An Affectionate Look at Life
in the Area at the Accession
of Queen Elizabeth II
in 1952

"l just remember that we
had a party with egg
and cress sandwiches"

Britain in 1952 was just emerging from the grey years that followed the Second World War. There were still shortages in many areas such as building materials. All over the country rebuilding was a slow process. Southampton was still disfigured by many bomb sites. All over this area temporary housing, prefabs, were put up to house families who had lost their homes during the war. Southampton which had lost most of its shopping area still had temporary shops such as Plummers. Radio was still an important form of entertainment and television sets were still rare in the area. The Trams had only just vanished into history and their replacement the Guy AEC with its familiar red box shape was still new on the streets. Cars were still few and speeds were slower. The Redbridge Causeway was still choked at rush hour.

Totton, too .was smaller with less than the 30,000 population it has today. The Precinct had not been built. Rumbridge Street was a thriving shopping area with a Woolworth's and a number of Co op shops. The Calmore Estate had not been built. Houston School was not in existence. The main secondary school was Testwood School ,headed by Mr.Ridges. Across the Salisbury Road
Abbotswood school was thriving, as was Eling School south of the Railway line. In Junction Road the Savoy Cinema provided entertainment for the locals. The cinema was one of three owned by a small company.

The English Team contained many unknowns such as Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews. The Saints were relegated in 1953 to the Third Division and eventually got promoted in 1959. Totton Football Club spent the fifties see sawing between Division One and Two of the Hampshire League. You could watch Speedway
or go greyhound racing at the Stadium in Southampton. You could drown your sorrows after a game at any number of local Public Houses, such as the Elephant and Castle, the Anchor or the Village Bells. The much beloved Traveller's Rest on the site of the War Memorial Car Park has long since disappeared. After your night out you could travel home on a Hants and Dorset bus. They were easy to recognise. They were double decked dark green
boxes. Upstairs some had long seats which were difficult to vacate if the Bus was packed. You could travel home on a train steam powered of course and even travel down the Waterside on a train.

What about the people who went to St. Mary's. Well for a start there was more of them. Congregations were larger. In 1952 the Vicar was the Rev. Fletcher. There was a flourishing choir at the Church and a large Sunday School. Some of the men worked Burt Boulton 's, the largest timber yard and the biggest employer in the area. If they bought a house the average price in 1952 was £1800. If they bought a new car they could expect to pay £800for a new Vauxhall The lady of the house could expect to spend 11 - 12 on food. Today in 2002 the average food bill is £32. The average weekly wage was £9. and plastic credit cards
were a thing of the future. The congregation of St. Mary's spent a third of their income on essentials. No foreign holidays then or video games or C.D. players. The married ladies of the congregation stayed at home. It was in the fifties that women began to return to work. Even so people still believed in saving for that rainy day. Some of the budget went on cigarettes. Smoking was socially acceptable and was widely advertised.

Such was life when Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne in1952. The good old days we are told. Perhaps this is not the case. Materially in 2004 we are much better off but perhaps we have lost part of the sense of community that we had in
1952. The age of Woodbines, Nestled Five Boys chocolate, Educating Archie and Stanley Matthews has faded into a rosy memory.

BACK TO MAIN PAGE