Rifle Range c1955, Bisley
Rifle Range c1955, Bisley Ref: B109040
Memories of Rifle Range c1955, Bisley
Happy Childhood.
Because my father, and later on my mother and brother, shot at Bisley, every summer holiday was spent on the ranges. We would catch a train to Woking, then another to Brookwood and then board the "Bisley Bullet" which would take us to The Ranges. The last time the Bullet ran, we all put pennies on the line and the little engine ran over them and flattened them.
At first we hired a caravan and then we bought a big family tent to stay in. I loved it there, with all that open space to play in. I remember spending my pocket money in Gale and Polden's marquee and drinking delicious chocolate Horlicks in the Horlicks' Marquee. I first went there when I was about three years old, in 1950. The last time was when I was a young married mother.
My father, a retired Naval Officer, became secretary to the TA rifle club and sadly died at Bullet lodge in 1972. He had been a great shot... Read more
Bisley & local memories
Read and share memories of Bisley and Surrey inspired by Frith photos.
The Lodge
Well, I don't remember then, but my father was born in the gatehouse or lodge in 1901. Does anyone have a photo of the lodge? Do they remember it or was it demolished before the 1940s/'50s?
I Was at Bisley Boys School With my Brother John, From 1954-1959
I was mad about photography and would go all over Bisley with my camera. I would concentrate on the wildlife, esp. on the village pond where my brother and I would look for various types of pond life. In those days we would often not see a single person, and cars were so rare that we would spot cars, as in "That is an Austin A40" or "That is a Sunbeam Talbot", now I suspect there is a constant flow of traffic through the village. I came back to Bisley in 1980 and took ten photographs of the village store, etc and found that our old school tuck shop was still there..as I am always in Guildford on accountancy work, for that is what I went on to become. I intend to come back and photograph the very same views standing in the exact spot that I did 30 years ago, and compare the changes over the 30 years. When I have done this I shall make the 1980 photographs available on... Read more
Bisley School 1937-1941
I was a pupil from 1937 until 1941 when I left to go out into the wide wide world and I always said that we went in to the Bisley Schools as boys and very soon became men as many of us went into the services and made a mark for us the rest of our lives Where are they all now?
The schooling was second to none as I have looked back and it helped us on our way to be self-reliant, and my children I know have learnt from my life.
I was in the 'IRONSIDES', one of the four houses in the seniors, and our dormitory was in the top right of the photo and my bed behind the second window from the right.
I have certainly learnt a lot from my life
John
The Ranges
My friend Lindsay Stagg lived opposite the ranges & I spent many happy hours with her on the commons near by. Wonder where she is now.
And Anne (Bones) Johnson lived in Port Lane.
