Supporting Rochelle Court

This is certainly an unusual view of things – a photo which dates from 1993.

It shows the building of a retaining wall and improvements to the footpath below Rochelle Court – alongside Northbrook.

Building the retaining wall and improving the Northbrook footpath in 1993

Memories fade. Even long term Northbrook residents have forgotten this happening some 22 years ago.

At the top of the hill and on the right hand side of this photo is the old Market House which, of course, still stands having been renovated in the last few years. The house on the extreme left – we just see a corner of it – is still in place as well. So, too are the metal pipe railings on the rather grey coloured concrete wall. The present view (actually in 2011) looks like this.

Similar view today

Widening the road

The year is 1993. Maybe the car is still king for it had been decided to improve the main road which runs through the Lavingtons to make it wider, straighter and faster. Twenty years on it may seem this was a mistake as long lengths of the improved road now carry permanent speed limits and parked cars in the villages do a wonderful job of making sure traffic passes through slowly.

In fact, when these schemes were planned, many people thought it was to make life easier for the cruise missiles which used the road on their way up onto Salisbury Plain. If that was the case there’s a certain irony in the fact that the decision had been taken to get rid of these missiles by the time the roads were improved.

Road widening in progress at Eastcott in 1993

Our first photo sets the scene in Eastcott where a sign records what was happening.

The sign gives us all the information

A new surface is laid

The scale of the works was quite large – and other stretches of the road were similarly – or even more massively, re-engineered.

Was there any advantage in the end? We do not know the figures, but maybe accidents have been reduced. Perhaps, journey times are a few seconds quicker than they otherwise would have been. And of course, those harsh new surfaces soon weather in and these days nobody will realise this was once a narrower route.

Youth Challenge – 1993

Twenty or so years ago it used to be possible to get plenty of young people to take part in village events for fun. Of course, they hoped to do well in sporting endeavours, but they could enjoy doing their best, knowing there could only be one winner.

A Youth Challenge was organised as a part of the village festival. It took place on 19^th September of that year and allowed youngsters to select from a big range of activities. One, which surely proved popular, was to attempt to take a large agricultural quad around an obstacle course and it is that one we see in operation.

Quad bike youth challenge at Market Lavington in 1993

The location is obvious for local folk. That’s Lavington School with the cycle shed behind the quad. School tradition, everywhere, is that youngsters nip behind the cycle shed for a fag. At Lavington it looks as though hefty gates ruled that one out!

The chap, standing hands on hips, looks to be John Clark. He worked as an agronomist and used quads in his job, so he was probably loaning equipment and supervising this event. The young man on the quad has not been recorded but once again, we expect someone out there will recognise him.

Intense concentration required

Other events the youngsters could take part in included lacrosse, football, welly throwing, darts, an assault course and many others.

So why did it drop out of the village calendar? Sad to say one reason was health and safety. Another was that it needed huge adult presence and it was hard to get volunteers. I think the youngsters enjoyed the challenge and were always willing to have a go.

But then the rise and rise of electronic gismos did take youngsters and older potential helpers away from more active participation.

At least we have a lot of lovely memories of these events at Market Lavington Museum.

The Market Lavington Produce Show in 1993

 

Lavington Produce shows continue quite happily in the 21^st century. Entries may go up and down, depending on the vagaries of the growing season, but each year the show looks good.

Except, that is, in one department. We no longer have a children’s’ section. Entries had dwindled to just about nil.

But twenty years ago it was very different as these pictures show.

Gardens on a plate by Lavington children in 1993

 

Here we have gardens on a plate and there was a real jostle for space with four different age ranges.

The same was true of the decorated wooden spoons.

Decorated wooden spoons at the same 1993 Lavington show

There are some really cute entries there.

Has anyone any suggestions as to how youngsters could be encouraged back – or perhaps how parents could encourage youngsters to get involved? Or is this an event which only appeals to an older age range?

It would be good to get some of that sparkle back – as shown by these entries from twenty years ago,

A Victorian Evening

Back in 1993 the organisers of the village festival in Market Lavington decided to hold a Victorian Evening./ The event was a miscellany of items, a bit like a ‘Music Hall’ evening.

The audience were invited, if possible, to turn up appropriately dressed. Some could whilst others had nothing to hand and so came in normal clothes. Our photo shows some of the audience.

Audience at the Market Lavington Victorian Evening – 1st September 1993

Clearly the photographer has picked out some of the audience in Victorian costume and they are none other than Peggy and Tom Gye. Peggy appears to be sporting an apple on her hat whilst Tom looks very dapper in his waistcoat and neckerchief.

As we can see, most of the audience for this event in the old Parish Room wore mufti – normal clothes.

Next to Tom is Ron Francis who had farmed at Grove Farm but we do not have names for other members of the audience.

Here’s hoping that next year, we can hold similar events in the villages, dated at around 1914 and suited to the start of World War One.