High Street and Tram c1910

With electricity came the tram, see photo gallery, the first trams running through the streets of Christchurch October 1905, the power being distributed by the Bournemouth and Poole Electric company which had an establishment in Bargates. Later to become the Southern Electric Company. The trams ran to Poole via Bournemouth till 1936 when the trolley bus appeared. See photo. Unlike the tram where the driver changed ends, the trolley bus would have be disconnected from the overhead lines. the pickup arms would be pulled off using a long bamboo pole, then the conductor and driver would turn the bus 180 degrees on a turntable, similar to turntables for turning locomotives. Christchurch had a turntable behind the Dolphin Inn off the High Street/Church Street. They were replaced by diesel in 1968 and the last trolley bus ran on 20th April 1969. The turntable is still in place today albeit in a private car park behind the new building that now is offices with a restaurant below.

Another mode of transport was the Wick ferry crossing the River Stour. See photo. It dates back some 150+ years being no more than a dinghy type vessel but later became flat bottomed poled punt. In the early part of 20th century it played an important part in carrying children across the river to school. Prior to this date it also ferried the men going to work at the iron mine on Hengistbury Head or to the piggeries on what is now known as Southbourne which is now in the Borough of Bournemouth. Horse drawn wagons would cross the river a little further down via a ford. Nowadays the river is far deeper so the ford does not exist any longer. See photo is circa 1930.

Another long gone piece of history is Blackwater Ferry, see photo 8, circa 1900, bridging the River Stour west of Fairmile towards Hurn. This picturesque scene has been the focus of many artists. In the photo is Blackwater Cottages and behind these would be the ferrymans cottage now under the widened Hurn Road. The Blackwater Cottages fell into disrepair around the 1930's and disappeared. The wooden bridge of 1882 at Tuckton crossing the Stour, an alternative to Wick Ferry or the medieval Iford bridge further upstream, made a lot of difference for the townspeople.

This toll bridge was constructed at Tuckton bridging the Stour, operated by a company formed by a Dr. Crompton in 1881, a founder of Southbourne. See photo 5. But with the coming of the tram it had to be replaced 20 years later with another capable of carrying heavy vehicles. The second bridge,see photo 6, opened in 1905 and was tested prior to opening by placing two trams plus sacks of cement as ballast on to the bridge. See photo "Tuckton Bridge". The bridge today is well preserved and in use although a 13 ton weight limit is now in force. Today buses travel across frequently but pass with extreme care as the bridge has not been widened for modern vehicles.

Christchurch Industry has varied over the centuries due to demand but still retains an atmosphere as a market town today although it's main source of income is visitors and holidaymakers. . Fishing and Shipbuilding at Mudeford, import and export of coal and timber at the quay, there being two big merchants selling coal who also had grand homes in the town. A large warehouse stood where the bandstand stands today.

Milling and washing wool (fulling) was undertaken at the Placemill on the Quay and also at Knapp Mill, the latter rebuilt in 1760 after a fire disappeared after demolishment in 1921 after being purchased by the West Hants Water Co to make way for a pumping and treatment station which still working today. Placemill has been restored and now hosts local art and crafts to fund it's maintenance and visitors can view original milling gears and stones Smuggling if we dare to call it an industry kept many in food, homes and wealth. Hundreds were involved, men and women and upright local businessmen. More info and examples at Smuggling

The making of fusee watch chains and stocking manufacture. Christchurch was renowned for it's fusee chain making. What is a Fusee Chain? There were at least three prominent watch chain makers in the town, albeit the intricate making of the fusee chain was originally a cottage industry it was taken up by the worhouses as suitable employment for the paupers. Undertaken by the women and girls residing at the workhouse, now the Red House Museum in Quay Road and later at the Christchurch Union workhouse at Fairmile. See Welfare & Health Great concentration was required to assemble these chains. Over 500 women were employed in this industry albeit work carried out on the "cheap". Working hours were long and tiring but these people had no options, it was not good during these times to be unable to support yourself. In fact many all over the country took their own lives rather than suffer anothe rday of hardship.

Timber was another industry in Christchurch that did well either from import timber coming in from the quay or from the New Forest. Lights Timber Yard was located by Fairmile Bridge in Bargates, a little distance from the rail station. The timber was carried here either by horse power or steam traction engines. These enormous trunks would then be reduced to planks. Tom Jonas a "saw doctor" kept the large saw steeth sharp and true, working there for thirty years of his life. Today it is still a timber yard (Christchurch Timber) although it is now a concrete yard.

Fusee Chain  

An ingenious device which compensates for the declining force of a mainspring as it unwinds by automatically adjusting the gearing between the spring and the train as it runs.
The spring-barrel is not directly geared to the rest of the movement. Instead, it pulls on one end of a fine chain whose other end is latched into the cone (a brass drum of tapered parabolic-sided form, like a flattened pinnacle, with a spiral channel running round it). The chain is long enough to go four or five times round the barrel. With the watch fully wound, the chain leaves the cone at its narrowest point, so that the mechanical advantage is low – in other words, the spring is in the position of a man trying to steer a car with a very small wheel or to turn a nut with a short-handled spanner. As the spring runs down and the chain is drawn off the cone, the diameter of the cone at the point of departure becomes ever greater; so too, therefore, does the leverage. The cone incorporates a ratchet and click for the winding
mechanism and may also have maintaining power built into it. English-style fusee watches, key-wound from the back, are wound anti-clockwise.
The fusee is thought to have been invented by Leonardo da Vinci. Indispensable in early watches, it became less essential once the balance-spring had been invented and still less so as escapements improved in the 18th century. French makers of about 1780 were the first to dispense with it as a regular practice. By contrast, fusees were still being fitted to English full-plate movements after 1900.

Photo Gallery

Blackwater Ferry Cottages - Demolished for widening of Hurn Road Blackwater Ferry Cottages - Demolished for widening of Hurn Road

Tram in High Street Tram in High Street

Christchurch Station c1885 Christchurch Station c1885

Steam Train bound for London Waterloo Steam Train bound for London Waterloo

The Trolley Bus c1955 - Replaced the Tram The Trolley Bus c1955 - Replaced the Tram

The original wooden bridge at Tuckton over the River Stour The original wooden bridge at Tuckton over the River Stour

Replacement Tuckton Bridge c1912 - Still in use today! Replacement Tuckton Bridge c1912 - Still in use today!

Wick Ferry c1930 - Still available today! Wick Ferry c1930 - Still available today!