Chertsey memories
Here are memories of Chertsey and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Chertsey or a Chertsey photo.
Bullying
I still remember Carl Hazeltine who was regularly beaten up by the Noel W......s gang who ran the school. During that period, there were two very large older boys, Goodwin and Baxter. They were the two biggest boys and I remember the day they had a really dramatic fight which lasted for quite a long time, starting in the assembly hall and ending in the wash room. Goodwin, the bigger of the two won! I also remember Goodwin who was THE BULLY OF BULLIES getting his punishment when virtually the entire school ganged up on him in the assembly hall and giving him a good hiding which I still remember vividly. He was covered in well deserved kick marks, although my contribution was throwing a boot!"
Not Wanted.
This photo does bring back memories. At the start of the war in 1939 at the age of 8, I was sent off to Welwyn Garden City from Hastings. The family was split, the start of that unwanted feeling. For some reason I was again moved, this time to Chertsey and the school of Handicraft a place of no compassion and bullies, I feel that cattle had better treatment. I can understand the stress of those war years. but I could not treat anyone the way that we were treated. I longed for love and compassion but was denied. The good part is, years later I accepted Christ as my saviour and have His love also the love of family and friends. Now from unwanted to accepted.
My Time at The School of Handicrafts
After the war (1945) an elder brother was sent to a boy's home in Sidcup, Kent and two years later, I was sent to Chertsey. WE WERE SEPARATED. We had been sent to a family in Epsom Surrey for the duration of the war and with an even older sister were treated very badly, being regularly beaten and starved, Miss W.......y, a Surrey County Council child welfare officer was useless and was only interested in our being accommodated. The boy's home was an awful place. There was bullying, especially by Noel W,,,,,,,s, and one master in particular, slightly lame, was a sadistic, cruel man. I survived and in 1951 was taken to London by a LCC welfare officer, Capt P..e whose first action was to take me to his flat in Santos Rd, Clapham and attempt to molest me. Nobody cared and now, aged 76, I believe the same attitude prevails, Fortunately, I raised two daughters and now have four grandchildren, two in Australia and am financially secure. I am... Read more
The Pond
This picture is of the pond near the junction of Pound Pond Road and Abbey Road in Chertsey. As a child I would walk pass this area on my way to school, but the 'pond' was more like a muddy ditch!!
Stepgates
The picture of is the new Stepgates Girls School, opened in September 1908. Very little had changed between 1908 and 1960, the road had been given a smoother surface and railings placed in front of the gate.
Memories of Surrey
Saturday Jobs
My first job as a Saturday girl (1974) was working at a newsagents called Jarman's on the right of this photo on the corner of the road which led to the police station and infants school Darley Dene. I remember having to weigh snuff and having to use an old-fashioned till where you had to add up the items and press down the correct keys to show the total in the top window. I worked for a lady called Molly - she was still there in the 1980's. I think I earned about 60p for a Saturday afternoon.
The New Lock
This looks like the bridge over the canal at the Addlestone / New Haw border but I can't be sure. If it is I remember my parents taking us there (early 70's) to watch them put in new lock gates. The gates have the year engraved into them. I also believe that the lock keepers cottage, which I think is the house on the left, was used as a location for a film (about time travellers?).
New Gates
We used to love watching the trains come through and were sad when they brought in the barriers. I used to travel from Addlestone Station to Egham to attend Strode's College on the old trains which had corridors and compartments! Sounds ancient but was only 1977-79! From the train we could see the new line being built to accomodate the train once the M25 was completed!
Girls Names
I am looking for information on my grandmother who is listed as being at Princess Mary Village in Addlestone in the 1901 census. We have been able to ascertain she left there in March 1908. Does anyone have a list of the names of the girls in this particular image.
White Hart Lock
I believe this to be the White Hart Lock at New Haw situated at the junction of Woodham Lane and the turning off over the White Hart bridge which led to Byfleet station. I do believe also that the cottage featured in a film, which I think was War Of The Worlds. As youngsters we often took a short cut off the Byfleet Road to cut through to what we called the Nine Arches, passing under this structure we would in the summer go swimming and hopefully meet girls. This area was also close to the banked corners of Brooklands Race Track.
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- Thetford, Norfolk
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- Oadby, Leicestershire
- Rhydyfelin, Mid Glamorgan
- Sedlescombe, East Sussex
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- Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex
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