You are here:
Farnborough
Farnborough photos
Displaying the first of 18 old photos of Farnborough. View all Farnborough photos
Farnborough maps
Historic maps of Farnborough and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Farnborough maps
Farnborough area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Farnborough and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Farnborough
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Farnborough.
Add your memory of Farnborough
or of a photo of Farnborough.
The George And Dragon
I lived in the George & Dragon when I was a small, I dont know maybe the late 1950s/early 1960s. Mum and Dad were the managers and I remember it being on an open road, almost countryfied, and it was a fabulous size for a child to play in! Hard to imagine it now pulled down, however so many of the pubs I once lived in have now gone and been replaced by flats, or McDonalds.
Farnborough Hospital
My memory of Farnborough was of the hospital, a wonderful old pub and the local cricket ground. Our first child was born in Farnborough Hospital. While my wife was in the hospital I was playing cricket for St. Mary Cray C.C. against the local village team. At one point in the match I left to visit my wife. On arriving I asked how she was. Back then they only had two answers to that question. You were either comfortable or dead. Thankfully she was comfortable. When I saw her she was in labour. I said to the nurse, "You call that comfortable?" and immediately staggered to the old coach house pub (whose name escapes me) which was just a few yards from the hospital entrance. After a couple of stiff whiskeys I was able to continue the game. As we have lived in the United States for the last 44 years I wonder if any of the places still exist. My guess is that the pub is the only survivor.... Read more
Growing up in Farnborough
The picture of Farnborough High Street facing the A21 at Farnborough Green evokes memories of the sweet shop, Hills the newsagents, a small "supermarket", the butcher's shop and a small shoe repair shop.
To the left of where the picture was taken was the old Scout hut where once a week us younger boys congregated in the Cubs. Straight ahead in the picture is the old Farnborough Primary School that I attended until 1956.
The old houses are still there in 2008 as is the A21, a little busier than it was in 1955!! The newsagents disappeared to be replaced by a house only recently. The sweet shop became a supermarket and the old "supermarket" is now an Estate Agents. That's progress for you.
Change of Venue
The George and Dragon in Farnborough was the end of the 47 and 51 bus routes for many years. Drivers and conductors then adjourned to the Orange cafe or the little tea room nearby for a quick cuppa and a cigarette before their return journeys.
The view from the George and Dragon at this time was hardly interrupted by houses at all. You could see the A21 across the open land on which stood a solitary house owned, I believe, by the Quigley family. Now it is a housing estate with properties selling for £365,000 on a good day.
By the mid 60's the George and Dragon became my meeting place on a Saturday when I turned out for Farnborough Old Boys Guild at football. Sadly by the early 70's the Pub had been sold off and became a rather nice restaurant called simply "The George". Many a good meal have I had in The George and many a good night as part of Locksbottom Cricket Club... Read more
Young Conservatives
We invited the third sec of the Russian emb to talk to us. The senior Conservatives said that they would expel us if we went ahead. We went ahead. How things have changed!
Kent memories
Crescent Way Orpington Kent 1960-1968
My family lived at 3 Downsway just off Southlands Avenue. I had two older brothers when we arrived and by 1966 I had two more and a sister. My older brothers and I attended Warren Road Primary and I remember many of my old teachers and classmates. My mother used to shop in Crecent Way Stores with Mr Cowell and Mr Ford, Barnes Greengrocers, where Chuff used to give me greens for my Guineapigs. Hayletts and Lipscombes were our sweet and toy shops. There was Storks the childrens clothing shop where mum used to get my Ladybird clothes, Maltby the fishmongers, the bakery on the corner. There was a barbers near the grocers and Beales the Ironmongers were round the corner. They are just a few of my memories. My old school friends were Paul Duffett, Geoffery Whelan, Ceri Morgan, Jane Harkness, Caroline Lawrence, Karen Bacon, Lesley Attrill, Kate Ashbee, Deborah Room, Anita Saunders. Where are you all now?
I am living on the Isle of Wight and have... Read more
Happy Days of Crescent Way in The 1960's
My family lived at 3 Downsway just off Southlands Avenue. I had two older brothers when we arrived and by 1966 I had two more and a sister. My older brothers and I attended Warren Road Primary and I remember many of my old teachers and classmates. My mother used to shop in Crecent Way Stores with Mr Cowell and Mr Ford, Barnes Greengrocers, where Chuff used to give me greens for my Guineapigs. Hayletts and Lipscombes were our sweet and toy shops. There was Storks the childrens clothing shop where mum used to get my Ladybird clothes, Maltby the fishmongers, the bakery on the corner. There was a barbers near the grocers and Beales the Ironmongers were round the corner. They are just a few of my memories. My old school friends were Paul Duffett, Geoffery Whelan, Ceri Morgan, Jane Harkness, Caroline Lawrence, Karen Bacon, Lesley Attrill, Kate Ashbee, Deborah Room, Anita Saunders. Where are you all now?
I am living on the Isle of Wight and have... Read more
