Stories & Memories

Written by - Rob Edwards. An old collection of love letters, a house in Parkstone and a granddaughter's decades-long search led to an extraordinary family discovery.​​ Note: Some personal names have been removed by request. Sometimes, the most remarkable stories uncovered through Ashley Road History BH14 are not just about the buildings themselves, but about the lives of the people connected with them. This is the story of Patrick Sullivan, a former resident of 73 Ashley Road

Shared by - Michael Trussler We lived round the corner in Langley Road, opposite the school, so trekking round the corner and up Ashley road was a daily occurrence. Sometimes we would haul up Becher Road, taking care not to go near the overgrown and terrifying number 27 ! Just by there is number 17 Ashley Road - in the late 70s it was Janice who would cut my hair there, and she seems to have had the place fully in 1984 ! One fateful day I jumped up into the chair, probably

Shared By - Karen Bale My nan used to work in Windsers, I can remember as a child, going "up on 'ill". I am not sure what job she had, I think it was just to keep everything looking clean and tidy. I remember there being a little tea room at the back, where she would make cups of tea for the staff. This would have been late 60's early 70's.

Shared By - Bryan Phillips I lived in a flat over the undertaker funeral directors at 500 Ashley Road from 1944 to 1957. That's just a guess as I was just a child. It was on the corner next to police station and church. Biles post office opposite on corner of Weymouth Rd.

Shared By - Ron Pier Since I seem to have inspired Rob to start a memories section. I'll add some more. Firstly, I'm not a Parkstone person. Born and grew up in Reigate, Surrey but moved to East Howe/Northbourne at age 10. I'd met a girl in the early 60's and found out she was a member at Parkstone Boys Club on the Rec. (They did have a girls section) So I ventured over Alder Hills to the club one night, and immediately made firm friends with my 3 best mates Graham, Chris and

Shared By - Ron Pier At 222 Ashley Road in 1963/4 was a tobacconist with café attached. I guess that would have been the Gould's. The wife always referred to her husband as "The Guv" so to us (Me, Graham, Chris and Colin) it was always Guv's café. We'd be in there most Saturday afternoons after visiting Huxham's and waiting on the doorstep at 9 on Sunday mornings. Fond memories indeed.

Back in April 2026, I was contacted by a lady from Germany with a question about 73 Ashley Road. What unravelled was a fascinating story of discovery, connecting family history, old love letters and a remarkable reunion decades later. Discover Patrick Sullivan’s story on the Ashley Road History BH14 website, and see how one simple question can uncover an extraordinary piece of local history! Click Here To Read The Story.