IN TODAY’S ever-changing world, a Basingstoke man has kept one constant in his life. Philip Jarman is still living in the same house he was born in – 84 years later.

Philip has spent his entire life in the same cherished house in Eastfield Avenue after his mother gave birth to him there.

Philip's parents had previously lived in Leicester before moving into the property in 1938, and the following year Philip was born.

Reflecting on his early childhood, Philip said: “As you know, it was the beginning of the war, which made it a bit awkward.

“My father went away to the war, so that left my mother, my brother and myself here in this house.

“It’s got a lot of memories, this house.”

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It is not just the house that has happy memories for Philip, he also has many cheerful recollections of playing in the street as a child.

“We used to make go carts and tear off down the road. It was absolute fun,” he said.

“That was our fun, or sometimes going out for the whole day on our bikes with one or two other friends from around here.”

Not long after the Second World War Philip’s father sadly died from cancer. His brother later moved to Australia, leaving Philip to inherit the house.

But the house was almost destined to be home to another family as Philip had planned to sell it and move elsewhere as the property was too big for him.

He later changed his mind when he met his future wife Leslie and decided to take the house off the market.

Looking back on his life, Philip said that his favourite memory is meeting Leslie.

When asked what his favourite part of the house was, Philip said ‘the garden’ as him and Leslie designed and built it together.

Philip said that he enjoys living in Basingstoke and that he has never wanted to live anywhere else, although the town has changed a lot since his childhood.

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Philip continued: “It’s a very, very different town to how I knew it as a youngster.

“There’s been a lot of changes, but I think the core of the town pretty much remains the same.

“The town centre didn’t change until they decided to do the new one, but there is still an awful lot there in the area of old Basingstoke.”

Like other residents of Eastfield Avenue Philip is preparing to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

He and Leslie are decorating their front garden with posts which they will hang bunting from.

The couple has also planted flowers with red, white and blue petals in their garden.

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