Where is This? No.143

Published on: 15 Jan, 2015
Updated on: 15 Jan, 2015

By David Rose

A very generous portion of replies to last week’s mysteries – with the fish and chip shop being, of course, Stevens in Stoke Road.

I am glad so many replied saying it sold “the best fish and chips in Guildford.” It certainly was!

My wife Helen and I lived in Queens Road between 1989-92. I regularly joined the queue outside Stevens’ on a Saturday night waiting for it to open. There was one woman in particular who was always at the head of the queue – who knows what time she got there?

It was also pleasing that a number of you said how friendly and generous Roy Stevens and his wife were. On the fixed display board there were never prices of the fish. I think that was because Roy always bought it fresh from market and naturally prices fluctuated. But all regular customers knew whatever the price that week, it was always a fair price. Perhaps that was the secret of the excellent fare – he knew good fish when he bought it; and whatever ingredients he used in his batter must have helped too.

Newspaper was always used to wrap the food – usually Sunday papers. Roy didn’t let the glossy supplements go to waste, as there was usually a pile of them on the counter for customers to help themselves to.

Lots of the replies added details about Stevens’ other fish and chip shops. Click here to see last week’s post and the replies at the foot of it for those details.

Brian Holt gave details of other chip shops, but couldn’t recall the name of the one in Bridge Street. Was that John Hard? The restaurant was upstairs. There was another John Hard on Woodbridge Hill, where the Shahin Indian restaurant is today.

The quirky picture didn’t fool many who replied – the inner door of the old part of the Royal Grammar School.

Where is this?

Moving on to this week’s pictures and the vintage mystery photo dates to about 1910 and shows a scene a few miles outside of Guildford, to the north. Do you know where it is and the name of the pub?

Which building in Guildford town centre is this a part of?

Here’s the quirky photo. But take a good look as it could be mistaken for part of another well-known building – but there is a connection between the two of them. Do you know which building this is and can you add details about the connection?

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.

Responses to Where is This? No.143

Louise Smith Reply

January 15, 2015 at 9:09 am

The pub looks like the Fox at Fox Corner, Pirbright
David Jopson Reply

January 15, 2015 at 4:25 pm

Brian Holt wondered about the upstairs fish and chip shop in Bridge Street, Guildford.

I and a few fellow apprentices used to visit it at lunchtimes in the late 1960s when we were at Guildford Tech on day release. It was then called ‘The Elite Fish Bar’.
John Lomas Reply

January 17, 2015 at 11:52 am

The old photo is the Fox Inn, at Fox Corner, presumably the origin of the place name; or was first inn named after the place?
Carolyn Mullen Reply

January 17, 2015 at 6:12 pm

The pub looks like the Fox at Fox Corner near Pirbright.
- Irene Dredge Reply
  
  January 19, 2016 at 2:43 pm
  
  It is the Fox pub, at Fox Corner? I saw the same picture many years ago.
  
  The picture is taken on that very tight bend by Bury Lane and Heath Mill Lane.
  
  If anyone has this picture I would be pleased to have a copy as it was lost a long time ago. I still live there.
Chris Townsend Reply

January 18, 2015 at 6:06 pm

The mystery photo shows the Fox at Fox Corner, Worplesdon.

The quirky photo shows the tower extension (built 1891) of the Old Cloth Hall on North Street, behind Abbot’s Hospital. The Cloth Hall was built in 1629 for George Abbot who provided work there for weavers affected by the decline of the wool trade, but the enterprise was not a success. The building later accommodated paupers; between 1857 and 1932 it housed Archbishop Abbot’s School, followed by Clark’s College, offices and shops.
Linda Jackson Reply

January 19, 2015 at 8:54 pm

First photo could be the Fox at Worplesdon.

The quirky picture maybe the Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop next to the library in North Street.
Brian Holt Reply

January 19, 2015 at 9:18 pm

The Fox, Fox Corner, near Worplesdon, in fact just inside the parish of Pirbright.

It was first owned by Simmonds Brewery, Reading. In 1960 it became a Courage pub.

It’s no longer a pub, but is now called Fox Dining, bringing “an exciting new fine dining concept to Surrey in a historic setting”.

Shane Cooke, who leads the chef team at Fox Dining, has 13 years varied experience within the industry, and last year was a regional finalist in the Roux Scholarship, one of the most prestigious culinary competitions in the world.
David Middleton Reply

January 19, 2015 at 10:30 pm

The vintage photo is Fox Corner and the Fox public house, taken from the junction of Berry Lane, Heath Mill Lane and Malthouse Lane.

The quirky photo is the old Cloth Hall on North Street, adjacent to the library and at the back of Abbot’s Hospital.
Margaret Cole Reply

January 21, 2015 at 9:41 am

The Fox at Fox Corner, Pirbright, a good eatery.

The turret belongs to The Old Cloth Hall in North Street.

It was built on the old stable block of Abbots’ Hospital by Archbishop George Abbot, who wanted to show his appreciation to Guildford and who also wanted to revive the flagging wool trade, but failed so turned the place into a school.

A school there continued until 1940s and the building is now the Edinburgh Wool Shop.

Ref: Matthew Alexander’s book Guildford As It Was.
Doug and Bill Staniforth Reply

January 21, 2015 at 4:05 pm

The first picture is Fox Corner, Wurplesdon.

No idea about the second picture, but would guess either Abbot’s Hospital – the home for Ex-marine velocity engineers!
Mrs. Sheila Atkinson Reply

January 26, 2015 at 10:44 pm

The site of the Edinburgh Woolen Mill shop used to be a small canteen for Cow and Gate in the early 1960’s.