Where Is This? No.142

Published on: 7 Jan, 2015
Updated on: 7 Jan, 2015

By David Rose

Most of you who replied to last week’s mystery vintage photo recognised the location – Worplesdon Road, Stoughton, opposite the former Yellow Bus Garage (the YBS site now being Sainsbury’s Local and some flats), with houses in Shepherds Hill in view.

The view showed some open space behind the horse-drawn carriage, which is now Stratton Court.

In his reply John Lomas (who now lives ‘oop north’) recalled an entrance to Stoughton Rec being there. It still is, but, of course, the library has long gone. And I think he is right in saying there were some allotments thereabouts. I think I can just about recall them. Can anyone confirm?

The Christmas tree featured in the quirky photo was on top of the Allianz building in Ladymead, nearly opposite the fire station.

Here are this week’s….. and a couple of easier ones, perhaps?

Do you remember this fish and chip shop and the family who owned it?

Still a chip shop, but the building has changed.

Still a chip shop, but the facade has changed.

Here’s the quirky photo – a clock and a doorway, I’ll say no more.

Where is this and which building?

If you know the answers and can perhaps add some details, please leave a reply in the box below. Replies and the answers, along with two more mystery images will be published at about the same time next week.

Responses to Where Is This? No.142

Chaz Folkes Reply

January 8, 2015 at 8:07 am

The first photograph was taken on Stoke Road. The name has changed to the Mini Fish Bar and the bay window has gone. I don’t know anything else about it unfortunately.

The clock and doorway are in the Royal Grammar School, seen from the High Street.
Shirley and Brian West Reply

January 8, 2015 at 5:03 pm

The wonderful Stevens’ fish and chip shop in Stoke Road. They gave you the best bag of crackling any one tasted.

They always sold fresh fish on a Friday. Roy and Betty were so kind to everyone.

I have seen the queue on a Friday and Saturday night with some 20 to 30 customers waiting before they opened at 7 o’clock, closing at 11pm.
Linda Jackson Reply

January 8, 2015 at 5:04 pm

The first photo brings back happy memories as it was my local chip shop along Stoke Road and the best chippy in Guildford.

I grew up in Markenfield Road in the 1950s and could buy a 3d bag of chips with some crackling thrown in for free all wrapped up in newspaper. Bliss!

It was owned by Stevens a husband and wife team. I do remember them having a fire there which caused some damage but cannot remember the details. There remains fish and chip shop there today.

Could the quirky photo be of the Royal Grammar School?
Ray Springer Reply

January 8, 2015 at 9:22 pm

The fish and chip shop is in Stoke Road and I think it was Stevens who owned it.

It was considered by most to be the best in Guildford for many years.

The quirky picture is of the Royal Grammar School in the High Street – a doorway in the inner courtyard.
John Lomas Reply

January 8, 2015 at 9:39 pm

The fish and chip shop is on Stoke Road.

Next door with the canopy, a fairly modern addition by the way and not a traditional shop awning, is now a hairdressers. The white building on the far left of the picture is Pedal Pushers.
Jackie Montague Reply

January 8, 2015 at 10:48 pm

The fish and chip shop is along Stoke Road and it was owned Mr and Mrs Stevens.

The gate way is the entrance to the Royal Grammar School, I think.
Judy Oliver Reply

January 9, 2015 at 10:35 am

Stevens’ fish and chip shop was in Stoke Road and used to be the BEST in Guildford!

It was a family run business and Mr and Mrs Stevens would have time to chat with everyone as well as making great fish and chips.

Many a time in the 70’s/80’s, on a Friday night, they would have a queue of people which would stretch past neighbouring shops. We were very sad when they retired.
Raineee Wornham Reply

January 9, 2015 at 12:51 pm

The clock is in the courtyard of the Royal Grammar School. The old building.

The fish and chip shop is in Stoke Road.
Bernard Parke Reply

January 10, 2015 at 12:06 pm

1) An excellent fish and chip shop. Perhaps one of the best in Guildford.

2) The RGS.
Chris Townsend Reply

January 10, 2015 at 2:57 pm

The chip shop is on Stoke Road, next to the Prince Albert, and has lost the bay window it once had.

I think the building on the left belongs to a well-known cycle shop today.

In the 1950s, Reginald C. Stevens also had chip shops on South Street (between Milkhouse Gate and Trinity Churchyard, before the shop was demolished for road widening) and on Park Street, next to the former Plough pub.

The clock is inside the courtyard of the R.G.S.
John Lomas Reply

January 11, 2015 at 3:07 pm

I think the quirky picture is an inner doorway at the old grammar school building just visible through the outer door in a picture I have seen on the web.
Sheila Atkinson Reply

January 11, 2015 at 10:15 pm

The fish and chip shop was in Stoke Road not far from the Stoke Hotel. Their food was excellent.

I think the second photo is the Royal Grammar School in the High Street.
Brian Holt Reply

January 12, 2015 at 4:00 pm

This is one of three R C Stevens’ fish shops that was in Guildford.

This one in Stoke Road was run by his son Roy and his wife, and as you can see in the photo the slab in the window tells they once sold wet fish.

They had another shop in Park Street, and also in South Street (now Sydenham Road). This was the one we used mainly to buy our chips from. A Mrs Stevens who served in that shop, not sure if she was connected to the family.

As small boys we sometimes brought our chips from Horsecrofts at the end of Chapel Street. This was the first shop on the right entering from Castle Street.

Other fish and chip shops I remember are Elite in Onslow Street opposite the bus station; Christophers in Barrack Road, and Perrin on the corner of Worplesdon Road and Bryfield Road, who also sold wet fish for a while. This shop is now Seafare.

There was W C Rose at 34 Guildford Park Road.

I cannot remember the name of one in Bridge Street, but it was two shops down from the bridge which was also a fish restaurant.

The clock is in the courtyard of the Royal Grammar School, Upper High Street.
Doug and Bill Staniforth Reply

January 13, 2015 at 9:09 am

This is probably the hardest picture to date. We think it’s Stoke Road, not a million miles from a famous bike shop.

The fish and chip shop was owned by the Stephens family for many years and we are reliably informed that it was the best fish for miles because of the fast delivery by boat(speed).

When the bay window was demolished to make way for road widening, Mr Stephens received about £80 in compensation. Who says councils are not generous.

Picture 2 is the Grammar Skool in the High Street.
Margaret Cole Reply

January 13, 2015 at 11:33 am

Stevens’ fish shop Stoke Road, best fish in town.

I think they were first in Sydenham Road where their reputation came with them.

The doorway is inside the Royal Grammar School.
Neil Purrett Reply

January 14, 2015 at 7:42 pm

The chip shop was owned by Mr and Mrs Stevens. Never open on a Monday as he could not get fresh fish. I still do decorating for them. A lovely couple
David Mowat Reply

January 14, 2015 at 10:43 pm

The fish and chip shop is on Stoke Road.

Sorry, but I don’t know the name of the family that originally owned it.

I do know that is just along from the Stanniforth brothers’ Pedalpushers cycle shop. Long may they dream of speedboats!

The quirky photo shows the inner entrance to the Royal Grammar School on the upper High Street.
Rob Crisp Reply

October 12, 2020 at 9:14 am

The fish and chip shop was run by Mrs and Mr Stevens.

I was very good friends with their son Trevor in the 1960s who went to Farnham Art College as I went to Guildford Art College.

They lived above the shop, I lived in William Road.

I moved away in 1965 and lost contact. I would like to regain contact if any one knows of Trevor’s location.