The two images here show the view down the length of the High Street, with the photographer positioned next to the Pepperpot (old market hall) at the junction with Church Street

The Angel Hotel, a coaching inn a little down the road on left in the top image, was demolished before the Second World War (although part of it survived as the Angel Lounge) and was eventually replaced by Angel Court. Many buildings on the same side of the road remain today although there may be more modern shop fronts at ground floor level. The High Street was then lit by large ornate gas lamps, which can be seen on the far left. A local policeman was standing on the pavement, watching the photographer.

Earlier residents and business proprietors of the timber framed shop on the right included William Samuel Gower, a florist and gardener, who lived here in 1891^[1]. The premises became a greengrocers for some years, with the name S. W. Luxford over the door)^[2]. Charles William Trimmer, a fruiterer, was established here with his family by 1901^[3]. He does not to appear to have removed Luxford's sign immediately and, when he did so, the words "Late Luxford" were in small letters on the side.

John Janaway, in his book about the local pubs, cites a document of 1660 that referred to this three storey property as "Griggs"^[4] The building was described in 1660 as a "messuage or tenement, barn, curtilage and garden called Griggs in Godalming, occupied by John Marner, abutting east on Inn called the Antelopp, formerly of John Denyer, now of Richard Stockton, west on messuage or tenement formerly of Richard Smith, now of Henry Jesopp, south on lands of John Perior, north on High Streete"^[5]. There are two further documents referring to "Griggs", dated 1710 and 1713. The building is now Grade II listed.

The "Inn called the Antelopp", the much larger timber-framed building adjoining "Griggs" on its eastern side, later became the White Hart Inn and was being used as an inn when both these pictures were taken. The sloping sign between the first floor windows seems to show the outline of a white hart, but it is indistinct in both images. At the far end of the building is the two storey carriage entrance into White Hart Yard.

Unfortunately, other shop signs are not easy to read.

This second picture of "Griggs" was taken over twenty years after the top image. The shop front of the timber frame structure was slowly being improved. Motor cycles and cars, as well as more bicycles, had replaced the horses and carts.

Eastmans Limited (above) was a butcher's shop at what was 69 High Street^[6] and had been occupied by Eastmans as early as 1913. A cycle store of some kind, run by Alexander ___ [name unknown] was through the gates on the right of the butchery. The ground floor bay window was eventually removed; this was done before 1950. Whilst only the second floor was jettied in these images, the first floor of the building is also jettied today and the shop's doorway has been moved to the centre.

References:

^[1] He advertised in Kelly's 1891 Directory and was living at 69 High Street in the census of that year. See White Hart & High Street before 1900.

^[2] From photographic evidence but not found in census returns or trade directories. Head, Ronald E., (2005) "Godalming", The Francis Frith collection, ISBN 1-85937-976-1 (with research by John Young) has two photos with Luxford's name over the shop door, one in taken in 1895 and another dating from 1903.

^[3] Charles W Trimmer and his sister Elizabeth were both "Fruiterer's Assistants" here in 1901, so perhaps they worked for Luxfords (or someone else) before Charles took over in his own right. Photographs of their shop front, dated 1906 and 1907, can be found in Head's book. They were still here in 1911. Elizabeth, by now Mrs. Bertie Edwards of Grove Road, was still working for her brother as an Assistant Fruiterer & Flower Business.

^[4] Janaway, John (2003) "Godalming and Farncombe Pubs and Breweries", Ammonite Books, Godalming, Surrey. ISBN 1-869866-14-2.

^[5] Surrey History Centre, Woking. Ref: 212/52/48212/52/48. Date: 20 Aug 1660.

^[6] "Kelly's Directory of Surrey" (1913) Kelly & Co. Ltd, London. Also "Kelly's Directory of Surrey" (1924).