The Winter of 1947

CARDALL’S CORNER - December 2016 By Rowan Parker

In January 1947, along with his 18th birthday cards, Rowan Parker received his National Service call-up papers. It snowed on and off from Christmas, but in March the snow fell in earnest, and this is Rowan’s account of a trip home from Leamington in that famously snowy Winter of 1947, nearly 70 years ago. [...]

2020-06-03T17:35:32+01:00December 16th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, Memories|2 Comments

Southam’s Sacrifices on The Somme

CARDALL’S CORNER - November 2016 By Val Brodie

After a hundred years, people across Europe are remembering the horrors of the Battle of the Somme. Amidst the tributes to the tens of thousands who lost their lives in those terrible months 1st July – 18th November 1916, it falls to all of us to remember the twelve men of Southam, then a very small town, who gave their lives. [...]

2020-06-03T17:35:01+01:00November 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, Memories, People, WW1|0 Comments

A Chorister Looks Back

CARDALL’S CORNER - October 2016 By Alan Griffin

It has to be said that for lads like me growing up in Southam in the post-war years, there were few diversions. One long-established institution that was still thriving in the 1940’s and 50’s was the Parish Church Choir which in common with most church choirs of that era was an all-male body. [...]

2020-06-03T17:34:28+01:00October 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, Memories, People|0 Comments

Southam Banking

CARDALL’S CORNER - September 2016 By Linda Doyle

For many years until March 2016, Southam had two banks: Lloyds and HSBC (formerly the Midland), both situated in the town centre. Today, only Lloyds remains, and at the time of writing, the former HSBC building is up for sale.

Banking in Southam is known to go back to 1835, when in September of that year the Leamington [...]

2020-06-03T17:33:49+01:00September 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, Places|5 Comments

Harbury Cement Works in WW2

CARDALL’S CORNER - August 2016 By Janet Cox

The Harbury Cement Works (HCW) was as near to Bishops Itchington as it was to Harbury. Indeed the men from Bishops Itchington walked or cycled down a lane or across a field from the village to go to work at HCW, which for many years was the only work around, apart from agriculture.

We lived in Bishops Itchington and [...]

2020-06-03T17:33:16+01:00August 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, Places, WW2|0 Comments

A Victorian Summer Holiday in Rhyl – 1874

CARDALL’S CORNER - July 2016 By Val Brodie

The Journal of Annie Eliza Bull - July 1874

In Annie Bull’s day, the journey time from Marton to Rhyl was six hours. Travelling with friends in a group including children, her train trip (change at Rugby, Crewe and Chester) was an adventure for a young single woman, in her early twenties. She wrote a journal each day and a copy [...]

2020-06-03T17:30:19+01:00July 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, Memories, People|3 Comments

Cementing Relations in Southam

CARDALL’S CORNER - June 2016 By Helen Morris

People through the ages have been interested in the limestone found around Southam. The material, known as Blue Lias, was laid down during the Jurassic age 180 million years ago, and was first of interest as a source of lime used by farmers. In recent times it has been used for making cement, and locals may remember [...]

2020-06-03T17:29:35+01:00June 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, Memories|0 Comments

Warwick Street

CARDALL’S CORNER - May 2016 By Robert Sherriff

This month Robert continues his reminiscence journey from Warwick Road up to Market Hill.

Once over the brook bridge below Abbey Green, Warwick Road becomes Warwick Street as far as Market Hill. Almost opposite the jitty to Oxford Street was a small shop, “M Sherriff-Pork Butcher”, this being my Aunt Mag who made and sold the [...]

2020-06-03T17:28:58+01:00May 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, Memories|1 Comment

Warwick Road

CARDALL’S CORNER - April 2016 by Robert Sherriff

Having lived in 3 houses on Warwick Road I thought I would comment a little on my favourite route into town.

Drifting downhill from Ufton one crosses the River Itchen thereby entering the Parish of Southam. A few yards further on the right hand side is the site of the Woodbine Inn which gave the name Woodbine Hill to [...]

2020-06-03T17:28:23+01:00April 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, Memories, Places|3 Comments

Wellesbourne’s WW2 Airfield

CARDALL’S CORNER - March 2016 By Ian Brodie

We are used to seeing aircraft above us here in Warwickshire. Airliners carrying holidaymakers and business people to all parts of the globe pass high above our heads and others, bound to or from Birmingham airport are much lower. As you take the road from Wellesbourne, where the Sunday market is held, on your way [...]

2020-06-03T17:45:51+01:00March 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, WW2|0 Comments

Southam’s Department Store

CARDALL’S CORNER - February 2016 By Linda Doyle

I’m sure most of you will have heard about, or seen, the TV series ‘Mr Selfridge’ and what is implied as his ‘new invention’ of a London department store at the turn of the 20th Century. Perhaps what isn’t realised is that department stores were already very much ‘in fashion’ by then, and Southam had [...]

2020-06-03T17:39:51+01:00February 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, People|0 Comments

Dances and Celebrations

CARDALL’S CORNER - January 2016 By Helen Morris

There have always been memorable shows and dances to entertain the people of Southam, and some residents have had their reminiscences recorded by Southam Heritage Collection. Doreen Smith remembered that her father, Clement Smith, the Midland Bank manager after WW2, started a youth club called ‘The Sparklets’ based at the Old Court House (now the [...]

2020-06-03T17:26:20+01:00January 18th, 2016|Cardall's Corner, People|0 Comments
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