Hooley memories
Here are memories of Hooley and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Hooley or a Hooley photo.
My Childhood Memories of Life in Hooley
Our family lived in The Fruit Shop (the shop currently sells doors) between 1958-’64. Mum and Dad served customers with the support of Mrs Garner,a rotund jolly lady who lived in Star Lane. Dad could often be seen delivering ‘Pink Parrafin’ to houses in Hooley, Netherne and Chipstead in his little green van. Adjoining our shop to our right was the chemist. Mrs Porter the pharmacist was a lovely lady; to her right there was a hairdressers, where I once suffered a ‘Twink’ perm,(which turned out far too curly to my chagrin).To our left, Mr Merritt had his butcher’s shop, and to his left there was a café.
In our time, there was a lovely comeraderie amongst all the proprietors, many of who lived above thier shops as we did. The public used a footpath which ran between our shop/back garden and the butchers. Mrs Trowbridge often used to stop and chat to us over the fence, on her way up to her... Read more
Cosy Corner Cafe
My grandparents (Mr and Mrs Riches) owned the cosy corner cafe on the Brighton Road and we lived at 93 Brighton Road. I've been told it is now a Costa Coffee or something like that. The last time I went there is was a Happy Eater and one of the waitresses remembered my Mum and Aunt (Girlie). I too remember going to the boat swings and cafe but didn't remember where they were so it was good to find out. I remember the patients from the hospital walking past our house on Sunday afternoons. My sister and I used to sit on our wall and wait for them to come past and talk to them. Mrs Violet Porter (Auntie Vi) who owned Porters on the parade was a friend of my grandparents and we often went to tea on Sundays.
My Great Great Grandparents
My great-great-grandfather George (or could be James) Jackson lived in Star Lane Cottages. Apparently the Jacksons had been Hooley people for many years. He kept sheep for a butcher on Farthing Down, Croydon - I can remember going to Farthing Down with Dad as a child where there were boat swings and a cafe - I am not sure if it belonged to my family or if it was a friend of Dad. My great-great-grandmother, possibly called Elizabeth, ran a little sweet shop in Hooley, possibly until the early 1900s. My great-great-grandfather apparently drank a lot in the Star Public House, he was a big man with curly hair. Can anyone remember the sweet shop or the Jackson family with around 11 children?
Hooley Shops
I moved to Hooley in March 1950 at the age of one month. (6 years before my sister Cheryl, (see other memory comments) was born. in addition to her comments, we had the full range of shops: from the garage (left) Peat and Townsends: grocers; Fords: newsagent / post office; "Camile": Ladies hairdressers; the Hooley Cafe; Porters: chemist / haberdashery; The Fruit Shop: greengrocers; Lee's: Baker and Confectioner (later stocked groceries as well) finally Merrit's the Butchers. Who needed Sainsbury's back then?? As a Wolf Cub and Scout I remember cleaning the glass display units in Fords and chopping fire wood in the greengrocers for "Bob - Job". I still live in the village but the only original trades left are the petrol station and newsagent - the Post Office closed after several robberies. The rest of the shops are now Antique Dealers!
Roger Wakeling
Netherne
Hooley Hospital, although near Hooley, was in fact Netherne Hospital for the mentally ill. Those patients allowed out frequented the Hooley shops, The Star public house (long gone due to road widening) and village jumble sales. The hospital site is now an up market housing estate and renamed Netherne -on the- Hill.
Roger Wakeling
My First Job!
I was born in Hooley, so I am an original "Hooligan"!! My family lived in Brighton Road, Hooley, about 300 yds to the left of this photo, in fact my mother still does. My first Saturday job was in the newsagents, Fords, which is the second shop along. Mr Merritt had the butchers shop at the end of the parade. How it has changed!!
Cheryl Holdway (nee Wakeling)
Memories of Surrey
Our Childhood Above The Shop
We moved into the parade of shops in 1938.
Our father opened a green grocery and florist shop at No16 I think? I recall that although the war years were devestating to many people I recall many fond memories growing up in Chipsted with my older sister Valerie. Our father was serving in the national fire brigade and managed to come home from time to time to help our mother run the shop and raise me and my new sister Elizabeth.
During this period we were taken to Merthyr Tydfil in Wales along with many children. I also recall that one of the first V1 rockets crashed opposite the shops to which all of us children ran over to look at the wreck and quickly got chased away by the Home Guard. Colin Grimes was one of our good friends, his father ran the Grocery store which was the second from the top. We recall that during these hectic times we spent many hours in the Morris shelter that our... Read more
The Cottage
My Grandmother used to live opposite The Cottage in The Cot - she used to "do" for the people who lived there - it brought back such memories - I last saw it when I was on embarkation leave during the war.
Family Links
My family (Garle) lived in Chipstead back in the late 1800's early 1900's. I believe an uncle Henry Garle with a son of the same name lived in Frith Hall. I am interested to know if the hall still exists?
Are you able to help please?
Sincerely - Sue Thick (nee Garle)
Enquiry
I have a photograph of this cottage in an old album - it was known as Ruffels Wood then and and was owned by my family!
Is it still there today?
Sue Thick (nee Garle)
H. Grimes - Grocer Shop
I have very fond memories of my Grandparents, known as Harry and Nancy Grimes who owned the Grocer's shop shown - No 22. Also as a child growing up in Chipstead, just around the corner from the shops and times when it was safe for children to be out on their own.
I remember crossing the road to wander up to the woods picking bluebells and primroses, would not be allowed today! and in the winter tobogganing down the slopes.
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