Page 26 • The HERALD • 1st June 2023 v SAY YOU SAW IT IN THE HERALD v Kitchen & Bathroom Showroom with free design service Tel: 023 8084 3787 Email: showroom@pcbuildingsupplies.co.ukWeb: www.pcbuildingsupplies.co.uk A TALE FROM VOSPER’S CORNER by Robin Somes, Fawley and Blackfield Memories Some place names live long enough in local memory, and the places become large enough in size, to be marked on maps. Others exist su ciently long to outlive their origins and pass into local knowledge, but still remain unmarked. Bennett’s Corner, the dogleg bend in the road through Black eld and Langley, is one such; the Bennetts, who lived in the large house on the corner, are long gone, but many locals still use the name, and probably always will. At the end of Badminston Drove, where tarmac turns to gravel, lies Vosper’s Corner, although you’ll never nd that on a map. Having been there around 60 years, the last Vospers le the corner about 15 years ago – though they didn’t move far - and there are fewer people around to recall it anyway, so whether the name will stick in the long term is debatable. Nonetheless, it has history, for me at least. Just opposite that spot is a tree where, in 2011, there was a wild bees’ nest; their honeycomb could be seen quite clearly hanging from a branch. As for the large oak on the corner, we go back a long way. When I was about 6 or 7, I decided I was bored at home, so I wandered o , without telling my Mum. A couple of hundred yards along the road from home, I’d seen the tree, and reckoned I could climb it - which I did, and pretty well. It was about this time that I started to hear my Mum calling me. She had long since worked out she had to bellow to get me to hear, so bellow she did. I le it a while, but eventually thought I’d better go home; perhaps I was getting hungry, too. is was the point at which I found I couldn’t climb down. How embarrassing. Eventually, Billy and Ron Kitcher happened by; whether by accident or whether as some form of search party, I’ll never know. But they saw me, and rescued me, and I had a ride home on one of their shoulders. Me and that tree. I’m glad to see it’s still around. A few yards along the track to Badminston Common was a spot where the earth bank was bare of vegetation, probably because the deer came and went through a gap in the fence there. I was told, as an early teenager, that nothing ever grew there because it marked where a dumper truck driver, working on installing the nearby PLUTO tanks during World War 2, was killed when his machine overturned. Despite the tale being far-fetched, I will admit to the occasional spooky feeling when walking past it a er dark. The oak tree at Vosper’s Corner, photo by Robin Somes WATERSIDE HERITAGE OPEN DAY e Waterside Heritage Open Day on 1st May, proved very successful with over 100 people attending during the day to view the archives of the area including the extensive photograph collection. Apart from a display of photos of the former British Powerboat Company during their time at Hythe from 1927 to 1947 including images of T.E. Lawrence and the company founder Hubert Scott-Paine, there were drawings and cartoons by a former Vice President of Water Heritage, the late Colin Mudie, well known and respected Yacht and Boat Designer from Lymington, from when he was apprenticed at the company during World War Two. One of the visitors on the day was Colin’s widow. ere was a continuing photo display on screens around the room of historical images of the area. e Heritage Centres committee and volunteers were there to help with the many enquiries by visitors. e surplus book sale proved very popular along with the ‘in-house’, and locally published history books. e free refreshments went down very well. In the future, Waterside Heritage would like to open the centre more than just Tuesday. ey are very fortunate that more volunteers have come forward to help, but more are needed to be able manage not just the contents but to maintain the building and services, to promote Waterside Heritage through modern communications and membership. If you are interested please contact them, in the rst instance by visiting them on Tuesdays for a chat. ey intend to use Facebook in the future for articles on local history and vary the displays at the centre itself. Local History Book for Sale! Robin Somes has published a local history book titled Digging up the Past which is now on sale in e Herald o ce. e book includes a collection of 28 illustrated articles, rst published in e Herald between 2021 and 2023, featuring historical events, family connections, and personal recollections of life around Fawley and the Waterside villages. e book is on sale for £5 (cash only) from e Herald o ce or via Robin’s online shop: shop.robinsomes. co.uk
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