Where Is This? No.221

Published on: 11 Aug, 2016
Updated on: 11 Aug, 2016

By David Rose

Back again after a bit of a break (on holiday in Biarritz, France) and the previous vintage picture taken from the air indeed featured Guildford railway station, Guildford Park brickworks and more!

Those who replied added some useful details that have helped to date the photograph.

Brian Holt pointed out that what is today’s platform 1 (a bay platform where trains on the London Waterloo via the Cobham line, or London Road station, terminate) is not visible.

Guildford railway station. layout in1917 and 1937. Click to enlarge in a new window.

In the picture here, kindly supplied by Frank Phillipson, that shows the layout of Guildford railway station in 1917 and 1937, it can be seen that the bay platform does not appear on the 1917 plan, but does on the 1937 plan.

The Cobham line was electrified in 1925, and that is when, I think, the bay platform was added, and as mentioned by Brian Holt.

Therefore, the aerial photo must date to about the early 1920s. It is taken from a picture postcard of a kind that certainly is consistant with about that time.

I think it is amazing just how many wagons can be seen in the sidings.

Several readers added details of the Guildford Park brickworks, and of course bricks were made there for Guildford Cathedral. At the time of the picture the brickworks was owned by Thomas Mitchell.

I was having a conversation with a friend recently and he commented on the deep ‘drop’ at the end of the gardens of the houses on the south / south-east side of Rupert Road and we wondered why that is.

The aerial picture and the railway layout plans appear to answer that.

There was once a siding that connected the brickworks to the main line. As the brickworks was on higher ground than the railway, it seems a cutting was dug to take the siding, possibly rising slightly as it lined up with the brickworks’ buildings.

I am sure we could go on and on finding other fascinating features in the picture.

Moreover, the quirky picture was correctly identifed as being at Loseley House.

Click here to see last week’s post and all the replies.

Styles of hanging tiles.

And of the hanging tiles seen in the picture of Loseley House, Dragon editor Martin Giles has supplied this image that features some of the styles than can be found on houses locally – particularly in The Valley at St Catherine’s.

Name the location and add some details please. Click to enlarge in a new window.

Here is this week’s mystery vintage picture and a cottage next to a river. Today there are a lot more trees that partially block the view. Shouldn’t be too difficult to identify.

Where was this view taken from and can you add some details – perhaps a rough date and what can be seen? Click to enlarge in a new window.

The quirky picture was sent to me a long time ago by a person named Spinks (can’t recall their first name). So, where exactly was it taken from and what can be seen?

If you know the answers to this week’s mysteries, please leave a reply in the box below – and include extra details if you have them.

They will be published along with two more mystery images at about the same time next week. Good luck.

Responses to Where Is This? No.221

John Lomas Reply

August 11, 2016 at 6:34 am

I can only guess that photographer has just hailed the St Catherine’s ferryman from the Shalford side.

The quirky picture would appear to have been taken during the period between the demotion of the Friary Brewery and the construction of the replacement bus station.

The Plaza (Flea Pit) cinema is the white building to the right and the central structure is the Rodboro Buildings, the second location for Dennis Bros.
Jennie Antliff Reply

August 11, 2016 at 4:56 pm

The quirky picture must be taken during the demolition of the Friary Meux brewery, now the Friary shopping centre.

The buildings in the background are the Rodboro Building and the flea pit cinema.
C Barker Reply

August 11, 2016 at 7:48 pm

St Catherine’s ferry.
Charles Graham Reply

August 11, 2016 at 9:03 pm

The ferryman with the punt indicates that it is probably the St Catherine’s ferry crossing, and the second picture is the demolition of the Friary brewery site. Bridge House is on the extreme right of the picture.
Linda Jackson Reply

August 12, 2016 at 11:46 am

I think the cottage is at St Catherine’s with the ferryman on the left of the photo and behind him is the spring stream and the lane leading to the old Portsmouth Road.

Many hours were spent up there as kids, returning home sheepishly with yellow socks. We even drank the water from the stream.

The second photo was taken of the Friary Brewery at the time of its demise c.1972.

My grandfather worked there for 30 years after leaving school, he was a cooper.

His long service plaque, dated 1949, remains in our attic. He was still working there in the early 60s. Was the photo taken from Angel Son & Grays as it was being demolished?
Mike Williams Reply

August 13, 2016 at 10:22 am

The b/w photo is of St Catherine’s Tea Garden. Not very busy in the photo.

This was a local tourist destination to row or punt your family / girlfriend to; just the right distance from Leroy’s Boathouse that used to be next to what was the Jolly Farmer pub.

And there’s a lad about to punt the ferry across to pick the photographer up.

The ferry filled the gap for those walking the Pilgrims’ Way and brought more customers to the tea shop.

The other photo shows familiar landmarks but from a fascinating angle – straight up Bridge Street, as if from the cafeteria level of the present Friary Centre. There’s the Plaza, and the first Bridge House and Rodboro Buildings. Taken, I guess, as the old brewery site was being cleared.
Ray Springer Reply

August 16, 2016 at 10:03 pm

Absolute guesses this week.

Think the brown and white picture is of Dapdune Wharf on the River Wey some years ago.

The quirky picture seems to be of the Rodboro Buildings before it became the Wetherspoon pub, and taken from the new Odeon picture house then being constructed in Bedford Road.

Probably completely wrong – eagerly awaiting the result and other people’s entries.
Margaret Cole Reply

August 17, 2016 at 2:21 pm

This is the ferryman’s cottages at St Catherine’s where the tearooms were. A footbridge bridge now crosses the River Wey nearby.

The second picture shows Rodboro Buildings from the demolition site of the site of the Friary Brewery with the Plaza and Surrey Times buildings on the right.

Not too difficult this week – for a change!
Chris Townsend Reply

August 17, 2016 at 6:33 pm

The vintage picture, taken from Shalford Meadows, shows Ferry Cottages and tea rooms at the foot of Ferry Lane, St Catherine’s.

There had been a ferry there for centuries, until the 1960s, enabling walkers to follow the Pilgrims’ Way across the River Wey.

More info’ and photos here:

http://www.francisfrith.com/search?q=guildford+ferry

http://www.weyriver.co.uk/theriver/god_nav_d.htm

The quirky picture was probably taken from the site of the present Friary Centre following demolition of the brewery in the early 1970s.

The main features are Rodboro Buildings in the centre, with Onslow Street Bus Station in front of it, the Plaza also on Onslow Street (presently a night club) and the 1960s version of Bridge House on the right.
Brian Holt Reply

August 17, 2016 at 9:53 pm

The ferry crossing at St Catherine’s, and tea room which also sold ice creams.

The last ferry was in 1963, now there is a footbridge over the river.

In those days we used to drink the spring water which was on the left at the bottom of Ferry Lane, but nowadays I see people let their dogs go into the water.

When my brother worked at Leroy’s boathouse we used to have boats out after it closed everyday and stop here.

The second photo was taken from the Friary Brewery site, demolish in 1973. looking across to the Rodboro Buildings.
Michael Cannell Reply

September 22, 2016 at 8:53 am

My wife’s mother lived there in the war years and her aunt owned and lived there.
- Jill Davies Reply
  
  January 24, 2017 at 9:56 pm
  
  I have a watercolour of this cottage that my great grandfather painted in 1917 when he rented and lived ( I believe?) the cottage.