Choice Magazine - Gosport & Lee on the Solent - May edition
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HELLO!
Another perfect Saturday awaits! In the form of the annual Crescent Garden Plant Sale. Think plants, tea and cake in beautiful surroundings. What more could you ask for?! It is the most wonderful thing to do on a Saturday afternoon, purchase plants and then sit in the beautiful gardens with a cuppa and devour delicious cake.
Strawberries are my favourite fruit. Even my wedding cake was a strawberry tart! You cannot beat English strawberries, and are you even a Brit if you haven’t gone strawberry picking?! So, with it being strawberry season I’ve found a delicious recipe to use them in. May I suggest buying far more strawberries than you need because if you are like me I can’t resist a few whilst working my way trough the recipe! The recipe is for simply a Strawberry cake by Meera Sodha.
There’s a heads up for the Rowan’s Hospice Annual Garden Sale inside. It takes place next month - get it in the diary!
If you weren’t inspired to run before you may well be when you read what the Gosport Runners have been up to! They’ve been running in sunny climes! Take a look at what they’ve been up to on page 18.
Loads to do in the garden this time of year. With the nicer weather it feels like a joy! The
gardening guide is inside.
Did you know the first record of the game of “conkers” was, apparently, in 1848 on the Isle of Wight? Me neither! This is just one of the fascinating things you’ll learn from Rita’s wonderful article inside. She also talks about the red horse chestnut tree. It first came to Britain in in the sixteenth century. Read about it on page 14 and then check it out in person at the Crescent Garden Plant Sale!
Louise Courtney talks all about the benefits of the hamble dandelion on page 32. Often not a favourite amongst most of us but I think you will change your mind once you read the article!
Does your home need a good spring clean? Are you in need of a massage? Are you wanting to get fitter? We have local advertisers that can help with all of the above and more. You’ll also find great offers, sudoku, more great advertisers, local news and much more inside!
Don’t forget you can subscribe to the digital edition if you don’t already. It will then land in your inbox each month
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I hope you have a good and sunny May. See you next month!
Darren Harris is a skilled, reliable and professional carpenter and joiner based in Gosport offering a wide range of carpentry services for your home or business. The options are pretty endless but to give you an idea of the most popular services a list is below:
■ painting and decorating
■ bespoke fitted cupboards
■ door hanging ■ door frames ■ picture rails ■ flooring ■ skirting ■ bespoke fitted wardrobes
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■ internal and external doors
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gosportcarpenter.co.uk
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STRAWBERRY CAKE
English strawberries are in season and tasting delicious! This cake is equally perfect for a birthday or a Sunday afternoon treat!
You’ll need:
• 175ml whole oat milk
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ¾ tsp fennel seeds, ground
• 200g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra for sprinkling on top
• 250g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
• 125ml rapeseed oil
• 600-700g ripe strawberries, halved (plus more for nibbling whilst you bake!)
Method
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Grease and line a 22cm x 32cm baking tray (ie, a standard American nine-inch x 13-inch baking sheet) with greaseproof paper.
Pour the oat milk and cider vinegar into a medium bowl and put to one side.
Make some spiced sugar to top the cake by mixing the ground fennel seeds and two tablespoons of caster sugar, then set aside.
Put the flour, bicarb, 200g caster sugar and salt in a large bowl, and whisk to combine.
Stir the vanilla paste and rapeseed oil into the oat-milk-and-vinegar mix, then pour into the flour mixture and mix well. Spoon on to the lined tin, shake the tin, then give it a couple of sharp taps on a work surface to settle the batter and release any air bubbles.
Place (rather than push) the strawberries on top of the batter, arranging them toe to toe and trying to fit on as many as you can. Sprinkle over the spiced sugar, then bake for 30 minutes, until the sponge is golden and a sharp knife inserted into the middle comes out clean (it’s OK if it has some strawberry juice on it).
Serve with ice cream, yoghurt, cream or custard!
Recipe is by Meera Sodha meerasodha.com
FRIENDS OF CRESCENT GARDEN PLANT SALE
SATURDAY 17 MAY 10AM-4PM
CRESCENT ROAD, ALVERSTOKE
It’s that time again when two of my favourite things combine! Plants and cake! What a combo! You’ll find both of these at the annual Crescent Garden Plant Sale.
If you got a gap in your garden, can’t resist a plant sale or a lovely cup of tea and cake in a beautiful garden this is for you!
You’ll find flowering plants, seedlings, climbers, vegetable plants, herbs and houseplants too. Plus gardenalia, books and pots!
The refreshment tent will once again be fully stocked offering tea, coffee and homemade cake.
Proceeds from the plant sale are split, part going towards the upkeep of the Crescent Garden and part to the National Garden Scheme (NGS) charities, the most significant funder of nursing charities in the country.
Beneficiary charities include: The Queen’s
Nursing Institute, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Carers Trust, Hospice UK, Parkinson’s UK and other guest charities.
So, what can be better than to purchase some lovely and often unusual plants, eat homemade cake, sip tea in beautiful surroundings and do your bit for charity.
If you would like to donate any plants too then bring them on the morning. Gardeners and plants are both welcome! And people who just enjoy homemade cake and teas and coffees too!
If you’d like to know more about the Garden or become a Friend and enjoy the events they organise then visit: www.alverstokecrescentgarden.co.uk or email The Membership Secretary, Guy Sitwell membership@alverstokecrescentgarden.co.uk or speak to one of the Friends on the day.
If you enjoy gardening or just love plants and would like to help keep the gardens looking beautiful you can do so by becoming a volunteer gardener. Volunteer gardeners meet at the Garden each Wednesday morning. You can chat to a member on the day of the plant sale, pop along on a Wednesday or email Ginny Whelan whelanvirginia@gmail.com.
MAY IN CRESCENT GARDEN
The red horse chestnut tree, Aesculus carnea, is a cross between the familiar white flowered horse chestnut, A. hippocastanum, and the red buckeye, A. pavia, a native of the southern states of USA. Like its near relative, the conker tree, A. hippocastanum, it can grow into a stately tree, up to 12 metres high with a spread 5 to 10 metres. The bark is smooth and pinky grey when young but darkens and develops scaly plates when older. The horse chestnut is native to the Balkans and first came to Britain in the sixteenth century. The hybrid, A. carnea, appeared in Germany in the early nineteenth century and was in Britain by 1818. Like its parent, the conker tree, the red version has the familiar palmately compound leaves with five toothed leaflets and the familiar sticky buds. They are not so sticky as those on the horse chestnut, but are usually larger. Another similarity with A. hippocastanum is the horseshoe shaped leaf scar, though the scar is rather flattened and not quite so much like a horseshoe. The fruit of the tree is also very like that of the conker tree, with an outer rather rubbery casing, less prickly than its parent and the seeds inside it are small and no good for playing “conkers”. The first record of the game of “conkers” was, apparently, in 1848 in the Isle of Wight!
In Crescent Garden there was a red horse chestnut tree growing next to the railings in the eastern part of the garden, near where the new mulberry tree has been planted. Unfortunately,
this tree died some years ago, but before that fate befell it, a seed, quite likely buried by a squirrel, germinated among the bushes and trees along terrace walk, not far from the young tulip tree. This seedling was carefully nurtured and has now grown into a fair sized tree whose lovely blooms can be admired by anyone walking across the grass in the eastern end of the garden. It can never grow into the stately tree it would be in a more open place, as it is rather over shadowed by the large, spreading and very beautiful strawberry tree on one side of it and a large bay tree on the other. Neverthe-less, it is well worth having for its beautiful flowers, standing out amongst the greenery.
Each individual flower is very small with pollen filled stamens projecting beyond the petals, but the flowers are arranged in a vertical cluster called a panicle which makes them very obvious and attractive to pollinators especially as they also produce copious amounts of nectar. The pollen and nectar together make the flowers especially attractive to bees. In the parts of the American continent where these trees have been introduced the flowers are often pollinated by humming birds.
The wood from the red horse chestnut tree is a pale creamy-white to light brown with a smooth, soft fine texture. It not very much used commercially as it is soft and very weak, but is ideal for carving and turning to make attractive ornaments. The one commercial use to which it is sometimes put is to make fruit racks and storage trays. Because of its absorbent nature it helps to keep the fruit dry and prevent rotting.
The red horse chestnut is widely planted in parks, gardens and streets, but not often in woodlands or forests. They are not very long lived trees, but some of the oldest are in Hyde Park.
It is probably not a very suitable tree for a small garden as it can grow to a considerable size, but do come and admire the blooms on the one in Crescent Garden.
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We urgently require your broken and unwanted gold, jewellery and antiques.
Any amount, any condition- top CASH prices paid!
PRE 1947 COINS (SILVER) WANTED
WANTED gold - silver - jewellery of all kinds medals (any militaria) - cuff links - studs - tie pins pocket watches - wrist watches antiques - moorcroft - clarice cliff - old postcards
WANTED - rolex, breitling, omega etc
Please call in to see us. Monday - Saturday 10am-6pm. Alternatively, call to arrange a home appointment
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DECORATIVE FOUNTAINSCAPES
Ideal for front gardens as statement pieces, or for smaller rear gardens where you want the sound of water without the footprint that a pond requires. There are a multitude of fountain designs to choose from and the configurations are endless. These are also really good for attracting birds to drink and wash.
ECOSYSTEM POND
PONDL
Ideal for and stre a hidden water is
Ideal for people wanting to enjoy it as a fishpond, and/or to use it as a recreation pond if the space allows, where your family sit and relax in the summer, but still enjoy the visual of a beautiful natural looking pond all year round. This is the oppos swimming pool which remains a covered over rectangle for most of the year with our English weather! Using the Ecosystem basis for natural chemical free filtration, underwater jets and larger wetland filtration systems can be incorporated to ensure and circulation. Waterfalls, streams and decorative fountainscape elements can be incorporated into the pond to suit your s ultimate outdoor living lifestyle.
I can also create and incorporate Rainwater Harvesting systems to use with any of the water features mentioned. All ponds and water features will periodically lose water due to evaporation, splash and wind. Manual top up is the simplest solution but requires regular checking for levels. Creating an underground water reservoir from collected rainwater for your feature to draw upon is the most environmentally friendly way
Contact Craig to arrange a consultation and design visit: 07787 562490
All other landscaping, pond cleaning and garden maintenance also carried out.
LESS WATERFALL
people wanting the impressive visual and sound of a waterfall am, but without the want for fish or pond maintenance. Using n water reservoir to give the illusion of disappearing water, the then pumped back up to the start of the waterfall to recirculate.
All water features can be enhanced with lighting to ensure 24 hour enjoyment of them.
y and friends can swim or site to a standard garden m Pond philosophy as the the highest water quality space and budget, for the
OUT & ABOUT WITH GOSPORT ROAD RUNNERS
During March the club organized a trip to Paphos in Cyprus to take part in a Half Marathon and 10k race. As well as taking part in the running events it was a great opportunity to socialise and strengthen bonds between members.
Some people chose to stay a few extra days and take advantage of being in such a lovely location.
You don’t have to run fast
We’re all runners, regardless of pace - our goals and levels are different and there’s nothing wrong with that. All the miles you’re putting in at easy pace help you build endurance Not to mention the fact that fast is relative, meaning what’s fast for you may not be fast for someone else and vice versa.
Don’t get caught in the comparison trap Comparing yourself with other runners can sometimes have a positive impact, as it can inspire you to push a little harder. Where it starts to become problematic is when we let those comparisons start to have a negative impact. As they say, ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’. There’s no quicker way to have that joy sucked out of you than thinking about how fast or how far others can go. Some of us can get upset at how relaxed everyone looks when they run until you realise that they’re on their journey and you’re on yours. We all respond differently to training, sleep, recovery and nutrition. This is your journey and no-one else’s - they can inspire me, but they won’t bring me down.
We’re all runners, regardless of pace - our goals and levels are different and there’s nothing wrong with that. All the miles you’re putting in at easy pace help you build an endurance engine. Not to mention the fact that fast is relative, meaning what’s fast for you may not be fast for someone else and vice versa.
Some upcoming events:
Hampshire Road Race League - Alton 10 mile –11th May
Hampshire Road Race League – Netley 10k –18th May.
For more information see our website: gosportroadrunners.org.uk
IN THE GARDEN
• Harden off dahlias
• Prune Clematis montana after flowering
• Divide congested irises
• Support tall perennials
• Plant out sweet peas
• If you didn’t trim lavender plants after flowering last year, do it now
• Plant out brassicas and leeks in their final positions
• Sow sweetcorn from mid-May onwards
• Remove raspberry suckers
• Prune grape vines
• Support your runner beans
• Spray fruit to prevent attack by mildew
• Harden off outdoor tomatoes, courgettes and pumpkins for planting early next month.
Sat 7th & Sun 8th June
ALVERSTOKE GARDEN WALKABOUT
Alverstoke residents will be opening their gardens to raise money for the Alverstoke Parish Centre Regeneration Fund*.
The Mayor of Gosport will open the event at 1pm on Sat 7th June at the Parish Centre, where refreshments will be available.
Some of the gardens have views across the Solent, one has a model steam railway running during the weekend, and another has a pirate ship for the children to explore.
Entry is by programme which costs £10 per adult (free admission for accompanied children) and is valid for both days. It has a stylised map, lists the gardens, their accessibility, whether they are dog friendly, selling plants or refreshments.
Advance tickets from Alverstoke Post Office, Alverstoke Village Hardware, and Queen’s Parade News, Privett Road, Gosport.
Tickets on the day on sale at the Parish Centre, Green Road, Alverstoke PO12 2ET (12-5pm), and from participating gardens.
The Garden Walkabout has now contributed over £30,000 towards the £570,000 raised for the building fund. To date we have constructed a new car park and installed solar power for the Parish Centre. We have still to build an Annexe and extend and refurbish the current building.
*registered charity name: St Mary’s Alverstoke PCC – APCRP, no 1130178.
Rear
Front
ROWANS HOSPICE ANNUAL GARDEN SALE
Saturday 21st June 9.30am-12.30pm 16 Anglesey Road, Gosport PO12 2EQ
Pre-loved goods, jewellery, books, bric-a-brac, toys, plants and more! Entry is free. Takeaway tea and cake available. Lots of bargains to be had. Held in aid of Rowans Hospice.
SHORE LEAVE HASLAR MEMORIAL
GARDEN
OPEN DAY
Haslar Road, Gosport. Weds 14th May 11am-1pm. Free entry, donations gratefully accepted. Crafts, plants, produce for sale. Homemade cake and drinks. Walk around the peaceful garden. Please park in main Haslar site. Free entry. Donations gratefully received.
ST MARK’S CHURCHYARD OPEN DAY
Saturday 14th June 2-4pm. St Mark’s Rd, Alverstoke Refreshments and plants for sale. Friends and families very welcome.
SPITHEAD ARTS - ARTS APPRECIATION
SOCIETY LECTURE Bay House School, Gosport.
Tuesday 27th May 7pm.
Creating Paradise: The History Of The English Garden. Visitors are welcome to attend at a cost of £7 per lecture or £1.00 for students. More details at spitheadarts.co.uk
LE CERCLE FRANÇAIS DE GOSPORT
Thursday 8th May New venue Court Barn
Conservative Club – Court Barn Lane, Broom Way
The next meeting Thursday 8th May is titled ‘Les JO Paris 2024 & quiz Jeux Olympiques’ (the 2024 Olympic games in Paris and an Olympic games themed quiz). New members will be most welcome – telephone Martin Lazell on 01329 314750 for more details.
FRIENDS OF STANLEY PARK LITTER PICK
Litter pick first Sunday of the month 10-11am Meet in The Alverbank Hotel car park. We provide pickers, bags, gloves and smiles! FIND MORE ‘WHAT’S ON’ INSIDE!
OLD FASHIONED SKITTLES
Saturday 14th June, 2pm-4pm
Gosport Methodist Church, Stoke Road
An afternoon of old fashioned skittles (9-pin). £3 per adult, £1 per child. Includes cup of tea and piece of cake.
ALVERSTOKE GARDEN WALKABOUT
7th & 8th June 1-5pm Adult £10 accompanied children free. Advance tickets from Alverstoke Post Office, Alverstoke Village Hardware & Queen’s Parade News Privett Road. Tickets on the day from Patrish Centre, Green Road & participating grdens.
PICNIC IN THE PARK
Sunday 8th June Stubbington Recreation Ground
Free event. Zorbs, face painting, tin can alley, tug of war, kids races and more! Afternoon of fun! Bring a picnic.
CROFTON PROBUS CLUB
Meet for a monthly social lunch at Lee-on-the-Solent Golf Club. Followed by a presentation of interest by a member or an invited guest. For retired and Semi-retired professional/businessmen. If you miss the camaraderie and social connection of the workplace come along to a trial meeting before joining? New members welcome. 07508711299 or email: morton.wouter@gmail.com
MENOPAUSE TOGETHER GOSPORT
Every first Saturday of the month 10am-12noon Methodist Church, Soke Road, Gosport & Every third Wednesday of the month 6-7.30pm at Lee Hub 14 High St, Lee-on-the-Solent PO13 9BZ
A local support group for others struggling with this journey of menopause. Find our group and page on Facebook - Menopause Together Gosport
CATS PROTECTION AT GOSPORT MARKET
31st May 8am-3.30pm Cat-themed goods and donated items for sale. Volunteers on hand to give cat-care advice.
FRIENDS OF STOKES BAY LITTER PICK
28th June Meet by the Splash Park. All equipment provided. www.friendsofstokesbay.co.uk
W L S
Do you have important legal documents in place to protect your interests and make life easier for you and your family, whatever the future brings?
If you have received a diagnosis of dementia, or are concerned about becoming ill and unable to cope with paying your bills, wouldn’t it be helpful for a family member to be able to step in and deal with your finances? If your family member needed to make decisions for you, instead of just acting on your instructions, they would need your formal written authority to do this.
Formal authority can be given by creating a Lasting Power of Attorney. This document will allow your family member to take over managing your money, either temporarily or long term.
You can also create a Lasting Power of Attorney which allows your family member to make decisions for you about medical treatment, if you are unable for any reason to make your own decisions. This is not the same as an Advance Decision, which is a document which sets out your decision to refuse medical treatment in the future, under specific conditions.
If you are caring for an elderly relative, or are likely to be doing so in the future, a Lasting Power of Attorney will mean that you can provide the support your relative needs and access services on their behalf, without the difficulties, stress and resistance you would otherwise encounter.
Having a Will gives you peace of mind that your money, property and personal possessions will be going to the people you have chosen to benefit. An out of date Will can cause problems within the family or mean that a chosen beneficiary receives nothing.
If you have any unanswered questions about Wills or Lasting Powers of Attorney, Christine will be pleased to help, so do please get in touch for a free, no obligation, chat.
Call Christine Davies Solicitor on 07860 772274 or email: christine@winterbornelegal.co.uk
Christine is a Fully Accredited Member of Solicitors for the Elderly and a Dementia Friend. Christine will visit you in your own home and aims to provide a warm personal touch to every meeting.
Christine Davies Solicitor
CLOSURE OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN CHURCHYARD
GOSPORT, HAMPSHIRE
Notice is hereby given that it is the intention of the Secretary of State for Justice, acting on an application by the incumbent and churchwardens, to apply to the Privy Council for an Order requiring the discontinuance of burials in the above churchyard.
Provision would be made for the following exceptions: -
a. in any vault or walled grave in the churchyard, burial may be allowed but every coffin in such vault or grave must be separately enclosed by stonework or brick work properly cemented;
b. in any existing earthen grave in the churchyard, the burial may be allowed of the body of any member of the family of the person or persons previously buried in that grave, but no part of the coffin containing the
body shall be less than one metre below the level of the surface of the ground adjoining the grave; and
c. in any grave space in which no interment has previously taken place, the burial may be allowed of any person for whom, or any member of the family for which that grave space has been reserved and appropriated, with the exclusive right of burial there, but no part of the coffin containing the body shall be less than one metre below the level of the surface of the ground adjoining the grave.
Any representations about the proposed closure should be sent to the Coroners and Burials Team by email to coroners@justice.gov.uk or by post to Coroners Team, Ministry of Justice, 102 Petty France, London SW1H 9AJ (quoting reference CC/FEB25/005) within 21 days of this publication.
Date of posting 30th April 2025
DANDELION THE PLENTIFUL PLANT WITH LION’S TEETH!
Dandelions - Dandelions! I used to pass you by;
Beneath my feet your yellow stars I crushed without a sigh; I used to gaze upon your blooms with but a careless eye, And if of you I thought at all, knew not the reason why. (Franklin Stanwood)
I believe Stanwood’s poem above epitomises most people's relationship with the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis). We are very familiar with this bright and colourful spring/summer plant, that is often sadly maligned by lovers of a perfectly green lawn!
Hopefully, this article will lead to a newfound appreciation of this wonderfully versatile and medicinal plant.
Dandelion derives its common name from both the Latin ‘dens lionis’ and the French ‘dents-delion’ which both mean ‘lion’s teeth’ due to the shape and of the plants’ jagged green leaves. The other commonly heard name is ‘piss-en-lit’ (French for pee-the-bed) which reflects the herb’s diuretic qualities and contributes to the myth that you will wet the bed if you pick them; I remember hearing this as a child!
Taraxacum broadly translates from Greek as ‘medicinal cure’ and the whole plant can be used for a whole range of medicinal purposes. This is one of the most frequently used herbs in my practice. It is a liver stimulant, bitter tonic and diuretic with an affinity for the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, stomach and gut. The uses and benefits will depend on the part of the plant used. The young spring leaves are diuretic and are a gently stimulating kidney tonic that can be a tasty addition to a spring salad. The leaves can also be dried and taken as a tea as part of a spring cleanse along with Cleavers (see last month) or taken as a tincture (alcohol extract) to help to remove excess fluid
(without depleting potassium) and to improve the elimination of toxins from the body, especially useful for skin conditions.
The root of the Dandelion is a liver restorative with bitter properties that promote bile flow and stimulate the digestive cascade. This helps to improve bowel function and gut health, relieving constipation and improving digestion, absorption and elimination of toxins. The root contains Inulin (more so in the autumn) which is a starchy substance found in many fruits and vegetables, that acts as a prebiotic in that it encourages the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
Both the root and leaf can also be effective constituents of a herbal prescription addressing joint inflammation and pain.
The flowers can be used to make wine and syrups (remember to remove the sapcontaining stem) and an infused flower oil can be applied to relieve joint pain and stiffness. The sap from the stem can also be used topically for warts and benign skin lesions.
I’m hoping this article has gone some way in changing the perception of Dandelion from a problematic common weed, to a nutritious and beneficial tonic herb.
Louise Courtney wildsidehealth.co.uk
Nb. While Dandelion is a gentle herb, it should be used with caution during pregnancy, especially in the alcohol form, and avoided in the first trimester. Please consult a qualified medical herbalist before internal use (especially with the tincture and if you are taking other medications), for use with children and if you have gallstones.
Picnic in the Park
Sunday 8th June 12noon - 4.30pm
Stubbington Recreation Ground
FREE EVENT
ZORBS
FACE PAINTING TIN CAN ALLEY
TUG OF WAR
KIDS RACES AND LOTS MORE!
An afternoon of fun! Bring a picnic!
Organised by THE CROFTON LIONS
ST MARK’S CHURCHYARD
AN OCCASIONAL ACCOUNT OF SOME OF OUR INCUMBENTS
Grave 137: The Vince and Hamilton families
Grave 137 in St Mark’s Churchyard gives little detail about its several incumbents, but hides a number of sad stories. Horace and John Vince were brothers. In 1911 Horace joined the army as a Private in the 15th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Sadly he was killed at Ypres in 1917 and buried in Tyne Cot Memorial Cemetery, Flanders.
His brother John joined the 1st Battalion Hampshire Rifles as a private in 1916. That same year, on 23rd October, he was listed as missing in action and is commemorated on the Memorial at Thiepval in Picardie, France. Both brothers are also commemorated on Grave 137.
Their sister Annie Vince married William Hamilton and the two families were close. William died only four years after they married and was buried in St Mark’s in Grave 137. His younger brother Edwin was killed in action in France in 1916 and was buried near the Somme in France. Both are commemorated on Grave 137.
Annie was left with two young children, one of whom, Albert, was physically disabled. He regularly played with his Vince cousins, fishing off Haslar sea-wall. On one of these trips, his younger cousin Ronnie Vince, got into difficulties in rough water. Albert attempted to save him, but drowned during the attempt and passers-by saved Ronnie. Albert was only 19 and a number of newspaper reports of the incident remarked on his bravery. Many local people from Clay Hall attended his funeral in the parish church and his interment in St Mark’s. A report of the funeral of Albert Hamilton appeared in the Portsmouth Evening News on 28 April 1933.
Grave 101: Frederick George Salter [1865 –1931] and his son Frederick George Salter [1893 – 1918]
Frederick Senior was born in Cumbria, but by the 1891 the Census he was living in Gosport, working as a ‘Labourer, Magazine’, which we think is probably the gunpowder storage magazine at Priddy’s Hard. He married Edith Louisa Hobbs, from Gosport and they had three children, two daughters and their son Frederick, born in 1893.
In 1914 he signed up and for the next two years was based in Haslar Hospital as a Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve [RNASBR]. He was discharged in 1916 due to ‘Organic Heart Disease’. The Portsmouth Evening News, January 1922, reported the reappointment of his wife Mrs Edith Salter as a Probation Officer of women and children and he as a Probation Officer for men and boys
over sixteen, and praised their excellent service to date. When Frederick died in 1931, his funeral was reported in various local papers, and he was described as ‘an indefatigable citizen,’ volunteering for many years with both the Loyal Lord Nelson Lodge and St John’s Ambulance. Many people attended both the church service in St Mary’s and the interment at St Mark’s. His wife died in 1954, but is not buried in St Mark’s, and is possibly interred in Ann’s Hill Cemetery.
Frederick George Junior joined the Royal Navy and in 1911 he was serving on HMS Impregnable as a Boy Seaman. He served on many ships over the next seven years, including Victory, Vernon, Revenge and Vanity [which he left on 30 June 1918]. According to his RN official record, he was transferred to HMS Blake on 01 July 1918 and killed when a mine hit the ship on 23 July. The inscription on Grave 101, however, states that he was killed on Vanity. He is also commemorated on the
Naval Memorial in Southsea, which states “HMS Vanity”.
St Mark’s Churchyard, St Mark’s Road, Alverstoke, Gosport.
Thursday mornings and Sunday afternoons continue to be the time that volunteers come and help. The work of weeding, strimming, cutting back, treefelling, planting and general maintenance continues….
ST MARK’S CHURCHYARD OPEN DAY
Saturday 14th June 2-4pm St Mark’s Churchyard, St Mark’s Road, Alverstoke, Gosport. Refreshments and plants for sale. Friends and families very welcome.
With 3 sites in the local area, all of our Garages are high ranking members of ‘The Good Garage Scheme’ and ‘Checkatrade’. Our Garages provide onsite MOT testing. Mon - Fri: 8.30 - 5.30 Sat: 8.30 - 12.30
0333 3585 999
Solent Airport MOTs, Unit il1-3, Illustrious Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent PO13 9FX (Stubbington Motors is now at Solent Airport MOTS) Elkins Motors, 99b Mays Lane, Stubbington PO14 2ED Locks Heath Garage, 212 Hunts Pond Road, Locks Heath PO14 4PG
HVR CUSTOMS
Specialists in VW’s, we also cover many other makes and models in the full or part conversion of camper vans, kombi vans and caddy’s. We manufacture and design custom built camper interiors for Volkswagens and other makes.
Full & Part Conversions
VW Transporters, Campers, Kombi’s and Caddy’s
0333 3585 999 (Option 3)
HVR Customs, Unit il3-4, Illustrious Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent PO13 9FX
CARS AND VANS ALWAYS IN STOCK FOR SALE!
Specialising in transporters and small low mileage cars. (The cars are ideal for first time drivers.)
£925,000 5 BED DETACHED. 3 EN-SUITES & BALCONY. OPEN PLAN KITCH/DINING. & FAMILY ROOM.
£695,000 SUPERBLY REFURBISHED. 5 BED DETACHED. 2 X HOME OFFICE/STUDY. CLOSE TO VILLAGE.
£410,000 MODERNISATION REQUIRED. DETACHED. NO CHAIN. ON GOOD SIZED PLOT. GARAGE & DRIVEWAY.
£295,000 LISTED TOP FLOOR 2 BED APARTMENT. BALCONY WITH SEA VIEWS. COMMUNAL GARDEN. SHARE OF F/HOLD.
£389,950 EXTENDED 3 BED DETACHED BUNGALOW. GARAGE/WORKSHOP. SOUTH FACING REAR GARDEN
