War Time Memories of Mum and Dad Seymour
Author: NFNPA Archaeology
These photos and memories of Vanessa Golton’s parents have been pieced together by research undertaken by Vanessa and kindly shared with the New Forest Remembers Project.
Margaret Winifred Probert and James Henry Seymour were married at Ringwood Parish Church of St.Peter and St.Paul, The Market place, Ringwood, on 25th November 1941.
It was a basic Wartime wedding; mainly arranged by Margaret, whilst Jim was training hard with the Navy, ready to go to sea. There is only one photo from the wedding.
Margaret
Margaret was in the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) at the beginning of the war, the ATS training school was at The Grange Hotel, Southbourne, Bournemouth.
After the wedding Margaret applied to move to The Land Army, permission was granted in the summer of 1941.
She worked in The Land Army, at Lance Robert’s market garden farm, in Poulner, Ringwood. Lance Roberts was a good employer, and became a good family friend.
James
James was born and grew up at the family home, Merryweather farm. The farm is on Southampton Road (previously Poulner lane/Home street), Ringwood. The Farm provided milk and other dairy products to Ringwood, and also sent milk further a field, via the railway station at Ringwood.
Merryweather farmhouse itself, is still there, but is now split into flats and surrounded by the modern houses at Chaffey close, next to the Ambulance station at Poulner, with Poulner scout hall sited on what once, was the farm’s orchard. The A31 now cuts through the farm’s land, to the rear of the house. The mount was also part of the farms land; it has now been extensively developed, with houses covering almost all of it. Jim’s father, Thomas Seymour and his wife Ellen, would have continued running the farm during the war.
During WW2, Jim was a Chief petty officer, in the Navy. He left shortly after his wedding day, to serve in Egypt. He served at Tobruk and then El Alamein in 1942, where he suffered a perforated eardrum. An injury, that troubled him in some ways, for the rest of his life.
His letters home, indicate how much he misses home, his family and his new wife. In a letter home, dated 4th April 1942 to Margaret, he is sounding particularly homesick and longing for British Spring time weather, rather than the heat, sand and flies, in the desert area, where he is. A record called “September in the rain” is on the radio, reminding him of when he first met Margaret. On research, I have found that the songs lyrics were by Al Dublin and the Music by Harry Warren, 1937, when Mum was 17 and Dad, 22. It was also the music for the film “Melody for Two”.
The main ways to pass time, when James did have spare time, seemed to be card games, darts, playing football, including getting local teams and other service teams to play each other, water polo and swimming competitions. There were cinemas (picture houses), another favourite pass time. He preferred to work on the night shift, to avoid the desert heat, and then if possible, to take a morning swim. Most of the time, letters were censored, and locations could not be mentioned. Although, some clues did on occasions, get through to home.
Meanwhile, back in Ringwood, Margaret was kept very busy in the land army. Ringwood had its picture house, but Mum was probably not so keen to go, without Dad. The Crown hotel sometimes held dances, a chance for friends and family to have light relief from the stresses of war.
Her home during the war was mainly a flat, above her father (Leslie Charles Probert) butcher’s shop at 29 Southampton road, Ringwood. At present, Barrow Bros & Tapper funeral service premises. She also spent a lot of time at her Father’s family home, Berwyn Bank, at Poulner Hill Ringwood. The house is still there. As well as being the Probert’s family home, some American soldiers also stayed there during the war. Some of the Americans played Gospel music, particularly loved by one of Margaret’s brothers, John Probert.
Margaret’s father, Leslie, was a Sergeant in the secret auxiliary unit of the local Home Guard, also known as Churchill’s Secret Army. Other members were fellow Ringwood shopkeepers and businessmen. Leading an important role in England’s defence, with a few humorous unconfirmed Dad’s Army type stories as well. One Ringwood example is a fellow member, shooting himself in the foot, after Grandad built a booby trap in his shop.
James’ letters from late summer, early autumn 1944, are posted from Chatham, Kent, and Portsmouth.
So at last, he was back in England, able to visit his wife at weekends, via train and bus. That must have been a wonderful feeling, to be back safely in England again.
There was a very happy event to follow, on June 26th 1945, the birth of Margaret and Jim’s first child, a Daughter, Pamela.
Dad had to spend until summer 1946, still in the Navy, based in a mixture of Barracks and rented accommodation in Portsmouth. So he probably only saw his wife and new baby Pamela at weekends. After leaving the Navy, he was able to live back in Ringwood, full time. Working as an engineer at Wellworthys, until his retirement in 1980.
Margaret and Jim went on to have three more children, after Pamela. David, Brenda and myself, Vanessa.
If you have similar memories and photos of your parents, please share them with us. Likewise if you have any information on the Auxillary Units in or around the New Forest
Date: 1941
You can find more information on the Auxiliary Patrol that Margaret’s father was involved in on the British Resistance Archive:
http://www.coleshillhouse.com/ringwood-a-auxiliary-unit-patrol.php