Epsom, Surrey

The Nell Gwynne

In our early teens we used to go to the Nell Gwynne, upstairs in the 'coffee bar' where we had what I believe was the worlds first Nickelodeon (manual version). We paid the lady 3d, I think it was, and she put our favourite record on the record player on the counter and we listened while we chatted.
Anybody out there... [more]

The Nell Gwenn

The white building in the forground is the Nell Gwenn public house, a well-known hostelry.

Going to School

The path shown in the picture was my route to the infants school which was then in Church House, down the steps to the right of the tower. Miss Cordell was headmistress, ably supported by Miss Hyde, Mrs Wooding and Mrs Price, whose sons Dominic and Christopher also attended the school.

Rosebery Park

I was born in Epsom in 1936. Apparently, when still in my push-chair, I trundled down the bank shown in the picture and ended up in the water!! Later when 10 or 12 we used to sail our model yachts on the pond and in our teens spent a lot of evenings in the park chatting up the girls! Happy, happy... [more]

Lifespan

I was born in a house that is not yet built in this photo, the house would be on the bottom left corner of this print. I still live 200 yards away, level with where the photograph was taken. The area of trees and shrubs on both sides of this view of Dorking Road were developed. However to the rear of... [more]

Woodcote Pond

My brother and I used to play in the woods on Woodcote Green and build dens. We also used to paddle in the pond in wellies, or walk on the ice in winter.

Waterloo Road

This photo was taken from immediately in front of my Uncle's/Father's (Antiques) shop in Waterloo Road, looking towards the station. Divers, the shop with all the hardware items immediately in the foreground, was next door and I was always being told off as a child for touching/playing with their goods!

Epsom - A History & Celebration

Her funeral was to be long-remembered as the last great suffragette rally, a pageant in which thousands of women in white paid their last respects to the heroine who died for their right to vote; a right granted five years later.

Epsom - A History & Celebration

The original grandstand was built in 1830, and had a grand saloon, refreshments, a betting-room, and space for the aristocratic Jockey Club. There were seats on the roof, and a magistrate's room below for dealing with the less reputable element. During race week the firm of Barnards put up temporary stands of wood and canvas along the course to the right, and on the... [more]

Epsom - A History & Celebration

Boucher married a local woman in 1787, and moved with his library to Woodcote House, which the Northeys were putting out to rent. It was 'a handsome house … built in the modern taste, and adorned with shrubberies', when seen by the cartographer John Edwards. He was pleased with the rest of Epsom, too, giving respectful attention to Durdans, which had been rebuilt after a fire in 1759, and... [more]