Where Is This? No.30

Published on: 23 Oct, 2012
Updated on: 23 Oct, 2012

By David Rose

Well done to all of you who replied to last week’s images. The mystery picture was indeed of Racks Close in Guildford and the clock can be found in North Street on the building that was once the town’s fire station.

To see last week’s post and all the replies, click here. I particularly like Chris Townsend’s comment about the clockmaker appropriately named Gent, as there are now public lavs below!

River rising – but where exactly?

This week’s mystery picture shows a view of part of the town during some flooding in 1910. Do you know the location? And perhaps where the photographer was standing?

The picture comes from the wonderful collection of images held at the Guildford Institute in Ward Street. My thanks to the staff there for allowing me access to the archives as I am preparing a series of local history talks / workshops that I will be giving at the institute in the spring. Click here to view its website tht gives details about all it has to offer.

Can you name the location of this clock?

Here’s another clock in a lofty position, as photographed by Alistair Fulton. Do you recognise it?

If you know the answers 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 photo and mystery date, and the next pair of images.

Responses to Where Is This? No.30

Bernard Parke

October 24, 2012 at 7:58 am

Millmead looking towards The Mount
Brian Holt

October 28, 2012 at 10:56 pm

The photograph was taken from the Great Quarry by, the bottom of Abbot Road. At the bottom of the picture are the roofs of the houses in Quarry Street, in the middle of the floods you can see the weir which is opposite the [Guildford Rowing Club] boathouse.

The big building behind the floods is Millmead House, in those days it was Guildford District Rural Council Offices. It now belongs to Guildford Borough Council.
Chris Townsend

October 29, 2012 at 8:45 pm

The picture appears to show the river at Tumbling Bay in the foreground, just beyond the houses of Quarry Street and the flooded area. Across the river, to the right, looks like Millmead House, with the line of Portsmouth Road beyond that, and possibly St. Nicolas School. Just visible, further up Guildown, appears to be Rookwood House (St. Nicolas’ Rectory). On the horizon, near the top of The Mount is the Cemetery Lodge (or is it the Anglican chapel?). The photographer may have been standing at the top of Racks Close.