Friends reunited at Buriton's hidden history event

A surprise school reunion 70 years in the making has taken place in a south of Butser village.

Eight people who attended the recent Bygone Buriton exhibition found themselves looking a photograph of Harvest Festival activities at the village school in 1956.

But they all suddenly realised they were looking at their younger selves – and standing next to people who were also in the photograph taken seven decades before.

The remarkable reunion of former Buriton schoolchildren was one of the highlights of the annual exhibition which attracted more than 100 visitors to the village hall.

Doug Jones, of the Buriton Heritage Bank behind the ever-popular event, said the reunion was one of many reminders of just how much history lies beneath the feet – and in the memories – of the village’s residents.

He said: “All but one of the group pictured in that photograph now live elsewhere, but they had all travelled back to Buriton for the event.

“They are now hoping to track down more of their former schoolmates in time for next year’s exhibition.”

The event brought thousands of years of the parish’s past to life from ancient fossils and Bronze Age finds to the Romans, Civil War and beyond.

Flint arrowheads, Roman finds, thimbles, buttons, buckles, clay pipes, coins and musket balls were among the artefacts on display, giving a glimpse of into the lives of people who lived, worked and travelled through the parish centuries ago.

Other displays explored the seasonal hop growing and picking that once transformed the parish, the Buriton and Butser chalk quarries and lime works, and the changes brought by the arrival of the railway.

The event also marked the 50th anniversary of the Queen Elizabeth Country Park with displays illustrating the history and development of the park, from its opening by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, bringing back memories for many visitors.

As usual the fascinating collection of nearly 100 historic village postcards, some more than a century old, that have all been enlarged to A3 size, was a particular attraction – and more copies of Buriton’s Local History books were snapped up.

The exhibition attracted visitors from far beyond the parish, including people from Exeter, Windsor, Worthing, Chichester and the New Forest, as well as scores of local residents.

Buriton’s Heritage Bank has been collecting old photographs, memories and historical information about life in the parish for around 25 years, and yet more were brought to the recent event.

One of the highlights was some handwritten reflections by a villager who, in 1970, recorded “Buriton: what I remember” while he was in his 80s.

His notes provide a fascinating first-hand account of the major changes in family life and work that he had witnessed during his years in the village.

The organisers are always keen to hear from anyone with old photographs, newspaper cuttings or information relating to Buriton, Weston, Nursted or Ditcham.

If you can help with the research in any way, please contact Doug Jones on 01730 231326 or visit www.buriton.org.uk