Woking memories
Here are memories of Woking and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Woking or a Woking photo.
Summer Holidays
Wow! I was taught to swim in the Woking Pool by my mum. I could be in this very photo but preferred the quieter sessions. My sister or friends and I would cycle there and take a Thermos of Bovril to warm us up after our swim. There was a chalkboard at the turnstile entrance warning us of the water temperature! The changing room lockers were locked and unlocked by very sun-burnished attendants, and we had to poke part of our clothing (a belt, or sleeve of a blouse) through the door grille to identify our locker. Oh! the numb fingers and chattering teeth as we waited! Some people took their clothes to the poolside, risking getting them soaked by their mates! I loved the smell of the chlorine wafting across the park as we approached, and can almost hear the wind in those trees. The 'wedding cake ' fountain was a great draw for those daring the wrath of the lifeguards. Although I had moved away by the... Read more
A Rare Thing in Those Days
A brand new, purpose-built school. It was light and airy, kept very clean, and had some luxurious touches! A beautiful carpeted library, a small apartment for teaching domestic science, plus a hall and gym which were separated by a folding screen, so that they could be used as one enormous hall for Speech Day. The only design fault was putting the chemistry labs next to the dining room! The Head was Miss V L Hill when I was a pupil, 1962-1969. The academic standard was very high, close to 100% of girls went on to tertiary education.
It Looks so Lovely as it Was Then!
Most Woking people will tell you 'they've' ruined a nice little town with modern developments! And I agree! Looking back on how it was, it looks such an nice country town way back in the 60's and before.
I have lived away from it for twenty years, but when I go back I'm struck by how affluent an area the Woking district is! Its so lovely to look back on these photographs of times gone by! All the places in these pictures bring back memories.
The Little Square to The Right
When I lived in the town centre, in Middle Walk I used to go on a Sunday afternoon and sit in the little square to the right of this picture. Peaceful times.
Being Pushed Into The Pool!
I only went to the pool a handful of times as a child, but have happy memories in spite of being pushed into the deep end (which led to years of fear of water which I happily conquered in my 30's!). I remember the surrounding parkland being lovely. I agree with the person who said the new pool wasn't quite as nice, although I spent many a good time in the Leisure Centre doing circuit training in the gym in the 1990s!
The Wheatsheaf Pub
Crossing the bridge from Woking town into the road where the Wheatsheaf was (and parkland, opposite it) always seemed like going to the posher end of town! It was more classy there with bigger houses surrounding the green! Nice memories!
Walking in The Woods
When I was a small lad, my uncle Ted, me and his dog 'Petra' would go for walks in the
woods. We would often stop here and look around. I always thought it was haunted
and was initially quite scared to be there... but over time i got used to it. We'd also
walk over to the sandpits. I remember the burial ground being a lot more overgrown than this picture shows tho'. Now I live in Central USA and miss Woking very much.
I was born there in 1959. A side note.. my great Uncle Martin started the Martinsyde motorcyle and aircraft Co. Before Lion works was there, but on the same lot.
Dancing to Bob Potter's Band at The Atlanta
My name is Shirley Hamilton, maiden name Patten, I lived at Hammond Road, Horsell and as a teenager often danced at the Atlanta in Woking, it was the place to go, my friend Deirdre Jennings and I would sneak off on a Friday night. I remember it was like dancing in a giant goldfish bowl, the walls had fishes painted all around. Bob Potter was the attraction, he had a really good band. As I got older I became a hairstylist, doing my apprenticeship at Meads hairdressers and newsagents in Horsell. When I left there I was employed at the very top of the Atlanta on the left hand side of picture in a hairdressers and me and my colleague and friend Christine Campbell would hang out of the window in our lunch break to listen to Bob Potter and his band practicing, it was a great time for me. I have many happy memories as I am now 64, living in West Sussex but born in Woking, spent all... Read more
My Old School
I was one of the first students to attend Woking Grammar School! My first term was spent at the old school in Nissan Huts, but we moved into the new building in January 1958, I believe. What a beautiful building it seemed at the tiem, with Domestic Science rooms, a gorgeous gym, and a marble-floored central corridor. The headmistress at the time was Miss Hill, who was very stern, and we were all in fear of her as she sat up on the stage in the Assembly Hall. The playing fields were enormous and I remember the classrooms being light and airy, with piping hot radiators! At break times, we would go to the tuck shop and buy chocolate bars and iced buns! I was so sad to hear that the building was demolished - can it be true! I have lived in Canada for the last 41 years so I have no idea what happened to the school. But I have happy memories of the place, and I always... Read more
Sparrows Park
Small gardens in central Woking always known to me as Sparrows Park in those days, before the War Memorial was moved. This picture shows the modern redevelopment of the buildings behind the War Memorial.
Woking County School For Girls
This is a picture of the main entrance gates of Woking County School for Girls, known as the Girls' Grammar School, at the corner of East Hill and Old Woking Road. Girls were never permitted to use these gates: alternative means of access were to the right and left of the gates shown in this pic. The bus-stop that pupils used to travel into Woking was immediately opposite this entrance, probably just about where the photographer would have been standing when this photo was taken.
Nursing
I have happy memories of Woking's Victoria Hospital 1963 - 1965, where I completed my State Enrolment training. It was a very small training school giving excellent tuition by Mrs Mockett. Sister Burns was our Home Sister who looked after our health. Matron was Miss Horsefield - very strict as far as I can recall.
Central Corridor
I attended this school throughout 1975-1980 and I always found it absurd as to why an almost H shaped building would have a rule that you were not allowed through the central corridor. I remember pupils (bouncers) at either end. I also remember my first headmistress sitting sternly on the stage like a judge. I don't remember her ever speaking, always leaving that to the deputy. I am not sure if the school still exists anymore as I heard that the grounds were sold for development. We certainly had a lot of outside space when I was there, with loads of tennis courts and an outdoor pool. The school became Queen Elizabeth 11 Silver Jubilee School after I had been there about two years, and it started to admit boys, shock horror!
Dancing in The 1950s
Who remembers the good old 1950s in Woking? At this time I was a teenager. I used to go dancing at the Public Hall which was named 'Atlanta'. My girlfriend at that time was a schoolfriend, and we both went to Goldsworth School. Her name was Georgina Burt, and she lived in Horsell. There were a lot of soldiers dancing there at that time. We also went to a dancing club in Brookwood. In my early school days I often went with my friends to the swimming pool. David O'Brian and Terence Glitherow were their names, they also lived in Horsell. David and I always went dancing together. He taught me how to dance. I don't remember the Dance Hall in the Commercial Road. We always had a lovely time dancing to live bands. I am now 72 years old of age, and if you believe it or not, I miss these times very much.
That Pool Again
I discovered the swimming pool during a bike ride with a friend and we thought ourselves very daring for cycling through the park even though the park attendants were watching. You didn't have to lock your bike in those days and there were racks and more racks for bikes outside the entrance to the pool. Those lovely ladies in the changing rooms were always smiling but woe betide you if they caught you avoiding the footbath. I was only 13 and remember falling 'in love' with one of the lifeguards and I'll spare his blushes by only saying his name was Glynn. For two seasons I spent every possible minute at the pool with new and old friends and have to say those days were the happiest memories I have of Woking. For any of you that were there, I hope life has been good to you and you're blessed.
Dance Hall
Just on the edge of the Commercial Road car park is the building on the left where I, and just about every other teenager that couldn't afford to go to London to socialise, spent our Monday nights. I an remember paying 5/- to see Tom Jones just after he'd released 'Delilah'. The place was heaving and nobody could move. There was also a small bar in a cellar area where we drank Cherry B's. There was also a dance hall at the top of the Co-op where loads of headliners appeared. I can remember seeing 'Freddie and the Dreamers', 'Troggs', 'Dave Dee etc', 'Tremelos'. It never cost us more the 5/-. We knew how to live...
The Old Step Bridge Woking
This memory is very clear to me. As a resident of Horsell I would often walk down Brewery Road to Goldsworth School and over the step bridge, with its iron railings painted green in those days. My brother would take me along the canal with my old jampot with string and fishing net to catch the tiddlers. At that time there was an old wooden floating log raft just big enough for 2 kids to play on. We had such fun but if our mum knew we had been on the raft she would have clipped my poor brother round the ear. He was 10 years older so he would get the telling off. As I got older the bridge became my way to Goldsworth School. Sometimes I would be late because I was messing about on the bridge. I loved that old bridge, it has so many memories of days after school, meeting up with friends and playing harmlessly along the river, feeding the ducks and hanging from the... Read more
School Memories
When I left my first school I arrived at Horsell school, a very pretty full of charecter building. I was about 6. A lot of the pupils were from my neighborhood, Hammond Road, Horsell. I remember the pretty church on the opposite side of the road on the hill, we sang in the choir there and I attended Sunday shool in the church. My headmaster was Mr Hall, a very tall man. Does anyone remember being at that school with me and often going accross the road to the field opposite to feed a lovable friendly horse? He was named Bramble, all the kids loved him, he was so popular. Sadly he tried to jump the railings around his field, it was a very sad day, I remember it well, I ran all the way home crying. There was a service in the school for him, all the children placed flowers and fruit in his field, it was quite a big story at the time.
Woking Swimming Pool
I remember being taken to Woking swimming pool every week with Byfleet County Primary School, we had so much fun, I too remember the smell of the chlorine in the air and everyone was slim in those days, there were no fatties. I can also remember having to wear a swimming cap and the chattering of teeth while we were put into lines to go into the foot bath before we could go into the changing room (also remember being ducked by the boys - horrible!). Lovely times, from 1955 - 1960.
Memories of Surrey
My Dad
Just got back from a day out with my dad, he took me to show me where he spent a couple of years living in St Johns Village, he lived at Number 7 Warwick Lane (I think it was Warwick Lane. We walked from the main car park in the village across from the childrens play area, walking towards the play area we walked over what looked like an old stream and there it was number 7. He told me when he had been given a golf club to play with and as he went to take a shot a lady of a bike came round the corner into him. He told me about a Spitfire coming down, I think he said where the golf course is now, and everyone running up to see what had happened. He said about the sweet shop near or on the bridge where the canal is he use to enjoy buying a sherbert fountain from there, of course not there now. He told me... Read more
Regarding my Mother
Looking over some of my mothers papers I noticed that she worked as an "aircraft stenographer" in 1945. I am not sure how long she was employed in this role. I would be interested to know what countries' forces were billeted in/around this area during this time. I was born in 1947. Research has indicated that a lot of the forces were billeted in/around / Clappers Farm. Can anyone advise./update?
Pyrford School
My father was a teacher at Pyrford School when Len Cowie was the headmaster. I remember Mrs Jones and Mrs Bugler and Miss Mcdermot and Mr Stevens, who lived by the old school in Engliff Lane. I remember being privileged to sometimes miss class and go swimmimg in the pool when my dad was taking his class for a swimming lesson (he helped build the pool), and once when swimming the Beatles came on the radio with 'I Feel Fine' and I remember all the girls shooting out of the pool and running towards the radio (which was beside the pool), they ran screammg towards it! I also remember Mr Caldicot the caretaker. Days of simplicity, 'You don't have to say you love me', no mobiles and no computers! Did you know that in 1964 when building the infants' school they buried a metal box under the foundations and put in it the Beatles' record 'She Loves You' and newspapers from that day and other artifacts, and to think that... Read more
PYRFORD HOSPITAL
I well remember Rowley Bristow Hospital as I became a patient in Rudolf Ward (under Sister Morris of Byfleet) the day before I was due to sit my O levels in June 1956. Fortunately, I was allowed to sit them in hospital and each day I was wheeled into a small room, between the two rooms that made up Rudolf Ward, to take them. I spent some 5 weeks there and the experience made me realise how very fortunate I was insofar as I did not have to have an operation and lose any of my limbs as did some of the other patients. The patient care there was exceptional with splendid nursing care under a matron who was a legend. Happy days!!
The Church
I remember (just) this church being built, in 1963 I think it was. I also remember going to the school Christmas services. Good days!
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