Banstead Village

This is a very evocative picture for me as the shop that 'made the corner'- just out of vision to the right - was an off licence run by the Casemore family and the son, Peter was at Nork School with me. I can remember shortly after the war, walking to Nork from Wilmot Way with the family (my sister was in a large pram so would have been 1946/7) and for the first time, being able to buy Smith's Crisps at this shop!

I spent my early childhood in Nork, from 1961 to 1965. The shops I remember the most on Nork Parade were the butchers (it had sawdust on the floor), the post office and the bakery. The bakery made the most wonderful cakes - four different marzipan fancies and delicious, dusty, meringues in the softest pastel pink, yellow, green and white, all sold on large wooden trays.

The bakery you refer to must have been Cornish's, they made beautiful bread and doughnuts to die for. Other shops I remember along the Parade were Hookham's, next door to Cornish's, a ladies' hairdresser on the other side of Cornish's (I had my hair done there in 1970 for my wedding at St Paul's in Warren Road). There was also Cato's, an ironmonger, then there was the Surrey Library, owned by a Mr Lacey which also sold sweets, cigarettes and newspapers(I went out with his younger son, Phillip for a short time in the 60's), there was also Anne's cafe - I think this was on the site later occupied by Cato's. Anne's cafe was a real "greasy-spoon" type of cafe, my gran was the cook there for a short time and I sometimes helped her during school holidays, it wouldn't be allowed today as I think I was only about 11 or 12. There was Joan Field, a dress shop. there was also a fruit and veg shop. Further along the Parade was the post office and the corner shop which was a sweet shop. Opposite these shops was the Eastgate flats where my grandparents lived. Around the corner - leading to the common was another newsagents - Apps. I did a newspaper round for Mr Apps, 10s for the Monday-Friday round and 2s 6d for the Sunday round. I think there was another hairdressers along by App's and a petshop. I moved away in 1982 but can still see the Parade as it used to be in my memory!

Yes, this end you can see Burchell's the cobblers; next to him was my childhood mecca, the Chocolate Box, a sweet shop run by a sweet old lady who looked like Alastair Sim in drag for the St Trinians films. She moved into Burchell's (a bit bigger) when he moved to Belmont. There were two butchers in Nork at the time, and one was the next along from the original Chocolate Box, with Bowditch the Estate Agent. Seine Rigger is about the oldest establishment now still there—I remember when it opened. Mr Farrelly and his wife used to run the post office. Then there was Browne's Stores, a grocer that seemed to come from the 1930s. Having shopped there once as a boy, I was almost eaten alive by the dragon in the Wavy Line next to the excellent Cornish bakers, for daring to visit her competition. Half way along, between Lloyds Bank and the other butcher, was Raylec the electrician, who eventually moved into a garage behind the shop when a photographer set up there. Between the chemist and Cato's hardware was the greengrocer; I spent student summers there working for Mr Meager. Liz Williams mentions Mr Apps; I did a paper round for him, too. Seven mornings a week for £1.50! Slave labour, but riches to me in the mid 1970s.

The butcher with the sawdust on the floor was Mr Barnes; I remember innocently, but unhelpfully, making piles of the sawdust while my mother queued. In the 1960s there was also still a fishmonger, Mr North and his wife, on the east side of Eastgate; this coexisted with another specialist fishmonger in Banstead high street.
At one time we had two greengrocers in Nork. The new arrival, a young man, kept his prices low for a few months, which put the old one out of business; then his prices increased!
Other businesses were the pharmacy (at least roughly where the present one is; I think that the owner might have been a Mr Sommers) and a bank. There was a violent robbery, or attempted robbery, at this bank some time in the late 60s or early 70s.
Looking further back, to wartime, my parents told me of a stick of bombs that landed one night along the back of Warren Road (presumably aimed at the railway line), one of which killed the baker working in the bakery overnight.

I have not lived in the area for sixty five years, (born Warren Road then lived in Roundwood Way) however I can remember that In the late 1940's there was a newsagents in Nork Way called "The Surrey Library" for a small subscription, books could be borrowed, hence the name. There was also another newsagents in Eastgate, from the age of about ten or eleven until I left school I delivered newspapers for both of these shops. At one time along Warren Road, although after the bombing, which I remember well as several houses were badly damaged and had to be rebuilt.

Further memories of Nork beyond my comment of February 2011. I went to Nork School (head mistress Miss Anstey) and although I lived at Banstead some of our young social life was focussed on the hut in Warren Road(?) where I attended my first Social evening organised by the Guides - several of us from 3rd Banstead scouts attended these. It so happens that whilst I have lived in Jersey since 1969, I still have many friends from my 3rd Banstead days (HQ near Banstead Railway Station) and we meet up every few years with our partners. In fact we are off to Cape Town to visit such a friend on 11th March.
Nork School certainly set me off on the right track but I was by no means a model student and much regret now how we played up a new teacher, a Miss Gee, in our third or fourth year! Happy memories of Nork and Banstead!!

My Mother is Betty Cornish. She was in the purpose built air raid shelter in the 'shop parkour' when the doodlebug made a direct hit on the bakery. Her Mother called to the Bert the baker to come into the shelter but he said he'd been in there 3 times already & he'd never get his jobs done. So very sad that he was killed in the bombing. He had only changed from night shifts to days 2 weeks before because his Wife was nervous at home at night on her own. Fortunately My Mum & Grandmother, & 2 staff were dug out of the wreckage & survived although my Mum had so much rubble in her throat she was unable to speak for days.

this has brought back many happy memories I lived at 27a in a flat over an empty shop between the iron mongers and pharmacy the iron mongers was I believe Holloways. After the bombing my mother and I came home to a policeman guarding a very damaged front door. The shop was then shared by Cornishes and Hookhams.I still think of queing out side the chocolate box eating for the walls van to deliver the weekly delivery I must have known Brian Nibs as I also walked to Nork school with Peter and Gillian as I very often spent the night in their Airaid shelter. Sorry don't have an accessible e-mail address as do all my commse by text 61 040 9396984

I was the cashier at the lloyds bank where the attempted robbery took place in 1970. A young german shot me in the stomach much to my distress! The fact I am making this post tells you that I survived and am now 67 years of age living in kent.

Roger Armstrong. Sorry Roger but the system is causing me all sorts of grief and it lost your comments half way through authorising them. Would you please resubmit them. Thanks
Lewis

I Spent all of my childhood in Nork and Drift Bridge from 1951 onwards.

I lived in Roundwood view with my sisters & brother. We all did paper rounds for the Apps in around 1960.

There was a tv shop close to the Apps shop. I remember all the shops mentioned in previous comments. Also we all sang in the saint Paul's church choir. Every Christmas eve we sang Carols at the Red Coach restaurant & the Drift Bridge Hotel followed by mince pies. we all also did the scouts & guides as well.

My Uncle and Auntie used to run the off licence at no.1 Nork Way. Ernest (Spike) Crellin and his wife Win. They lived above and behind the shop and he was a Manxman by birth. He was in the Airforce during the War and made fly hooks for fishing as a hobby. Lovely gentle, suave good looking man. He died in 1972.

I think the picture's really sweet and captures the atmosphere of the time perfectly. There are very few cars in the picture unlike the present. Amazing how the card was found.

So pleased to see the new comment, especially as it was 72 years ago that I move to Nork aged one.
I Remember being at Miss Ansties funeral as a choir boy.

One of my school friends at Picquets Way in the late 1950s/early '60s was Paul Squires - his parents, I think, ran an off-licence in the Nork Way Parade.

Mark Pursey was it your dad that ran the youth club in Nork Gardens?

Yes my dad was the treasurer at the youth club.

I lived in Nork in the 60's at 3 Roundwood View.
I did a paper round for the Surrey library and washed up dishes at the Red Coach restaurant for Mr Brett.
Went to school at Nork County primary and Nork Park secondary modern 1963...1967.
Nork was a great place to grow up

Anyone out there attend Green Curve pre-preparatory school? I received 2 years of inspired teaching from Miss Dowse (that’s how we pronounced it, not sure if that’s how you spell it) before starting at Aberdour in ‘57.

Nostalgic memories for me too. I rode on my bicycle to Nork from Follyfield Rd. Miss Watling had the sweet shop where we used our ration books. I remember you too Brian Nibbs as I was friendly with David Minchin and John Tedder.

I was born in Warren Road in 1951. I went to Nork where Miss Anstey, who had a black Morris 1000, was head mistress. Later on David Morris was headmaster. He "accidentally, on purpose" fell into the swimming pool when it was opened by Olympic gold medalist Judy Grinham.

Of Nork shops I remember the dry cleaners that was later the Red Coach Rooms. The ladies hairdressers next door, then Cornish bakery, Hookhams, the garage, Joan Field, Anne's Cafe, The Surrey Library (Mr Lacey), Catos, A motorbike shop, pharmacy, Doug's Electrical shop, butchers, Jack & Jill (kid's clothes shop), Post Office (Mr & Mrs Summers), Fruit and veg shop, Estate agents (Michael Everett), Barnes the butchers, the Chocolate Box, the cobblers and the Off Licence (Spike and Win). Around Eastgate I remember the ladies hairdressers, Apps the newsagents, the pet shop, fishmonger and another fruit and veg shop.

Mark Pursey I remember your sister Moira. We were in the same class together at Nork Primary/Junior school, she was great friends with Christine Murton.

Fascinating photo and comments about the shops in Nork Way and Eastgate. I lived in Hillside from 1951 to 1970 and remember these excellent local retail facilities well.

Special memories are the delicious bread and cakes from Cornish bakery, the Surrey Library (Lacey's) where I did a paper round for Higher Drive and Gilhams Avenue, and the motorcycle repair shop at the side of the pharmacy (run by a man called Wally). The estate agent was Bowditch for some years and there was a small photographic studio at the rear of the main parade. I also remember the distinctive red double deck RT buses on the 164 route from Morden to Epsom via Sutton and Banstead village that stopped at the end of Nork Way.

Good to see some familiar names of former Nork County Primary School classmates, including Mike Perkins, Moira Pursey, Christine Murton and Anne (Warren Road).

Please add your comments about this picture using the form below.

Comments


Your Name


Your email address - this will be shown on the page and will allow the system to notify you of further comments added to this picture.