Cheam, And The Gander Inn
A Memory of Cheam.
I was born at The Gander Inn in 1954 and I lived there with my mum and dad and older brother William. My dad's name was Aubrey Lund and my mum's was June. We lived there until 1960 when we sadly had to leave as my dad died very suddenly of a heart attack. I have very fond memories of the Gander (it was great fun to live in a pub when you were little!). My brother and I played in the function room upstairs, he would also sometimes put me in the dumb waiter and send me up and down! I also remember playing on the beer crates in the back yard and I had a small swing that was attached to the door frame of what was I think the bottle shed. I remember the rag and bone man who used to come with his horse, and the shellfish stall that used to set up outside the gates. I have memories of going down some very steep steps into the cellar with my dad to check the beer barrels. The barrels then of course were all wooden and the smell of that cellar is one that I can still remember quite clearly! As I was so young when we were there I don't have a lot of memories about the area but I did start infant school before we left but I don't remember what school it was. I remember the parade of shops that ran alongside the Gander and I think there was a cafe next door run by Mrs Burton, she had a son called Ray. My mum died 10 years ago now and she never gave me much information, it was a shock to her when dad died as in those days she wasn't allowed to take the pub on as a woman on her own and had to get out very quickly and had to find somewhere for us all to live. So if anyone has any memories of the Gander and of my dad I would love to hear them.
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Today, I was looking for a pub near to where I live - I couldn't remember the name, so, on Google, I put "between ... and ..." - to my amazement, the pub name came up. So, just for fun, I thought I try another: "a pub on Sutton bypass, near to Gander Green Lane", as it was the "local" when I was growing up - once again, Google came up trumps!
Thus it was that I discovered your story. I realise that it was posted a long while ago, but, as you asked for memories of the Gander, I though I'd still go ahead.
My late father ran a very successful Loan Club every Monday in the upper room at the Gander. He did so for many years. The idea was that each person who wanted to join paid for "shares", and each had an individual book in which the payments were recorded. Everyone was expected to have a loan during the year which had to be paid back, of course, and for which there was a fee ... and, at Christmas time, on the share-out night, everyone had their money paid to them ... with interest. One of my tasks as a youngster was to drawn the lines on envelopes, so that my Dad could add all the information when the share-out was due. The the person's money and their paying in book would then be put into the relevant envelope. I earned extra pocket money for undertaking that task! My Dad liked all six of his family members to attend on share-out night, which always took place in the bar area, and he took delight in treating each of us to a drink, much to my mother's distain! A policeman was always "hired" to be on duty during the pay-out time.
There's no way that such a "loan club" would be allowed these days, eh!
My Dad often spoke of Aubrey Lund - he knew him well. And I believe that one of my brothers [who still lives in that area] worked in the Gander when your dear Dad was there.
When I was a child, I used to attend a party in the upstairs room of the Gander every year, as my Dad was member of the Buffs. They held their meetings in the upstairs room, and they organised a party of the members' children.
My parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by holding a huge gathering in the upper room - and my 21st birthday party was held there. So,as you can tell, our family had a lot of connection with The Gander.
We lived in Sunningdale Road, just across the bypass, and my Dad frequented the Gander right up until the day he died in 1983. He went for his daily "pint" ... and one of my brothers made a point of going to the Gander to tell his group of buddies there that Dad had died.
Oh ... and I also remember the shellfish stall which you referred to - we often had winkles for Sunday tea "treat" ... nowadays, the thought of eating such things fills me with horror!
I wonder if the infants school you went to was Park Farm ...? The Park Farm Estate was just behind the Gander, and there was definitely a school there for children who were, as we in our house would say, "on the other side of the bypass".
I do hope you enjoy reading my memories of The Gander ... with its bright blue neon light outside!
Hazel Barrett
once of Sunningdale Road, Cheam
now living in Letchworth Garden City
Hertfordshire
11th December 2014