New Haw memories
Here are memories of New Haw and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of New Haw or a New Haw photo.
My Grandparents The Lock Keepers, Mr And Mrs Denyer
I have very happy memories of my grandparents. My grandad had an enormous beard, and grandma always wore a long flowered apron. Grandad used to sit me on the handle of the lock gate while he slowly opened it to let the water level rise or drop so the water level in the lock was the same as the river and then the barge could go on its way. My mother left New Haw to live in Grimsby, the only time I saw my grandparents then was when we came on holiday. As I got older the barge people would let me sail through the locks into the river and my grandma would get me of the other side. I remember on one visit one of my little sisters had somehow got to the water's edge, nobody dared call her for fear of her falling in, it was a case of creep up and grab. At the back of the cottage was a waterfall with a footbridge going over it, which... Read more
Grange School And Onwards
My name is Andy Pearce and I was born in New Haw in 1952. I went to Grange School in 1957. Names I remember are Jenkins, Wright, Hatch, Swanton, Gill, Watts. Many more faces than surnames.Was a paperboy at Flanagans on Woodham Road and belonged to the Cubs that met at Grange School and the Scouts that had an old Nissan hut down by the canal, next to the rec. Friends were Richard Jenkins, Olivia Philipson, Mary Rowlands. Great times for kids, biking through the fields to Rowtown, playing along and in the Bourne. I recall my first day at school, kicking over some skittles in the classroom with another boy, Robert something (also in the cubs). We both got a ruler across our legs from the teacher. Used to love roller skating down the Grange Road hill, from Manor Road to Job's dairy, which was almost opposite our house. We used to play in their yard in the evenings. The skating memory reminds me that there was a lovely girl who lived in... Read more
My Childhood In New Haw
Our family moved to New Haw when the new council houses were built at Heathervale. We lived at 26 Park Side. Everybody moved in about the same time so during the fifties there was great community spirit in our street. The residents even managed to build their own social club (Park Side Club). My father Basil Ponting was involved with this, but probably only on the drinking side.
It's still possible for me to remember some of the families that lived in our street, names like Doig, Pacey, Norman, Richards, Burgess, Redmond, Saul and Hill etc. I attended New Haw County Primary School (now demolished) from the age of five until I was sent to a school for the Partially Sighted in Seaford, Sussex.
Heathervale Park was right behind our house but somehow we preferred to play out front, pushing our homemade trolleys around the block. When we did go over to the park there was always a parkie (as we called him) on duty so it... Read more
NEW HAW CHILDHOOD
I have lived in New Haw most of my life. My family moved from Kings Road to Farleigh Road in 1949. One of my first memories was being taken to the New Haw Clinic for day care as my mother worked in London. There I encountered Nurse Lytle whom I met later at West Byfleet and Fullbrook School. We nicknamed her "The Nit Nurse". Pocket money in the 1950s was not very generous - but at the age of 5 I clutched 2d in my hand and made my way to "Hunts" to buy either 4 blackjacks and 4 fruits salads (1d for 4) or a packet of polos. Mr. Hunt first ran the shop solely as a sweet shop but later branched out selling wallpaper, paint and all things DIY - today the shop specialises in nail extensions and manicures. Next to him was the jeweller "Mees" (which is now a hairdressers) - I used to do a lot of window shopping there. Kendals used to sell corn, chicken... Read more
Life And Times of Suzanne Knight in New Haw.
I lived at 5 Manor Drive with my 3 sisters, Kathleen, Elizabeth and Mary. I was born in the house at 1am on a snowy night in 1954 and was delivered by my dad and Dr Poles, while Mary slept and Kathleen and Elizabeth were shipped across the road to spend the night with Stuart Yates. And I lived there until 1972.
In the early years. whilst my sisters were at school, my mum would sit me in my little pillion chair on her bike and she used to ride down the cage walk, up Rowtown Hill and into Liberty Lane to see my Nanny. A warm welcome there: a jam tart and a cup of tea and we'd head home along New Haw Road, past the White Heart Pub, the New Haw lock, Woodham Church and then turn right up Grange Road. She used to sing all the way home: a little Frank, Dean,and songs from My Fair Lady...Thus we had riden in a full circle around New... Read more
New Haw
Woking: Having just read memories of New Haw has sent my mind racing. My name is Joe Kennedy, having lived on the corner of Kings Road and Woodham Lane from 1940, doing Nat Service in 1959. Recognising many names from memories. I also went to New Haw primary then West Byffleet. Mr Bean was headmaster. Having read names Read and Carter, I was friends with Johonny Read (brothers Stan & David) and Terry Carter from Kings Road. I intend to be around New Haw during this summer 2011 on holiday. I am living in Sydney, Australia. I have many memories of growing up in New Haw, and would love to hear from anyone from those days. I knew the Park Side club well (Sport), played cricket and football (New Haw CC in Heathervale Rec in the 1950s), also played football for Chertsey, Woking & Addlestone. Would love to hear from anyone from those days. Cheers Joe. A memory of Woking, shared by Joe Kennedy.
A Happy, Friendly Place For A Boy to Grow up ...
Born in Woking in 1945 I lived in New Haw from 1947 to 1964, firstly at Warren Road and then from 1949 in Braeside.
I remember Mrs Crab at West Byfleet Primary who taught me to read; I remember Mr Bean at Fullbrook who made me a prefect. I recall so many names: Ruddick; Sears; Wade; Read; Mandeville; Sheppard; Crossan; Mullins; Francis and Bint - from Braeside. The Bints had the electricity pylon in their garden: we awoke often to the sound of a fry-up on the air whenever the atmosphere was damp and it made the pylon wires sizzle. Then, I recall Lavender; Bott; Carter, Ayres and McDaid in King's Road. Caldwell in Broomfield. Kelland; Freshwater; Lake; Hurley; Church and Richards in Park Side. And many more besides.
Our childhood NW Surrey playground was vast: Heathervale Recreation ground where we used to build camps in the undergrowth at the edge of the rec. (And where, aged about 5, I sang 'Oh... Read more
Growing up in New Haw 1970s And 1980s
I was adopted in 1970 and was moved from east London to New Haw. I was brought up in Grange Rd, family name Alexander. I never had much of a home life but it didn't matter because the time was spent fishing on the Bourne and Wey, going to the Carlton for sweets and generally roaming the fields of Grange and Manor Farms. We weren't meant to but I was friends with one of the farmer's kids. I remember the record shop as Round Sound where I bought my first record. A great place to spend a childhood. The surnames I remember are Alderman, Court, Lewis and Taylor. I went to Grange School, New Haw Middle and Fullbrook.
Good Young Memories
At nine years old unfortunately I had to leave the area of my birth to which I had so many good memories. My name is Patrick Alexander, born 1947 and first lived as a baby in Kings Rd opposite my grandparents' house which was No 45, their name was Lapwood.
My mother Edith Lapwood married Bert Alexander, another resident of Kings Rd. We then moved to 5 Park Close where I enjoyed tremendously my younger days. The Rec as I knew it was my playground along with the canal where I would often fish, my favorite spot being the wooden bridge where I was told a big pike used to be. I never did catch it though, but I could always wait awhile and watch the Golden Arrow pass by on the railway lines then make my way home crossing the canal lock gates at the rear of the Rec.
I went to New Haw Primary and used to walk to school along the canal path via the woods,... Read more
New Haw
I well recall New Haw as i lived there from 1960 till 1976 (aged 5-21) . I went to Grange School first and then Fullbrook . I would as a child go to these shops for my mum to get the meat and to the paper shop for my comic. Up the road to the right was the Carlton sweet shop, ow what happy times i had in New Haw as a young boy growing up.
Growing Up
I moved to Farleigh Road, New Haw in 1952. I attended West Byfleet Junior School and then Fullbrook School until I graduated in 1960 (after taking a special "commercial course"). Left New Haw in 1966 and moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada where I still live. Haven't been to New Haw for about 20 years but the shops, the youth club, Woodham Lane, cycling to West Byfleet, Old Byfleet and Woking are some of my clearest memories.
Wedding
I married in this church in March 1974 my maiden name was Whittle in those days. I also attended the youth club in the hall that was behind the church for a few years.
The Black Prince
This pub was at the end of Scotland Bridge Road where I lived all my childhood from 1952 to 1974.
The Butchers at New Haw
I went shopping regularly for my Mum to the butchers called Brightwells that were along this parade. Most Saturdays I had to ask for half a leg of lamb, fillet end for 18/6d for our Sunday Roast.
My Very Happy Childhood In New Haw Road!!!
We originally moved in 1957 when I was 5 from Thornton Heath in Surrey to Burleigh Road in Addlestone because my dad had started working for Peto Scott (TV makers) near Weybridge. Then in December 1957 my parents bought a lovely house with 1/3 acre garden in New Haw Road, number 143. We were a family of 4. Reginald and Rachel Hope were our parents, Rosemary my sister and me, Robin. 143 is just 2 doors north of what is now The Moated Farm Drive. It used to be Bentley's Farm. It's now a golf course. I worked on Bentley's Farm when I was in my teens. I got paid 2 shillings an hour! It was a nice bit of pocket money by the end of the week! I used to love going up to the shops opposite The White Hart Bridge on my little bike. There was Kinch's first, the green grocers, then the Post Office and Wavy Line grocery shop. Then there was another entrance into Bentley's farm (shops there... Read more
School Days
I was moved to New Haw in1941 as a small boy, after my mother and I had been sent to several other locations during the early part of the Second World War, my father working in munitions. We lived in Holly Avenue, and after New Haw primary school, I was transferred to Bentlands primary school in Addleston, where all the pupils were like myself London evacuees. I can remember that Bentlands was a large house and opposite us down the street was St. Paul's primary school with whom we often did battle. Our Headmaster was Mr. Henstritch,and our class teacher was W. P. Allen, a volitile Welshman. Eventually 'passed the scholarship' and went to Woking Grammar School where I completed my education. I don't remember the recreation ground being called Heathervale, just 'The Rec'. It was on the other side of Woodham Lane opposite Grange Road. Is that the one? My friends at this time were Bernie Church, Herbert Keating and John Godfrey. Anyone out there? Michael Isaacs
Rosalind Newton
Does anyone remember Rosalind (Ros) Newton who went to Fullbrook School in the 1960s?
Childhood in New Haw
I lived in Holly Avenue, New Haw from 1941-1951, and I remember a very cold winter in 1944, when everything froze. I went to the Co-op youth club in Scotland Bridge Road, and eventually attended school at Woking County Grammar School. It was very rural then with open fields at the top of my street, and when I visited a few years ago it had changed greatly, but was still very beautiful. Regards, Michael Isaacs
Camping With The Red Cross
Some of my best memories of growing up are the camps I attended at the Red Cross camp site over the field (past the farm) and right on the River Wey at New Haw. I actually lived in Brookwood at the time.
We did hiking, canoeing and swimming in the river; I spent many happy summers there. The best thing compared to the Scouts & Cubs was that the Red Cross had both girls & boys and my first proper girl friend Emma was on the camp as well. It also had a super tuck shop ...
Anyone that remembers or attended these camps I am sure will have fond memories, please contact me andy.t.powell@baesystems.com
I have been trying to contact anyone from those days.
Happy Days in The Late 40s/early 50s
My memories relate to the 1940s and 50s - my Grandmother [Laura Reeves] and Grandfather [William Reeves] lived at 106 New Haw Road. My gran ran a little shop in the front room and I can still remember the smell of cheese, bacon and tobacco together with sundry sweets she sold from huge jars on the shelves. Two aunts and uncles and their families lived across the road at numbers 125 and 127 respectively - Sid and Elsie Reeves at 127 and Dorrie and Percy Alexander at 125 with their son Jim and daughters Eileen and Beryl, though Eileen married and moved to Canada early on in my memory. Uncle Percy worked at Vickers Armstrongs up at Brooklands as a fitter. Next door to them, at 123, lived Mr and Mrs Hayes, a formidable couple who were always telling us off, my cousin Beryl and I, for making a noise when we were playing! A bit further down the road lived Elaine Bristow who, much later on, also went to... Read more
Living in New Haw Until 1968
I was born in Farleigh Road in New Haw in 1945. My dad, John, worked at Vickers Armstrongs as did many other parents and my Mum, Grace, had also worked there during the war before she had children. She and my elder brother, John, were evacuated to Scotland at one time because of the bombing of the factory.
After the war I went to West Byfleet Primary School, as did my three brothers, twins Peter and Paul completed the family. Mrs. Crab was my first teacher and we also had Miss Rose who, I think, went off to India to teach children there. At one time we had an Indian male teacher. I was playing the part of an Indian girl who was being told the story of the nativity by two English children. The Indian teacher helped to dress me in a sari, suitably chaperoned by Miss Hey, the headmistress. We performed the play in St. John's church and afterwards I kept my brown make-up on and walked home... Read more
New Haw
I used to live by West Weybridge station (now Byfleet & New Haw) and presently live in Woodham, near the lock. I have many memories of the New Haw/West Byfleet/Byfleet area especially of the Youth Club at West Byfleet in the 1950's and early 1960's.
I Also Married at This Church
I was married to Colin at this church in 1971. My maiden name was Sadler. We had our reception at the Otter Hotel in Ottershaw.
Memories of Surrey
ST JOHN'S CHURCH (1950's And Early 60's)
St John's Church has its own peculiar smell which I used to appreciate during "the long kneel" (communion). Once a month, (or every week) an army of children would be frogmarched from The Langsmead School to attend Sunday Worship. The Langsmead Room now is the only reminder of the now defunct Boarding School which the pupils funded by collecting a mile of threepenny bits. My friends and I went to Sunday School and thoroughly misbehaved ourselves but the vicar, of the time, was very patient with us. One day we were mucking around in "the long kneel" when "Goody Two Shoes Evelyn" reported us and dragged us of the see Mr. Costin. We were petrified that he would find out we had been making my childminder's son turn head over heels in front of the altar and playing the organ without permission. He was, however, extremely kind to us and put our names in the birthday book. A few years later I belonged to Children's Union... Read more
The Bus Stop
In 1961 I remember starting West Byfleet School and waiting by this bus stop for the bus to take all the Byfleet pupils home. Straight opposite the bus stop was the school uniform shop 'George C Wenn', everything had to be perfect and we had to wear hats, white ones in the summer and maroon and gold in the winter, we all looked very smart. I also remember rushing home to see the new television programme 'Coronation Street'... then out to play before tea.
West Byfleet
I started at West Byfleet CS in 1963 when Fred Goodger was the head master, and a more paranoid man I've yet to meet, but some of the teachers were great! I remember the school very well and so many pupils. I came from Pyrford and West Byfleet was a long way in those days! I remember the shopping centre and Camerasports where we all bought our records (mostly The Beatles) and I remember the excitement when 'Sgt. Pepper' came out. Everything was a lot more innocent then. We had Parish Day on the Rec and my mate Ginger Gammon broke his legs on a swing there! I had lots of other friends, some of whom I'm still in touch with, but so many I lost touch with. I live many miles away in Bristol now but still get back sometimes. I married a Byfleet girl (Judy Pinnock who used to work in Paula Marks record shop) and moved some 27 years ago. Happy memories.
The Library
I don't know the exact year the library was built in West Byfleet, only that it opened the flood-gates for me & I would be the first to campaign against closing libraries, thanks to this inclusion to 1960s West Byfleet. The fact that it was circular encompassed that feeling of 'modernism': I was able to wallow in so many stories, fact & fiction, all for free!! It even lent LPs to play on my little Dansette portable record player!
The offices in the background of this photo replaced a beautiful row of houses, one of which I think had its front room servicing as a doctor's surgery: or it could have been the dentist. Although at the time it seemed criminal to demolish these places, the offices served me well for some temp work during college holidays!
Further back was our first supermarket: The notion of collecting all your items in one basket rather than asking an assistant was scary but wonderful! I remember following... Read more
Centenary Celebrations
I am currently collecting records of memories of members and relative memorabilia of those people who attended the youth club at West Byfleet. If there are any members out there who would like to contribute to the exhibition that will be held sometime in April onwards, please contact me at arfairlie@ntlworld.com or phone me on 01932 343618.
Thank you. Alan Fairlie
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