The Hampshire Family Historian | Volume 50 No.2 | Sept 2023

Member’s article

Vera Maud EAGLES, born 1917. Vera was employed at The International Stores in Petersfield, and no doubt travelled there on a Liss and District Bus. Whilst there she met my Father to be, Percy Gordon LINDSELL . Gordon, as he preferred to be called, lived at 8, Barham Road, Petersfield at the time, having moved from Horsham in Sussex to take up the shop job. They were married at St John the Baptist Church, Greatham Village on 12th June 1944 and initially moved into Fernwood, Forest Road, Liss Forest until April 1945, when they set up home at

Co-operative Grocery Shop in Fratton Road from 1959. He continued to work for the Co-op until retirement in April 1980. Gladys Elizabeth EAGLES, born 1909. Gladys married Walter Clarence GOODALL in Portsmouth in April 1933. She was employed as a Booking Clerk at Liss Station during the War, probably between 1941 and 1946. Many women had taken over male jobs during the War whilst the men were fighting overseas. I don't know if she lodged at Gunville Cottage during this time or came up from Portsmouth to do her shifts. She

William and Alice Eagles in the garden of Gunville Cottage. Circa 1944

was definitely at Liss Station for the presentation to the Station Master, Mr

3, Pine Cottages, Liss Forest. Coincidentally, I was born on 12th June 1947, exactly three years later, in the Hill Brow Nursing Home, which closed in September 1999 and has since been demolished. Why I was born there I do not know but maybe I came too soon and it was not possible to get to maternity in Petersfield. Gordon was in the Home Guard between 10th August 1940 until 31st December 1944, but I don't know what platoon he served in, maybe Horsham, Petersfield and/or Liss? The EAGLES that remained, William and Alice, moved to a bungalow in Purbrook, Hampshire in around November 1949. We remained in Liss Forest until moving to Fratton in Portsmouth in September 1950, where my Father took up employment with Smith and Vospers, (Bakers) and finally, the

CASELY , who was moving to Fleet Station, on 12th April, 1946, as the picture on the next page shows, along with other station staff and the new Station Master.

Vera and Gordon's Wedding, 12th June, 1944

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