The Victoria Hotel c1960, Banstead
The Victoria Hotel c1960, Banstead Ref: B391067
Memories of The Victoria Hotel c1960, Banstead
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Banstead & local memories
Read and share memories of Banstead and Surrey inspired by Frith photos.
Hairdressers Banstead High Street 1969-1973
I worked as a Saturday girl at the hairdressers opposite the church in Banstead High Street when I was 15 in 1969. It was called Nicolette then and I worked for Margaret and her mother Mrs Anscombe. Margaret was a lovely boss, she taught me many things. The salon seemed huge to me in those days, but on a recent visit I was surprised at how tiny it is now. When I worked there we had seperate booths and front was basins. The curtain was pulled across once the customer was seated within. I recall one client who worked at the church would request a foot stool while under the dryer and would read her bible while waiting for her hair to dry. Miss Deacon (Deaky) was her stylist. The salon also had a barbers attached and Ian and Trevor were the two barbers. Famous clients were Peter Osgood and Peter Bonetti - both footballers playing for Chelsea at the time. My school friends were really jealous of me over... Read more
Banstead Station
I well remember Banstead station in the 1950's. I used it to go to school in Wallington from 1953 to 1959 and then to go to College and then to work in London. At this time I lived in Nork and of course in those days the trains were all steam trains. My father used to go to work by train in the 1940's and always said that at 8.00am , standing on the platform waiting for the London Bridge train, you could hear a nightingale sing. Sadly as the station became busier, this ceased, but it was always one of his abiding memories of Banstead Sation.
Little Dog on Line
We usually came to Banstead woods in the 1950s and 60s by bus, but I remember using the train on one occasion. A little poodle dog had somehow got on to the line, and he just kept on running between the rails, so that the train had to slow down and just follow him. The guard tried to catch him but he was very elusive, but eventually the little dog ran out of puff and disappeared through the hedge. We had to laugh.
Banstead High Street
I too, remember Banstead High Street in the 1950's. I well remember the Ibis Book Shop where I bought my first record - Tommy Steel 'Singing the Blues'. Also, I remember the library was up the far end nearly opposite 'The Woolpack'; I think. Opposite the 'Victoria' pub, there was a 'coffee bar, where they played the latest tunes. Does anyone else remember this? Happy memories!
Searching For Minnie
I am hoping to find any kind of information regarding a relative called Minnie Dore (nee Goodwin] who sadly died in Banstead asylum in aprox. 1918 leaving behind my grandfather and their three small sons, George, Maurice and Leonard, who were put into an institution as their father was also ill in hospital and could not take care of them. Little is known of the mother and any information about her life would be highly appreciated.
A Cold And Dim Visit to Banstead Asylum
I cannot remember the exact year but it was very cold. I was a TV repair man at Raylec in the High Street and we had a call from a doctor living in a house at the Asylum. She complained that the picture on her Bush TV was very small. I could find nothing wrong with the TV and then noticed that the light from a 150W bulb in the centre of the room looked more like a 60W! I measured the mains voltage and found that it was something like 160V instead of 240V! No wonder the picture was small. Thank goodness we don't seem to suffer from such problems nowadays.
Toy Shop
We came to Banstead from New Zealand and my parents bought 2 shops in High Street, the toy shop down one end which had some nursery things in it also, and the nursery shop up the middle of town. I was so blessed to see this photo as we are now living in Australia and trying to do a family tree book. This photo was just a wonderful find. I loved living in Banstead, it has always been a lovely memory of my youth. I was 13 years old at the time. My brother and sister went to Banstead Primary and I went to Nork Park. My name then was Corinne Stubbins. It would be great to catch up with anyone who remembers the shops or us...
Information Request - Banstead Asylum 1950's
Hi
I personally do not have a memory of Banstead Asylum - but I am looking for any details that anyone can give me of it in the 1950's. I am trying to trace anyone who worked there, or relatives of anyone who worked there. My gran died there in 1956, unfortunately my father was adopted at birth, so never knew his mother. I am trying to build up a picture of her life with the very limited details I currently have. Also I would like to know if any admission records, patient notes etc still exist and if so where I would be able to find them.
Thanks
Banstead Residential School, Fir Tree Road
I was at the school from 1929/1939. My name is Stanley Thomas, I would like to be in touch with anyone who was there at the same time. When the Second World War broke out we were evacuated to Reigate, Surrey. I remember Reginald Boulton, David Seeley, William Lee, Cyril Seeley. If any of you are still about, please get in touch. The head master was C L G Raynor, the house mother was a Mrs Bell of C Cottage. I now live in West Sussex. My e-mail address is classicnats@talktalk.net Phone 01903877106.
Catching A Train
After visiting my aunt and uncle who were the Matron and Superintendant of the Banstead Residential School, which was adjacent to the railway line, my mother and I would hasten along to the station to begin our journey home. If a train was drawing into the station on the way towards London mother would call down to the station staff on the platform, which was well below the footpath, and the train would be held until puffing and out of breath we could continue to the station and run down the stairs. What a service. Today the staff would strain to keep to the timetable!
The schools have long since been demolished and a housing estate has taken their place.
Banstead War Memorial in Its Original Position
This card shows the Banstead War Memorial before it was moved to its current positition in the 1990s.
Sutton Lane was very narrow in earlier times and conductors used to have to get off the bus to check that there was not another one coming the other way. Often the buses had a hard time coming up the hill from Sutton and an old watering can was kept by the Woolpack to enable the driver to top up the radiator.
If you would like to know more about the history of Banstead, check out the Banstead History Research Group website. You will also find an ongoing project to research the history of the memorial and the stories of the men listed on it.
I would particularly like to find any information about the rededication of the memorial after WWll. Please contact me via this site or the Webmaster link on the BHRG web site.
Thank you.
Jan 2010 update - nearly three... Read more
Opposite The School
Does anyone else remember the chain railings and posts, painted black and white around the green in front of these shops? I used to jump over them as a small child. They enclosed all the grass area.
Bassett House
The large oblong building on the left was Bassett House of which the ground floor was Waitrose. The Bassett Family lived at Hunters Lodge, Banstead and the three children grew up to represent England. Sheena in running and swimming marathons and Pippa and Karen won bronze medals for the British team in the horse four in hand World Driving trials They are both short listed for this years team [2006] and Karen is the leading lady driver in GB and the World.
Moving of The War Memorial
Note in this photo that the war memorial has been moved back and the wall lowered. Flats have been built on the Banstead house site. You could always see the green houses over the high wall from the top of the 164a bus. The corner shop, which I think used to be a bakery (top left) has gone and the road widened. The bus always used to mount the curb on this corner when turning towards the downs and Greenacre school roundabout.
Mystery Stationers
The stationers referred to was Dunmores and it was a super shop with lots of children's items.
Mystery Stationers
I think the stationers you refer to was called Rossiters. I used to live above a shop called the Gallery at the time (later Midas) opposite the Baptist church, but remember going there to get a Helix maths set when I went into Mr Connoley's class at Banstead Junior School. Pete Chapman
Mystery Stationers 1968
There was a high class stationers which opened around the late 1960s on the site currently occupied by by Mad Lilies florist. They used to stock artist materials and Rowney pencils which as a growing child I used to admire greatly and saved pocket money diligently to buy them. It was a lovely shop to look around, but along with the rest of my family I am desperately trying to think of the name of the shop...can anybody help please?
