Nostalgic memories of Merstham's local history
Share your own memories of Merstham 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 1 - 10 of 18 in total
It was rad stock way not wood rd
We moved from London into a flat above the shops and when Baileys the newsagent opened I worked there. It was whilst I was working there that I met a guy called Allan Cole (who was the first Head Boy in Albury Manor School) and we have been married now for 53 years. So yes we have many, many great memories of Merstham.
I lived at 64 Brook Road have wonderful memories of the youth club, Skipper Williams was in charge. I had an apprentership with RJ Whitakers as a carpenter joiner left the UK in 1969 now live in Western Australia
I have lived on and off in the same house on "the New Estate" in Merstham since 1952. I remember Burrows Grocery Shop in Portland Drive and the brothers would go around in their large van to the "new estate" where people could buy their groceries. I always thought this was very forward thinking of them to drum up business. It was very convenient too. A few other businesses did this. Later ...see more
Thay say that everyone remembers where they were when the news came out that President Keneddy had been shot. Well this is where I was; Friday night was dance night at the youth club and I remember the only topic of conversation was about the shooting of JFK and how it was obviously the Russians and that it would lead to a war, such was the knowledge of us 15 year olds!
Once a year the ...see more
Oakley House, situated off Radstock Way, was used as a youth centre when I was a teenager in the 1970's. I never went there, probably because I didn't go to senior school in Merstham, but I heard all the scary stories about the house. One legend said that a teenage girl had been strangled there with a silk stocking and another said that there was a bell hanging in the attic that dripped blood on the anniversary of some dastardly deed! You can see why I wasn't all that keen to go.
In my late teens (late 1970's), I made friends with a girl whose dad owned and lived in, what we called, Alderstead Fort Farm, which was at the top of Shepherd's Hill. It was a bit of a trek to walk up there from Merstham, but it was a fascinating place. I can't remember being allowed inside the 'fort' and it seemed mostly to store junk. The fort had been part of a chain of Victorian magazines/stores built ...see more
I don't remember the Golden Wheel being a cafe, but I do remember that they did their own baking and, as a special treat, I was sometimes allowed to have one of their pound cakes. They seemed like enormous domes of heavy cake, wrapped in greaseproof paper - I could make one last all the way home.
We used the shops in Portland Drive on a regular basis, but caught the bus to Redhill for the 'big shop' each week. When I was old enough, I was allowed to walk up here on my own to spend my pocket money on black jacks and fruit salads (4 for an old penny) in Martin's newsagent. I can't remember all the shops, but we used Fine Fare mini market and the greengrocers.
When I was 8, I was allowed to choose a ...see more
My mother always told me that Quality Street had been renamed in honour of an acting couple who had appeared in a play of that name. I've since googled this and found that Seymour Hicks and Ellaline Terriss did indeed live in The Old Forge at the end of the street - you can even recognise the house in some of their publicity shots.
The impressive gates at the end of the street led to Merstham House and, if I ...see more
