Thursday 30 June 2011

KBF Register of Talents

Monday 27 June 2011

Schoolfields trees

Hi everyone. I am asking for opinions regarding two trees, one to the left and one to the right as you come out of Schoolfields. The Parish Council has had a number of complaints about the visibility when emerging as traffic to the west is obscured by the base growth from the tree, which is now a sort of cone. We have asked HCC to cut down the growth on many occasions, and now have had a request to fell the tree.


Similarly if you want to take your guinea pig across the safe crossing point near the Cricketers your view to the east is obscured by the first tree to the east at this point.


What are your thoughts as to saying goodbye to these trees?

Sunday 26 June 2011

Cricketers on Thursday

The Cricketers Inn
Thursday 30th June
7:30pm sharp

The KBF will be holding an informal session at the pub. A barbecue will be available if it’s not tipping down.

Please come and join us, we’ll be discussing flower arranging. Yes, it does concern you; Yes, you will be interested; Yes, you can bring your children as well; No, a trip to the pub won’t kill you.

Tuesday 21 June 2011

Derek's overview

Having written my introduction last month I began considering just how much things had changed since I left Kingsley. In fact,when I got down to it, I was actually very surprised just how much life had changed since my early childhood. The memory is an amazing thing as the period between my earliest memories and the present doesn’t actually feel the sixty two or three years that, in fact, it is.

Daily life is undoubtedly very different, attitudes have changed dramatically and people’s expectations are much greater than in those days. Travel has opened up the world to most people whereas back then many country folk spent most of their lives in or around the village of their birth.

It seems to me that Mr. Cameron’s present idea of The Big Society actually existed in Kingsley, it probably still does. People did help one another, they had time to stop and chat. If a person was ill friends and neighbours did the weekly shopping for them and other tasks as required. The sense of community was great, the Church played a much greater part in people’s lives than it does today and with the pub, school and shop, formed the hubs of village life. Women, in general terms, in Kingsley did not have full time jobs, they stayed at home and looked after the family. Some had part time positions, usually cleaning jobs, and there were always the odd seasonal agricultural jobs. These included picking up potatoes and hop picking.

After the war times were tough, rationing was still in place but people were both resilient and inventive, they had to be. The welfare state was nothing like it is today. The nanny state, as we know it, had yet to be conceived and political correctness had yet to be invented. Everybody grew their own vegetables and often fruit as well. Men went shooting pigeons and ferreting rabbits in order to supplement the meat rations which were very small. Plover and moor hens eggs were collected in season. There were then large flocks of peewits or green plovers and they nested in the fields around the Sports Hall on both sides of the road. Those fields then belonged to Old Park Farm. Chickens were kept for eggs by lots of village people but a chicken for the table was rare being confined to high days and holidays.

Both rabbits and hares were snared and almost all of the animal was eaten. A rabbit would be skinned completely and this included it’s head. As children there was much competition between my brothers and I for the head which included the brains and the tongue. Today, I suspect,most children would turn their noses up at such delicacies!! I know my two daughters would have done when they were young. Rabbits are still sold in butchers shops but it is many years since I have seen one with its head still on. They do still sell them like this in rural France.

As children in Kingsley, our freedom was much greater than children enjoy today. After reaching school age groups of us would pursue many pastimes which are now illegal, ( egg collecting ), and would have with us all manner of items that would not be allowed today. Knives, catapults, bows and arrows, spears and air rifles. It was common place for groups of us to leave home after breakfast and be gone all day until tea time in the evening We either took a snack with us or didn’t bother. Everybody knew each other within the village and we had a resident village Policeman who lived in the community with his family. Because travel was rare a stranger stood out like a sore thumb. I suppose paedophiles existed in those days but we knew nothing of them and there were never any cases in or around Kingsley. Murder and armed robbery were rare. A murder was front page news and the death penalty still existed. In short Kingsley was a very safe place for children to grow up in. Of course, Kingsley is the centre of the writings to follow, but the reader should be aware, that as children we travelled quite long distances during our daily pursuits. We travelled as far as Headley, Oakhanger, Worldham, Wyck, Binsted and Buckshorn Oak. These places were reached on foot and always for a reason, we did not go to any of them unless there was an objective. The reasons for such excursions were various and diverse and included mushrooming, chestnutting, hazelnutting, ferreting, primrosing, blackberrying, bluebelling, birds nesting, collecting hazel poles for bows and spears, fishing, shooting and scrumping. All was governed by the season and what was available at the time. Playing soldiers and cowboys and Indians also featured high on our lists of essential out of school pastimes. These were, after all, our daily occupations as toys were scarce and entertainment had to be made.

I have, in this offering, endeavoured to provide a broad overview and to set the scene for what is to follow. Contained within this edition is a flavour of how things were but I will endeavour to put a little more meat on the bones in future. Next month I will start with life in The Straits as it was then, the people who lived there and the things they did.

Friday 17 June 2011

Local road works

It is now possible to keep track of road works locally using the ELGIN service maintained by Jacobs Engineering on behalf of the various local authorities.

Today's results include the following:-

High Street Alton, road closure by HCC
Butts Road Alton, light controlled traffic by BT
Pinehill Road Bordon, road closure by HCC
A325 Bordon, roadworks  by South East Water
Chase Road Lindford, light controlled traffic by Southern Gas Networks Plc
Ackender Road Alton, light controlled traffic by BT
Old A31 Bentley, light controlled traffic by HCC

For full details including maps and dates, click the "Local road works" link at the foot of the page.  That is a live link so will always show the up to date information.

Sunday 12 June 2011

Cradle Lane update

Following on from our initial report, this update comes from Vicky Bowskill, Countryside Access Development Officer at Hampshire County Council.

I am writing further to the consultation sent out 19th April 2011 regarding proposals to reopen Cradle Lane, which is recorded as a Byway Open to All Traffic, to motorised users. We received a strong reaction to this consultation and have carefully considered all the points that were raised against the relevant legislation and Hampshire County Council's Policy regarding the use of Traffic Regulation Orders.

This lane has, in the past, suffered badly from damage caused by inappropriate vehicular use. In view of the strong opposition to vehicular use of this route and in order to protect the significant investment that has been made in repairing this route, ensuring that it remains in a safe and enjoyable condition for all other path users, it is now proposed to make a permanent Traffic Regulation Order to restrict vehicles with 3 or more wheels from using this route at any time. There is little evidence that two wheeled motorbikes have caused, or are likely to cause, significant damage to the surface during the drier months of the year. As such it is proposed that vehicles with two wheels be restricted between 31st August and 31st May each year, but allowed to use the route during the months of June, July and August. This use will be reviewed following next summer and a further decision made about the appropriateness of this seasonal use by motorbikes for the long term.

I would welcome your views on this proposal. If you have any comments to make and wish them to be taken into account by the Council, I would be grateful if written submissions could be sent to me either by email to vicky.bowskill@hants.gov.uk or by post to Hampshire County Council, Mottisfont Court, High Street, Winchester SO23 8ZF by 21st July 2011.

Wednesday 8 June 2011

The King's World

Long before we had a "King's Blog", we had, and continue to enjoy, a "King's World" the monthly parish magazine of Kingsley, Oakhanger, the Worldhams (East & West) and Hartley Mauditt carrying all the local news as well as reports from the various village organisations, current and comparative rainfall and temperature data as well as adverts for a raft of local services.
Must have reading and reference for anyone living locally, £8 per year, £12 posted.  If you're not already a subscriber, please call Dinny Reed on 489998 and get that fixed!

Monday 6 June 2011

Kingsley Cricket Club Fete

Despite the cooler (and slightly damp) weather yesterday the fete was well attended and as you can see the fire precautions were excellent.

We were serenaded by a two piece band and the affair was judged to be a great success.  The car parking arrangements were well thought out with hi-viz'd marshalls and fencing gaps at just the right points.

This is only the second year the fete has been run by the cricket club and they have clearly learnt fast. The signage round the village was clear and well located although at least one visiting family managed to read "Sunday 5th" as "Monday 30th"!

Friday 3 June 2011

Birch Cottage, Sandy Lane, Kingsley

This application, 38091/006 valid since 31/05/11, seeking permission for:-

TIMBER FRAMED GARAGE TO FRONT

is currently marked as open for consultation until 30th June.

Sleaford petrol station

This application, 20136/043 valid since 20/05/11, seeking permission for:-

RENEWAL OF EXTANT PERMISSION 20136/038 - CAR WASH AND ASSOCIATED WORKS (PLANS AVAILABLE TO VIEW ON 20136/038)

is currently marked as open for consultation until 30th June.

Thursday 2 June 2011

Kingsley Halt again?

Until 1966 a railway line ran from Bentley to Bordon with a local stopping point at Kingsley Halt near the junction of Sickles Lane and The Straits.

Three years ago it was suggested that the line be re-instated as part of the proposed Whitehill-Bordon Eco-town. In 2009 the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) produced a consultation entitled "Connecting Communities" (PDF) which included the following:

Proposed link: single track electrified line, using the formation of the former Bentley – Bordon branch line and part of the track of the former Longmoor Military Railway. Five miles long from Bentley. Three level crossings required.

Train service: Half hourly. Could alternate with Alton – Waterloo service once an hour, or form a portion (attached at Farnham) every half hour. Could operate as a shuttle to Aldershot connecting with Guildord, Ascot and Waterloo services.

Will this happen?

You can keep up to date with what's happening, or not, with the eco-town project at www.whitehillbordon.com and with focussed opposition at baaga.co.uk