1960s And Prior London Road Haunts

A Memory of Camberley.

I was born in Bagshot but moved to Camberley in 1955 when I was 8. I attended York Town Primary School which was, and on checking the maps still appears to be, located on the other side of the London Road, a bit further down from what was once the Odeon cinema. Later on, like Gaynor Henderson (Smith), I went to France Hill School and in 1966 also married a soldier from the RMA. I moved to Australia in early 1973 shortly after my marriage failed and now live on North Stradbroke Island with my new partner. When we talk of our early years I fondly recall my old haunts along the London Road - the Blue Pool and waiting impatiently for opening day on the first of April each year then nearly freezing to death,  the Cambridge Hotel and trad jazz nights in the room out the back, Moss Bros shop where as a child I'd press my nose against the window drooling over the saddlery, the Staff College stables I'd often make a detour to on the way home from school - I was horse crazy, visits to the library at the Council offices and the swings near the recreation grounds where fairs set up camp each year, the sweet shop opposite York Town Primary where I'd buy gob stoppers and sherbert dips, the Odeon Cinema - Saturday morning pictures and the sing-along and years later with boys in the back row, the Avenue and Globe pubs with their smoke-filled bars - great friends and mistletoe at Christmas, Roses Cafe where we'd finger jive to the juke box and make a coffee last 2 hours, the Duke of York Hotel where I had my first silver service dinner at age 18 - the waiter spoke in hushed tones and no-one else talked out loud - I'll bet it's different today!  I also recall taking part in ballet and tap displays at St Michael's annual garden fete at the vicarage and Overs store where I would visit the fabric and wool sections with my Mum. She made all my ballet and school outfits because I was very tall and skinny (my nick name was Beanpole), and nothing bought would ever fit me! One last regular haunt was a great little shoe shop just up the ramp from the Frimley Road traffic lights - I spent a good share of my wages there each month but new shoes made me feel fantastic!
Some things I know have definitely changed - the Blue Pool was filled in many years ago and turned into fancy apartments (my brother owned one), Overs is gone and the Odeon is no longer a cinema.  Of my others haunts I have no recent knowledge, but I do still have great memories...