Hindhead memories
Here are memories of Hindhead and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Hindhead or a Hindhead photo.
Children's Home
I was at a Children's Home here till I left school at fourteen to work at BAC.
I Remember A Different Building
The building I remember, was an 'H' with a left and right small corridor on both floors, joining the H. Looking back across a lovely rose garden, each leg of the H a semi circular lead light front.
My Great Grandfather Harvey Madgwick
My Grandfather, Harvey Madgwick, was a broom squire,and he lived in a cottage down in the bowl (as my mother related to me). It was a hard life for these people, but my mother(being bought up by her grandparents) told us many times of the broom squires and their children who lived there.
National Service
I did my national service in the Royal Army Medical Corps at the Connaught Military Hospital during 1957 and 1958. I worked in the pathology dept., ending up as Corporal. I remember the Gurkha patients coming, I think in the second half of 1958, so I may have been there at the same time as Margaret Boale. I have a Frith photograph of part of the hospital as she describes it showing the single storey huts - it appears to have been taken from the nurses home or the Seven Thorns Pub. Reference number on the card is BMT.4. but I have not found it on the website yet I have happy memories of the Connaught, Haslemere, and the lovely countyside. Phil Reid
East London School Trips.
My memory of Marchants Hill is in 1958, when I was about 5 yrears old. My dad was a teacher in East London, and he and other teachers would take kids form London to stay there for a week. I remember the old swimming pool and a lasting memory is of the dining room and the smell of fried bread and tomato ketchup :o))). My dad is now 94 and still going strong.
The Only Pub in The Village
The pub has been here for almost a hundred years. The Save the Woodcock Action Group are campaigning hard to prevent this pub from being demolished and redeveloped. We want to revitalise the pub and make it a vibrant community facility again.
Please support us.
Contact "brendanorton47@btinternet.com" or "ronnie@pineacres.freeserve.co.uk"
25th November 2011
'Goldcrest' on The A 287
I was evacuated from Battersea, South London, in 1944 to a large house named 'Goldcrest' on the Hindhead Road not far from Beacon Hill and have some happy memories of that time although as it was wartime everything seemed somewhat strange. The house was owned by Lord and Lady Freemantle who were extremely kind and hospitable to my mother and to me, giving us several items of furniture and a complete set of Dickens novels. My mother worked as a barmaid in the Royal Huts Hotel and was often wolf whistled by Italian POWs in Marchants Hill Camp as she walked home to Goldcrest in the evenings alongside the beautiful Golden Valley. We also stayed for a while in Nutcombedown Cottege but I have been unable to trace this despite many searches. Any news will be appreciated. William Heath
Connaught Military Hospital
My husband and I were both stationed at the Army Chest Hospital in Hindhead but it was not this building. It was a single storey building with long corridors and the wards leading off these. It was on the main Portsmouth road. My husband was in the Catering Corp and I was in the QARANC. There were two wards for the Ghurkas as they very prone to catching TB in those days.
Family D'Hondt
My grandparents Paula and Gustave D'Hondt managed this hotel during the latter half of the 1930s till it was requisitioned by the army during the war. They then moved with some of their paying guests to Highdown, Hindhead, a large house nearby. Many of their full time residents were ex colonials. They kept chickens during the war to help with rationing. I know that they had at least 2 people working for them, Nelly and Margaret(whose surnames I don't know)
Paula and Gustave came from Belgium originally and had 12 children. Their eldest daughter Paula lived nearby and their 2 youngest daughters Marie Therese and Patricia at that time lived at home with their parents. Gustave and Paula D'Hondt are buried at St Joseph's RCC Grayshott.
The Undershaw Hotel
I remember having a very nice meal in the Undershaw sometime in the 1990's - it's a shame that it closed down around 2004. The house was built for Conan Doyle in 1897 and this is where he wrote "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and other Sherlock Holmes novels.
Unfortunately, property developers who bought the house want to turn it into flats or pull it down! The house is Grade II listed and I hope the local council can save it for the nation before it falls down.
9 Months of my Life Spent Here
I was a boy sargeant soldier at Arborfield AAS when I came down with a serious illness and rushed into Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot and when I defied the odds and lived , it was discovered that I had pulmonary TB of the right lung. I was transferred to Connaught Military Sanatorium at Hindhead ,Surrey which I believe is the hospital featured in the photo ref.67886 although I do not recognise the angle it is taken from.
I got to know many of the patients and staff and although the hospital by this time was already condemned I received very good and kind treatment and the male orderlies competence and kindness motivated me into becoming a male qualified nurse. I am now 76yrs.old and am still working as an RGN in old folks homes in Lincolnshire, but I shall never forget those 9 mths months in Connaught Military Hospital ,Hindhead where I was restored to health from near death.
Thanks to any of the... Read more
Evacuated!
My father was headmaster of an East London School when war broke out, and he and the whole school were evacuated to Marchants Hill Camp, Hindhead for the duration. He was Walter Nadal, anybody remember him?
Memories of Surrey
James Christopher Poyle
While undertaking Family Research, during 2011, I discovered that James Christopher Poyle, previously unknown to us as a member of my wife's extended family, passed away at Marchants Hill Camp, on 9th April 1955.
I would apprecate hearing from anyone who might have known anything about James and/or his life while he was a resident there.
Many thanks in anticipation of a reply!
1st Home
My parent's (and myself) first home - above Strattons shop - mother's maiden name as my mother's father & brothers were joint owners of the business. Head branch was in Beacon Hill where my mother was born. I myself was born not far away in St George's Wood Nursing Home, Grayswood (1959). Moved in 1966 and have been in Frensham ever since. The photo itself may prove interesting as it may prove that one of the two people in conversation, may be my mother. UPDATE - 28.06.2006 Confirmed left hand person talking is my mother and in the doorway of Stratton's Shop is the tall form of my cousin Jim Stratton.
Number 19a Bus From Bognor Regis
Brings back memories of watching the driver remove the 'Limited Stop' board from the front of the Bus and to change back to Number 19. Use to live above Strattons Shop; my Bedroom use to overlook the Bus Stop and Overtons Garage.
Wayside Cottages
My great grandmother Lilian Clark was born and brought up in the right hand cottage. The last family member to live there was my great uncle Frank Clark who died in the mid 1980s.
Lloyd George
My grandmother was one of Lloyd George and Lady Lloyd George's land army girls. My family were very close to them.
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