Harwoods hardware shop in the Square – well it’s a wonder that when someone dropped a match the whole street didn’t go up, there was so much petrol everywhere. They had petrol pumps which swung across the pavement. The petrol at one time was brought across the Solent in barrels. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921
Shops: Square 1930s with Harwoods van
Old Mr. Harwood was so big he used to block the whole doorway of the shop. Blanche Kennard nee Dore b 1923
In the town there were 27 shops, 1 fish and chip shop on the corner of South Street and Tennyson Road, 1 garage in Quay Street ( now the Pharmacy), 4 pubs and hotels and 2 chimney sweeps, Mr. Chambers and Mr. Holloway. There were 4 grocers shops – one in Station Road, Mr. Cook’s – later Mr. Burt’s -, one now called Sixpenny Corner owned by Mr. Barnett, Harry Mills in the Square, and Higginbothams. There were coupons given with Bourneville Cocoa and such like. My mother collected enough to get me a wooden pencil box at the Sixpenny Corner shop.
If you took an egg with you when you went to Batchelor’s for chips, they’d cook that for you too. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921
The Yarmouth Carnivals were a highlight of the year, always held on a Thursday, early closing day. There were maybe 4 bands, proper bands. They were wonderful .
Jazz band 1930s with Curly Jupe on accordion and Megan Cook vocals
The fishing competition on the Pier used to draw over a hundred rods. My Grandfather, Robert May, supplied the Rod for first prize.My aunt was asked if she’d like to keep up the tradition after he died, but she said no, it was the end of an era, and Harwood’s took over giving the prize.
Robert May awards prize rod for Carnival Fishing competition off Pier
Robert May awards the prize rod for the fishing competition on the pier
During Carnival Week there were harbour sports, greasy pole and swimming races off the Common. All the families joined in and won prizes too. Yarmouth was a town of families, now it’s a town of holiday homes. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921
:Yarmouth Football Team, with Bill Pomroy in goal 1936
The best team Yarmouth had was in 1947 when they played in the final of the Hampshire Cup over at Fratton Park. They had George Cleary from the pub, George Kelsey, two masters from the school at Eastmore and two lads from there. One of them, Charlesworth, he was really good, he went on to play for Wolverhampton. Mr. Holding from the shop, he was Chairman, and helped with money. You might get two or three hundred watching.
You should have seen Bun Cotton! He would really get stuck in. The ball would be at the other end and you’d look round and there was Bun, having a real go at someone. Yes, he used to get sent off.
Ted Levey used to referee, but every time he refereed when Yarmouth was playing he got into trouble. He’d be blowing the whistle and getting really queer with people.
My family played; Dad played in goal for Yarmouth and my brothers Derek and Peter. Derek was the best player of the family. I went with him when he had a trial for Southampton when he was 18 or 19, but when he came on the pitch at The Dell and saw the crowd, it was just too much for him. When I was 14, I had to go and see the Headmaster at Freshwater to get permission to play for Yarmouth First Team. My Mum used to have to do all that washing, kit for 3 of us, heavy shirts and all. Brian Pomroy b 1937
Pat Burt, Heather Doe, with Mrs Hans Hamilton at Guide camp 1945
Mrs Hamilton used to take us into Thorley Copse, in the middle there where the paths cross. We used to have fires in there in the copse. It was used by the public then,but it may have been owned by Thorley Manor. We used it all the time rather than Mill Copse. We used to pick primroses; just the flowers, we never took the plants.
We couldn’t go camping during the war so the only Guide camp I went to, was in August 1945. Mrs Hamilton took us camping at St Helens.
Annette’s not in the photo, she dropped out of guides because she started work at 14 so she was probably working. Pat Burt nee Adams b 1929
I remember Miss Chambers who lived down by the Mill. If you swore she used to wash your mouth with soap and water. She used to grab hold of you with a cup of soap and water, and put it in your mouth. She kept her handkerchief tucked in her knickers, the old long bloomers. She was a good old gal though. She made sure that what she taught, you knew; taught you to read.
Then there was Mrs Barton, she could be a bit severe at times. I remember once Mick and Barry got the cane , which they didn’t like. Come lunchtime, in the classroom was this fish tank that had tadpoles and stuff in it. What did they do? They both peed in it and killed all the tadpoles, we saw them do it. Nick Chandler b 1937
Miss Chambers retires from Yarmouth School after 26 years service
The long wall that runs round the school has a triangular section on the top. There was great prestige attached to being able to run along that wall, and I could!
I remember how good that made me feel! We climbed the trees in the playground too.
Mary Lord nee Hayles b 1936
Walking the wall 2013
The trouble with going to Southampton was, if I remember rightly, the boats packed up early and you couldn’t get out of the ground and catch the train in time to get down for the last boat.
It was quite easy to go to Portsmouth because you could get on the train down here, right through to Ryde, over to Portsmouth and walk up to Fratton Park. We used to do that nearly always on the Bank Holiday.
One the Bank Holiday it was Grimsby Town and they had Tweedy, I can remember him playing in goal, and Glover, the centre forward. Of course Pompey in those days had the outside right Harris, the nippy little outside right. Phil Kelsey b 1920
Bluebells in Mill Copse 2013
If we went anywhere, we went by bus – train was too expensive – but we didn’t go far. Yarmouth was our world. I loved Mill Copse and spent hours there. The bluebells, primroses … I hated it when it was all planted up with conifers. I was a great presser of flowers, had a collection of pressed wild flowers. One year in Mill Copse I found butterfly orchids to press for my collection. In later years I went back to look but never found them again! Mary Lord nee Hayles b 1936
Joy Cotton, Cynthia Lansdowne and Barbara Hayden at Love Shore
In the summer holidays there’d be maybe half a dozen mums with families, my mum, and Mrs Eames, she was the police constable’s wife at Yarmouth, and the Robinsons, down Love Shore, just down the road. We’d pack up picnics and spend all day there. The mums would be down there with their knitting and we’d be down there all the afternoon. It was a safe beach because you had the jetties there. If you got swept down you went against the jetties. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921