North Holmwood, Surrey

Not so much traffic then.

The photo was taken from the railway bridge and the new dual carriageway was only a year or two old. Round to the right opposite Deepdene Garage was Fairfield Drive and what a lovely area it was to be growing up in. We lived at no 4, the Parsons at no 6 and the Skiltons at no 8 or 10, the... [more]

Working for British Railway's southern region

My mother, Valerie Evans, worked for British Railways southern region from 1957 -1960 at Deepdene House. She was a shorthand typist and remembers Deepdene House to be a beautiful building with extensive grounds. She has happy memories of friends in the typing pool.
The building hadn't changed much since 1891 although I don't believe there was a conservatory in 1957.... [more]

Pepsi-Cola and Merry Legs

These two ponies belonged to Dorking Riding School and they were popular characters with gentle dispositions. They retired in 1963 to good homes. Pepsi-Cola is in the foreground. I was a groom at the stables and regularly rode them around the area.

Wounded World War One soldiers?

I'm pretty sure my great grandfather Hubert John Cavell, was brought here after becoming wounded in Ypres, in Belgium. He died on 22/04/1917. Does anybody have any information? I know that the Queen Alexandra nurses trained there.

My birthplace

I was born in the master bedroom on the main floor to the existing owners of Anstie.
During our 3 years there we converted it to suites and modernised it considerably.
On the day that I was born there were construction workers in the house and one of them cried when he heard the sound of a newborn baby, I... [more]

The Crown

I was landlord of the Crown from 1971 to 1973. I was only 19 and the youngest landlord in England at the time. My father, Bernard Edmund had been landord at the Prince of Wales across the road, for many years. We had some wonderful times at The Crown.

Betchworth Village Shop

A school friend at Reigate Grammar was Joe Cheffings; his parents ran the village shop and bakery about midway to the church, on the left of the picture. An elder brother, Tony, helped at home when on holiday from St. Paul's school, and had a penchant for very elderly motorcycles, picked up for nothing from a quarry dump towards Dorking somewhere.... [more]

My childhood in Coldharbour

In July 1959, I was born at home, to Eric and Ann Shields in Coldharbour village.  My father was the village policeman; we lived in what was then the police house, which was situated next to the village shop opposite the schoolhouse.  All of these properties have now been turned into private homes, but in the scheme of things, the wonder... [more]