Where Is This? No.281

Published on: 16 Dec, 2017
Updated on: 16 Dec, 2017

By David Rose

The replies to the previous mysteries correctly identified the vintage picture as being what became St Luke’s Hospital and what had been Guildford’s Union Workhouse, and during the First World War (when the picture was taken) in use as a military war hospital.

The stained-glass window featuring the picture of a man can be found in Guildford House in the High Street.

Readers suggested it may be the writer Lewis Carroll. Does anyone else have any suggestions? Click here for the previous post to have another look.

Can you work out where this view was taken from and what can be seen in the picture?

Here is an interesting view for the mystery vintage picture this time.

A farm in the foreground and a housing estate beyond. The farm no longer exists and this view dates to around the 1920s. If you stood at the same spot today I am sure you would observe another big building in view. Any ideas?

Do you recognise this fish and chip shop sign?

The quirky picture shows a fish and chip shop sign. It’s on a road into Guildford town centre. The chippy has a long history and I hope readers will recall its past owners.

If you know the answers and perhaps can add some more details, please leave a reply in the box below. I’ll give the answers in two week’s time with the next two images.

Responses to Where Is This? No.281

Rose Emmett Reply

December 16, 2017 at 11:14 pm

Stevens’ fish and chip shop, Stoke Road, I think.

They sold the best fish and chips in Guildford.
Claire Robertson Reply

December 17, 2017 at 3:35 pm

I think it is a view from the Mount down to the council houses along Old Palace Road, the Chase and the Oval.

The large house to the right of the track in the middle of the picture is now the Asperion Hotel and was previously St John’s; the senior part of Guildfird Park Primary School.

The intermediate roads: Irwin, Scillonian and Iveagh were not built until the 1930s. In the distance one would now see the cathedral.
Mike Williams Reply

December 18, 2017 at 1:28 pm

My reply to the vintage photo is a guess: Guildford Park from the Mount with an empty Stag Hill beyond.

The fish and chip shop was famously run by the Stevens family, latterly by Roy and his wife.

Famous for a quality fry as ordered, the lengthy queue, their pristine white coats, and total cleanliness.

A little anecdote: For many years we were the newspaper wholesalers in Guildford. Retailers return unsolds for credit. After we had collected the returns each week, we sold them as waste paper to merchants. All except the Guardian. Roy bought and collected only the Guardian because the print didn’t came off on Mrs Stevens’ hands as she wrapped the fish.
Susan Jones Reply

December 18, 2017 at 1:42 pm

This is the Mini Fish bar on Stoke Road – probably the most unpleasant fish and chips I’ve ever had!

I wish there was a really good one in the town centre.
John Lomas Reply

December 18, 2017 at 10:58 pm

I think the old photo was taken from the north side of Farnham Road looking north-east over the first phase of the Guildford Park estate.

The farm was called Wilderness according to old maps. The hill in the distance is Stag Hill crowned now by the cathedral instead of the trees.

The chip shop is on Stoke Road, next door to the Prince Albert pub and only a few doors down from Pedal Pushers.

Could it possibly be the cause of people needing bicycle exercise or is it where people go to refresh after exhausting exercise?
Mike Dillon Reply

December 19, 2017 at 1:58 pm

The fish and chip shop is in Stoke Road.

I used it a lot in the early 1960s and it was the best fish and chips in town.

Back then it was run by the Stevens family.
Charles Graham Reply

December 19, 2017 at 8:21 pm

The road in the mystery picture is The Chase and the estate was a follow on after the completion of the Shepherds Hill development in Stoughton.

Stag Hill is behind and the cathedral had not even been started.
David Mowat Reply

December 21, 2017 at 5:09 pm

The mystery picture shows a view towards Stag Hill from the area of the Farnham Road.

Old Palace Road is visible as the first row of houses.

The quirky photo shows the chip shop on Stoke Road not far from Pedalpushers…
J E Davey Reply

December 21, 2017 at 6:04 pm

Probably taken from The Mount with Mount Farm in the foreground and Farnham Road crossing from right to left.

The large house at the end of the farm track is now Asperion [hotel] and the first row of semi-detached houses is on the north side of Old Palace Road.

The big building that is in view today is the cathedral.

The fish and chip sign is in Stoke Road.
Laurie Kent Reply

December 22, 2017 at 9:48 am

The fish and chip shop sign is in Stoke Road, next door to the Prince Albert pub.

It was owned for a long time by Roy and Betty Stevens. I have been told that at one time it used to be a pub itself, called the Volunteer, though this is only hearsay.
Chris Townsend Reply

December 28, 2017 at 8:59 pm

The view, probably from the Mount Field, shows Mount Farm at the foot, roughly on the site of the County School playing field off Wodeland Avenue.

St John’s (once a school, now a hotel) is the house on the Farnham Road to the left of that on the corner of Agraria Road. That’s the newly-built Guildford Park estate beyond, with Old Palace Road only developed on the north side.

There’s a prominent line of elms, which gave Elmbank Avenue its name, and later Elmside. The trees marked the line of the ancient track from Farnham Road to Aldershot Road. Was the photo taken on a Monday? There’s a lot of washing hung out on lines!

The fish and chip shop is on Stoke Road, next to the Prince Albert pub with its distinctive bargeboards.

Mark Sturley’s book, The Breweries and Public Houses of Guildford, states that the shop was built in 1857, and became a pub, the Rifle Volunteer, in 1863.

In 1907, it became a fish and chip shop, and was associated with the Stevens family for many years.
Ron North Reply

December 29, 2017 at 2:06 pm

The quirky is the chippy on Stoke Road (next to the Prince Albert pub), once owned by R (Roy) C Stevens who sold wet fish as well as fried.

I have attached links to two photos taken by myself shortly before his business changed hands in about 1987.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4_kHgHOC6vidk9XanVrb1FicW8/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4_kHgHOC6viaVNkd2dCNk5HR3c/view?usp=sharing

and here is Roy enjoying a pint in the Prince Albert (note the beer prices – best bitter 60p per pint, larger 70p).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4_kHgHOC6viYUoweFVoSC1rMGc/view?usp=sharing