Page 4 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • April 2001 www.swin
Celebrating a quarter of a century in West Swindon

With Swindon looking forward to the next 30 years, we look back on the last twenty-five, to the month
when the first family arrived and the first baby was born.
Terry and Teresa Davies were ex- road, but not a lot and Kate, 14.
pecting their first child in March more. One other couple from
1976 and also expecting to move "The council officer 1976 still live in the first
from a flat in Penhill to a house in said go out and have a block of houses and West
Park South. But the exchange ar- look at the first houses Swindon is now complete
rangement fell apart a few days which were almost with about 11,000 homes
before and in a panic they visited ready, we could take occupied.
Thamesdown Council's housing our pick. We've been Looking back, both
department. here ever since." Teresa and Janice agree
"We were told we could have a Baby Janice decided that there is less for fami-
brand new house at Markenfield to allow her parents to lies. "West Swindon was a
in Toothill; we looked at each other move in before arriv- very friendly place to bring
and said 'where?'," said Terry. "We ing four weeks late on Teresa, Terry and Janice with Amy, centre, with from left, up children, there were
knew there was building going on 16 April. She will soon Kate, Michael, Christine and Mark Pitts, Janice's partner play areas everywhere you
next to the old Wootton Bassett be twenty five years old and is the across the fields to Lydiard Park." turned," said Teresa. "But the coun-
proud mother of Amy who had a The original residents were cil have taken them all away."
first birthday in February. dubbed as the 'pioneers of the west- "Toothill is not looked after like
COOPERS
"The conditions in those early ern expansion' by the Evening Ad- it used to be," said Janice. "There's
CHEMIST days were a bit rough," said Teresa. vertiser and with help from church so much litter and also graffiti got
"There was building work going worker Olive King and council quite bad, but the village centre
WEST SWINDON CENTRE on all round the house for months neighbourhood worker Bob May, has been cleaned up. It's a pity
Fine fragrances, toiletries, and there were cows grazing in the community activities soon started there is less care for the area."
ear piercing etc. next field. We did not have a proper in one of the new houses, and later But without doubt the family
road for quite a long time. in half of the hut. would not move away for any-
APS, developing & printing Tewkesbury Way was being built For two years, the first school- thing. "We've looked at moving
One free 35mm 24 exp film and we had to drive along a muddy aged children had to be bussed to within West Swindon," said Terry.
with every 35mm roll track off the old A420 next to Park South. Janice attended "But, apart from the kids not want-
developed on the premises Mannington House. Toothill School, which opened in ing to go, the houses just have not
"Other people moved in quite
Tel: 872033 quickly and a little van came round September 1998, and was taught matched what we have here."
by present headteacher Richard
to sell groceries, then a builders Jackson. She was in the second in- What are your memories?
Open 7 days a week
hut was opened as a shop. We take at Greendown in September What can you remember of the
Mon - Fri 9am - 8pm, bought fresh eggs from the cottage 1988, to be followed by Christine, early days? Did you know West
Sat 9am - 6pm, Sun 10am - 3pm along Freshbrook Way and walked now 23, and Michael, 18 in April, Swindon before the housing ex-
pansion started? Do you have any
photographs which show how
FDIRTFINDERS things used to be, or interesting
pictures taken over the last 25
years?
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