Rural Childhood

A Memory of Shalford.

So many memories to choose from. I will try to keep it brief! My dad (Bob/Lofty) and Mum( Diana/Di were rehoused in Tillingbourne Road (1960), when their previous home, on the site of the old Chilworth Gunpowder Factory, was deemed uninhabitable by the Guildford Council. We were lucky in that our new home was still on the Tillingbourne Stream bank, just further along towards Guildford. From our back garden in Shalford we could clearly see the old Mill, Shalford Church and Guildford Cathedral. At this stage I was the youngest of 3 children, with two older sisters, Susan and Jacqueline. We would eventually be joined by Tracy and Malcolm, a very happy family. We all grew up with the lovely Tillingbourne, the Ffelds, woods and the Chantries as our playground, unbeatable. I spent many, many days and nights fishing for Chubb, Roach,Pike etc, kayaking, climbing the old Oaks, making dens and playing war games in the many pill boxes along the defensive line, these were built by Italian POWs in the war years to protect London, evidently if Operation Sealion had gone ahead, Churchill had intended to stop the Nazis in Shalford. These concrete circular structures can still be seen when you know where to look, and are hopefully protected now. Many a time we would wander off early on a summer's day over the stream, across the fields, through the copse and on to the Chantries, not returning until the evening. Sometimes my mum would call out to us "Dinner's ready!" and would get a response from me high up in the canopy of an Oak tree! If it worried her she never let it show. I had many good friends in the village, and from the surrounding area too, I am still in touch with one old Shalford mate, Tim Morgan, he is the son of the much loved ex Vicar the Rev K J Morgan. We were in the Church Choir together, I went on to become Head Chorister. I still sing,but rarely in a church! I play Folk/Americana guitar these days, but still love some of the old church music we learnt from Mr Bryant, a brilliant organist and choirmaster. Well, I'd better sign off now or I will just go on and on...
Cheers,
Mark (50!)

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