Woking, 45 years since I first lived there - What's Changed?

Starting with a repeat of my route to school and exploring parts of the Town Centre. It's all very different now!

[@JohnLeeming23]

It's interesting to hear you refer to buildings and other aspects of the past that you remember. To me, who who went to the school 20 years before you, many of your memories were in the future for me!

[@philiphotham5464]

thank you for all this, Paul, and for remembering so much and some of us! I have watched it a few times now and admire your presentation style as well as enjoying the content and memories it evokes. :-)

[@andypullen7117]

Just watched your video after reminiscing about The Jam. I can't believe you drove for Eve French. So did I in 1985 on Saturdays. Do you remember Anne who ran it and Dan the owner. My mum worked there too. I miss the old town so much. Great video and brings back so many memories. Thank you.

[@benlindsay6012]

Thanks for your interesting tour of Woking. I don't remember very much (it was over 45 years ago!), but I recall the Old Guildford Road and Moorholme (where my family lived). So much has changed!

[@julienewbold7974]

I really wish someone had done walk around a like this 50 years ago. It would be so cool to watch now.

[@fredbloggs6342]

Ashplants! I remember the excitement of going there as a kid and getting a bike…. Fantastic!

[@joellelilaboughazi4552]

Beautiful town,

[@swarthyjake4433]

I lived in Woking from 1950 to 1959 . I was in the S.R.S.O. Oriental road and went to Maybury primary school and Monument hill secondary modern school , you think Woking has changed in your time , well , I don't recognise any part of Woking that you filmed , it might as well have been any town any where .

[@petergarethjones]

Thank you showing this Paul. I lived in Horsell and started at WCG for Boys in 1959. Blimey I must be old! Thanks again.

[@marioyacoub]

Very interesting, thanks for making this. I lived in Woking from 1971 (7 yrs old) until around 1975 when we moved to Horsell. The route you took was identical to the one I took when I lived in Horsell and cycled to St.Dunstans Middle School. I went over Arthur’s Bridge and often me and my friend would stop by the bakery (more or less opposite Kwikfit) and buy all their cakes and buns from the day before for a penny each. We would sell them at school break time and made a very tidy profit. Past Ashplants where I too had my bike repaired often and bought their cheap magic tricks from the rotating stand. I also remember Terrys as they had a cardboard box filled with old American comics where I bought the likes of House of Mystery, Weird War and many Marvel comics. The first school I went to was Goldsworth Primary school which has been the Surrey History Centre since the 90’s I think. Next to the Grand Indian restaurant would have been a place called Whitewater House, it could just have been the company name but in the mid 70’s I bought my first skateboard, helmet and pads here, it was an odd shop, an importer I think. This was just before Surrey Skateboards opened. I also remember when they built that huge spiralling crossing, it cost £50,000 as I recall and was a bit scandalous in its profligacy and very few people used it as you say, it was eventually removed. This video will be even more interesting to look at after a few decades have past.

[@FastTrack-1]

I work around there a couple of times per week, and drive those areas. Facinating insight and how its changed....you forgot to mention the Job Centre move in Goldsworth Road. Regarding swimming pools. what has happened to a decent good size depth (@ 13ft ) pools these days ? There like paddling pools.

[@joellelilaboughazi4552]

Thank you.

[@aslandama]

Very interesting, thanks for posting. I've only been here since 2009 and have lived in Heathside at Limerick House which is right at the top of Heathside Park Road. I know the house has much history but have never been able to find anything about it. I'm approaching 60 now too, I'm sure I would have taken advantage of the many record and HIFI shops you say Woking had then.

[@chriss6519]

I was born in Horsell in 67.We moved away in jubilee June 77.I went to St,Mary's and medway drive schools.Wish I still lived there.

[@chriscrocker1415]

I'm impressed by your memory! The Railway Hotel was renamed The Cardinal in 1970 or 1971 before it became The Sovereign. Regulars objected to the renaming and carried on calling it The Railway.

[@JohnLeeming23]

@@paullarne Still a favourite watering-hole for occasions when I meet Ken Fudge in Woking (pre- and hopefully post-Covid).

[@michaelburton3876]

Great video. I used to love that Indian restaurant by the Sovereigns with its alcoves and very eccentric manager (Boss??). I think Johnny Basil's room was room 14 by the way. (On the floor above it was Dougie Butterworth's office.) The lower school dining hall became the police station cell block. Also, not sure about HG Wells. He was a well known philandering ladies man!!

[@leebushen]

The old Grammer School was also a disco venue in the 80's called "The Old Schoolhouse". Spent a lot of time there! Also worth noting, there was a fountain outside Sainsbury's in Wolsey Place. There was also a plaque which recorded the opening of Wolsey Place by the Dutchess of Kent. in (I think) 1975. In those days it was all open air and the wind whipping through there could be brutal.

[@chinchowchin6061]

Thank you for introducing Woking history.

[@davidkidd3443]

Aerco records was up near the the railway station opposite the where the bus stops were . Not where terrys newsagent is now .

[@andypullen7117]

Paul Evans probably moved to The Station in the late 70's as I remember my dad spent all his time in there buying hifi and albums. Brought my first single in there . Paper Lace, Billy don't be a hero. Thankfully my musical taste moved on. Maxwell's was where my dad brought me my first guitar. And don't get me started on Ashplants and Scalextric..

[@beausexon435]

I remember fine fare very well, there were always spare boxes that could be taken from an area behind the tills. At the tills, turn right and it took you to the car park.

[@BiscuitBeetle]

they had boxes of broken biscuits aswell.

[@_Tim115]

The Morrisons site was railways sidings and where there petrol station is was Wadham Stringer, then Wadhan Kenning car sales. I seem to remember KFC where after the Goldsworth Arms site for their head office, permission was never granted for some reason. Regarding the fire station (yes it was across from Toys R Us) that's the third on the town has had, there was a the original that was replaced in the early 1980's then the move to Goldsworth road to allow the current building work. The block where Evans cycles (Lynton House Vets have moved to a place in Horsell) was has now nearly been demolished to allow for the new road layout into the town. I seem to remember a coal shop across from Evan in the late 70's early 80's. One of the new high rises is going to be a Hilton Hotel the rest are apartments for commuters. Oh and there no Police in the police station any more all moved out the front desk can now be found in the Council Offices for some reason.. Personally I preferred Woking in the 70s and 80s, not sure what their trying to achieve with so much development, but as you 10 years it will be all change yet again.

[@ShikiraPressley]

Love your documentary and nostalgic memories of Woking 😊😊😊 I've only been here 18 years and have seen some very ugly transformations to the city... little Manhattan is such an appropriate description of the concrete jungle and faceless kingdom once heralded as an industrious market place... just like that of many north of the Watford gap realms also subjected to ambitious council planning to erase history from the hearts of once happening places 😢

[@Jonhsongoiano]

beautiful city

[@1900maddy]

I had completely forgotten that "School House" was called "Calluna" - thanks for the memory prompt Paul.

[@paulmarkmartinmansfield9978]

Hi paul ive had beers with you in the soverignes.

[@JohnyG29]

18:10 H. G. Wells was not homosexual. He was married twice, had two sons and had affairs with numerous women.

[@julienewbold7974]

Yes I was sitting here thinking “I never knew that!”

[@jamesdewill5887]

HG Wells was into free love which many in Edwardian society frowned upon.

[@ianeagleburger3724]

Everything you could possibly need is in Woking but its still an ugly town.

[@sheepyshepherd4399]

I live like super close to the border of this town

[@alistairreed3514]

grey tracksuit trousers

[@farout8369]

Woking used to be a nice place, its going down hill

[@LuxFuxx]

*You're* going down hill!

[@farout8369]

@@LuxFuxx I've got a naughty bum bum

[@normastanley5853]

Got to love progress..

[@riazafridiofficial3244]

Nice

[@danaknight1513]

Mr. Evans. I found out this year my Grandparents had a Furniture Business called " Robertson Brothers Furniture and Removals" . I think they were at 40 Maubury Road. I never met them. I am 69 years old and found living Cousins in England through DNA testing. I believe at one time they had horse stables, too. Have you ever heard of them? I live in the Chicago, Illinois area. Thank you very much.

[@danaknight1513]

@@paullarne Thank you Mr Evans for the article on their store. I enjoyed reading it. My Father, I really didn't know was an engineer at James Walker LTD and in his later years was a Photographer of horses at area racecourses. I have used Ancestry resources online & DNA tests to find my British family history. So far, I have found 2 half Brothers, a half sister in the USA and about 7 cousins in England.

[@lapid6182]

Any woking highs?

[@paulmarkmartinmansfield9978]

You forgott subbaros pizza.

[@BiscuitBeetle]

They just need to re develop maybury. its in need.

[@yayaya6799]

They tried, and now it is totally bankrupt.