Albury, the Village c1950

Living in the Butcher's Shop

Just on the right up a slight hill and only just visible is the butcher's shop. It was part of the Albury Estate but a new butcher could not be found so it was sold out of the estate and my father, Kenneth Parker, bought it. He redesigned the interior, renaming it 'Whitecroft' after the name on an old map indicating the owner of the field upon which it was built and lived in it for about 15 years. There was a slaughterhouse in the garden. People would ring for many months after we moved in to order joints of meat. I caught the bus to school in Guildford each day; there were 2 bus companies in those days. The owner of the garage opposite had a pair of Basset hounds called Austin and Morris, appropriately! On the right of the garage is the Post Office which had a good selection of sweets as I remember. On the left of the garage lived Mrs Boxall, a lovely old lady whom my mother used to shop for and visit. Next to our house was the baker from whom we all bought fresh bread which was baked on the premises several times a day and was delicious.

Living in the Squre Shere

Photograph No. 1. I was born in July l940 – Virginia Le Roux. The house on the left of the picture was where I lived until I was nearly 13 with my parents. The long narrow upstairs window was my bedroom. My mother’s mother and brother also lived in the house. My uncle - John Grover had a shop to the left of the porch, where he sold fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, some of which he grew himself. During the war people would come from Dorking and Guildford to buy fresh fish. The fish came from Harlow’s of Grimsby in wooden boxes, when the empty boxes were returned to Grimsby, my uncle used to fill them with rabbits and other game caught locally, because food was scarce due to food rationing. My uncle used to smoke kippers in a shed near the stream. He also kept the white ducks which swam along the stream. I have very happy memories of my childhood spent in Shere. Virginia Pawlyn – now living near Evesham.

Pub

My gran owned the pub at Blackheath which was called the Forest King, it was on the edge of the cricket pitch. There was also another pub called the Volunteer on the next road. Does anybody remember them?

Memories

It has been almost 50 years since I have seen the inside of this church. My mother; Molly Risbridger) was married in this church to a Canadian soldier Mr. Ken Lloyd Maxted. I am their son Robert Glenn Maxted. Happy Anniversary! 2007

I love you Mom and Dad,

Your Son,
Glenn