A look back at how Thornhill came to be how we know it today

It all began in 1825 when Michael Hoy of Middanbury formed the 430-acre Thornhill Park estate.

A house was built on the site shortly after, consisting of 13 rooms and 11 bedrooms – although Hoy never got to live there before his death.

Hoy's widow resided in the new house by 1831 but when she died in 1839, the estate passed down to her nephew James Barlow.

Thornhill Park Road shops include Susan hair salon, JP Bailey confectioners and tobacconists, Margaret Tooley florist, a chemist and a launderette. March 1, 1963. 

To ensure he inherited the property, Barlow had to change his name to hoy.

Henry Dumbleton, an East India Company administrator, purchased Thornhill Park House in 1847 and lived there until his death in 1877.

Dumbleton Copse and Dumbleton Towers in Thornhill were named after him.

The Hinkler Pub - known as The Star on August 16, 1962, when the picture was taken.

The estate was sold for housing development in 1923 and shortly after broken up into lots.

By 1924 an Australian by the name of Herbert John Louis Hinkler built a house on the southern end of the estate. The house was named Mon Repos.

Hinkler is remembered for being the first person to fly solo to Australia in February 1928, although he was killed while attempting to do so for the second time in 1933.

Dumbleton Towers in Thornhill.

Hinkler Road in Thornhill is called so to commemorate and celebrate the man’s achievements.

Bulldozers moved in on Thornhill Park Estate House in 1927.

Due to the demand for houses, Southampton expanded its boundaries in 1954 to include Millbrook, Redbridge, Harefield and part of Thornhill.

Hinkler Road, near the junction with Marston Road, Southampton (pic: Google Maps)

The summer of 1957 heralded the beginning of building work on new houses, tower blocks, flats, schools and shopping precincts - enough for more than 11,000 people.

This slice of Hampshire countryside was about to change completely.