Memories of Ashtead
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My Sunday School first took us all to Earlswood Lakes in 1949. I loved it there but it was way too cold to swim. We went again in 1952 and took a boat out on the lake, it was so cold but so much fun, my poor mother froze, and said she would never go again. My second son was born in 1970, we took him to the lake in 1971, he loved it too, but my poor mother froze, I have a photo of her sitting on a bench wrapped in a woollen blanket. Susan
Shared on 11 October 2009
I was born in Ashtead in 1945, we lived at Read Road in Lower Ashtead. I have a vivid memory of the shops at the top of Read Road. From the newsagents, next was the off-licence, then Goldings grocery store, next was the chemist, next was a small cafe which we were never allowed to visit, don't know why. The next place was my favorite, the fish and chip place, where I worked for a while, then there were a couple of houses, then came a hairdressers, green grocer, another house a sweet shop owned by Percy Fares, next was a sewing shop, the butchers and another grocery store. We walked everywhere, sometimes biked. I loved the swimming pool, I worked there when I was 12. We fished in the Ashtead pond for newts and tadpoles. We explored the woods and the common. Every Saturday my mother and I would visit the Epsom Market, what a treat. Then we visited my grandmother who lived at Chase Road in Epsom. Ashtead was quiet, safe, pretty and a terrific place to live. At 15 I went to work for Staff Ingham a very famous racehorse trainer near Hedley, I learned so much about horses when I was there, we travelled all over England to various racetracks, it was a great learning experience. Since then I have lived in Australia, Canada and now the U.S, but if I had a choice I would move back to Ashtead. Susan Nash nee Simons
Shared on 10 October 2009
Ashtead, the Street c1955
Ref: a72017
Ashtead is the best place on Earth to live! I lived there with my sister and brother for almost 5 years in the late seventies early eighties..... this picture of the Street brings me tears of joy, the people there were wonderful, polite, hospitable and loving; I wish I could go back there one day to visit old neighbors and see this beautiful town and country again!!
Shared on 03 October 2009
I spent many happy days sitting at the pond with my children and the special man in my life. Lots of visits, meals, still go there with special man. Good days and memories from 1994 to present day.
Shared on 16 July 2009
Ashtead, the Fish Pond 1904
Ref: 52587
I lived in a cottage by the pond some 20 odd years ago. My neighbour, well into her 90's was Mac May (a version of her true name garbled by other neighbours' kids) who, every day, was out in her wellies digging in the garden. We had this photo &, knowing Mac May had lived in the cottage all her life, asked if she knew the children.
She did & remembered the photo being taken.
The boy & the girl in the middle are Mac May's elder brother & sister; the little girl is Mac May & her brother has just thrown the milk jug at her.
(small white object in middle foreground)
Shared on 03 November 2008
Ashtead, the Fish Pond 1904
Ref: 52587
Ashtead resident finds herself in 1925 Caterham bus photo
The above photo is the pond which is close to Dorothy Connor's current home in Glebe Road, Ashtead. This area has not changed so very much since the time the Frith photo was taken in 1904.
Interestingly, Dorothy Connor (nee Step) is actually pictured in the Caterham Frith photo ref 78135V accompanied by her late Mother Elizabeth Step (aged 46) and her Sister, Florence Step (aged 21) having alighted from the 159a Bus which brought them from their home in Clerkenwell, London, pictured Outside the Old Surrey Hounds Public House, Croydon Road, Caterham Surrey on a Day Out to Caterham in 1925. They were on their way to the Barracks Hospital to see Dorothy's, Uncle Charlie (her Father's Brother) who was in the army hospital.
Wearing a pull-down bonnet and a typical twenties dropped-waist shift, the young Dorothy and her family had no idea they had been caught on camera. It was not until Dorothy was looking through a copy of Helen Livingstone's book some eighty years on that the exciting discovery was made.
Dorothy said "My Son, Dave, knows I like old books and pictures and as an early Birthday present he bought me the Surrey Photographic memories. I looked through it and was absolutely flabbergasted; I really couldn't believe my eyes. I showed the photo to my three nieces (Florence's children), who are now in their late seventies, and they were absolutely delighted. We have our own photos of Mum and Florence wearing the same outfits as they were in the Frith photo - it is amazing!"
On Dorothy's 90th Birthday, there was an article about her in all the local Surrey papers which showed her as she is today alongside the Frith 1925 photo. In fact, Dorothy has become somewhat of a local celebrity in Ashtead with fans in all the local shops. She is frequently recognised, following the newspaper articles and enjoys her newly-found celebrity status! Even the landlord of the Woodman Public House in Ashtead has hung the picture on the pub wall!
Dorothy, is now 91 and lives happily in Ashtead, Surrey with her Son, David and Daughter-in-law, Libby. Dorothy was recently taken back to the Old Surrey Hounds Pub, which has not changed its outward appearance much in all these years. The Landlord of The Old Surrey Hounds happily displays the Frith photo on the pub wall. The East Surrey Museum also has a copy of the photo in their archives as does the Surrey History Centre at Woking.
Shared on 02 July 2006
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