It is such a shame that the area (Surbiton, Kingston) are not served by a truely local radio station, or a proper cable channel dedicated to the area.
Thames Radio was when I lived in the area appalling, Radio Jackie in the eighties was excellent and served us well, along with Radio Jackie.
Even the Surrey Comet gave poor coverage of local issues.
Telewest used to have a local cable news programme (Cable 17), but still the area was neglected.
I think it is time that the area had the proper news and information media outlets it deserves, after all, it is a densely-populated area which has so much happening and to offer.
Warren.
Comments
Well I am in stormy Hythe in Kent, also about a 5 minute walk from the sea, France visible, looks even better at night with the lights of Calais twinkling away and Dungeness lighthouse a little further along the coastline !!!!!.
And the sound of the Romney Hythe Dymchurch Railway going 'toot-toot !!!!!.
Eurotunnel is just a 10 minute drive away, and my house is in the grounds of the late MP, Alan Clark's castle !!!!!!.
The view of the Queens Stand at Epsom Racecourse from Ewell Road - I remember that one very well !!!!!!.
Just before you reach the Fishponds heading for Tolworth by the Surbiton Mini Centre:
Did you know, Cooper Cars were built there in the early days ???????.
Warren.
Yiasou Natalie
Your home in Cyprus sounds wonderful. Its good to have such a mix of people and one from Surbiton too! I think I would love a holiday there! I have a telescope and can see people working in the fields over the rooftops, but have no balcony.
My mother's flat was near the Fishponds in Ewell Road and you could see the grandstand at Epsom racecourse. I have even seen the Queen pass along Ewell Road on her way to a race meeting! The Fishponds was once part of a farm and was left to the Surbiton Council many years ago.
The chemists that you can remember was on the corner of Browns Road and was W.E. Clarke. They had two shops. That one closed recently but the other one as far as I can remember is there opposite the Old Police Station which is now a car pound.
When did you leave Surbiton? I left on 28th September and I miss it in just two weeks!
I know if I went back now I would notice changes even in this short time.
Regards to All.
Peter
Yiasou! (that means 'hello')
I live 5 minutes away from the sea, and can see tanker ships from my balcony waiting for their next orders.
My neighbourhood is called Neapoli and is a mix of Cypriots/ Lebanese/ Russians/ Brits/ Austrians & Indians.. Limassol is a real melting pot, especially being the biggest coastal town in Cyprus. There are many offshore companies here, hence the variety of nationalities.
My apartment block is next to a large Department store on the beach front 'Woolworth's' - an equivalent of your John Lewis store (not related to UK Woolworth chain!).. There are orange trees dotted around our neighbourhood, as well as Jacaranda trees which blossom with beautiful lilac flowers.. Also lots of lemon trees too.
I have a pretty long balcony - one end you can watch the sea (I have binoculars for ship-watching!) and at the other end you can see greenery from a small park. It's pretty dry and the pavements need some attention.. Cyrus residents tend to park their car anywhere & everywhere - on corners/ entire pavements; you name it!
Weather today: a little overcast but very humid. Spent my Saturday swimming at the beach; it's a mini-heatwave; hooray!
Natalie
PS
I can't remember any specific chemists in Surbiton, except the one near Fish Ponds (near Bells music)
Hi Natalie
Well, its a bit like Surbiton! Surbiton, Tolworth and Berrylands all have stations, while we have Dorchester South and West, so plenty of jumping on and off places! I'll miss those quick trips up to London though!
I have arrived to a lovely house on the side of a building site and they start up about now (7.15am). We are lucky to have double glazing though. Can't see sheep but there is an arable field I can just spy from our front room. Now that's not like Surbiton.
Nearly every larger house on this estate had a burglar alarm so pray they don't go off like they did round Cottage Grove/Brighton Road!
What is it like where you live now?
I thought I would set up a Neighbourhood Watch as I did for the road I lived in. Do you have a similar scheme in your country?
Well, that's it for today. Apart for this teaser. Who can remember all the chemists in surbiton town centre and beyond?
best wishes to All
Peter
Here we go for a second round:
Cosmo was the hairdressers.
What about the carpet store which I think originally back in the sixties was a car showrooms, now the Fullers pub ?.
Little Bulls and the alley at the side.
MacMarkets (?), became Gateway.
Seconds Out.
The excellent bookshop at the end of the town, 'Kings' bookshop, cannot remember now.
The bakers next door, the hairdresser who was in competition with Paul Garrett who folded up (!), Bonsor Peningtons) on the corner of Claremont Road and St Marks Hill, 65/a, 71, 281. 406, 468, and not forgetting the Hoppas and Epsom Coaches.
The Ritz Cinema which is apparently haunted and became a naturist club (short-lived), inevitable it would become a pub, to join the many others that Surbiton has, along with building societies, charity shops and food outlets !!!!!!.
Back with more later..............,
Warren.
Phew, alot to take in today:
Where can I start !!!!!!!!!!.
Margaret Barnes School of Dancing in the hall on the corner of Claremont Road and Maple Road.
Codeway, next to the Star Burger, was it a Wimpy once (?), qnd also the florists.
The newsagents by the entrance to Surbiton Railway Station:
Ordered many a magazine and newspaper and magazine from them.
Cottage Grove, now is that the road that has a cul-de-sac and starts (depending where you are) by the Red Rose Indian restaurant, then veers right to the post office sorting office ?.
Back later with some recollections, been reading a June Sampson book, so plenty I will have later !!!!!!!!.
Regards all (thanks for the recollections, enjoying them all),
Warren.
Hello!
Congrats on your Dorchester move.. I remember the vet near Red Lion road.. there was also my Dentist nearby too (Mr Abraham)
What is Dorchester like? I've never been there but imagine lots of fields and wild sheep..
Natalie
Limassol Town
No I don't remember a Cottage Grove, but I know Brighton Road.. which end is it? I probably took some driving lessons in your area..
Natalie
Sunny Cyprus (beeeeeautiful weather today)
Yes, Guardian and Informer newspapers going strong with inserted property part called Your Move. Correct me if I have got that wrong. Did you know Cottage Grove off Brighton Road? that is where I used to live.
Peter
i used to live in cottage grove from when i was 8 and then we brought my nans 46.lived there until 5 years ago
Yes, I bought a set of drums from Bells. I loved playing them but the neighbours were not so keen! The name Henderson's the vets rings a bell (no pun intended from earlier comment) were they in Ewell Road near the Red Lion
PH? Traffic is still there I think: at least the shop is still there teaching pupils how to pass the Driving Test.
I have managed to move from Surbiton to Dorchester myself with the help of a professional driver friend of mine. We did it in four trips from last Friday collecting the van from Molesy until now where I have just half a boot to empty. So come on now folks what's new in Surbiton since 11am today?
Peter
Dorchester
Do they still have the Surbiton Pet Shop, on the same road as KFC? I bought my budgie from there, who is sadly no longer with us (she lasted 6 years)
Natalie
PS
To Warren, what do you feed your tortoise?
Yes, I remember the estate agent Gasgoine-Pees! I used to laugh every time I passed their sign.. :-)
How about the Guardian & Informer local newspapers - are they still in print?
Natalie
I remember Bell music! And Henderson the vet. Is the driving school Traffic still open on St. Marks Hill?
Natalie
CYPRUS
Mad a slight boo-boo:
The other excellent station in the eighties was Radio Sovereign.
By the way, another celebrity who lived in Surbiton and was coincidentally connected with radio was Mike Allen who worked at the time at Capital:
He lived in either Lambert Road or King Charles Road and had an american 4x4 and two Old English Sheepdogs.
Quite often he could be seen driving around the area with them in the back.
And who remembers Henderson the vet in Claremont Road ?????.
Does the old boy still work in the newsagents by the Railway station ?????.
Who remembers Sainsburys wher the Dillons (?) newsagents is now located ?????
They had the two separate sections if I recall, one was the butchers and one the supermarket.
And a little further down the Brighton Road, the Sainsburys at the Ace Of Spades ????.
Bentleys, American Graffitti, Hook Cycles and Lanselles ?????.
Bell Music, now the restaurant, the old Police Station in Ewell Road, the Red Lion which became Sullivans, not forgetting Comerfords ?????.
Down a time tunnel tonight !!!!!!!!.
Warren.
Yes I to lived in surbiton from the age of about 9 till the late 80s lived in the old Alpha road poor district at the time. I recall the redlion pub as often worked there part time. Also worked for Bob Glass newsagents under winthrop house at surbiton station.his son keith was his son they were a lovely family open all hours. Yes sadly I recall the old sainsburys in surbiton and the one on tolworth broadway now currys or was a few years ago. Now does anyone recall Crockers the coal merchant in tolworth, a family firm.? Also did anyone goe into Spaldings newsagents in red lion road ? Eileen ran it for many years when she lost her husband Laurel I helped her as well as Roy Sarah and Eileen from school lane.another one to think about who remmembers the JOB,s Dairy in tolworth thet used be behind the now esso garage on the broadway tolworth.? Hope this has made you think, regards Charlie Wilson..Bournemouth dorset
Yes I remember Job's dairy-used to earn my pocket money helping on milkrounds on Saturdays-early sixties, early starts but good fun and hard work!
Hello
Just to reply to your query regarding Crocker the coal Merchant. Mr and Mrs Crocker were my Next door neighbours when I was growing up. We were close to them always popping into our house for a gossip as Mrs Crocker liked to! I recall Mr Crocker as a very hard working man with arthritis, carrying heavy loads of coal from his truck, he was a lovely man and I helped look after him in his later days. Fond memories of good neighbours.
I'm 29 so my memories don't go back too far but wasn't Crockers down Pyne Road? My grandparents have lived there for years and I remember as a very young kid seeing a coal merchant opposite. Now flats.
As for dairy places I'm sure a lot of the floats used to come out of Cotterill road in Tolworth?
Hi there glad someone read my comments.! I certainly do recall crockers was down pyne road The family were called W.E.Crockers LTd. I knew bill crocker very well and I know his daughter Jane who used to live on the corner house at the top of langley avenue if the roundabout is still there.? the coal office people used to pay there bills was on the corner of pyne road, its opposite the printers if thats still there.? I may well know your family as having worked in red lion newsagents round the corner for many many years knew all the locals, what was your grandparents name . also in pyne road use to be a garage for repairs lenelby motors you may be to young to recall.? I lived in the flats next door to the laundrette in red lion road called Marion Court, its still there.I would love to furnish you with any more history I can help you on Regards, Charlie.
How I remember him in his old brown pre war lorry with open sides, not windows. I am now talking of the 1950s.
He used to park his lorry within an area right next to the railway bridge in the Brighton Road and obviously had not far to go to pick up coal from Surbiton railway station goods yard. I think this became the Surbiton Mini Centre much later on. A Mr. Gibbard also shared the premises for motor repairs and he lived on the other side of the railway bridge across the road behind what used to be Maypine radio and television repairs. I used to knock about with his son Peter on the motorbikes. He worked at Hawkers. Peter and I went to the old Victorian St. Andrews primary school which used to be at the end of Cottage Grove. Close by in St Marys Road there was St Marys stores run by a sweet lady who would sell you a handful of Askeys wafers for one penny when you had not enough for much else. I could go on about those times forever as if it were yesterday.
My grandparents Ivy & Tom Diprose. They almost live opposite the old crockers site and have been there for 50+ years. Yup the Langley avenue roundabout is still there, some nice houses down that road although all mostly care homes now.
At the top of Pyne road there is still the printers, although from my experience they seem to spend more time looking out the window at the passing schoolgirls than actually printing anything. There is still some evidence that opposite was the building where people paid their bills albeit now it's been converted into flats. Not sure if the link below will work (might need to copy and paste it into your browser) but google streetview is an awesome way of having a look around...
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&safe=off&ie=UTF8&q=red+lion+road&fb=...
Yep too young to remember Lenelby motors, that or too forgetful!
It's amazing how much places change over the years and how we all eventually forget. I used to laugh listening to my grandparents when explaining how the A3 was once just fields. Everything is just one big concrete jungle now.
Well before you sent this message the only names I Could recall was the diprose family.!!! and low and behold here we are. I know your Grandparents and they know me.Your Mum maybe Pauline or Janet or Keith possibly. THey will all remember me I would love to get in touch with pauline again if its possible, she moved away from tolworth many years ago to marry then I think she may have married again, she will be about my age now.Your Gran used to work in the chemist I think. Would love to keep in touch with you and certainly brings back thoughts.Pauline was a lovely dog carer and used to look after and walk our friend Eileens dog called Nick, Nick loved your gran and her handbag.you ask her.!!! Regards Charlie
Hi Charlie, I'm a Phillimore from the Red Lion Road cottages opposite the old Bakery. I've been doing lots of family history and would love to hear of any stories people have. Familiy folklore suggests that my Grandma was unofficial Midwife and Layer Outer of folk. Doll, Olive, Ruth, David (my Dad) all stayed in RLR and Elsie moved all the way to New Malden!
I was born and bred at 119a RLR myself and just last night was in a room (in Poole, Dorset) with two other people FROM TOLWORTH - how odd is that! One was the daughter of the Coopers who had the shop at Tolworth Park Road.
hehe how funny. Yes my mother was Janice, sadly she passed away 13 years ago now from cancer. As you say, Pauline remarried and lives in Norfolk now on a small holding. Keith remarried and now lives in New Malden. Yes nan used to work at the Chemist which I only remember as 'Higgies'. I spent a lot of my youth popping in and out of there, helping out as much as a kid can! Lovely man.
Pauline left her dog Saffron with my grandad Tom whilst she travelled round Australia after her divorce. He kept Saffron till she died and now has a similar breed from someone down Lennelby who couldn't maintain looking after her. If you email me your details I'll pass them onto Pauline and be sure to mention you to my nan and grandad! ianstenning@gmail.com
I remember Sainsburys.
The Red Lion public house used to be quite crowded and I've had a few pints sitting at the tables outside there on a hot summer evening.
Remember Surbiton Lagoon too?
The most memorable character though was "The one armed bandit" who was the scourge of the children wandering into off limits areas in the Fishponds on Ewell Road.