Party time on the fledgling Leigh Park estate | Nostalgia

The Cricketers Tavern, in Riders Lane, Leigh Park, was opposite Stockheath Common. It was demolished eight years ago. Stockheath has, for the most part, been subsumed by Leigh Park and many do not even know of it.

All the adults seen in the photographs were former Portsmouth people who moved to Leigh Park in the late 1940s and were some of the first on the estate.

No doubt they had been bombed out of their homes in Portsmouth and couldn’t wait to move to a new three-bedroomed house on the new Leigh Park estate.

Alongside the Cricketers was a large hall which was used like a community centre with dances, meetings and, of course, an annual yearly Christmas party.

In the first photograph, the one with the window on the left, are Mrs Ray, Mrs Freer, Eileen’s mother Vi George, Mrs Couch (head above the rest), Mrs Baker, Dickie George and Mrs Privett.

In the second photograph taken at the same party we see Lorna Baker front left with spectacles.

The local policeman was PC Lock and his wife is also in the photograph but I’m not sure which she is.

Plenty of balloons and flags decorate the hall and the tables seem laden with goodies no doubt all supplied by the children’s parents.

The landlord of the Cricketers at this time was former Hampshire cricketer George Heath. The Cricketers was the only place to have a drink before Leigh Park was established.

If you were one of the children and can remember the hall, the party, or perhaps you drank in the Cricketers please let me know. Photographs would also be appreciated.

• Two readers helped with Monday’s photo of pre-war Fareham – Keith West and Robert Pragnell.

The road running left to right is West Street. The road running to the top with the tramlines is Portland Street. The long sheds at the top were part of the cattle market.

The large church on the right of Portland Street was the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Looking at maps I see this was demolished between 1952 and 1968.

The area is now much-changed . The area to the north of West Street with the trees is now part of Fareham Shopping Centre. Portland Street is no more apart from a short section remaining off the top of the picture.

The only two remaining buildings in this picture are the white building on the corner of Portland Street, and the Congregational Church next door. On the extreme left is the old fire station.