Corsham, Cross Keys 1904

Photo ref: 51494V

This 1904 photo shows both the main line through Box but also the entry to a huge underground military store and factory. When I worked at the MoD in the 1960's I recall that there were 2 lines at one end of the tunnel and 4 at the other. The plans of the extent of the underground works and stores were not fully shown on the plans held at the office; much of it was still classified as "secret" and ...see more

I moved to Corsham with my mother approx 1947. She became housekeeper to "eventually" my stepfather Jack Giblin. He worked firstly at a big house-Pockeridge ?- as a messenger, subsequently as a stoker in a boiler room at Hawthorn. We lived in a cottage near the house, no electricity, oil lamps and cooking by oil stove, a "chemical" toilet at the bottom of the garden which was emptied once a week by a lorry. Near the ...see more

Moved here in 1942 were my father worked for B.A.C underground at Hawthorn as a foreman working on gear inspection. With the recent 70th anniversary on Tv its only now that I realise what my parents had gone through with the bombing raids, long hours working for the War effort and rationing etc. For us kids, I was 7yrs old at the time, what an adventure moving to the country and lucky to live in Corsham. We kept ...see more

I was 2 ,1941 when we moved into 19 Brakespear road. My father was an engineer at Bristol Aircraft Co. We were bombed out of Bristol and my father was moved underground to Spring Quarry to build Centaurus engines for Beaufighters.I certainly remember the Americans being there as we would go to the Community centre to get little tins of sweets that, think were army rations. They were good days, Weavern valley a great ...see more