Romsey Local History Society

Church Street in Romsey underwent major redevelopment during the second half of the twentieth century. The former Guard's department stores were demolished or repurposed, with a magistrates’ court, post office and council offices taking their place. The site of Osborne House School, later used by the county council and as a car park, was eventually redeveloped as Abbey Walk after archaeological investigations uncovered evidence of historic activity, including a possible dyeing pit.

The Hall family’s rise in Romsey began with Thomas Hall, an innholder who married Sarah Coleman in 1720. After Sarah remarried clockmaker Samuel Austin, her son Thomas Hall appears to have trained under his stepfather and became an accomplished clockmaker, with one of his longcase clocks surviving at Broadlands House. Thomas was also a prominent civic figure, serving as mayor twice, and partnered with Richard Trodd to establish the Trodd and Hall Horsefair Brewery. The brewery passed through several generations of the Hall family before being leased and eventually purchased by Strong and Co.

The piece contrasts traditional childhood activities with contemporary play, noting that traffic has reduced children’s freedom to roam and that games such as skipping, conkers, ball games, daisy chains, dandelion clocks, buttercup tests and hoop bowling have largely declined. It suggests that scooters, bicycles and computers have replaced many older pastimes, while wondering what future generations will do away from screens.

Net curtains have served as practical privacy screens in Romsey homes, with historical photographs showing different styles of hanging and coverage. The piece traces changing window treatments from curtains and blinds to older wooden shutters, noting their cleaning requirements, changing domestic practices and their protective value against flying glass during World War Two. It also highlights the long history of curtain fittings, including hooks listed among provisions for King Edward III’s household.