Where Is This? No.240

Published on: 23 Dec, 2016
Updated on: 23 Dec, 2016

By David Rose

Perhaps a glimpse of the Royal Grammar School that I included in the cropped vintage picture last week was a give away to the location – the shop being the stationers Biddles in the Upper High Street.

According to Diane Longman in her reply, outfitters Austen Reed took over the premises in 1966, but have recently vacated it. I think it is currently unoccupied.

Brian Holt in his reply noted that at one time Biddles had another shop in the High Street, and also mentioned the renumbering of all premises in the High Street in the early 1960s.

For the record, the previous number No. 1 High Street was essentially Allen House (on the north side, where today’s ‘modern’ part of the Royal Grammar School is. The numbers, actually starting at No. 2, ran consecutively down that side, past the Guildhall, over the Town Bridge to the junction with Park Street, and then back up the south side to the junction with Epsom Road and then back down the north side to where they began, ending with No.205. This is how they are listed in the Kelly’s Directory of Guildford, 1940 edition.

The 1961 Kelly’s features the renumbering, essentially even numbers on the south side with their following odd numbers on the north side, starting at the foot of the High Street, west of the Town Bridge, and concluding with No.255, then being automotive engineers Puttocks, where today there is a branch of estate agents Gascoigne Pees, just before G Live, that itself is in London Road.

The unusual King’s Head pub sign seen as last week’s quirky images belongs to the pub of that name that faces Stoke Road – it’s postal address is, in fact, Kings Road.

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

Where is this and what is taking place? Click to enlarge in a new window.

Moving on to this week’s mysteries. Where is the location of the vintage photo (seen above) and what is going on?

Where can this be found? Click to enlarge in a new window.

The quirky picture shows a stone with a line from Psalm 34 and a religious message on it. It’s near a very popular open space near Guildford.

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 in two weeks’ time – we are having a short Christmas break!.

Responses to Where Is This? No.240

Bernard Parke Reply

December 23, 2016 at 7:02 am

1) The laying of the foundation stone at The Cathedral on the 22nd July 1936.

It rests on fragments taken from both Winchester and Canterbury Cathedrals.

The person giving the blessing was the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Cosmo Lang.

The Bishop of Guildford was John Harold Gregg who was appointed in 1927.

The wooden cross was placed there in 1927 to mark the spot were the cathedral was to be built.
It was taken from the last man of war HMS Ganges.
Dave Middleton Reply

December 23, 2016 at 11:44 am

The main photo is of the early days of the building of Guildford Cathedral and I think that the occasion is the unveiling of the wooden cross (just cropped out of the top of the picture) by Bishop Greig on 19th April 1933.

This wooden cross was apparently created from the ship’s timbers of HMS Ganges, a Royal Navy boy sailors’ training ship and former ship of the line.

I’m not sure why Wednesday 19th April was chosen, although I’m pretty sure it wasn’t to celebrate the birth of the actress Jane Mansfield!

The psalm stone is at Newland’s Corner and can be seen to the left (by the byway, Water Lane, that leads to Albury), just as you turn not o the Drove Road access to the car park, from the A25 Shere Road.
John Lomas Reply

December 25, 2016 at 9:58 pm

The old picture is surely a view of the cathedral at some time during the 1930s. Perhaps the foundation stone laying in 1936.

The modern picture is at Newlands Corner.
Chris Townsend Reply

December 29, 2016 at 10:15 am

The vintage photo was probably taken in 1936, at an early stage of construction of the cathedral, but I don’t know exactly what.

I don’t know the stone in the quirky picture either, but I’ll guess it’s near St Martha’s.
Margaret Cole Reply

January 3, 2017 at 9:14 am

I think this is a ceremony taking place at Guildford Cathedral. It might be the laying of the foundation stone 1936 or thereabouts. Before my time.

The plaque can be found at Newlands Corner, on the left as you enter the car park. I am not sure what it commemorates, who knows?

Happy new year to everyone. Keep up the good work.