Letter: My Memories of 1960s Pewley Down’s Paper Round

Published on: 20 Nov, 2025
Updated on: 20 Nov, 2025

Pewley Down.

From Dave Bush

In response to: The Story Of Pewley Down Gifted To Guildford 100 Years Ago

Thank you very much for the very interesting article on Pewley Down.

Way back in 1961 to ’65 I lived in Pilgrims Way and went to school at George Abbot. I have great memories of the area, having a large paper route over the top of Pewley Hill delivering to many big houses.

Clearly I had a very well off clientele judging by the tips I got at Christmas, ranging from 10 shillings (50p) to my largest of £5 from Sir Arthur …?’s housekeeper in Warwick’s Bench Lane. A gobsmacking £90 in today’s money!

I can’t quite believe it, but I remember vividly being handed the £5 note (I used to turn all my paper round money into 10 shilling notes to get as big a pile of notes as I could).

My paper round with its gradients and long driveways was good for my health and fitness, which has lasted over my lifetime. Incidentally, I saw the coypu that used to live in the area, at the end of our garden in Pilgrims Way. Presumably long gone nowadays.

I was always late for school after my lengthy round so had to cycle hard over Pewley Hill or the North Downs, depending on which route I took. I won a number of school and district cross country runs getting my school colours for cross country and for rugby. (I am still capable of 5k park-runs even 10ks – just).

In those days there were no fences around George Abbot School and I could sneak in the back of the playing fields, past the prefects at the front gate and avoid late detention. I wouldn’t like to cycle the route today with the traffic.

I didn’t spend much time actually on Pewley Down apart from my route to school and some races there, but my favourite haunt was the Chantries, spending many happy and fun times there.

The other big change in the scenery for me was that there were a beautiful line of tall elms in Pilgrims Way just before Shepherd’s Way that had a large rookery in it. An awful lot of noise at certain times of the day. Sadly all gone now after Dutch Elm disease.

Also, looking at Google Maps, it is sad to see so many gardens being built on and developed into housing. Same everywhere though, with areas the builders see as giving the greatest payback and profit.

I hope the Downs and the Chantries are kept safe. Articles like this are very important in reminding people what we have to lose.

Anyway, thanks for taking me down some of my memory lanes.