Remarkable reunion of former Buriton schoolchildren
The 2026 ‘Bygone Buriton’ exhibition attracted well over 100 visitors to the village hall in September – with queues to get in at times!
And a photograph of Harvest Festival activities in the village school in 1956 was one of the items attracting attention.
Gradually, during the afternoon, eight people of the exhibition at the exhibition realised that they were all pictured in it – and, remarkably, were now reunited and chatting together almost exactly 70 years later.
All but one of the group now live elsewhere, but had 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 reunion was just one of many reminders of how much history lies beneath the feet – and in the memories – of Buriton’s residents.
Thousands of years of the parish’s past were brought to life, from ancient fossils and Bronze Age, Celtic and Roman finds through to the Civil War and beyond. Experts were on hand to explain the stories behind the artefacts and what they reveal about life in Buriton over the centuries.
Flint arrowheads, Roman finds, thimbles, buttons, buckles, clay pipes, coins and musket balls may all be small, but each has a story to tell, offering fascinating glimpses into the lives of people who lived, worked and travelled through the parish long 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 send a message via this website.
