Herald - Issue 406

Page 8 • The HERALD • 13th May 2021 v SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES v EXPERT DOMESTICS APPLIANCE SERVICES S ales and R epairs to A ll M akes and M odels 169-171 LONG LANE, HOLBURY • TEL (023) 8089 0054 POSSIBLY THE ONLY INDEPENDENT MAIN DEALER IN THE NEW FOREST For Bosch, Belling, Britannia, Candy, Ebac, Hotpoint, Hoover, Indesit, Ice King, LG, LEC, Liebherr, Miele, Neff, Sebo, Siemens, Stoves, Whirlpool, Zanussi and more... Free Standing & Built In Sales Centre Over 300 appliances in stock www.expertdomestics.co.uk SOLO CARS Available 24 hours, 365 days a year 023 8089 0244 023 8084 1951 FRIENDLY AND RELIABLE • Local and Any Distance • Airport & Cruise Transfers H 8 SEATER MINIBUS NOW AVAILABLE H All major credit cards accepted Estate/Saloon Cars Available H ESTABLISHED SINCE 1992 H TAXIS TAXIS FLAT ROOFING SPECIALISTS All Roof Repairs Tel: 023 8184 5632 Mobile: 07880 508415 Email: steve@braithwaiteroo ng.co.uk THE FLAT ROOF SPECIALIST KDL PLUMBING & HEATING All Jobs Undertaken • Free Estimates and Advice Call Kevin on 07475 128249 or 023 8181 0016 NO CALL OUT CHARGES ADDED TELEPHONE ENGINEER New Extensions, Repairs, Rewire No Job Too Small Ex-BT Engineer • Lives Locally Phone Don Rose 023 8084 4822 Mobile: 07739 845149 ( ( Send your local news to The Editor, The Herald, 2 High Street, Hythe SO45 6AH A BLAST FROM THE PAST – EVIE SOMES AND THE PIES by Robin Somes, Fawley & Blackfield Memories Group My grandmother, Evie Somes, lived with her family in Fawley Cottage, on Church Lane in Fawley. e whole family took an active part in village life, particularly during and a er the Second World War. Evie rst joined the WI in the late 1920’s, and was a staunch member of Fawley’s branch. One of their activities was the “Agricultural Pie Scheme”, started by the Ministry of Food to provide good lunchtime food to workers in rural areas, where folk didn’t have access to such a wide choice of food as town dwellers did – even under rationing. Initially run by the Women’s Voluntary Services, it later expanded to the WI and other voluntary organisations. e organisations fund-raised, and provided a never-ending supply of meat pies to augment food supplies. Pro ts from the sales were used to buy further supplies. became more prosperous, there was less need for them. e WI found themselves with a surplus of cash from the scheme when they were winding it up, which regulations dictated should be put to good use in the community. In 1950 my grandmother wrote to Fawley Parish Council o ering a donation of £20 to fund 2 roadside seats in the parish. One should be on the Green at Ashlett, and one outside Fawley School, for the bene t of mothers collecting their children. e Council were initially doubtful that the idea could be entertained, but a er consultation were delighted to accept. Around a year later, the seats were put in place, by F. E. Barnes, building contractors of Langley. e seat outside the school is long gone, as is the original at Ashlett, but there is still a line of its successors on the Green. Few who sit on them will have any idea of their origins. e pies proved e x t r e m e l y popular; in one week in 1944, 1,300,000 were sold across the nation. Among my collection of ephemera from the time is a hand-written receipt from H.S. Edwards & Sons, bakers, of Blackfield, for supplying 504 meat pies, at 3 pence ha’penny each, to Mrs Somes, in April 1946. The schemes in Hampshire continued a er the war, until the last was wound up in December 1953. Fawl e y WI ’ s contributions were, apparently, legendary, but a er the war, as the area expanded and Committed Fawley WI member, Evie Somes Hand-written receipt from H S Edwards & Sons, bakers, of Blackfield