Where Is This? No.160

Published on: 13 May, 2015
Updated on: 13 May, 2015

By David Rose

The Victoria Hall in Ash Hill Road, Ash was featured as last week’s mystery vintage photo.

While the quirky picture featured a chimney stack on a house viewed from Sydenham Road.

Fewer correct entries than usual, perhaps they were a bit tricky.

Nevertheless, some good replies, especially Brian Holt who added some interesting details about the opening of the hall in Ash.

I can add that a few years ago when some renovation work being done there a time capsule was found that had been hidden when the hall was built. The capsule was a glass pickle jar and it contained a few coins coins and some pages from a local newspaper.

Click here to see last week’s post and all the replies at the foot of it.

We move swiftly on to this week’s mysteries.

Do you know which building this is?

The vintage picture shows the back of an historic building in Guildford town centre. Do you recognise it?

Where is this then?

The quirky picture shows a wooden beam projecting from a building also in the town centre. Have you see this? Do you know what it was once used for? Any details of past occupiers of the building will be welcomed.

So, here we are at number 160! Although I have a decent stock of vintage pictures to be able to feature in the coming weeks, once again it’s getting trickier to find suitable ‘quirky’ pictures or things taken from unusual angles.

We have done lots of clocks, weather vanes, public art, sculptures, and so on. But I’ll keep looking when I am out and about.

However, if anyone has any suggestions, please email me at drosedragon@gmail.com.

If you know the answers to this week’s images please leave a reply in the box below. All replies will be posted at about the same time next week, along with a new post with the answers to this week’s photos and the next pair of images.

Responses to Where Is This? No.160

Mary Bedforth Reply

May 14, 2015 at 6:17 am

The first is a rear view of Guildford House, formerly soley GBC’s art gallery and now part tourist office. It is faced in mathematical tiles. The Brewhouse is to the left.

Guildford House, grade I listed and circa 1660, is located behind the library.

High St view here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guildford_House

It was a popular café before the borough took it over.
Bernard Parke Reply

May 14, 2015 at 1:14 pm

1) The back side of Guildford House.

2) This looks as if it is part of the shop now used by Thomas Cook. If so, it was once a WH Smith shop from which hung a sign showing a paper boy against a red background.
Dave Middleton Reply

May 14, 2015 at 4:30 pm

‘Tis the rear of Guildford House on the High Street.

Quirky photo is the beam that projects from the Thomas Cook building on the corner of the High Street and Quarry Street opposite the Star pub.

I recall that the beam has WH Smith carved into it, from when that store occupied it.
Chris Townsend Reply

May 16, 2015 at 11:55 am

The vintage picture shows the back of Guildford House, before the steps were removed and a door blocked.

Now the view is familiar as the courtyard garden adjoining the coffee shop in the basement – one of very few gardens belonging to High Street properties.

The shop with the wooden beam is on the corner of High Street and Quarry Street. It was W.H. Smith’s for some years, and the beam supported a sign on a red background depicting a news boy selling newspapers from a tray he carried.

Was there once some wording along the beam? The shop was featured in Where Is This? nos 42 and 138, showing how it had formerly been Angell and Son, outfitter’s, then George Perridge’s china and glass shop, then Smith’s from 1929. It’s now Thomas Cook travel agent’s.
John Lomas Reply

May 17, 2015 at 11:50 am

The quirky picture is the High Street elevation of Thomas Cook at the corner of Quarry Street. The photo was probably taken from just above the Surrey Scholar statue.

Pure guess work on the old picture but I suspect it is a building on the western side of Quarry Street, somewhere near Rosemary Alley.
Brian Holt Reply

May 19, 2015 at 3:33 pm

1. Built in 1660, it is Guildford House viewed from North Street. The house was known as the Child House. The steps were replaced by a door.

2. It’s above Thomas Cook travel shop, on the corner of High Street and Quarry Street. It was Perridge’s Old Blue China Shop and in 1929 became the High Street branch of WH Smith.
Margaret Cole Reply

May 20, 2015 at 1:10 pm

First picture is showing an old Dutch courtyard at the rear of Guildford House from the road alongside the library. The courtyard was possibly built for John Child who was a mayor of Guildford. The view is now the restaurant with an outside eating place.

Second picture shows 46 High Street on the corner of Quarry Street. The pole was used probably to hang sale items on when it was a drapers. It is now Thomas Cook travel agents, and before that was occupied by WH Smith.