Laleham

A Memory of Laleham.

Well a first visit to camp by the river and walk to the Lock and so on was really in 1962 with Guides, then a schoolfriend. Later my first 'serious' boyfriend and fiance came from there. I wonder if any of you recall not only the Abbey but the few (4) homes which were alongside the inner Abbey Road, facing across the River to St Anne's Hill. His family lived in one of those properties, next to the Vickers/Armstrong people. Further along was a splendid 2-3 level Victorian house belonging to some maiden ladies.
Wonderful times were swimming in the river, attending the Regatta when Penny Chuter, who lived along near The Red House  belonging to The Benfields, was still 'a local' and hopeful in Rowing and Punting. A well-known name today! More as a biographer now though. As is 'The Lucan Arms'. We rarely went there, as my boyfriend's pop drank at 'The Feathers'. We used to go to The 5 Horseshoes to play Shoveha'penny, if we didn't go along to Shepparton or Thames Ditton.
I used to walk from Bedfont to Laleham, along past the reservoir, early on a good morning if I felt like a day over that way, by the river 'playing house', watching the boats from the French windows .
Who would do that now? Buses were infrequent along The Ashford? road, or it meant going all the way into Staines then out on a small bus to Laleham, which could take 3 or 4 hours anyhow. So it was quicker and more interesting to walk.
Opposite 'The Feathers' was the little store ...true 'mullioned' windows, and just the best Malt Loaf.

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