The
Andrews Pages Picture Gallery : Godalming, Surrey |
A selection of photographs and postcards of a
Surrey country town |
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Bridge Road, Godalming, 1903 |
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On the left of the picture is the newly built Wesleyan Church,
built beside the River Wey. The church was erected in memory
of Mr. Hugh Price Hughes who had built a new house at Haslemere
not long beforehand. On 27 March 1903 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
opened a fund raising bazaar in "the public
hall" in Godalming. Conan Doyle remarked that "he did not
agree with the system of keeping religion in water-tight compartments,
each having no connection with the other. All were working
for the amelioration of mankind ..."[1].
To the left of the bridge (on the far side) is the original
Bridge House and to the right the spire of the Congregational
Church is visible above the trees.
The view is similar today, but not quite the same. The small
spire on the top of the church roof was removed quite a long
time ago and the Wesleyans and Congregationalists joined forces
in 1977 to become Godalming United Church (Methodist and United
Reformed), using the Wesleyan church building. Some of the
walls have gone (the one behind the lamp post on the left is
now where the fire station is) and there is now a pavement
in front of the church. Bridge House has been rebuilt. Bridge
Road and the Town Bridge have been widened slightly, although
the slight kink in the road is still there.
In 1911 a surgeon called Arthur Joshua Newman and his wife,
son and a servant resided in a 10 roomed house bordering the
Lammas Lands on Bridge Road (presumably Lea House)[2].
He was the Medical Officer and Public Vaccinator for the Farncombe
District and also Certifying Factory Surgeon[3].
An antique dealer, Hugh St Barbe Wickham, was next door with
his brother Ralph Stratford Wickham. Mrs Jane Bridger, a 71
year old widow, lived with three of her adult children and
a lodger. The final household on this side of the road was
that of Arthur Edward Messenger, a musician/pianist[2]. |
"Godalming. Bridge Road", F. Frith & Co. Ltd.,
Reigate, No.49264. [1903] Posted 6 Aug 1906 in Shamley Green. Message
not relevant to picture.
Postcard in the collection of, provided by and © Ann Andrews.
Written, researched by and © Ann Andrews.
Intended for personal use only.
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References:
[1] "Western
Daily Press", Friday 27 March 1903.
[2] Information from the 1911 census
which is available on Find My Past. No house names were provided
in 1911 but Dr. Newman, who died 24th Oct 1933, was of Lea
House when he died. Hugh Wickham moved to Witley but died at
Headley Down on 3 Nov 1927. Mr. Messenger moved to 5 Church
Street where he ran a confectionary shop but died on the Isle
of Wight in 1946. Mrs. Bridger passed away in 1924.
[3] "Kelly's Directory of
Surrey", 1913. |
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