Where Is This? No.98

Published on: 25 Feb, 2014
Updated on: 25 Feb, 2014

By David Rose

Although most who replied last week correctly identified both the mystery vintage picture and the quirky one, a couple of readers did get St Martha’s Church and St Catherine’s Chapel mixed up.

It was of course, St Martha’s on the hill above Chilworth, and with the view taken from the Dorking Road a few hundred yards or more east of Chilworth and Albury railway station.

The back of the Keystone pub in Bury Fields was seen in the quirky photo.

Many thanks to all who replied, all their comments can now be seen at the foot of the post – lots of additional information as always. Click here to view.

Can you name where this is?

This week’s mystery vintage photo is a butcher’s shop in a ‘suburb’ of Guildford. In more recent times it’s been a junk shop, paint strippers and now occupied by an estate agent. Do you know where and can you add any details?

And where can this building be found?

The quirky photo shows a part of a handsome building in the centre of Guildford. It too has had a number of occupants over the years. Do you know the name of the building and perhaps can say who had it built?

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.98

Fiona Reply

February 25, 2014 at 11:07 pm

I think the first one is the building at the bottom of Barrack Road. If so, nice to see how it’s changed.
John Lomas Reply

February 26, 2014 at 5:48 am

Mr Sparrow the butcher on the corner of Barrack Road and worplesdon Road, the Royal Hotel is on the opposite side of Barrack Raod.

Mr Sparrow was my mother’s butcher and also a town councillor, at a time when each ward had three councillors with one being elected each year over a three-year cycle.

I remember my parents being regular Labour voters, but when it was Mr Sparrow’s year to stand they voted for him although he was Conservative. Definitely voting for the man not the party.

The shop next door was a wool shop and (drapers?) but was also a branch of the Boot’s library.
Bernard Parke Reply

February 26, 2014 at 7:09 am

1) Frank Sparrow’s Butchers Shop in The Worplesdon Road.

2) Sussex House in the Upper High Street.
Bernard Parke Reply

February 26, 2014 at 1:23 pm

Sussex house was a staging station for a peer who used overnight on to and from Brighton.
Michele Lyon Reply

February 27, 2014 at 1:15 pm

The butcher’s shop was located on the corner of Barrack Road and Worplesdon Road. His son took over the shop and it was latterly in the Square in Onslow Village.

When Mr Sparrow retired he sold the business to another butcher but it went out of business about 18 months later. It then became a deli/cheese shop which subsequently sold up and is now Molly’s coffee shop.
Michele Lyon Reply

February 27, 2014 at 1:18 pm

The second building looks like Somerset House in the upper High Street now occupied by Strutt & Parker. It was Strada before it suffered fire damage.
ray springer Reply

February 27, 2014 at 9:30 pm

The butcher’s shop (Sparrows) was in Worplesdon Road on the corner of Barrack Road, opposite what was once the Royal Hotel, but now the Beijing Chinese restaurant. The building is still there, although changed somewhat in its external appearance.

The quirky picture is Somerset House at 222 High Street. It was a former town mansion and was built in the early 17th century for Charles Seymour, the sixth Duke of Somerset. It is now an estate agents (Strutt-Parker), but has had several different occupants including a pub for a short while a few years ago.
Simon Vine Reply

March 2, 2014 at 4:08 pm

Sparrow’s butcher, corner of Barrack Road and Worplesdon Road. A butcher until some time in the 1970s I believe? Some Guildfordians will doubtless know a more exact date.
Don’t know on second photo…
Greetings to all at the Dragon.
Brian Holt Reply

March 3, 2014 at 11:06 am

Sparrow’s opened as a butchers in 1880 at 134 Worplesdon Road on the corner of Barrack road, opposite the Royal Hotel.

It continued in the same family for nearly 100 years, offering a daily delivery service. This shop was at the bottom of my road and I used to do shopping for my neighbours there.

Frank Sparrow ran the shop with his son, and his daughter Marion was in the cash desk. After you were served they would say “five shillings Marion” or what ever the price was.

Frank was the Conservative councillor for Stoughton for many years, he was mayor and also a alderman.

When this shop closed they continued on with their other shop in Onslow Village.

The next photo is Somerset House in the Upper High Street. The house was built by the Duke of Somerset as a half way house between London and his grand house at Petworth.

Known as the Proud Duke, he was mean as he was proud. His house was built literally a few inches outside the town boundary so that it would escape the local taxes.

The boundary stone, much worn, to the 17th century town can be seen on the opposite side of the road.
Doug and Bill Stanniforth Reply

March 3, 2014 at 5:01 pm

The butcher’s shop picture is on the corner of Worplesdon Road and Barrack Road.

The property once had Mick McManus (who possibly owned a speedboat) as a neighbour.

The other building is in upper High Street above Strutt Parker, it was once Dronfields and Harper’s night club.
Chris Townsend Reply

March 4, 2014 at 11:47 am

Sparrow’s butchers was on the corner of Barrack Road and Worplesdon Road, opposite The Royal Hotel in Stoughton, for nearly 100 years.

“M.A. Sparrow” on the sign stands for Mary Ann Sparrow, widow of Henry and mother of Robert Benjamin, Frederick and Harry, who continued as butchers, Frederick having a shop on Stoke Road. Is there still a Sparrow’s butcher’s in Onslow Village?

The quirky photo is of Somerset House, Upper High Street, a Grade I listed Queen Anne mansion built for Charles Seymour, sixth Duke of Somerset, as a stopping-off point between London and his estates at Petworth.

I enjoyed a guided tour of it during its time as The Hogshead, with a small garden at the back.