Fetcham memories
Here are memories of Fetcham and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Fetcham or a Fetcham photo.
Rickety Bridge, River Mole at Fetcham And The Splash.
I remember the rickety bridge over the River Mole here, when I was very small my mother used to take me over it to eat sandwiches by the 'splash' and go for a paddle. The bridge was really scary with wobbly planks and I was afraid of falling through where the missing one was. When I was old enough to go on my own I learned to swim in the river, hanging on to the water weeds and kicking my feet until I was confident enough to let go and 'doggie paddle'. I am not sure why that part on the river is called the 'splash'. Some say it is because it was once a ford and the horses splashed across, and others say it is because a bomb dropped in the river which made a big splash. The water is deep over the bomb crater which is still there. Last summer I was 60 and swam over the bomb crater and it was still out of my depth so... Read more
Trips to The Blacksmiths
In the 1950's I used to ride my pony from the Leatherhead Road in Gt. Bookham through Fetcham to Leatherhead to get to the blacksmiths. The blackmsiths was a proper big old forge at Prewetts Dairy off Randals Road. I used to have to lead my pony over this rickety little bridge. It had wobbly planks and there was one missing one time I crossed it. It was probably a 9 mile round trip just to get the pony re-shod. It didn't cost much though, I think it was about 7/6d. The blacksmiths were father and son - I can't remember their names. The old man used to work the bellows mainly and shoe the quieter horses - like my old pony. Wish I had a picture of that too. It was a lovely sight with the fire going and the smoke. It is in my head though.
The Bell Inn
This was a super pub with a really great landlord called Tony and wife Sue. A group of us used to meet here several times a week and have a warm welcome and great laugh. I worked here several times to help out in the summer. Eventually moved in to the close next to the Pub for 3 years.
Rickety Bridge
At this time I lived in Bookam and worked at The Central Electricity Research Laboratories in Leatherhead. I cycled over this bridge on my "off road" route to and fro work. Happy days! I remember the dairy but not the blacksmiths that others mention.
Fetcham in The Forties And Fifties
This parade of shops is in my memory for ever - my family moved to Orchard Close - which starts just beside the post office on the right of the picture - in 1946. My brother was five and I was six months old. We were there for twenty years. Every day, until a supermarket appeared in Leatherhead in the early sixties and we got a fridge, my mother would walk down our road and buy the food for lunch and the evening meal, and she'd cook the evening meal from scratch; always meat or fish and vegetables and a substantial pudding.
These shops held everything: starting from the right of the picture were the post office, the chemist's run by Mr. Coleman, the greengrocer's, the grocer's run by Mr. Read and the butcher's. Right at the end was a fishmonger's but I cannot recall if it was open every day or just Fridays.
One more recollection - the greengrocer used to... Read more
Ascot House
I started at Badingham College at the age of just over 11 years, joining the Ascot House. I was extremley home-sick away from my home in Leeds, Mr O'Brian saw me through those first months, handing the responsability to Mr Saxton. The remaining years were the most pleasant years of my young life, of which I did not appreciate until demob day.
Youngest Boy in School
I also remember Badingham. For over a year I was the youngest boy in the school and I too got lost just after starting, getting the 708 bus back iinstead of the 718. I also remember the mill pond and breaking my wrist while playing in the colts rugby team in an away match and was rushed to Epsom District hospital where I had an operation to re-set it. I rarely went home at out weekends as in those days it was too far away except at half term but I liked them as there was quite a lot of freedom we were allowed to go out within 8 miles of the school.
The Splash & Timber Bridge
My family, the Whitehouses, moved to Mole Road, Fetcham c1956 and as children my sister and our friends spent many happy hours playing 'down the river'. I remember the rickety bridge, frequently with more than one plank missing, swimming, and riding bareback through (sometimes jumping) The Splash to the blacksmith at Prewitts Farm (the older brother working the bellows with his elbow & spitting into the fire), boys jumping off a rope hung from the tree over the 'bomb hole', these memories came flooding back. Following a visit to Painshill where the bridge reminded me of The Splash I drove on to Fetcham (the first visit for very many years) and was so disappointed to see the utilitarian replacement bridges. The Splash now (2010) has more water as the wall chanelling the main river has been broken through: no longer will the 'stagnant pond' freeze over for ice-skating. Our 'fishing' competitions here comprised catching the biggest tiddler in a jam jar & the odd crayfish. Frogspawn was also available in... Read more
Many Happy Memories
This was the year I started school at Badingham College and I was there until 1964.I remember walking into Leatherhead for the first time but then forgetting the way back to school and having to hitch a lift back. I wasnt good at games although I enjoyed our long distance runs over the local downs and, when I was old enough to keep a bike at the school, I enjoyed visiting local places such as Epsom. I wonder if any former pupils from this period will remember these days.
Happy Days
I Iived in the Children's Home Cannon Court from 1954 until 1960. They were great years. I attended Fetcham School and St Domonic Salvo Collage at Leatherhead. I spent a lot of time at the Splash and walked the cinder track past the pig farm to Leatherhead daily (after I left primary school). I met my first love Diana whilst at Fetcham School and can still remember her today. In September this year (2011) I am going once again vist Fetcham from my home in New Zealand and am hoping at least some things will look the same, even if it is only the Mill Ponds.
Memories of Surrey
All Saints Church, Little Bookham
This church is called All Saints' Church. It is next to the Manor House School to which I attended in the early 1990s. I was christened at this church and this weekend I will be getting married here. The history of the church dates back to the 1100s and it has one of the oldest trees in the south east in its grounds. All Saints is part of the parish of St Lawrence which is actually in the neighboring village of Effingham and I suspect if the borders were inspected closely the church would sit in between the two, Little Bookham and Effingham. I have very fond memories and I urge any visitors passing to pay their respects. It is just a shame that due to the local youths, the doors have to be kept locked.
Home
I lived in Great Bookham until 1955, then lived at Maddox Lane, Little Bookham. It was a lovely place to live by the common, but I had great friends in Great Bookham, I wonder if you know them. My memories are walking and cycling over the common and walking along the path at the bottom of the garden to Effingham by the railway track, we used to pick primroses etc and cowslips on the banks. It woud be geat to be in touch with anyone who lived there at the time.
Bookham Grange Hotel
I came to Bookham on the 23rd of Sept 1959 from Ireland. I started working at the Bookham Grange Hotel which was then owned and run by Leslie Colwill. Iwas 16 years old then and as green as the country I had come from. I joined the local youth club which was held at the Barn Hall, it was run by Mrs Harrison then and later by the village policeman Ken Strudwick, and Ron Batts. Bookham was a small village in those far off days and I loved the place. There was a beautiful outdoor swimming pool where I and many friends spent our summers, I remember we used to meet up in the Coffee Bar and walk to the pool. I often wonder if there's anyone out there who worked at or frequented the Grange Hotel in the early 1960s and who would remember me?
The Grange
I also remember the Grange Hotel mentioned on Little Bookham memories. In the late 1950s or early 1960s it must have been, I recall Sandy who worked behnd the bar. Leslie the boss used to get a bit miffed with some of us youngsters who used other pubs in the village (Great Bookham) in the early evenings and then when they closed at 10.30pm would all arrive at the Grange en masse for the later closing time drinks. Some of us called it Spooky Towers back then - it was well placed for that name on a single track road on Bookham Common - no other houses nearby and the lights loomed up in the dark out of nowhere as you rounded the corner on the lane. They held Oak Motor Club meetings at the Grange as well smaller meets in the Royal Oak in Gt Bookham High St where the club first started. Lots of ridiculously long 'treasure hunts' rallies were held if I recall - one finishing... Read more
Bookham Grange
Like many of my student friends from the area, we all worked at Booham Grange under the watchful eye of Jimmy Sale and his wife Valma, then later on the hotel was managed by his nephew Mike and his wife Jan. We worked on Probus lunches in the restaurant, and many, many weddings. It was a favourite watering hole of the local constabulary, as well as being ideal for the Christmas parties. Rotarac and Rotary used to meet here. The hotel had two superb residents one called Mr Rouse and the other called Mr Gray.
Memorybank total
We're very pleased and excited by your response so far to our "Share your Memories" community.
You've shared 28,872 memories of 5,950 towns & villages across the UK - keep them coming!
Find Memories
Simply search for your favourite places to read others' memories and share your own.
Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write?
It's easy - just think of an important place in your life and ask yourself:
How does it feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of this place?
How has it changed over the years?
How does it feel, seeing these old photos of your favourite place?
Do you remember stories about the local community, its history and people?
Start now!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the orange "Add your Memory" icon to begin.
Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Braunston, Northamptonshire
- Lowestoft, Suffolk
- Smallthorne, Staffordshire
- Dagenham, Essex
- Gillingham, Kent
- Nant Ffrancon, Gwynedd
- Rochdale, Lancashire
- Maesgeirchen, Gwynedd
- Eamont Bridge, Cumbria
- Netheravon, Wiltshire
- Blaenllechau, Mid Glamorgan
- Woodbridge, Suffolk
- Souldern, Oxfordshire
- Eastleigh, Hampshire
- Ealing, Greater London
- Chedworth, Gloucestershire
- Fleetwood, Lancashire
- Bethesda, Gwynedd
- Irby, Merseyside
- Thurstaston, Merseyside
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
Your memories
To jump straight to the memories you have added already to the Community, click here
I Remember When...
This stunning compilation highlights some of the best stories selected from the thousands contributed here on the
Frith website. The result is an absorbing chronicle of British life from the Second World War to the mid 1960s.
A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
irresistible mix of personal stories and recollections that affectionately reveal the detail of everyday life in Britain.
