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Leatherhead
Leatherhead photos
Displaying the first of 159 old photos of Leatherhead. View all Leatherhead photos
Leatherhead maps
Historic maps of Leatherhead and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Leatherhead maps
Leatherhead area books
Displaying 1 of 18 books about Leatherhead and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Leatherhead
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Leatherhead.
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Our Mother Worked There as A Cook in 1935
Our mother worked at the Blind School in 1935 as a cook, she had many a stories to tell us.
My Happy Young Years
I lived in The Mount near Fetcham where l went to school. One day l was out on my bike in Fetcham near what was them a bg field backing onto the school, there was a big local sports day and as l loved running l entered all the races to my surprise and my mother's l went home with the local silver cup which was to be engraved with my name and a replica for me + a football etc. I also used to help the milkman called John and in those days john had a horse and cart but a bit later he got a battery-run van. l loved living there, the people were lovely, Mr & Mrs Clark the greengrocers, Mr Sop the gardener, Mr & Mrs Burkhill and most of all Mr & Mrs Stacey who l lived with, oh and not forgetting Miss Benner the Sunday School teacher, who loved 'The Archers' and you were not allowed to speak when it was on.... Read more
Surrey memories
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.
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
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.
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
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.
