Black Faces

A Memory of Addlestone.

I was born in Addlestone in what was Kingthorpe nursing home in 1944 (no nhs then)my father worked for Vickers Armstrong at Byfleet. My father was born in Cailard road Byfleet the same road as my mother was born. He is now 96 years old and went to school at St.Mary's school Byfleet. Unfortunately my mum died two years ago her maiden name was Dewberry and my name was Hughes. When I see that picture of Addlestone railway station and level crossing gates it brings back the wonderful memories. During school holidays we used to cajole my Mum into giving us halfpenny, my brother and I and other kids who lived in. Church Road.
We would ride on the bus top deck front row down to Addlestone station. We would wait down on the platform wait for a steam train to pull out of the station and run up to the footbridge bridge and let the soot and steam go all over us and if you didn't do it you were a chicken I had an uncle who lived in Faversham Kent but was a steam train driver so we used to hope to get a wave from him when he came through. We would spend whole day doing that and if we had enough money left to get a bus home but usually came home very tired and coal black and clothes filthy and ended up in a tin bath in front of black stove in the kitchen. We also used to watch a very odd vehicle that had only 3 wheels move coal and also of grain and other materials which were in the Station yard it used to fix trucks on to the back and move them around. Station yards were very busy places in those days. We also used to watch men who worked at Weymans which was just over the level crossing come tearing out of the factory gates driving bus chassis on test before the bodies were applied. They only wore leather flying helmets no mots no insurance driving at high speed, what would health and safety make of that! Our milk was delivered by Lympus and Smee dairy (not sure about the spelling) and it was a milk cart with horse between the shafts. This would be in very early fifties. We originally lived at Addlestone Moor but our house took a direct hit from one of Mr Hitlers flying bombs so we were given a house in Church Road. Just before the coronation we were moved to New Haw into a brand new house and Sidney Pyle removals took us there. Then it was the last of my association with Addlestone except I was married there. I would like to hear from anyone who has these memories about this time. I could write lots more about life in Addlestone perhaps one day might wrote a book!!!


Jennifer Chapman (nee Hughes)