Where Is This? No.45

Published on: 19 Feb, 2013
Updated on: 19 Feb, 2013

By David Rose

Most of you who replied to last week’s mystery pictures correctly recognised the old picture postcard as showing the spring at St Catherine’s, which is at the foot of Ferry Lane.

I can see John Lomas’ thinking about it being in Stoke Park near the boating lake. In the rockery there is a similar feature. I don’t think water flows from it these days, but it would have when the Jubilee Gardens, as it was originally called, opened at the time of George V’s silver jubilee in 1935.

Brian Holt’s comments were interesting about the plaque at St Catherine’s. We are going to check whether it is still there. There is definitely a sign there, but I am not sure if it’s the one he writes about.

The ‘Keep of the Grass’ sign is indeed one of those in the Castle Grounds. Thanks to all who replied. You can see all the comments now at the foot of last week’s post. Click here to view.

Do you know which road this is?

This week’s mystery vintage picture shows road works (or road making to be precise) somewhere in Guildford. I think it might date from the 1944 when something specific was going on here.

The type of housing should help you recognise the location. If you know the exact spot… excellent. Or a rough location will suffice. But what was being built hereabouts?

The mystery sign, as photographed by Alistair Fulton, is on the front of a very well known and historic building in the centre of Guildford. 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.45

Bernard Parke Reply

February 20, 2013 at 8:16 am

1) Westborough, building of prefabs

2) Guildhall
Ray Springer Reply

February 20, 2013 at 11:34 am

Easy one for me this week – less than a stones throw from where I live. It is in Southway just beyond the junction with Foxburrows Avenue. The road was being extended to eventually create the new Park Barn Estate. This was also when the prefabs were about to be erected and I think it was before 1944, although not absolutely sure about this.
The Town to Westborough bus service run by Safeguard used to terminate here (at Foxburrows) The bus can be seen departing along Suthway towards Guildford.
The mystery sign is in the High Street outside the Guild Hall
John Lomas Reply

February 20, 2013 at 8:28 pm

Difficult to be sure about red or green on a black and white photo, but I would hazard a guess that the bus is a red one and that it is on a Safeguard bus route. If it is a green bus it will be an Aldershot and District Traction route.
Dan & Tracy James Reply

February 20, 2013 at 10:53 pm

We think this could be Southway, the section nearest Ashworth Place/junction Foxburrows Avenue…??
Dave Peters Reply

February 20, 2013 at 11:40 pm

Western end of Southway.

The sign was on the Guildhall
David Bailey Reply

February 24, 2013 at 12:07 pm

As I can remember prefabs on this building site, it must have been about 1954 not 1944 when the photo was taken.
Brian Holt Reply

February 24, 2013 at 8:19 pm

This is Southway, the first house on the left is Foxburrows Avenue, so the photo would have been taken from where the roundabout is with the junction of Egerton Road or by Greville Close.

The sign is outside the Guildhall.
Chris Townsend Reply

February 25, 2013 at 7:42 am

My best guess is that the road in view is Southway, being extended in connection with the building of the prefabs and, a few years later, Park Barn estate.

The sign is on the Guildhall, but presently obscured by a notice giving revised opening hours.