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College Town

College Town maps

Historic maps of College Town and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all College Town maps

College Town area books

Displaying 1 of 12 books about College Town and the local area.   View all books for this area

Memories of College Town

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Berkshire memories

Tea Under Fire.

During the Second World War I was sometimes taken by my mother to stay with her grandmother, Mrs Bevis, at the house called Rivermead, about 100 yards downhill from the church, by a sharp bend to the left. Mrs Bevis must have rented it early in the war, having left her home in Jersey before the occupation of the island. I was about 4, when the Germans were still in the ascendent, and we were enjoying tea out in the garden when we heard a small plane, rather low, and idly looked up. "It's one of theirs !" It was; and it appeared to be languidly circling around us. We rapidly abandoned the tea-table and scuttled indoors as fast as my tiny legs and Big Granny's bigness would allow. In my memory she was nearly spherical, and I remember the sight as I followed her, dragged by my mother. Scarcely were we in the... Read more

Childhood Memories

Post Office c1955
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This is the street where I was born in 1940, our house is just out of sight, but when I left school in 1955 I worked for a short while in the shop adjoining the post office. Sadly my father, who was in the Army, was posted to Colchester, Essex and so we left Sandhurst in June 1955. But it was a lovely place to grow up in and will always be home to me. I still have family living in the area.

Wedding Day

St Michael's Church c1955
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St Michael's Church, where I was christened in 1940, I was married there in June 1960. A beautiful church set in the countryside just out of the village.

Grounds of The Royal Military Academy

Royal Military College 1901
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While I was growing up in Sandhurst, the grounds of the College was open to the public and we could walk from the village of Sandhurst through to Camberley. This building with parade ground in front is famous for the white horse which always entered the building up the steps when the passing out parades had finished. In front of this building are beautiful grounds with a big lake which was often the place to have picnics in the summer, and in winter - if frozen - we would skate over it. Shame now due to security risks etc, that the grounds are closed to the general public. Such a shame - I am glad I have the memories still.

Little Sandhurst Shop

This is more or less as the centre of Litle Sandhurst appeared in 1958 - very little changed from 1939. We lived on the other side of this photo at a row of houses called (I don't know why!) Gibletts Folly. To the left of this photo is the bottom of Scotland Hill, which towards the top was very steep and the tarmaced road stopped before the top, replaced by a stony track. At the very top was Scotland Hill School (since demolished) where, in 1958, Mr Shanks was the headmaster. The shop in the centre of the village provided all the groceries you needed. A bus stopped out side but I think it only ran twice a week. We had to walk over to the main road, or walk the mile to Sandhurst Railway Station (trains to Wokingham) on other days.

When the dinner ladies went on strike at the school, we had to get dinner at home. The strike stopped, but my brother and I were happier... Read more

Broadmoor

Post Office c1955
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In 1958 I was a bricklayer working for Sargents of Bracknell, we were putting bathrooms on staff houses at The Terrace at Broadmoor. We could not work because of bad weather and I saw the Broadmoor staff going to work all wrapped in warm clothes so I went over and applied for a job. The man on the gate said "Can you fight?". I said I could hold my own. I got the job. I did 3 years as a pupil nurse then became a registered nurse for a further 7 years, when I left and brought my family to Australia. I enjoyed my 10 years at Broadmoor and made many friends and would love to hear from any of them.

Simon's Well, Scotland Hill

Post Office c1955
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My father was in the US Navy and stationed at Blackbush. We rented a wonderful place known as Simon's Well. It had big English roses, a garden with rubbarb and such. I attended Yately Hall. These times were the happiest memories of my childhood.
I had a nanny named Rose and I taught her how to make popcorn. The only thing is, my instruction as a child on popcorn making was a bit off. She put too much oil and popcorn with no lid. Because she had been in WWII with bombs, when it began popping everywhere, she and I hid under the kitchen table. My parents found her unglued and me eating popcorn off the floor as it was landing! Is the place still there? I would love to see a photo of it today. I have photos but I don't know how to upload them on this site.

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