Whyteleafe, Surrey - a walk and some historical discoveries

A visit to Whyteleafe, Surrey. This is somewhere I have known all of my life, from attending school at the top of the hill to recreation at the Dobbin and enjoying local fish & chips! Great history here, huge growth during Victorian times but also a place for remembrance at St Luke's Churchyard where you will find Airmen's Corner. Using the roundabout as a "hub" I travel a short way north, south, east and west telling the story as I go. Eternal thanks to The Bourne Society who help making the job of research so much easier.
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Links related to this video:
The Bourne Society: bournesoc.org.uk/
Bourne Society listing of Whyteleafe Shops: bournesoc.org.uk/bslivewp/wp-c...
Reach for the Sky clip showing Kenneth More as Douglas Bader playing cricket at the Dobbin: • Reach for the Sky - Th...
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#philswalk&talk #whyteleafe #surrey #localhistory #dobbin

[@Dunstire]

I remember the old derelict looking place that was next to Wraysbury Tyres and full of what looked like old boat fenders.Never understood what went on there

[@nickcassettes]

Thanks for this, Phil. My parents lived at the Old Dairy Yard, next to Jamie's Drycleaners for many years; my dad built the beautiful timber house tucked away at the back there.

[@grahamhp]

Great video brings back my childhood, My Father had a Taxi Firm right by the crossing "Worth Car Hire" now by the look of it the yard and garages are Flats, i used to help the level crossing man close the gates on a Friday afternoon after school Happy Days 62years ago. Thanks for the memories....

[@philswallow]

I remember waiting for the gates to be closed manually, great memories and glad you liked it Graham

[@angelabamford5345]

Tom Scott was the man responsible for the level crossing gates and then pulling the signals to allow trains to come through

[@kierans1159]

There was a paddling pool in the Dobbin when I was very young. Seemingly long gone now.

[@philswallow]

I remember that too! I’m planning to do a walk down the chalk path soon, just need the weather to improve

[@peterclark9677]

Thanks Phil

[@peterclark9677]

Great walk nice to see my family live around this area, still there. The pub was one of my father in laws favorite drinking holes,and my cousins today.

[@peterclark9677]

Done a few repairs in Godstone road in my time new front doors etc. Always got a cuppa there, nice people

[@MarkJohnson-cs4ur]

Great Phil. Keep them coming. I was hoping you’d mention Enquire Within… and sure enough you didn’t let us down. 👍👍

[@philswallow]

Thanks Mark - haha, some places, however obscure they may seem, leave a mark on our lives!!

[@lbview]

Hi Phil, just found your channel, I moved to Caterham when I was 3, my first school was on Maple Rd, my Mum would take me there after we took the bus ride, we lived on Foxon lane in Caterham Hill. After that school, I went to Shaw School which was close to our house. Both schools have now gone. Last school was Caterham Valley Secondary Modern School, now junior school. I also saw your KZbin on RAF Kenley, I was in the Air Cadets there, plus did some glider flying. That got me interested in planes so I joined the RAF and was in it for 12 years. I now live in the USA but I was back in the UK last year with my wife and kids showing them the area you are walking around. I will look for more of your wonderful videos, they bring back some great memories. Thanks for doing them.

[@philswallow]

Hi Les, it looks like I have completely covered your early years - although I still have to do Caterham Valley, hopefully will happen this summer. I get a great deal of satisfaction hearing how these films make a connection with people’s lives, a real nostalgia trip. Plenty more to come!

[@nikonandys]

Wow! That brought back some memories. Great video mate, looks like Whyteleafe has changed more than Warlingham especially around the station area. I used to work at a glass manufacturer on the left just across the level crossing. I remember the chippy & the tandoori, Enquire Within was another place I remember well. First time I've seen the Dobbin since I moved to California over 32 years ago! I remember sledding there & going on cross country runs when I was at Warlingham Secondary, I'm looking forward to your video of the footpath you mentioned (been down/up it many, many times) also looking forward to the Kenley quarry video, we used to mess around there lot as teenagers, we used to climb up under the viaduct to a walkway that ran across under the tracks, scared the crap, out of us when trains would go over above us 🙂 great history also, I lived in Warlingham for 25 years & never knew most of that stuff, I was an air cadet at Kenley for some years so that little jaunt part way up the hill was cool. Again, awesome video, keep 'em coming!!!

[@philswallow]

Cheers mate, lots of great nostalgia there!

[@ChristosLouridas]

Nice one I'm coming to the UK in a week so this is a good dose before coming.

[@philswallow]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@TheDenihunter]

Thanks so much for this Phil. Memories in every step! I was really quite moved. If you get to Marden Lodge do shout out to 419 Croydon rd! Maybe the first Sri Lankan migrants in Caterham lived there from the 1950"s. Keyboard player from 'The Foundations' ('Build me up buttercup' etc) ., Tony Gomez. and us lot too ☺ thanks from Australia 🇦🇺

[@philswallow]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it and I will make a note about 419 Croydon Road just in case! 😊

[@TheDenihunter]

@@philswallow 😃🦅

[@moanyamech]

Another cracking video, thanks Phil. Very informative, I only ever passed through on my way elsewhere sadly, but do have friends who live there. Is cool to watch things like this and hear the unknown facts, keep it up, its much appreciated 👍

[@philswallow]

Thank you, glad you like it! 😁

[@stephenwatson2024]

Well done Phil, another interesting video.

[@philswallow]

Cheers Steve!

[@jennibatten630]

I used to live opposite the chap who started Wraysbury Tyres and helped out in the spares shop a couple of times. Also remember the Dobbins from school cross country - think we used to stop in the trees and wait for others to come back!!

[@philswallow]

Haha, a group of us tried that once, we just ran across the gaps where we could be seen. But the teachers sussed us out and we had to run the whole thing again! 😂

[@cliffordcolvin8829]

Believe it or not the film version of Alan Sillitoe's "Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" was filmed above the Chalk Pits, adjacent to the Dobbins, part of the Cross Country run. Sounds though we both ran the book!!

[@philswallow]

😁

[@chrisgray5120]

As a young boy I remember there was a wool shop on the corner of Godstone road and Hillbury road B270 . It was the last house on the corner. I also recall an accident involving a double decker bus in which it struck the said shop . If you look carefully I am sure you can see a repair on the upper front wall 👍excellent video and you have to love Enquire Within. I have a faint recollection that the owner was an ex racing cyclist .

[@philswallow]

Hi Chris, glad you liked the video. You are spot on! The Bourne Society listing shows Dorothy Messer as the proprietor of the Woolshop at 177 Godstone Road from 1942-53 then Edward Miller from 1953-73. I checked on Streetview and there is certainly an impact mark there - if there is a future part 2 I’ll be sure to include it! 😁

[@kierans1159]

From memory a newsagent/toyshop almost next door as well!

[@cliffordcolvin8829]

@@kierans1159 yes Lidburys. Leafe family who ran the local football team on Church Rd for many years.

[@grahamhp]

The old wheelwrights shop house, a beautiful old Rolls Royce, was garaged there, to a partner of my Fathers Taxi Firm.

[@philswallow]

That would have been a fine sight!

[@grahamhp]

It was also a grocery shop back in the day My Father did a delivery service every Friday in his Taxi , Mrs Whatlin run the store i think.

[@philswallow]

Yes Graham, the listing shows Thomas Franks, Fruiterer from 1903-07 then Edward A Harvey, Greengrocer from 1915-41 so that ties in for the purpose of the shop, just a different name

[@andymcgarty3099]

Great video. You walked past my parents old house (built 1890ish) after them left WPH and you sadly didn't show it :( Looking forward to more Whyteleafe and Purley videos in the future. I remember Enquire Within, got lots of spares from them. Thanks for this.

[@philswallow]

Cheers mate, I'm gradually covering both our childhood haunts! 😁

[@stirlingmoss4621]

lived in Beverley Road from 1967 to 1977

[@stevebeal73]

Many thanks for this Phil. As a resident of Warlingham, I always thought that the name of Whyteleafe was a corruption of White Cliff as there is a chalky cliff at the back of the quarry where Jewson's is nowadays. This may be a load of tosh of course - who knows?

[@philswallow]

Name changes were a frequent thing for sure. I saw a map of Surrey from the 1700s recently and virtually every place name was spelled differently!

[@davidbudgeon5098]

The story I was told was that it was named after the Whitebeam trees which grow around here. Their young leaves have a silvery white colour. Possibly that's why the field Phil mentioned was called White Leaf field.

[@SteveMorton]

Another great video. I wouldn't mind £1 for every time I've crossed those two level crossings when I was going to work at RTCG in the former Officers Mess at RAF Kenley which sadly closed in late 2004. No shortage of flint in that area. Flintfield House was located on the airfield.

[@philswallow]

Thanks Steve, it was one time when I was quite happy to get stuck there!!