Page 36 • The HERALD • 2nd April 2026 v SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SPECIALISTS v Your Local Professional Electrician • Complete Rewires • Periodic Inspection Reports • Fault Finding & Repair • New Consumer Units • New Circuits • Central Heating Wiring • Extra Sockets/Lights • PAT Testing • No Job Too Small • Part P Registered • Fast & Efficient Service • Free Estimates Telephone Gary on 07788 865081 forestelectrical@gmail.com PVCu FASCIAS & GUTTERING CLEANING SERVICE Gutters checked for leaks and repaired Also new installations Driveway, Patio and Decking Cleaning and Restoration Service Very reliable and fully insured Good Rates and Professional Service Special Rates for OAP’s Call us now for a free quote Holbury 07884 112416 To advertise your business in The Herald, contact Sue on 023 8084 0815 or email: sjones@herald-publishing.co.uk Leaky taps, wonky shelves, flat-pack nightmares, squeaky doors, pictures hung straight, TVs on walls and most of those other jobs you need doing. Reliable, tidy, fully insured, and won’t leave you with a bigger mess than you started with! New Forest & Waterside: SO40–SO43, SO45, SO51 Jim – 07379 383307 HANDYMAN NO JOB TOO SMALL The Carrier And The Meteorite by Robin Somes, Fawley and Blackfield Memories Before motor vehicles, Fawley was always rather remote, and it was long the case that much trade and transportation was done by boat – hence the number of small landing places all around the Solent and Southampton Water. Heavy or bulky goods were far more easily carried by boat than by horse and cart. Nonetheless, road transport was available, and occasionally, carriage services appeared. One was reported in the Hampshire Advertiser, dated November 17th, 1869: “HYTHE, Nov. 17 CARRIER – The want of a regular communication between this place and Fawley has been long felt, and we are therefore glad to hear that a carrier, A. Cull, has announced his intention of running a horse and cart between the two places, commencing on Monday week, leaving Fawley in the morning and returning from Hythe in the afternoon. This will prove a great convenience, and the undertaking will probably answer well.” As a complete contrast, just below this announcement was a letter from someone called “Rusticus”, describing a meteorite found near Fawley Rectory. “Sir, A meteoric stone has been found in this village. It is about the size of a fourpenny tennis ball, nearly round, and weighs more than one pound. It is of a rusty colour, and very corrugated. On the top a circular piece, about the size of a penny, is wanting, apparently broken off since, or at the time of its fall. This exposes part of the inside, the centre of which appears to be composed of pure flint of a brownish tinge; covering this is a white crystalline substance like powdered fluorspar, then a darker substance, in which sparkle grains of a metallic substance like silver. Then comes the outer covering, like a cocoa-nut shell, covered with ferruginous nodules. It was picked up on Wednesday by Mr. Slightham (head gamekeeper on Cadland estate), and then had a sulphurous smell, but which has since gone off. From the situation in which it was picked up I feel certain that it was one which was also seen to fall on Saturday evening, seen by a man and two boys, who described it as a ball of fire (about the size of a cricket ball) of a bluish colour first, then changing into orange, and giving a very strong bright light, but leaving no sparks behind it. They were standing at the blacksmith’s corner, and thought it fell in the rectory grounds. This was found in a field beyond. Mr Slightham will be happy to let anyone see it, and, if requested, will send it for that purpose to the Hartley Institute.” (the precursor of the University of Southampton). is same meteorite was seen as far a eld as Basingstoke, Kingsclere and Sholing. Remarkably, though, (if the eyewitness’s report is reliable) another meteor fell near Black eld the same evening (6th November), around the same time. Perhaps it was in fact one meteor, which broke apart, landing in di erent places. Whether there were one or two, or more, one wonders what ever became of the one that Mr Slightham found in Fawley? Murdered to Death: Comedy Murder Mystery at Copythorne Just when you thought it was safe to venture out a er last year’s ‘Sleighed to Death’... Pratt is back! e hapless Sergeant Pratt is now an acting Inspector and still causing chaos. Copythorne Amateur eatrical Society presents Murdered to Death on 2nd May, 7pm and 9th May, 2.30pm and 7.30pm at Copythorne Parish Hall. Go along and see if Pratt can defeat the odds and his own incompetence to solve the murder of the owner of a country manor house or will more murders follow before the miscreant is revealed? Or will the audience die laughing rst in this hilarious spoof of the Agatha Christie Whodunnit genre, written by Peter Gordon? For more information on this Copythorne Amateur eatrical Society show please visit: https:// copythornecats.org.uk or follow Copythorne CATS on Facebook. Tickets are available from Bartley Post O ce, e Compass Inn or online: https://www.ticketsource. co.uk/cats-murdered-to-death Join the Lepe Country Park Rangers as they lead a variety of events over the course of the year. From identifying trees to gardening for beginners, they will have something to suit everyone who wants to get outdoors this year. For all ranger led events, please visit: www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/countryparks/ lepe/whats-on or call: 023 8089 9108. RANGER LED EVENTS Local construction specialist providing excellent craftsmanship for your home and garden needs 30 years’ experience, professional & reliable • Brickwork • Repointing • Groundworks • Hard Landscaping • Extensions • Brickwork Repairs Call or email Luke Atkinson for a free quote 07921 020677 lja2003@yahoo.co.uk
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTIyNzI=