Redhill

Working in the Rhythm record shop

Hello everybody!
I am Graham Cross - I used to work in the record shop  'RHYTHM Agencies' of Redhill (1961- 68, I started at 16 yrs old) as a musical instrument repairer and l also served in the radio & TV department whilst helping out in the downstairs Record part, more towards the end of the decade. I was the tall one, dark brown hair - towards the end I had a gingery beard - and sometimes played the Hammond Organ in the window of TVs and guitars. I had a friend who worked round the corner in Currys who was an organist/keyboard player...Roy Lynes who went on to be the keyboards in the STATUS QUO!!!! I used to go to ...read more here
Contributed by Graham Cross

Redhill, 1970's

I was brought up in Redhill from 1969 to 1983. Was known as Kay Trevillion then.  Redhill has changed so much since those days, what a shame!!!  I now live in West Sussex. Left Redhill area when I was about 15, but still attended Redstone School, Noke Drive until age 16.  Used to travel from Horley to Redhill every day by train to attend the school. Went to Earlswood First, then Brambletye Middle, then on to Redstone.  Attended Redhill Tech College, which was at Gatton Point.  Nice to see T.S. Ark Royal is still there.  I have fond memories of buying my records at Rhythum Record Store on a Saturday. Earslwood Lakes was another favourite, especially in the summer (when they ...read more here
Contributed by kay dorman

Redhill 1970''s and 1980''s

I have lived in the Redhill area since I was born in 1969 at Redhill General Hospital- which now like most of the original town has since been demolished. I lived in Colman Way and spent my school days at Wray Common First and Middle Schools before attending secondary school at St Bedes before leaving in 1985. I was also a member of the local Sea Cadets based at T.S. Ark Royal in Hooley Lane which I enjoyed immensely (in fact my daughter now attends). I then went on to full time employment at Foxboro Yoxall-based in Wiggie Lane (great place to work!), unfortunately the firm closed down in 1990 resulting in everyone being made redundant. As a child I can ...read more here
Contributed by Barry Watts

Redhill, 1963-1989 and Shaws Corner!

I was born in Redhill General Hospital in 1963 and lived in Redhill until 1989 when I moved to Crawley and got married. I went to St Matthews School in Station Road, then Springvale finally St Bedes (for one year it was Bishop Simpsons)
I visit Redhill now and then and am sad to see what a dump it has become. All the great buildings have gone only to be replaced by modern architecture. Theres no character now. I remember the old Odeon cinema, Rhythms and Cloakes the record shops, the Market Hall, Pendreds clothes shop (I wonder how much I spent there!!!) I used to go to St Matthews disco on a Sunday night and the Noke Drive youth club ...read more here
Contributed by Lin Pugh

Redhill in days gone by

I was born in Redhill and attended St Matthew's School and then Bishop Simpson Girls' School. I left Redhill in 1977 when I married and moved to Melbourne, Australia (my maiden name was O'Donovan).

I have been back to Redhill several times.  I last visited in 1999 and could not believe how much Redhill had changed. My favourite store (Pendereds) had gone.  I spent most of my time and money in that store. I can remember shopping in Redhill, visiting all the clothes stores for the latest fashions. I remember the Market Hall on a Saturday night, watching the different groups performing. I remember the swimming baths behind the police station on London Road and the sports ground on ...read more here
Contributed by Sharon Romp

Born in 1941- Redhill a wonderful place to have grown up.

I was born and raised in Redhill. It was a wonderful childhood and many great memories. I was born in 1941 at Thornton House. We lived on Ladbroke Road, and remember the fish and chip shop, Mrs Fentons Store, and Mr.Winchesters shoe repair. I attended St. Matthews School then attended Frenches Secondary School, then to Pitmans College in Croydon. After school I worked for the Federation Mutual Insurance Co, the Monotype and Zonal Films which was located on Wiggy Lane. We spent so many hours at the Redhill Swimming Baths, and had a ball.
I moved to the US in 1961. When I returned to Redhill, Oh what changes. So many of the childhood things ...read more here
Contributed by Nadine Campbell

Saturday Nights

What memories this building holds.  It gave the opportunity for a lot of teenagers to have their first Saturday night outs.  It usually cost 1s 6d entrance fee unless there was a fairly well known group appearing that night then it was 2s 6d.  I attended Redhill Tech (my surname then was Watts) and worked on a Saturday in Woolies on the sweet counter and most of the day was spent chatting to various friends who used to come in and there would be great excitement in waiting for the evening to arrive.
I would rush home, wolf down some tea and then spend about 2 hours trying on outfits, usually wearing the first dress that I had put on.  It ...read more here
Contributed by Sue Hoyland

Redhill General Hospital

The picture is of the old East Surrey Hospital and I can remember my mother being an in patient there for many weeks around 1954--- as children we were not allowed in to the wards and I can remember waving to my Mum through a window.
I did my nurse training at Redhill General-- starting as a pre nursing student in 1965 and qualifying in 1970. We went between the two sites -- the other one being Smallfield Hospital in Horley which was an old war time hospital. I trained in the days when every hospital had a Matron and there was very strict discipline. we wore starched caps and aprons and the stiff collars were very uncomforable. ...read more here
Contributed by Sally Pashby

Training in Redhill General

I too trained at RHG from 1963-1966 and I don't think any training these days could surpass the excellent training I received there. It was hard work but fun and I learned a lot and met some lovely people along the way. I ended up as a sister on ward 20 at Smallfield hospital and left in 1968 to go to live in Italy for a year - where I met my husband to be whilst on holiday.

Fate has now brought me back to live in Redhill in 2008 - even though I still work in London. I am very shocked at how Redhill has changed beyond recognition and not always for the better. I often think of ...read more here
Contributed by pauline fiorentino

Like the young cool girl who remembers the Hollies at the Market Hall on a Saturday night, I too found live music there. I think me and a school mate (from Radnor House School for boys) called Hank Jell, so named after Hank Marvin, attended on its opening night. We saw Nero and the Gladiators supported by Tony Rivers and the Castaways. The next year or two we saw Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages, Johny Kidd and the Pirates and Joe Brown and the Bruvvers etc. I had two choices to get home, either take the last bus to Dorking at 10p.m. or stay 'till the end and thumb a lift. By the end of 1963 I had an Ariel ...read more here
Contributed by philip ross