Where Is This? No.101

Published on: 19 Mar, 2014
Updated on: 25 Mar, 2014

By David Rose

Into ‘Room 101’ this week, so to speak, with the mystery images.

But first, back to last week’s and click here to see all the replies at the foot of it. All correct I am pleased to say.

The vintage photo showed the Guildford Union Workhouse in Warren Road in 1917, at which time it was in use as a military hospital – the paupers having been shipped out to other similar institutions or to an early form of ‘care in the community’. See the latest story about the new exhibition at The Spike heritage centre From Workhouse to Hospital. I strongly recommend you go and have a look, it’s well worth it.

The tree with the mistletoe in it can be found in Woodbridge Road, nearly opposite the Drummond pub.

Some really interesting extra facts noted by those who replied last time. This means that the time has come for all of you to be offered life membership into the Guildford Anoraks. This is a semi-secret select society for those who appreciate and know a good deal about Guildford’s fine history and who haven’t, in the main, got a string of letters after their name for degrees and certificates gained at some far flung university or college!

The Guildford Anoraks was established by my good friend and fellow Guildford history nut Stan Newman and I a while ago. Being a member must mean more than being awarded a prize of a speedboat. But I like the Stanniforth brother’s latest link with their comment.

And a little bird tells me that Peter Holt’s kind gift of a Victory Industries model speedboat is sailing close to my door. A couple of my books going to him in return.

On to this week’s mysteries…

Do you recognise this long gone Guildford bus station?

The vintage picture shows a Safeguard bus in one of Guildford’s bus stations dating back some 40-plus years. The photo is from several emailed to me by Safeguard Coaches for a review coming soon on a new book about the firm that is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. Click to see story about the firm’s charity fun day on March 29.

Which bus station is it? The building with the wording ‘GUILDFORD” on it still stands, as does the one on the far right. Any bus facts will also be welcome, you Guildford Anoraks!

Do you know where this can be found?

Here’s this week’s quirky photo and a kind of grotto in a well know place just off the town centre. Do you recognise where this is and can you add any details about it?

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.101

Bernard Parke Reply

March 19, 2014 at 7:19 am

1) The old bus station where the Electric Theatre is now.

2) Millbrook.
Norman Hamshere Reply

March 19, 2014 at 9:20 pm

Onslow Street bus station, opened during June 1949. Used by the Safeguard, Yellow, Tillingbourne and Aldershot companies with London Transport being in control.

The Farnham Road bus station opened the following year came under the control of Aldershot & District.

The Safeguard vehicle APA46B is an AEC Reliance with 53 seat Willowbrook coachwork bought in 1964 and sold in 1969.

Does this gain my admission to the exclusive Anorak Club?

[David Rose: Oh yes, certainly!]
- Chris Townsend Reply
  
  March 26, 2014 at 7:45 am
  
  Did Brown Motor Services “Brown Baby” run into Onslow Street, too? Along its country route, I remember the driver would stop wherever you hailed the bus.
John Lomas Reply

March 19, 2014 at 10:04 pm

That is Onslow Street bus station. I think it is taken from the street side looking into the station; at the far left corner as we are looking in the picture there was access up and across the river on a footbridge to the Farnham Road bus station.

I didn’t use the Safeguard but remember the 26 Rydes Hill and 28 Manor Rd/Stoughton Rd/Barrack Road services went from the bays on the entry rank at the side nearest to Bridge Street.

The Barrack Road terminus of the 28 was outside the wool shop next door to Sparrow’s the butchers which appeared here three weeks ago and the 26 went up Sheepfold Road to terminate on the top of Rydes Hill by the common and then went back to town down Byrefield Road.
- Bob Beaven Reply
  
  March 28, 2014 at 9:24 pm
  
  Mention of the footbridge across the river to the Farnham road bus station reminds me that my father claimed that he helped to build it when he worked for The Guildford Glass And Metal Works which was, I think, situated in Buryfields or Millmead.
  I can remember meeting him at his works when I was about five years old in 1958.
  
  [David Rose adds: Indeed, the Guildford Glass & Metal Works took over the former brewery premises between Portsmouth Road and Bury Street. The Central Electricity Generating Board building was later there. The site is currently empty awaiting development.]
Lesley Miller ( nee Shail ) Reply

March 20, 2014 at 7:15 am

I believe this is opposite the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. I was told it was a tunnel to the castle dungeons used for smuggling!
Carol Norris Reply

March 20, 2014 at 9:02 am

Picture 1 : Now the site of the Electric Theatre.
Picture 2 : Castle Grounds
John Lomas Reply

March 20, 2014 at 6:27 pm

Is the quirky pic in Foxenden Quarry below Allen House grounds?
Colin & Linda Jackson Reply

March 21, 2014 at 2:43 pm

The first photo is of Onslow street bus station. The building at the back is now the Electric Theatre, which may have been the electricity company once.

The bus station, which was always busy with buses coming and going, made it difficult to navigate on foot and even harder to cross behind if you were going to the sweet or pet shop in the Rodboro Buildings.

This bus station joined the Farnham road bus station via a foot bridge across the river.

The second photo is in the Castle Grounds and is now used to keep odds and ends in but we have no idea what it was for originally.
Chris Townsend Reply

March 22, 2014 at 4:27 pm

The view is of the Onslow Street bus station. On the left is what is now the Electric Theatre. In the middle, behind the bus and facing Bridge Street, was Armour Buildings, which used to house Armour and Co. meat importers. (It has since been rebuilt.) Rodboro Buildings is on the right.

The Bargate stone grotto is near the pond in the Castle Grounds, landscaped by Henry Peak. There used to be a seat inside the grotto, but now it’s used for storage.
Sheena Holland Reply

March 22, 2014 at 8:07 pm

The original Onslow Street bus station and, in the background is the Guildford Electric Works. Not too sure about the building on the right, but it might be the Rodboro buildings.

As for the gate, I think it is located along Millbrook, just along from the Yvonne Arnaud. Is this not the entrance to one of the tunnels that run under Guildford High Street, and possibly up towards Pewley Hill. If it is, there were rumours they were used for religious meetings.

Only just found this website, have found it really interesting. Thank you for reviving old memories. We now live in northern Scotland, and rarely get back down south.
Peter Holt Reply

March 23, 2014 at 12:57 pm

The bus station is the old Onslow street station.

The bus APA46B is an AEC Reliance with a Willowbrook body. Bought in 1964 and sold in 1969.

Having 52 seats it was mainly used on the Westborough service.

The grotto is in the Castle Grounds by the pond.

Do I now qualify for membership to the Guildford Anoraks? Thank you.

[David Rose: yes, and all those who were correct with their answers as well].
Brian Holt Reply

March 23, 2014 at 6:33 pm

This is Onslow Street bus station, with the Electricity Works building (dated 1913) in the background.

In the early 1960s 36ft was the maximum permitted length of a passenger service vehicle and three 52 seaters AEC Reliance buses with Willowbrook (of Loughborough) bodywork, were purchased new. These were Safeguard’s first buses of that larger size, the first was delivered in 1963 and the one in the photo, registration number APA 46B, in 1964.

Both these buses was sold in 1969. The third one, also new in 1964, was sold in 1971.

The second photo is in the Castle Grounds by the ornamental pond.
ray springer Reply

March 25, 2014 at 4:10 pm

This is the Onslow Street bus station – I was probably on that bus.
The quirky picture has me puzzled. My initial thought was the ground along Millbrook where the Millenium Vault was formed in 2000, but I’m sure that was constructed in brickwork and not the stonework that this picture shows. The stonework looks very much like some of the bits of the Castle so maybe it is in that area.
Doug and Bill Stanniforth Reply

March 25, 2014 at 4:40 pm

It was Onslow Street bus station.

The quirky photo is in the Castle Grounds, none of which have any speedboat connections, but opposite the bus station was Pickfords who specialised in moving large objects of a nautical variety.