Rosemary Harding, Part 5
Images: Rosemary Harding, copyright reserved. For any rights requests, please contact the New Forest Heritage Centre in the first instance.
Rosemary Harding CH5 Duration: 2:58
CB: Ah, right, that’s lovely. Okay, tell me the names of the Agisters here, starting on the left. (RH030)
Rosemary: This is the agisters in the ‘fifties. On the left is Ron Ings; next is Raymond Bennett; then it’s Raymond Stickland; and Hubert Forwood.
CB: That’s lovely.
Rosemary: And that is in Verderer’s Court.
CB: I was going to say, that looks like Verderer’s Court.
Rosemary: Yeah, that’s in Verderer’s Court.
CB: In fact, they’ve just re-done all the floor in there –
Rosemary: Yes.
CB: Relaid it. Same tiles.
Rosemary: And that’s when they wore boots and gaiters –
CB: Oh, yes!
Rosemary: And you had to do the little buttons?
CB: Oh yes!
Rosemary: With a hook –
CB: Amazing!
Rosemary: Yeah, ‘cos Geordie had (retired?), but I can’t tell you what year.
CB: Okay, and that’s when – Raymond retired? (RH031)
Rosemary: No, he did.
CB: Geordie retired.
Rosemary: Dad presented it to him.
CB: Oh, I see. What a beautiful statue of a horse. Actually, I can’t quite read on there what date it is.
Rosemary: No, I can’t.
CB: That’s lovely. Thank you. Now, tell me about this photograph. (RH032)
Rosemary: This is my dad in the middle with a Galloway cow on a halter and it was a gentleman helping him, and Sue Rix must’ve helped them getting him to go on the wharf.
CB: Yep, and Sue Rix is –
Rosemary: [information redacted] mum.
CB: [information redacted] and [information redacted] is an agister at the moment.
Rosemary: Yes.
CB: Okay. Tell me about that one. (RH033)
Rosemary: This my dad out on his horse in the ‘sixties, in the Forest, having a ride round to see what animals is to be sorted out.
CB: Yes, that was the Fritham Conker, that’s the one –
Rosemary: Fritham Conkers, yes.
CB: He liked that one, didn’t he?
Rosemary: Yes. Yes, he was a good old work horse, like sittin’ in an armchair.
CB: Was he?
Rosemary: Yes.
CB: You rode him? Did you used to ride him?
Rosemary: Yeah. He was my horse, technically. (Both laugh)
CB: Was he now!
Rosemary: Yes. He was lovely.
CB: You say he was strong enough to bring the colts home?
Rosemary: Yes, I’ve know dad come home with two colts tied on round his neck.
CB: Really. And he’d just walk them on back?
Rosemary: Yes.
CB: That’s a tough job. How big was he do you think.
Rosemary: He was thirteen two.
CB: Was he?
Rosemary: Mmm.
CB: Very strong. Real good legs on him.
Rosemary: Then after he passed on, we had Rocky.
CB: Did you?
Rosemary: He was a chestnut. We liked chestnuts.
CB: I like chestnuts as well. That’s lovely, thank you. Okay, and this last one. (RH034) Tell me about this one.
Rosemary: This was when my dad retired; the [information redacted] presented a photograph – a painting, I should say – of our property. And with the animals outside. The only thing he did wrong, he had the horse in the wrong field.
CB: (laughing) Oh, did he! Look, in the painting. And that was in Verderer’s Court.
Rosemary: Yes, the Verderer’s Court.
CB: And what year was that, can you remember?
Rosemary: About nineteen eighty-five.
CB: ‘Eighty-five.
Rosemary: Mmm.
CB: Yeah. Must be very proud of your painting.
Rosemary: Mmm.