Where Is This? No.100

Published on: 11 Mar, 2014
Updated on: 11 Mar, 2014

By David Rose

So we’ve reached number 100 in our series of mystery pictures!

Thanks as always to all who replied last week, correctly identifying the junction of Worplesdon Road and Aldershot Road as the mystery picture, and the lion in the quirky picture as being in North Street – once above the Little White Lion pub.

Read last week’s post and all the comments at the foot of it here.

There are some useful notes including Tyler’s off licence that can just be seen in the vintage photo. Tyler’s was a Woking firm that was later absorbed by Friary brewery. I think there was a Tyler’s off licence at one time in the Upper High Street.

Within that small parade of shops in the ‘V’ of Aldershot and Worplesdon Roads was indeed Button’s, with the chemist being Day’s. The latter was founded by Albert Day in the 1920s and later run by his son, Norman, who retired in 1986.

John Lomas also mentioned toy maker Victory Industries that was once nearby in Worplesdon Road, and the nod to Doug and Bill Stanniforth that it made model speedboats.

Bit of an admission here, but Peter Holt who also often contributes to this feature has kindly promised me one of these model boats (for my own collection) in return for a free copy of the long awaited book, Stoughton A Walk Through Time, that Martin Giles are working on.

I have to say we hope to publish the book later this year. But my other new book, Great War Towns Guildford, may well be in print before then, and he can certainly have a complimentary copy of that if he so wishes, in receipt of the said boat.

Well done to Ray Springer for beating Bernard Parke for getting his entry in before him. Bernard was actually banned from answering this time as it was his photo, taken looking away from the house his grandparents and parents owned in Worpesdon Road.

Note Max Hurst’s comment about locating a photo of Worplesdon Road that shows Wendy Crescent. I have several pictures taken thereabouts, but not the exact view he is after. Can anyone help?

To be strictly correct with the lion picture, Pat Hailstone’s mention of White’s store was actually a few doors up North Street – where Marks & Spencer is today. But thanks again for posting a comment.

This building was used as a military hospital during the First World War. The unfortunate occupants were moved elsewhere to accommodate the soldiers, some of whom are seen here. What was it and what did it become? The arch was pulled down in about 1965.

My First World War book brings me on to this week’s mystery vintage photo and one that will feature in it. Guildford had a number of military hospitals and this one opened in 1916. Some readers may have seen this image before, it has featured in several local history books on Guildford.

Any ideas where it was and what this building was used for before and after the First World War and what was there in more recent times?

I think this is mistletoe in an ash tree on a busy road into Guildford town centre. Can you say where it is?

As for the quirky photo, any lovers walking along this busy road into Guildford town centre may like to stop under this tree. It appears to be a ‘ball’ of mistletoe. Is that what it is? Do you know where?

If you think you know the answers, please leave a reply in the box below. The answers, along with the next pair of images, will be published about the same time next week.

Responses to Where Is This? No.100

David Bennett Reply

March 12, 2014 at 7:29 pm

This building was originally part of the Guildford Workhouse, (Warren Road) and I believe was used as a school for the workhouse children. After it ceased being used as a military hospital it became part of St Luke’s Hospital.

When the hospital transferred to the RSCH the St Luke’s site was redeveloped, but part of the building in the photo remains as it was converted into apartments.

The house behind the tree on the left was, I believe for the workhouse master and still stands today as it was also converted into living accommodation when the hospital site was redeveloped.
Ray Springer Reply

March 13, 2014 at 11:03 am

This is the building in Warren Road which was originally built in 1838 as a workhouse, designed by architect George Gilbert Scott.
It was taken over during WW1 as a military hospital. In 1930 it became a public assistance institution and then in 1948 St Luke’s (as it was now called) became a hospital as part of the newly created NHS. It is now part of The Spike including the workhouse museum.
The quirky picture of the mistletoe is in Woodbridge Road close to the police station.
Helen Roberts Reply

March 13, 2014 at 11:12 pm

The mistletoe in ash tree I think is outside Dapdune Court on the Woodbridge Road opposite the Drummond pub.
Helen Roberts Reply

March 13, 2014 at 11:21 pm

The war hospital was originally a workhouse and then became St Luke’s Hospital.
Peter Holt Reply

March 16, 2014 at 4:29 pm

The building was built as a workhouse but later became a hospital and later it was named St Luke’s Hospital.

The tree is in Woodbidge Road near junction of Leas Road. I saw it last Sunday when my chauffeur and I were delivering your SPEEDBOAT, which is now ready for collection.
Doug and Bill Reply

March 18, 2014 at 11:05 am

It’s St Luke’s Hospital, off Warren Road.
The quirky photo is Woodbridge Road by Dapdune Court, it used to be Dapdune Crescent where Dapdune Surgery and Guildford Crusaders’ meeting place were.
By pure coincidence Crusader was a jet-powered speed boat piloted by John Cobb built by Vospers of Portsmouth in 1949.
Chris Townsend Reply

March 18, 2014 at 3:12 pm

The hospital was the Guildford Union Workhouse, built about 1838, with later additions including an infirmary. The view shows the entrance from Cooper Road. Although the workhouse was later renamed Warren Road Hospital, the stigma remained. In 1945 it became St. Luke’s Hospital.

The site was redeveloped in the 1990’s, with most of the old buildings demolished, but there are reminders of its former use in the street names. William Newland (father and son) were 19th century Guildford surgeons. Sells Ward at St. Luke’s and Sells Close were named after Dr Charles John Sells, medical officer at the workhouse between 1876 and 1922. (His father, Thomas Jenner Sells, surgeon, owned the Charlotteville estate.) I’ve heard the name of a 1930s Dr. Lankester, but who was Lancaster Avenue named after?

Much more info’ with photos here:
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Guildford/

http://www.charlotteville.co.uk/HTAG_2000/St_Lukes.htm

http://www.hospitalproject.co.uk/remembering-those-from-ww1/
Brian Holt Reply

March 18, 2014 at 5:30 pm

Originally the forbidding entrance to the Guildford Union Workhouse, which had been opened in 1838. This solid gateway stood in Union Road (renamed Warren Road in 1904).
An infirmary had been added in 1896 for the benefit of the sick poor of town. During the First World War the buildings were used a military hospital. This later became Warren Road Hospital until 1945, and then St Luke’s Hospital.
In latter years it became a radiotherapy centre and also housed the Guildford School of Nursing, a midwifery school and a school for radiography.
The buildings were demolished in 1965.
The second photo of the tree is in front of the flats in Woodbridge Road, near the junction of Leas Road.
John Lomas Reply

March 20, 2014 at 6:17 pm

Hi
I presume as you have used the hospital picture in one of you books you know that it is a part of the Francis Frith collection. They also have another taken from the other direction.
They only have it described as the military hospital, so it would appear that they didn’t know of its workhouse history.

[David Rose: Yes, I have both the Frith images as postcards. I’d imagine that Frith’s was after as many sales of postcards of the war hospital to the inured soldiers as possible, so would definitely not want to mention that the building was normally in use as a workhouse!]