Flashback: Guildford All Lit Up For Christmas – Then And Now

Published on: 23 Dec, 2024
Updated on: 13 Dec, 2024

Flashback looks at Dragon NEWS stories of a decade ago.

Ten years ago this week David Rose featured Guildford’s Christmas lights, and Guildford’s well-known historian was flashing back even then with a brief look at the town’s Christmas illuminations from times past…

First published on The Guildford Dragon NEWS on December 28, 2014.

By David Rose

Taking some photographs of Guildford’s Christmas lights in the High Street this year, I wondered in which year the town was first lit up for the festive season.

I don’t know the answer, perhaps someone can provide a date, but it must be at least 50 years ago as some of these photos show.

This picture, looking up Guildford High Street, gives a clue to the date when the picture was taken. Woolworths can be seen, which opened in about

This picture, looking up Guildford High Street with its Christmas lights, gives a clue to the date when the picture was taken. Note the Millbrook road sign. The road was created in about the mid 1960s. Can anyone confirm which year?

The pictures were emailed to me a couple of years ago by a guy called Dave (unfortunately I have mislaid his surname), who lives in the USA, but once resided in Guildford.

Looking down The Mount towards the High Street. St Nicolas Church is on the right. The cars date the photo along with a road sign on the left.

Looking down The Mount towards High Street. St Nicolas Church is on the right. The cars roughly date the photo along with a road sign on the left.

The cars seen in some of the photos reveal that the images were taken about half a century ago, and some of the scenes have not changed that much.

The Guildhall about 50 years ago – nothing changed here. Note the time – about twenty minutes to two, the photographer was up late!

Abbot’s Hospital – again it looks exactly the same. Was it lit specially at Christmas time about 50 years ago?

Taken from the steps in front of Holy Trinity Church, the view looks across towards the Three Pigeons pub. On the right you just just see the now long gone facade of the Midland bank.

Taken from outside Holy Trinity Church, this view looks across towards the Three Pigeons pub. On the right you can just see the now long-gone facade of the Midland bank.

I have included some pictures from 2014, for general interest.

Standing roughly at the same spot in The Mount as the earlier photo, this view, taken with a telephoto lens, captures the current Christmas lights in the High Street.

The Castle Keep with the moon above. I think it is lit up more often than just at Christmas. But has it been lit up for a number of years? I reckon fancy, sparkly lights would look good!

The Castle Keep with the moon above. I think it is now lit up more often than just at Christmas. But has it been lit up for a number of years? I reckon fancy, sparkly lights would look good!

A view today looking towards Holy Trinity Church and its Christmas tree with 'old fashioned' style street lamps.

A view today looking towards Holy Trinity Church and its Christmas tree with some ‘old fashioned’ style electric street lamps.

Here is a newly lit up building in Guildford. The offices of solicitors Setfords in Jenner Road.

Here is a newly lit up building for Christmas in Guildford. The offices of solicitors Setfords in Jenner Road.

And a close up of the polar bears on Setfords’ premises in Jenner Road.

In case you haven’t read birdwatcher Malcolm Fincham’s latest report, here is another view of a large group of pied wagtails roosting in trees in front of Frankie & Benny’s restaurant in Ladymead.

The above picture, in black and white for a wintery effect, was taken by our resident birdwatcher Malcolm Fincham.