Park, Residence of Duke of Connaught 1907, Bagshot
Park, Residence of Duke of Connaught 1907, Bagshot Ref: 58584
Memories of Park, Residence of Duke of Connaught 1907, Bagshot
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Bagshot & local memories
Read and share memories of Bagshot and Surrey inspired by Frith photos.
Clipping The Hedge at St Annes
My dad, Eric Berry, used to clip this hedge - BY HAND! When we're little, things always seem bigger than they really are, but my recollections of watching my Dad clip this hedge on the days he did the gardening at St Anne's church, were pretty accurate. It really is as big as I remember! I also recall going to St Anne's Hall ( a bit further back down the hill?) with my Mum, to collect our ration books. At the bottom of the hill was Fortuna's Ice Cream Parlour - I can still remember the lucious creamy taste! Yum!
Pinewood, Bagshot
The house in the background is Pinewood, built by my great grandfather, Sir Howard Elphinstone, VC, KGB etc. He was one of the first soldiers in the Crimean War to win a VC. His VC is now in the Imperial War Museum. He was born near Riga, Latvia (then Livonia) in 1829. He was educated in Germany, before the family moved to Sidmouth. He joined the Royal Engineers and after the Crimean War, he was asked by Queen Victoria to become Prince Arthur (later the Duke of Connaught)'s Comptroller. A Comptroller was a person who was in lieu of parents. They lived at The Ranger's House, Greenwich. He stayed in this post until the Prince reached adulthood. He then wanted to go back into the Army, but the Queen sent 3 letters in one day asking him to stay. He managed to get back into the Army and stay on with the Prince.
He was married at 40 to Miss Annie Cole who... Read more
1955 & Prior - The Cricketers Etc
I was born in 1947 (a home birth) in Grove End cottage which was, and still is, located pretty much across the London Road and railway line from the Cricketers pub. Although I've never been inside the pub, I have on occasion as a child, watched cricket with my Dad at the weekends. I notice on the satellite map that the cricket pitches are still there - the photo must have been taken on a day of play as ant-like figures are clearly visible, dotted all around the grounds.
Many things have changed over the years - Grove End was once surrounded by dairy farms run by Arthur Knight and Jack Wooldrige. These farms are now gone - one a golf course, the other an industrial estate. The woods near the railway station which in spring were strewn with blue bells, today play host to a housing development and major roads now criss-cross the old farm landscape.
The Pantiles Tea Rooms which once existed further along the London Road from... Read more
