I am new to the group having lived in the Surbiton area nearly all my life (for 32 years)in Hook, before moving 3 years ago down here to Hythe in Kent.
Although Hythe must equal itself with the number of pubs as what Surbiton has (!), I must admit, I too miss the town.
How it has changed over the years, who remebers Puttocks the confectioners, Liptons (opposite Corkies), the stationers next to the ODEON Cinema, The Southampton (the Gary Warley Band), Whitewoods - the model shop, John Willments on the brow of St Marks Hill and not for getting the Railway Tavern (no more).
Many more things I could talk about concerning Surbiton, which existed as a railway town before Kingston and even also had electric lighting (hence Electric Parade) before the neighbouring town.
Does any one actually remeber when you could actually swim in the small pond in Claremont Road and the boarded up shops where the YMCA now stands ?.
The train crash in 1972 (?) on the railway bridge and BRS in Glenbuck Road ?.
Hoping we can talk more all about the past of Surbiton, as well as the present and future, not forgetting the famous and not so famous who lived in the area.
Regards,
Warren.
Comments
Dear Warren,
Good to read about your reminiscing of Surbiton. Although I've lived in Cyprus for 6 years now I grew up in Hook as a kid(Hartfield Road) before moving to Berrylands, Surbiton as a teen..
I don't remember some of the places that you mentioned, although I did used to paddle in the pond
in Claremont road! I also remember the bus stop shelter past B&Q which had a couple of resident drunks
- they lived in their gloves, woolly hats and alcohol-flushed cheeks.. I also remember the Toy Shop
'Tor-toys' which was next to YMCA - I think it then turned into a tanning/ beauty salon for a while.
Is the tiny coffee shop Traders still open? (nearly opposite Fortunes restaurant, nr station)
Do they still hold car boot sales at Hollyfields school on Sundays? How is Surbiton library? I used to go fishing to Fish Ponds park for sticklebacks too as a kid, and will never forget the time my little brother fell in the shallow end of the pond; was most cross at the time as he frightened away my fish :-)
Hope to hear from Surbiton-Fans soon,
Natalie
A Not-so-famous ex-Surbitonian
CYPRUS
Who remembers Transatlantic Plastics that occupied most of the parade in Brighton Road? How about Sainsbury's in what is now Martin's newsagents, Timothy Whites in Victoria Road, Humphrey's Seed Merchants under the clock tower at the junction of Brighton/Balaclava Road, and MacMarkets in what was Somerfield until recently? Them were the days!
I'm glad to say though, Surbiton is still vibrant, still has quite a few independent shops and now caters for evening enjoyment more than it ever did. Long may it last!
SurbiTom
Howabout B&Q's now Waitross or Curry's electrical now the the Elm Tree
Wasn't Currys where Superdrug is now?
[quote=Anonymous]Wasn't Currys where Superdrug is now?[/quote]
The Elm Tree was created when 2 shops where merged, one of those shops (the right of the 2) was Currys
http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/images/display/55060_8498e65fd3df6f3afa420df...
Thanks for that, I had not realised that was not always a pub. Anyone remember what was in the other shop?
I remember shopping at Transatlantic Plastics with my dad -- lots of bin liners and rolls of PVC. Seemed a bit of an odd business to me even at my tender age. How and why they took over that whole row of shops still seems strange.