 Postcard to Miss Anning dated December 1904
This view shows the southern entrance to the village with many of today's houses and buildings the same as over a hundred years ago. Bridge House in the centre and the Victoria Institute just above it are easily recognisable while the back of Jubilee Cottages can be seen on the left of the picture. The junction at Station Road is visible as is the clear line of chalk marking the excavation of the new railway line. When this photograph was taken the construction of the railway was clearly well underway. The line opened in 1903 - one year before the card was posted.It is addressed to a 'Miss Anning' of Stamford Hill, London and is post marked 9.00 p.m Alresford, December 13, 1904. The message reads " Many thanks for the card. I shall be pleased to exchange with you, I prefer views, as I like them the best, you do not say what sort you like. Yrs truly F Goodwin, Dec 10-04" An intriguing message as we do not know the nature of the exchange. However, the clue may be in the card itself, '...I prefer views...' Was it the beginning of a pen-pal relationship with postcards as a shared interest? Certainly at that time it would have been a respectable past-time for young folk of a certain education and disposition.
Westbury House
 The Headmaster's study at Westbury House A few weeks before F Goodwin wrote to Miss Anning, in November 1904, the parish experienced a major disaster when fire broke out at Westbury House a Palladian mansion to the east of the village. The Hampshire Chronicle at the time described the fire in these terms: ' ... the residence of Colonel Le Roy Lewis is today but the skeleton of its former imposing structure, having been totally gutted by fire in the early hours of Wednesday last. Not only was a terrible havoc wrought to the structure but the fire was attended by a fatal accident to the housekeeper Jane Henly, while others of the household suffered injuries. The outstanding feature of the occurence was the heroism displayed by Colonel Le Roy and the gallantry he displayed in the South African War which won him the D.S.O, was reproduced by his redoubtable courage and daring which saved many lives in dire peril through the fire. It was shortly before 3 a.m when the screams of the French governess , Melle Comadene (sic), awakened Colonel Le Roy Lewis. When he opened his bedroom door the passage was a sheet of flame. Covering his face with his hands the Colonel dashed 40 feet through the flames and roused his five children. He descended by means of a stackpipe to the lawn and with the aid of four men who were sleeping in their quarters at the stables, the two governesses were rescued by ladders. Mrs Lewis and the children were rescued through the windows." Quite a breathtaking account! Worthy of a dashing John Buchan character at the start of the new century. The damage to the building was estimated to be £20,000-30,000 at the time. A considerable sum of money but the Colonel was a man of means and began the rebuilding almost immediately according to contemporary accounts. The quality of work was high and to the 'latest modern standards' of the day. Consequently, electricity was available in all the rooms as in our picture of the study and not surprisingly a fire alarm system installed. Even after being split into 3 lots it comprised 4944 acres, embracing 9 farms, 26 cottages, the Stewards house, 4 farmlands and the watermill at Drayton and at West Meon. The entire estate, which included much farmland, woodland and buildings was put up for auction in 1918 and the historic house and park split off to become a Preparatory School. Westbury House would remain a school for many years. During World War II it gave shelter to national treasures moved out from London to avoid the bombing and was home to the records of the Corporation of the City of London. With a history dating back to before Domesday the ruin of the little Chapel of Saint Nicholas can be found in the grounds. The Chapel is officially designated as a scheduled ancient monument. Today Westbury House is a specialist nursing home www.westburyhouse.net |
