Memories of Guildford

Endless summer days

The photo is much older than my memories but there is little changed apart from the swimming costumes. Long sunny summer days were spent here each summer holiday. The cafe sold hot Oxo and shrimp sweets: delicious.

Harvey's

First time I ever had a milk shake was up here after walking over the stepping stones and looking down at the large carp in the water. What a wonderful place for a child to be brought to visit.

Guildford, High Street c1950

I think that this might have been taken in May/June1953, with the flags out for the Coronation. I was a schoolboy at the Royal Grammar School at the time.

First date

This is where my boyfriend (now husband) and I went on our first date. I was so nervous I could hardly eat a thing, I was very shy at that time. We went to the cinema after the meal to see The Yellow Rolls Royce.
We married in April 1969 at All Saint's Church, Onslow Village.
I worked at Thomas Wallis until it closed in 1969/70, my very good friend Christine and I worked there since we left school.
My name was Linda Way.

Update on Castle Street

The houses in Castle Street have been knocked down some 20 years ago. I used to live in no 18 and used to play in the castle grounds since we had no garden.

Splash

I can happily remember the roof garden cafe, it was wonderful with frothy coffee in little glass cups, and we would sit on one of the "island's" that the stepping stones in the picyure led to. I also remember my sister Sue being about 3 or 4 and her falling in the pond head-first trying to touch the fish,   Mum had to dry her out in the loo.

Still looks the same now

This  place has not changed in nearly 100 years. I lived here for 15 years. The houses were originally built for Billings (the printers) workers All of the houses had an equal share in the green at the front, there was a committee and we all paid subs. We used to have a man who cared for the shared area called Mr Percy Lemon.
We used to close the gates at both ends to stop cars from driving in when the children were playing on the green.

Tree Tops

I think that the "Tree Tops" kennels may now be on this site and that is where we brought our black lab "shep" from

GDH

My nan and mum used to work in the Guildford Dolls Hospital which would have been on the right just beyond the white building.
As the name suggests they would make your doll better if she was ill and also sold many other toys - one of my favourite memories

My Great Grandfather

The man in this photograph is quite possibly my Great-Grandfather. The family name is 'Wye' and he was the lock keeper at St. Catherines lock during the late 1800's early 1900's the family lived in the lock keepers cottage on the River Wey, where they ran a little tuck shop on the river bank. He also operated a punt (known as the St. Catherines ferry) to take people across the river to the golden sands at St. Catherines hill. My Grandmother Ada Reffold (nee) Wye was married in St. Nicolas Church , Guildford to Henry Reffold in the 1920's and taken by punt down the River Wey in her wedding dress from the cottage to the church for the service.

The Royal Grammar School

Contrary to other "memories" this was (and is) the boys' Grammar school in Guildford. I was there between 1974 and 1981 - least said soonest mended! The new school building on the opposite side of the High Street was added in the 1960s.

Old Red Lion Inn

With the help of Brian Faulkner of newspaperdetectives, I have been able to identify the building on the left as the old Red Lion Inn. The Inn fronts on High Street, and Market, formerly Red Lion Gate, is the one running away from the camera. My ggg-grandfather, William Charles Graygoose, was the proprietor till he sold the inn in 1872 and moved to Lambeth. Brian Faulkner has uncovered some interesting articles in the Surrey Advertiser of 1872 relating to Greygoose and the sale of the inn. If anyone has further information about the Greygoose family in Guildford, Wanstead (where W C Greygoose was born in 1821), or Lambeth, I would be thrilled to hear from you!

Mom attended here in the 1930's

Mom did take me to Guildford and the surrounding area a few times in the mid 60's and late 60's. I was quite young....she went from here to Horsham school. Horsham school I can find nothing on. Do you know where I can find them?

In the year 2000 I was in England and wanted to go back to Guildford but I had no way to get there - well, I did but didn't use all that was available. I was told that nothing was there anymore.

My mother's birthplace

Both my mother and my uncle were born at my nan's house in Quarry Street. My mother was born there on 11th February 1927.  My uncle was born there fourteen months prior to my mother.  My nan had nine children, seven sons then two girls.  I remember my great gran lived quite close.  I myself was born at Grange Road, Stouton in 1947.  One of my memories of Guildford was a place called the Mount, where my uncle Peter is buried.  I remember that hill so well.

As a child

I remember going with my nan to see her sister Maud Chennell who used to live in Castle Street.  I remember it as being a very small house.  I remember my great aunt had a musical box shaped like a swiss cabin.  I used to love to play with it.  And eating the finger style trifle sponges.  I would love to know if those little houses are still there?

My first job

Working for Thomas Wallis seen here on the left, it was a large department store selling all household goods, from tea towels to carpets and furniture. Oh how I loved my job.  In those days the shops used to shut Wednesday afternoons and I wanted to stay there I loved it so much.  My Mum, "Collie" as she was known, was in charge of the female staff there and it was a privilege to work there with her, she is 82 now.
I made so many friends there and still keep in touch with one, Linda, who has been a life long friend and became one of my bridesmaids when I married in 1967 at St Nicholas Church in Guildford. The church spire is just visible in the distance at the bottom of the hill.
Today the store is a branch of W H Smiths and I believe the centre stairs to the upper sales floor have been removed.  We had to go up and down these many times a day to fetch stock 2 more flights up or to the cash office for change for our tills.
That's over 40 years ago now but the good memories are still as strong as ever.
Chris Fellows (nee Collins)

Just a child of 12 when.........

My friends Carole, Linda & I would go to this roof top garden for a glass of orange juice.  We were only 12 at the time and this garden was on the top of Harvey Department Store in the High Street.  We would sit at the seats in this picture and watch as there were many goldfish swimming in the water there and made for a very relaxing sit in the sun.  

Mom's school in Guildford

Mom's school.  My mom was called Robina James. I am her daughter Susie - Mom came to USA after the war.

My mom

It seems there is ALWAYS a High Street in villages in England.  My mom, Robina James, was here often and took me there as a teenager in the mid-60's.

Bluebells and carols

I lived in Guildford as a child, and every spring my father used to take me to St Martha's to pick bluebells in the woods at the foot of the hill. It was a sheet of blue, and however many we picked it looked the same.
In the 1940s I attended the Girls Grammar School in Guildford (opposite the Royal Surrey County Hospital). I sang in the main choir and in the "small" choir. With the latter I went to St Martha's every Christmas to sing carols. It was a cold walk to the top of the hill, and pretty chilly in the church as well.