High Street from River Bridge Guildford 1911

This is a great view. Initially I could not work out what was missing from the picture, but once I gained a sense of place I could tell immediately.

This is the Bridge that crosses the River Wey and looks up the High Street to the town clock. St Nicholas Church is behind the viewer. This is the time before the road (A281), Debenhams and the underpass. This is before cars, which is why there was no road here.

I love the shop views and the boards on the side of the buildings advertising the various businesses. This is the view that my Grandfather, who was aged 3 at the time this postcard was sent would have seen. My Grandmother had yet to be born.

Guildford High Street circa 1929

There is something about this scene that I can resonate with. Not that I was born in 1929!

My Grandmother who was 17 years old at the time would have seen this of the High Street. Yet, there is parts of the picture that I recognise, names of the shops - Timothy White Cash Chemists for example were in the same location when I was growing, of course Timothy White's vanished from our streets long ago and merged into Boots. The clock that sits proudly over the High Street and the Bulls Head, a familiar spot in my senior school days (all perfectly legal!).

Sainsbury's Guildford

A rare glimpse at the inside of a grocery store from yesteryear.

Upper High Street, Guildford 1923

This picture was produced by Raphael Tuck & Sons.

Russell & Bromley - High Street Guildford circa 1941

Down Road, Guildford ~Circa 1912

North Street, Guildford circa 1911

References in the Strangest of Places (part two)

When I was in the local library last week I spotted this anthology, recently published called “The Library Book” Each chapter is about twenty pages or so from a well know and respected writer, sharing their personal views or memories about books.

The chapter written by Alan Bennett, which commences at page 25 talks about his parents and their regular outings to the public library in Leeds. Alan Bennett talks about the fact that his father left Leeds in 1944 to relocate with his family to Guildford.

This is what Allan Bennett said on page 30 with regard to Guildford in general

".....I don't remember ever finding the public library, but this was because a few doors down from the Butcher's shop where Dad worked was a private library, costing 6d a week, which in the children's section had a whole run of Richard Crompton's William books.........."

The second paragraph on the same page made reference to Walnut Tree Close and you can read those details on the Walnut Tree Close Study page.

I am quite curious to see if I can identify the location and the Butcher's shop that Allan Bennett is talking about.

The Library Book published Profile Books 2012 – ISBN 978 1 78125 005 1

Season's Greetings from Guildford Circa 1906

High Street, Guildford circa 1908

Guildford High Street circa 1925

Carling,Gill & Carling Ltd circa 1937

Carling, Gill & Carling Ltd circa 1937

Carling, Gill & Carling Ltd 1937

CARLING GILL & CARLING Limited.
The Companies Act, 1929.
Special Resolutions passed 3ist March, 1937.

AT an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company, duly convened, and held at 59 and 60 High Street,. Guildford, Surrey, on 3ist March 1937, the following Resolutions were passed as Special Resolutions: —

(1) " That it is desirable to reconstruct the Company and accordingly that the Company be wound up voluntarily, and that Mr. A. B. Keith, of Kennans House, Crown Court, Cheapside, London, E.G.2., Chartered Accountant, be hereby appointed Liquidator,for the purpose of such winding-up."

(2) " That the said Liquidator be hereby authorised to consent to the registration of a new Company to be called Carling Gill and Carling Limited with a Memorandum and Articles of Association which have already been prepared with the privity and the approval of this Company."

(3) " Tshat, the draft Agreement submitted to this Meeting and expressed to be made between this Company and its Liquidator of the one part and Carling Gill and Carling Limited of the other part be hereby approved and that the said Liquidator be hereby authorised to enter into an agreement with such new Company when incorporated in the terms of the said draft and to carry the same into effect with such (if any) modifications as they may think expedient."

Dated this 3ist day of March 1937.
(099) W. T CARLING, Chairman.

Source - The London Gazette 2nd April 1937

Colbrook's Ice Factory, Guildford, Circa 1930

Colbrook's ice factory was part of the selection of businesses owned by the family. The family moved from Sussex to the Guildford area where they opened a butchers shop in the High Street. By the late 1860s they had opened a butchers shop in North Street and an ice factory. By about 1930 a further ice factory was owned and located in Walnut Tree Close.

Plummer Roddis Department Store Circa 1973

High Street, Guildford, Circa 1950 Showing F W Woolworths

Guildford and District Co-operative Socy Ltd Matchbox Label circa 1940

These matchbox labels were produced by the Anglia Match Company from the late 1930s until the early 1950s.

Phillips, Market Street, Guildford