Albury, Surrey

Living in the Squre Shere

Photograph No. 1. I was born in July l940 – Virginia Le Roux. The house on the left of the picture was where I lived until I was nearly 13 with my parents. The long narrow upstairs window was my bedroom. My mother’s mother and brother also lived in the house. My uncle - John Grover had a shop to the left of the porch, where he sold fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, some of which he grew himself. During the war people would come from Dorking and Guildford to buy fresh fish. The fish came from Harlow’s of Grimsby in wooden boxes, when the empty boxes were returned to Grimsby, my uncle used to fill them with rabbits and other game caught locally, because food was scarce due to food rationing. My uncle used to smoke kippers in a shed near the stream. He also kept the white ducks which swam along the stream. I have very happy memories of my childhood spent in Shere. Virginia Pawlyn – now living near Evesham.

born and raised there

I was born in Shere in 1942 to the youngest child of George and Margaret Bryant. The Bryants were a well-known Shere family, my father being the eldest of nine children born and raised in the village. I had a very happy childhood in the village, attended the village school as did my older brother and sister and several cousins. I remember the Shere bonfire nights which were very enjoyable. I left the village in the sixties and now live in Adelaide, South Australia. My elder sister still lives in in Shere with her husband who was until retirement one of the local postmen. I have only happy memories of my birth place. I was baptised and also had my confirmation at St James's Church in Shere.

Pub

My gran owned the pub at Blackheath which was called the Forest King, it was on the edge of the cricket pitch. There was also another pub called the Volunteer on the next road. Does anybody remember them?

Memories

It has been almost 50 years since I have seen the inside of this church. My mother; Molly Risbridger) was married in this church to a Canadian soldier Mr. Ken Lloyd Maxted. I am their son Robert Glenn Maxted. Happy Anniversary! 2007

I love you Mom and Dad,

Your Son,
Glenn