Horley Local History Society

NEWS

July  2010

Meetings Calendar

Meetings Calendar

August    2010     No Meeting

Thursday 23 September 2010  "The Reformation and Harrowsley" by Peter Cox

Thursday 28 October 2010 “Signposts in our Locality” by John Chisholm.

Thursday 25 November 2010 TBA

Another Fishmonger

Following the information in the last Newsletter about the Bunkell family, Jill Harris has kindly pointed out that another fishmonger existed in Horley around the same period. The 1937 Holmesdale Directory lists the shop in Station Road (where Carter-Thorne is today) as “Horley Café, refreshment rooms” but by WW2 it was a “Fishmonger”. It was run by Mrs Julia Nalder, a widow who was ably assisted by her son George and daughter Florence, known to all as Florrie. George it is said would collect fresh fish in the early morning from Horley Station, sent from Grimsby, then wash potatoes in readiness to make the chips. Afterwards he would deliver fresh fish to clients around the locality. Fish and chips were served in newspaper and were either taken away or eaten in the shop whilst seated at  marble-top tables. During WW2 the shop was frequented by many Canadian soldiers billeted in the neighbourhood. Several were dressed in their hospital blues and red ties, obviously from the Canadian hospital at Smallfield. (It served as a major hospital for the large number of Canadian service personnel stationed in the southeast during the war and was said to have treated the hundreds of wounded from the disastrous raid on Dieppe on 19 August 1942)

George also played the drums and was a member of the Fire Brigade. When the alarm sounded, he like others in the Brigade, would drop what he was doing and muster at the Fire Station, then in Albert Road (where the new youth centre is about to open). Along with others in the Horley Brigade he went to fight fires in London during the Blitz in 1940. Jill Harris recalls seeing the sky towards London flickering blood red during such raids when standing in their back window above the shop.

Jill also recalls the large grand piano that stood in the room that Florrie played and that she gave lessons on. She was an aspiring musician as she also played the  violin at church concerts, often held at Charlwood and at the Regent Cinema in Victoria Road on a Sunday evening. The soldiers in Blue were often invited into the room over the shop on a Sunday afternoon and evenings for a sing-song around the piano.

After the shop was closed Florrie continued with her piano playing when she moved with her mother to a house in Victoria Road where Elizabeth Court stands today. George moved to Smallfield and tried his hand at market gardening and later became a  photographer for the local newspapers. (Thank you Jill for the above.)

The Passing of a Horley man with a Mission

Aubrey G F Cook died in April this year age 80.  He was born in Vicarage Lane Horley in a house called “Hebron” built by his father Mr A G Cook. His father was a carpenter in Horley and was a member of the St John Ambulance Brigade and is credited with turning the first sod of soil for the building of the present day St John Hall.

Aubrey Cook attended Albert and Lumley Road schools before working at E J Ongley’s grocery shop in Station Road. After his National Service he studied at St Andrew’s College, Surbiton and spent 4 years in the Scottish Border counties on Christian missions and camps for children with the Scottish Caravan Mission to Village Children. This was followed by tent mission work in Suffolk with the Baptists and then he became pastor of two churches in Suffolk and one in London.

By the 1980s, Aubrey was back in the Vicarage Lane house with his family and was approached by Bob Coomes (then a member of our Society). Bob and others were recording monumental inscriptions in Horley’s cemeteries and as Aubrey was closely associated with Horley Strict Baptists, he was asked if he could possibly list particulars of the small graveyard in Lee Street. Aubrey went further by writing a booklet called “The Chapel by the Mill” that has become the main record of the Chapel that the Society holds. The only sign of its existence today are the tombstones that remain alongside Mill Close. Even these were disturbed when the developers tried to clear the site but fortunately they were stopped from removing them entirely. Os Brown of our Society helped others to replace them as near as possible in their original locations.

Aubrey’s interests in the Baptist ministry and his ability in organ playing were regularly called on to lead services and play locally.  

He was a prolific writer of articles and of music, particularly for children’s hymns. In later life he worked for an association concerned with the rights of composers of music and was responsible for issuing and controlling licences through the Performing Right Society. He also wrote another booklet called
“My Wartime Horley”. The Society has been kindly given several surplus copies of both booklets. If any member wishes to purchase one please contact Brian Buss on 01293 782231 (The above information and books have been kindly given by Aubrey’s family.)

The Christ’s Hospital Plaque

The plaque was mentioned in the April 09 Newsletter. Since then the Borough Council has accepted the Society’s suggested name for the new development, “Spiers Farm Close” as well as where the plaque with an explanatory plate should be mounted. They can now be seen on the first new house on the right. This positioning of the plaque is but a few yards from where it was originally, above the front door of the old demolished farmhouse.

Christ’s Hospital Plaque and explanatory plate on the rear wall of No 10 Spiers Farm Close July 2010 just a few yards from where it was originally mounted

Another piece of Historical Horley gone?

You might have noticed that another sizeable house has been demolished called “Longchamp” along the Smallfield Road. It was thought to have been designed by Blunden Shadbolt who resided in Horley. David Schenck, one of our members, is making a study of the properties he designed in the locality and we look forward with interest to the publication of his findings.

What goes around comes around

In the official “Horley” handbook for 1927 there was a small advert that said “T Harman late G S Marsh,” followed by “CYCLE for Health, which is better, a pedal Cycle or a Panel Doctor? Everything in stock for the Cyclist, Victoria Road, Horley”. Today the same shop is back selling similar items, but this time for the 2010 cyclist under the name of “Mellow Miles Cycles”. I wonder what else we might see making a come-back in Horley?

Another Approach

In several past Newsletters I (Brian Buss) have ranted on about the lack of a Chairman or help by other members in running the Society, but alas with no result. So reading a local church magazine I am taking another tack. It said “A certain gentleman bestowed on us the stewardship of all the resources of our world including ourselves and the gifts that we have. As everyone leads such a busy life today it is more important to spread the load. The more folk that are prepared to do a little something, the less everyone has to do, which in turn might even lead to us all having more time to be with ourselves as well as enjoying what we do.” Just think about it! Perhaps it might have a better response than my other approaches. Perhaps, as I am for ever hopeful if you want our Society to flourish.



This newsletter is published by the Horley Local History Society.

www.horleyhistory.org.uk:       Brian Buss       Telephone: 01293 782231

Previous Newsletters can be downloaded in PDF format: listed below.