The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
The London and Southampton Railway was first proposed in 1831 and the bill approved by Parliament in 1834 at a cost of £900,000. The section between Basingstoke and Winchester opened on 11 May 1840 – and was the final part of the London and Southampton Railway to be completed. Prior to its construction, all of the traffic between London and Southampton was carried by eight stage coaches, four wagons per week, and one barge weekly on the Basingstoke Canal!
Gordon Alfred Richardson 1949 -1950
On a visit to Micheldever in 2010, the family were unable to locate the exact site of Gordon's grave so they approached the vicar of St Mary’s for permission to place a bench in the churchyard. This is now in place.
Further information
Gordon’s parents, Joan Isla (neé Gill) and Peter Trevor Richardson met during World War II while serving in the RAF at Innsworth Air Base. They married on 30th December 1944 and lived in East Stratton until a house became available in Southbrook Place, Micheldever in 1949.
From 1940 Joan was living at Bradley Cottage with her parents and Joan had a particularly strong bond with her Mother Isla. In December 1945 Joan gave birth to Simon who sadly died the next month from gastroenteritis. This was devastating for Peter and Joan. Anthony came along in January 1947 but later that year in October Joan lost her beloved Mother Isla to cancer. This loss was so deep that Joan still yearned for Isla till her own death.
Gordon came along in September 1949 and all was going well until the following January when he became a victim of cot death. This proved to be too much for both Joan and Peter. Joan suffered a breakdown and with the help of kind neighbours and the District Nurse her daily routine was once again established but effects of a very deep grief affected her daily life. And Peter never again spoke of his two sons he lost.
But life goes on. In March 1951 Gary was born and the following year Petrina and finally in 1954 Samuel came along. In 1956 Joan, Peter and the children migrated to Australia in part to leave behind these tragedies.
On the few occasions Joan spoke of Simon and Gordon the subject of a headstone for them also came into the conversation particularly for Gordon as he was buried next to a path and there was the worry of people unknowingly stepping on his grave. Sadly both Peter and Joan passed away in 2004 without ever having fulfilled that plan. So I, Petrina their daughter, along with my husband Arthur, set out to erect a headstone. But, on a visit to Micheldever in 2010, we are unable to locate the exact site of his grave so we approached the vicar of St Mary’s for permission to place a bench in the churchyard. This is now in place. I know Mum and Dad would be pleased as much as Arthur and I. It is an honour to be able to place this memorial in the churchyard in memory of my brother.
Petrina Griffiths 8 May 2011
Australia
Location
Churchyard
Plaque
Churchyard-Cremateds plot by the fence
Churchyard-Cremateds plot by the fence
Plaque