JOHN House is proud to call himself a "townie'' as he was born in College Street near Southampton's Orchard Lane in 1926.

Now aged 79 John from Curdridge was brought up near Canal Walk, that was always known as The Ditches, before leaving school and starting work in a wallpaper and paint shop in Below Bar.

"I wonder if anyone remembers the carriers who used to operate from the Dolphin Hotel yard at Below Bar,'' said John. "They would deliver parcels or anything within reason to outlying districts such as Romsey, Winchester and Wickham as well as the Waterside.

"They all had their own districts and I can recall some of their names such Pragnell, Haskins, Wilkinson, who served the Winchester.

"If our shop had a parcel for delivery I would go down to the Dolphin yard where there was a blackboard and chalk in a little covered area and write 'Wilkinson please call at 22/23 High Street'' and he would come round and take the parcel. We would be charged 2s 6d (12p) or more depending on the size of the parcel and that would be delivered later that day. The Hants and Dorset buses would also take parcels. You would get the package weighed at the station opposite the Civic Centre then it would go on the bus and be dropped off at a shop or post office at its destination.''