Where Is This? No.111

Published on: 28 May, 2014
Updated on: 4 Jun, 2014

By David Rose

The bridge seen in last week’s mystery vintage picture is at Tilford, and the quirky photo featured the former St Nicolas Parish Hall in Buryfields. Thanks to all who replied.

Lots of interesting comments, click here to see them all at the foot of last week’s post.

Thanks go to Frank Phillipson (a good friend of mine and an expert on local wartime facts) as he correctly points out that the Tilford photo must have been taken after the war – perhaps the 1960s.

John Lomas, Ray Springer and others added some useful details about the St Nics Hall and its use by Guildford School of Acting. And, yes Michael Redgrave did indeed tread the boards there when it was used by the Guildford Repertory Theatre company.

And thanks to Brian Holt for lots of details about Elstead – not that bridge, sorry. In fact, I don’t think I have any old photos of Elstead, but if I find one….

In post 109, Peter Bullen asked about a firm called P.H.G. & Sons, Guildford, who made kitchen furniture under the name Guildform. Several readers replied saying it was Gillinghams. Peter has now replied: “I knew Dragon readers would come up trumps! Thanks Chris Townsend and Dave Holt for identifying the Guildford furniture firm as Gillinghams. Of course, I remembered the company immediately once you reminded me.

“And what a busy family P.H. Gillingham & Sons was. In my 1963 Kelly’s directory, as well as the furniture making business at Ladymead and the antiques business near the AA roundabout, it had another antiques and soft furnishings shop at 8 Chertsey Street and a snack bar at 32 Chertsey Street.“

Where was this motor garage?

Let’s move on to this week’s pair of images. The vintage one shows a motor dealer’s premises, Mann Egerton to be precise. I think the picture dates to about the 1960s. Do you recall where this was and what is there now? I’m not entirely sure, but I think it is a road that was once a no through road, and recently a plan has been mooted to close it once again to through traffic.

Do you know where this is?

The quirky photo was sent in by Caroline Reeves. Do you know where this wind vane is, close to the town centre. Does anyone know what the building of yellow-ish brick once was?

If you think you know the answers, and may be able to add some extra details, 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.

Chris Townsend replies:

“Mann Egerton was in Walnut Tree Close near the bend in the road. From roughly where that bend is now, there was a footpath through the cattle creep under the “New Line” towards Woodbridge Meadows. I remember in the 1950s there was nearby the “South of England Hide Market Ltd.”, animal skin merchants, not a place to linger. The through road was made sometime before 1963.

“The Mayflower-style wind vane is on the modern building next to the yellow brick building on Stoke Road, on the corner of The Bars, and viewed from there. R. White & Sons, ginger beer brewers, occupied the purpose-built factory from 1899 to 1925, followed by Gates’ West Surrey Central Dairy Co., known as Cow & Gate from 1929, as Home Counties Dairies’ bottling depot in
the 1950s, and as Unigate from 1959 until 1989.”

Brian Holt’s replies:

“Mann Egerton BMC Parts Centre was on the right at the bottom of Walnut Tree Close, where CCP Cleaning Services now is.

“Photo no 2 was taken from The Bars, off Hayden Place , as the wind vane can only be seen from the rear of No 1 Stoke Road, the offices of Clyde & Co, international law firm.”

Responses to Where Is This? No.111

Alan Cooper Reply

May 29, 2014 at 1:17 am

Mann Egerton was in Walnut Tree Close ( I think ).
John Lomas Reply

May 29, 2014 at 2:01 pm

Hi
My first thought about the vintage photo was the BMC garage at Ladymead but your clue about the cul-de-sac then made me think of the developement of Woodbridge Meadows that occured around the late 50s early 60s
However I did a web search and found the correct answer which I won’t claim because I found it in the replies to Where is this? No.22.
Ray Springer Reply

May 30, 2014 at 10:49 am

The Mann Egerton building as was is in Walnut Tree Close.
It has been re-constructed and is now the premises of a cleaning company CCL.
The quirky photo is the old bottling plant of Unigate (later Dairy Crest) in Chertsey Street. The picture is taken at the rear from The Bars (from which the weather vane can be seen). Two of my sons used to work in this building in the 1980/1990s.
I believe the building has now been converted to luxury apartments or offices. This is where Chertsey Street becomes Stoke Road.