The call to place: Hampshire

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Anabel and Becky, Winchester 2018

Last week, I left you with a bit of a riddle. I said I would soon be off for a short break to the south coast of England with John who was visiting a university in a city where I lived briefly as a young woman. I also told you that it was near the home of a blogging friend whom I was going to meet, and invited you to guess where and who. By the time my scheduled post was published, that meeting had already taken place. The university was Southampton and the blogger was Becky who lives in nearby Winchester, when she’s not in the Algarve, and writes at The life of B and It caught my eye in Portugal.

Becky and I had been discussing a meetup for some months, envisaging that we would both travel to somewhere in-between our homes, but John’s trip was too good an opportunity to miss. He’s a regular, if infrequent, visitor to Southampton and I’ve wanted to accompany him for years, long before I knew Becky. Somehow, it never worked out, but this visit was on a Monday allowing us to make a weekend of it. Why was I so keen?

Let me take you back 40 years to 1978. I was finishing my undergraduate degree in Sheffield and hoping to study Librarianship at postgraduate level. To do this, you had to have a year’s experience working in a library. At that time, many councils and universities had Graduate Trainee posts which allowed you to experience all aspects of library work. I applied for several and accepted the first one I was offered – Hampshire County Council. I thus spent four months each working in Southampton, Winchester and Farnborough. Apart from one short visit a couple of years later, I’ve never been back until now. What would be different? What had stayed the same?

I have very few photographs of that time. Forgive the quality of this one, scanned from an old slide, which shows me standing outside Southampton Central Library in the autumn of 1978. My very first library job. Could I replicate this picture?

Anabel in Southampton, 1978

We had a wonderful weekend searching for the answers to these questions. On Saturday, we met Becky in Winchester. I can report that she is an excellent tour guide, and I’m very grateful to her for taking a few hours out of her busy schedule to show us around. On Sunday, John and I took a walk through Southampton’s Old Town and on Monday, while John was working, I did some more exploring myself and hunted down some old haunts. Full posts on Southampton and Winchester will appear in due course*.

As for my year in Hampshire, it passed very quickly and in October 1979 I returned to Sheffield to study for my MA. While there, I met John as I’ve already described in a previous post. He had another year to go on his PhD in Sheffield, but I was going back to Hampshire. Part of the traineeship arrangement was that I (and 5 other trainees) would work for the council for at least two years after university. The library would save up librarian vacancies during our year out and slot us in when we returned. However, in May 1979 a Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher had been elected and all the talk was of cuts, cuts, cuts. Much like now.

In the early summer of 1980, Hampshire wrote to say they had no librarian vacancies but would appoint returning trainees to library assistant posts and we would all have to compete for anything better that came up. This was a blow. When I told John, he said “You could write and tell them you’re getting married and don’t want to come back.” What! This was the first time the M word had been mentioned between us, so I took it as a proposal and, well, here we still are.

I didn’t actually say that to Hampshire, but I suggested that, as they were obviously having difficulty finding jobs for us all, it was in everyone’s interests if I applied elsewhere. Luckily, I got a job in Nottinghamshire – much nearer Sheffield! But I did wonder as I toured Winchester last week what our lives would have been like if I had gone back.

Many of you will know Cathy who has created several blogs over the years but is now settling down as ~wander.essence~. She’s revamping her approach to travel writing and is encouraging us to do so too. One of her challenges is Call to Place – I invite you to write a 700-900 word (or less) post on your own blog about what enticed you to choose a recently visited or a future particular destination. I’m linking this post to that invitation – Cathy’s own most recent call to place is to the Four Corners area of the USA. Follow the link to find out more.

*See:

Bloggers, England, Family history, People, UK , , ,

91 Comments »

  1. Pingback: the call to place: turkey – ~ wander.essence ~
  2. Pingback: Southampton and me – The Glasgow Gallivanter

  3. It’s so interesting to go back to places one lived earlier in life and to ponder the “what if” question. The fact that you found a picture of yourself from that time really adds to to the story. My pre-digital photos are a bit disorganized, but I could probably find one from 1978.

    I like your idea of doing a grand tour of your old haunts in the UK, visiting IRL and blogging acquaintances. That would make a great series of blog posts!

    Jude

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    • It would, wouldn’t it? As for my old photos, they are mostly in boxes in the loft. This was one my mum took when the family visited me – her pictures are much more accessible!

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  4. First let me say that I love the then and now picture. It is wonderful to see the early version of you and the lovely version of you that you have become.

    Second, I adore the veiled marriage proposal ‘You could write and tell them you’re getting married and don’t want to come back’. What a charmer. I am glad that he followed through :-).

    Third, Hampshire was my home base for five months in 2011. I studied for my RYA Yachtmaster out of British Offshore Sailing School in the Hamble. I visited Southampton (by land and sea) and Winchester (by land). I loved it there and will be back.

    Fourth, I enjoyed seeing your meet up with fellow blogger Becky and hope I have the honor of meeting you someday.

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  5. Both you and Becky look so pretty in pink and how wonderful to be able to meet up. I enjoyed reading about your earlier life and especially about the impromptu proposal. 🙂 Your visit must have brought back some very fond memories.

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  9. I’m smiling away here. Was such fun to finally meet you both, and I’m so sorry I’ve taken so long to comment. I’m currently doing crazy hours 🙁 so good to sit down for a moment and read your fab post.

    PS I’ve discovered that unusual 🥕 dish you had. It is meant to be part of a tapas!! Can send you the recipe if you want 😉

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  12. So pleased you enjoyed Winchester and Soujthampton – neither far from me. I love Wnchester, it has a lovely ambiance I think, and I am always happy to take visitors there.

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    • It is a lovely place. I could have lived there happily – but they might have sent me to Basingstoke or somewhere not quite (?) so interesting! Maybe next time I’ll make it across to IoW.

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  13. I love it so much, Anabel, when you write of your early life and your studies and dreams and life with John. It’s no wonder you were called back to Hampshire! It sounds like you had a wonderful time with Becky. I can’t wait to read more about it. How wonderful that you were able to replicate that earlier photo.

    I’m sorry for the late reply. We’ve been very busy on our trip and spent almost the entire day hiking around Colorado National Monument!

    I’ll link this to my next call to place post which is May 24. Thanks for writing this beautiful piece and linking up!

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  14. What a great connection for the first post in this challenge for you!

    There are numerous places from my past I would love to visit again. One big one is Beijing, where I did my study abroad. It has been almost 20 years since then (how did all that time pass?!) and everyone tells me the city is unrecognizable. I’d like to see it for myself, though!

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    • John goes to Beijing sometimes – I just asked him and he said the first time was 1999 and he has seen huge changes. Maybe you will get there again someday! (Minus Choppy and Schooner 😟). I don’t understand where the time goes either – 40 years since I graduated! Scary.

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  15. The perfect post to link up with Cathy’s challenge, Anabel! She’s currently traveling in the Four Corners area, as you mentioned. Mark and I will miss her/them by only a couple of weeks, since we plan to explore the same area in the beginning of June! So, not the kind of luck you had with Becky. 🙂

    It’s interesting to contemplate what might have happened, if we made different decisions at certain times of our lives. Everything would be different! Or, at least, a lot would be! I love John’s wedding proposal, or how he roped you in, anyway.

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    • That’s a shame you’ll miss Cathy! I can think of several points where a decision could have sent me off in a completely different direction. This was one of the roads I’m definitely glad I travelled.

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  16. Hi, Anabel – I love your “What if I had stayed in Hampshire?” question. I am very glad that you didn’t. Otherwise, I may not be reading this engaging ‘travel plus’ blog! Glad that you had such a great bloggers’ meet up (I always love those). I look forward to your full posts on Southampton and Winchester!

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    • Well, you might be reading about England rather than Scotland! Having said that, I’m not sure we expected to stay here so long, but now I cannot imagine living anywhere else.

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  17. I enjoyed your trip down memory lane. It does indeed seem like the last time with the current austerity decade dragging on without an end point in sight yet never a flicker of the folk recommending all the cuts tightening their own belts in any way, shape or form.

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  18. One of the many things I enjoy about your blog, Anabel, is that you consistently do a great job of linking your past to your present. I’m assuming that’s the way your mind works because of your passion for history. Whatever the reason, it’s very effective and very interesting.

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    • Thank you! I do seem to be including a bit more personal history these days, rather than sticking to a straightforward travel diary. Maybe it’s getting older, or reading other people’s blogs, or working with mum on her memoir blog. Or maybe it’s all 3!

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  19. She’s a lovely lass, isn’t she? And busy as a bee! I keep meaning to text her but I know she’s snowed under. Isn’t it a bizarre world where we all meet/cross over/miss each other? And isn’t Cathy doing a grand job getting us all reminiscing? 🙂 🙂

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  21. My dear friend Val lives in Portsmouth so we have visited Hampshire several times. Winchester is such a pretty city and so much history. How delightful for you spend some time with Becky too. Will you go again next time there’s an opportunity?
    Clever John to make sure you weren’t going to return to the deep south with that proposal. Almost as romantic as Mr ET, who was in the army at the time. He came back from an exercise and said, “I’ve been sitting in the bush in the rain for two weeks and I’ve been thinking. We should get married.”

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  23. Oh I enjoyed this post, Anabel [good photo of the younger you!] and great that you and Cathy caught up with each other. It’s a small world when other people such as Geoff were situated at the same place same years!

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      • Yes, I read Geoff’s interesting comment and it made me think how many people we have passed and now know? It is indeed a small world.

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  24. Ah, the twists and turns off life. Full of ‘if only…’ I thought it must be Becky after I commented on your earlier post. Lovely to see you both in pink 🙂 I bet you had a grand day out. We actually looked at a flat in Winchester, but decided that without parking it would be a problem. A lovely city though and one I could happily have lived in.

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  25. It is always fascinating to play the ‘what if’ game. I often think about how if just one tiny thing about my life’s journey had been different, how I wouldn’t be where I am today. The road could have gone in so many directions at any point along the way. And how fun to meet a fellow blogger. Glad you got to do that.

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  26. Hi Anabel – what fun … and how interesting to read how you started out your librarianship and your married life – I guess … John is very down to earth and practical?! Love his proposal … cheers Hilary PS looking forward to the next two …

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    • Thanks, Hilary, glad you enjoyed the post. John is definitely down to earth and practical, but if you asked me to say which of us was the most romantic it would definitely be him!

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  28. The picture turned out pretty well considering the origin. Funny how we can see the differences between the pics of that time until now. I’m glad you met up with another fellow blogger…always fun and so nice to go back in time

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    • It was so interesting to see what I remembered and what I didn’t – and what I got completely wrong. And yes, it’s always good to meet fellow bloggers. I’ve enjoyed it every time, you have all been so lovely.

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  29. I love to revisit places where I lived at another point in my life. It’s also fun to explore thoughts of how our life would have been different if another road had been chosen. As usual, I enjoyed your post.

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    • Thanks, Fran. I love doing that too, though it doesn’t happen very often. I’ve revisited childhood homes (from outside) before, but in pre-blogging times. I have a strong desire to do a grand tour of the U.K. visiting old haunts, old friends and some bloggers too. When John retires maybe!

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  30. How interesting to look back and ponder on the twists and turns and then be able to go back and compare then with now. It is a real bonus to meet up with blogging friends too

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  31. Now in the autumn of 1978 I was studying for my law finals in Guildford. The course ended in November so I went home to the New Forest to revise. It was hell and I needed some Variety. So on a few occasions Dad took me with him as he headed to Southampton water to work and dropped me at Lyndhurst road station to catch the train 2 stops to Southampton from where I headed for the library to find a quiet seat to revise. Did we pass in those quiet halls? Did we even speak… what a small world that would make it.

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    • Geoff, that is entirely possible! I had a few forays out to branches, but most of the time I was in the central library. I have no pictures from 1978 of the interior but it’s completely different now from my memory – light and open, and obviously renovated fairly recently.

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  32. I really interesting post, and I love the way John ‘proposed’ 🙂 I read Becky’s posts too so it was nice to read that you finally met each other. Cathy’s Call to Place idea sounds very interesting, I’ll follow your link when I have time later and read more – who knows, I may come up with something for my own blog 🙂

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  33. I have family in Hampshire. I may be seeing more of them in time to come, so I’ll pick your brains some more when the time comes.

    As for the picture of you in 1978… very much a girl of our times! I see the replicated picture in your tweet alongside – did you mean to add it in here as well?

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    • Thanks Jemima, I’ll be writing about Southampton and Winchester in due course but other than that my experience is still 40 years old! I’ll be putting the recent picture in the Southampton post, but I thought it would make the tweet more interesting to tweet them together.

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