Where Is This? No.41

Published on: 22 Jan, 2013
Updated on: 22 Jan, 2013

By David Rose

A mixed response to last week’s mystery images. Click here to see last week’s post and the replies at the foot of it.

Several of you correctly identified the factory as Weyside Engineering on the Midleton Industrial Estate close to Dennis Bros.

Chris Townsend’s comment was interesting noting that the patch of land was once allotments. I didn’t know that, but they may well have belonged to Dennis Bros. I do know that the Guildford mortuary was also in that location. And much earlier (late 19th and early 20th century) it was the site of Guildford’s isolation hospital, and before that the area was a rubbish dump!

Brian Holt and Bernard Parke correctly identifed the clock as being at Rydes Hill Preparatory School, Aldershot Road.

Do you recognise this snowy scene?

Here’s a snowy picture to complement the winter weather we have been having. I copied it from the massive collection of photos in the archives at the Guildford Institute – so thanks to the staff there (Trish, Jan and Pru) and not forgetting their volunteers for letting me loose delving into this wonderful collection.

I am not sure of the date, but going on the era that these images were collected by the Guildford Institute, I’d say it is before the Second World War. I imagine the regulars will know where it is?

Where can this clock be found?

The mystery clock, photographed by Alistair Fulton, was indeed a mystery to me until I checked his answer sheet. Any ideas where it is? As a clue, it is on a clubhouse in a Guildford park.

If you know the answers to 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.41

Bernard Parke Reply

January 23, 2013 at 7:54 am

1) Station Approach

2) Bowls Club Stoke Park
Norman Hamshere Reply

January 24, 2013 at 8:09 pm

Entrance to Guildford railway station, although a bit before my time I think. The siding and buffer stop are dead centre of your picture.
Doug Staniforth Reply

January 25, 2013 at 4:12 pm

This is the entrance to Guildford railway station with Walnut Tree Close to the right and Billings printers in view. The clock is on the pavillion at the Burchetts Barn end of Stoke Park.
How about a cut-glass decanter?
Chris Townsend Reply

January 26, 2013 at 4:10 pm

In David’s book “Images of Guildford”, on p.54 there’s a WW2 photo of Dennis’s factory and its railway sidings which linked to the main Reading line. The photo shows a fence beyond which are what could well be those allotments. Various O.S. maps for dates between 1916 and 1963 show “Allotment Gardens”,while a map for 1897 (pre-Dennis’s) shows none. Shading suggests a bank around the plot. The railway line from Dennis’s is shown in 1934 and 1963.

In 1930, Weyside Engineering (1926) Ltd. were at 1 Farnham Road, west of the town bridge. Mark Sturley in his book “The Breweries and Public Houses of Guildford”, mentions that part of the Crooke’s brewery property included a workshop let to Weyside, also shown on a plan towards the north of the site, close to the Wey. Later the brewery site was occupied by the bus station. Kelly’s directories for Guildford in the 1950s list Weyside at 10 Madrid Road, next to Dismore’s fishmonger’s, both of which I remember.
Chris Townsend Reply

January 26, 2013 at 5:07 pm

The mystery photo shows Station Approach, with the goods shed near the centre. The road to the right is Railway Esplanade, running into Walnut Tree Close, showing the tall buildings of Billing’s the printer’s, which have survived as The Billings. The tall chimney to the left is likely to be that of the brickworks on Guildford Park Road. In view of the snow, the date could be December 1927 when there were certainly heavy falls.

The clock is on the Guildfordians’ Pavilion in Stoke Park, just off the London Road.
Brian Holt Reply

January 27, 2013 at 7:07 pm

It’s the entrance to Guildford Railway station, in the background you can see the old goods shed and to the right wagons in the siding.
Eventually these gates had to be removed and the entrance widen so lorries could get in and out of the goods yard.

The clock is in Stoke Park, on the Old Guildfordians club pavilion, which is just inside the Burchatts Farm Gate entrance, London Road.
Dave Peters Reply

January 28, 2013 at 12:06 am

The photo is of the entrance to the railway station with Walnut tree close on the right.

Is the clock in the University sports ground?
David and Ann Bailey Reply

January 28, 2013 at 1:34 pm

The picture shows the entrance to Guildford railway station, with Walnut Tree Close to the right.