Tongham 1950's

A Memory of Tongham.

I was born in Tongham 1947.
I remember going to Tongham Church School before the school in the Cardinals was built. Also walking up Pole Road and seeing just trees and fields there.
I spent a lovely childhood there with my parents and family and also making friends with people on the new Cardinal estate. The local policeman at that time was Lee but cannot remember his first name. He had 2 sons. Jo Smith took over later.
The old railway line holds memories when we used to stand on the bridge waiting for the train below us to cover us in steam before going onto Guildford.
When I moved schools and went to Yeoman's Bridge my friends (Pete Martin, Fred Hamblin and Derry Barnes) and I used to walk from Poyle Road and The Cardinals across the fields to school. along the way we usually met Neil Morrison who later on went onto join the police force.
When we all left our school yes we used to meet on our motorbikes at Amy's cafe. Amy had the cafe where the fish and chip shop is now and then moved to the middle of the shops near the post office. (could have been the other way round). I moved from Tongham in 1988. My sister and brother in law still live in Poyle Road.

Phil French