Nostalgic memories of Ashtead's local history
Share your own memories of Ashtead and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 11 - 20 of 23 in total
We lived at Moorlands in The Marld, Ashtead, around the years 1948 to 1952. It was a large house with a very large garden and orchard. There was also a tennis court. I can remember being sent to the upper village to have the battery for the wireless recharged at the hardware shop and also hurling apples at any boys who came too close to our fence. At the top of The Marld was a ruined house that we were convinced was ...see more
I spent all my childhood in Ashtead from 1954-1972 and enjoyed a wonderful freedom that today's children don't have. I'm still in touch with Gillian [Barrett] and Sheena [Tailby].
I wonder what happened to other friends: Rita Stewart, Monica Button, Sarah Hytch, Claire Manning, Hilary and Jane Lewis, Anthony and Jennifer Tatman, Graham Dodge, Sarah Dickenson, Melanie Hughes.
I went to Ryebrook school 1957- 1960 then Parsons Mead till 1969.
The petrol station on the right is where my mum bought her first car, a standard 8. I was 3 at the time and remember sitting in the back [no child restraints of course] while she test drove it.
I can still remember the smell of Gadsbey's, the delicatescent on the left.
The pet shop/ garden equipment shop, 2nd on the left, was where she bought our first kitten, also about 1955. He was a tabby called Tiger and lived ...see more
I was born in Epsom and lived in Glebe Road from 1968 - 1980. My earliest memory was fishing at the pond, the wonderful swans, smurf stickers at Roundhills garage at the end of our road, humbugs (for free) at Goldings and Suzie the beige Boxer dog! I remember 1/2 penny, 1 penny and 2 penny sweets on trays at the sweet shop, skatebording with my brother Martin and friends down the sleep slope in Glebe Road and ...see more
We, the Felton family, lived in Ashtead for many years until Dad retired from running the hardware shop Norman Stores in 1963. That shop had been in our family since probably about the 1890s (Dad was born there in 1907). We lived in Craddocks Avenue until moving to live above the shop for 3 years. Older residents might remember Dads parents - Joe and Jessie Norman and daughter Sybil, sons: Reg and Robert. Going ...see more
There are only a few things I remember about being billited to live with a lovely family Mr. & Mrs Hood and their two sons Trevor my age ( six) and Keith a couple of years older. Both the Hoods were artists . Their detached house was on Leatherhead Road. They were lovely people and I enjoyed the few months I was there. I attended Bowood School, is it still there?. I went back to Buckhurst Hill and my home just as the Phoney War turned to a reality, and the Blitz began Denman Lalonde
Looking at these photos brings it all back for me. My parents ran Ashtead Riding School, Ashtead Woods Road, for eight years until 1969 when we moved to Sussex. I still remember Nash's garage as seen in the Craddocks Parade 1961 picture, as I fell out of my father's Jag XK120, aged 5, when he pulled out of the forecourt. No seatbelts then! Seems like yesterday!!
My Sunday School first took us all to Earlswood Lakes in 1949. I loved it there but it was way too cold to swim. We went again in 1952 and took a boat out on the lake, it was so cold but so much fun, my poor mother froze, and said she would never go again. My second son was born in 1970, we took him to the lake in 1971, he loved it too, but my poor mother froze, I have a photo of her sitting on a bench wrapped in a woollen blanket.
Susan
I was born in Ashtead in 1945, we lived at Read Road in Lower Ashtead. I have a vivid memory of the shops at the top of Read Road. From the newsagents, next was the off-licence, then Goldings grocery store, next was the chemist, next was a small cafe which we were never allowed to visit, don't know why. The next place was my favorite, the fish and chip place, where I worked for a while, then there were a couple of ...see more
Ashtead is the best place on Earth to live! I lived there with my sister and brother for almost 5 years in the late seventies early eighties..... this picture of the Street brings me tears of joy, the people there were wonderful, polite, hospitable and loving; I wish I could go back there one day to visit old neighbors and see this beautiful town and country again!!
