the Wye Valley and climbing up the Cotswold Escarpment.

A keen sportsman and football player, Frank spent many hours at the Rec ground.

Our lovely accommodation was in a small hotel, which was once a favourite watering hole of Frank and his mates. The Silverdale Hotel is no longer a watering hole, much to F's disappointment.

Frank's home - 13 Park Road. The laneway leads to The Salestian College [where he attended] and their sporting fields.

Park Road

Just a couple of hundred metres down the road, on the corner, was the Sweet Shop which Frank fondly remembers frequenting. It is now just a home. Note the small building with the white awning on the left.

The small shop was the local butchery. Frank has no recollection of it at all. We had a lovely long chat with its owner of many, many years.

The Salesian College 

It is now securely locked from all intruders. It was very disappointing, but we fully understood.

Another entrance to the football fields. 

Frank pointing out how it was!

Home of his good mate Pete. Pete now lives in Perth, WA.

The Girl's school.

Exploring on foot throughout the afternoon, Frank found many changes as expected, but all were not of progress.

Branson's was the tobacconists. Again we had a chat with its owner of 50 years. Frank's Mum was in charge of the Laundromat opposite.

The laundromat is now the 'To Let' shop.

Farnborough Railway Station, where in his final year, Frank had to cycle to each afternoon for Prefect Duty. 

The Squirrel was another popular pub in his youth and has been renovated beautifully and now has an outdoor drinking / eating area. Their food was delicious on our 2 visits.

Very sadly, Frank's Father died when he was only a year old, of meningitis. We visited and tidied his grave. So lovely to see the cemetery so well cared for.

Many a muddy, cold, rainy game of football played on these fields.

Queensmead

Frank worked for the local council whenever possible, with his friend Pete. Painting exteriors, gutter cleaning, general house maintence, painting yellow lines on the road edge etc, etc. This was one of the streets that kept them busy.

A more affluent end of town.

So different to see horses being ridden in suburbia.

Just the best Garden Centre.

The Basingstoke Canal was a delight to walk along. Overgrown in the 70's.

On Monday morning, once the traffic on the M25 had cleared, we drove to Heathrow to return our hire car. The tube then took us to Ealing where we spent the last four days of our amazing holiday, with a very special friend, met whilst I was working in Scotland in 1978.

Her lovely garden.

It was so very special to be with Frank as he revisited old haunts. So much had of course, changed, but the memories and stories of his youth remain strong.

I would love to read your comment.