Autumn 2007 issue

Old Weston Green

It takes a good imagination to see Weston Green as it was back in the 19th century. No railway embankment cutting our view in half. No Weston Park or Newlands Avenue or Jubilee Villas, nor any of the roads beyond Alma Road except the Ember Lane. What a view we had in those days from 'the front.' No doubt we would have been called a farming community. Weston Green was unique in that 'Dickie' (Richard) Porter held a Royal Warrant to keep deer and to supply them to the Royal family. As far as it is known, he was the only farmer to hold this distinction. The entrance to his farmyard was in Weston Green Road opposite where the tennis club is now. The deer paddocks stretched from the back of St Helens right up to and including The Dell. Hay and cereals he grew on what is now the Old Cranleighan Sports Grounds, together with all of the Longmead Estate and the ground now covered by Basing Way and Basingfield Road. The very old house which stood where Elm House is now, adjacent to the Cranleighans, was the original farm house. In the late 1890s Elm Cottages were built on the Farm House garden to house the farm workers.

There were three separate Manor Farms. Bantoff's Dairy Farm was one, owned by the Blandons, opposite the Old Alms Houses. The bungalow that was the cowman's cottage is still there, and there used to be a side door where one could buy milk and cream. The rest of Weston Park was allotments until the late 1800s when some houses were built. There were also the two Couchmore farms. In all, I can remember seven farms at least. Each farmer turned his cattle on to our commons to graze, with each herd having its own keeper. No doubt a sought-after job for the elderly, as there were no pensions in those days. All transport was by horse and cart and at the end of the day's work the horses were turned out on to the common. We had goats grazing there too. They all did a fine job of keeping the undergrowth down.

From all this sprang what has always been a very active village life. A village fair was held every year on the Fair Green, opposite the Newlands and more generally known as the Harrow Green. George Dobson and his wife used to walk from Acre Road, Kingston, to sell gingerbread at the fair. This led to them starting a round to sell muffins and crumpets to the local cottagers. Success led to having a bakehouse built at Weston Green, quite modern for its time with a furnace at the side of the oven, instead of burning faggots right inside the oven that had to be 'scuffled' out with a wet sack on a long pole when the oven was hot, to wash the floor before baking could begin.

Even at the end of the 19th century we were ambitious, and wanted our own Church. A barn-like structure was erected in the middle of what is now called Hampton Court Way, next door to the old coach house belonging to The Elms. They used to have services in the afternoon taken by the Vicar from Thames Ditton or his curate. It was called 'Great Gates.' The next thing, a cottage opposite Milbourne's Pond was converted into our first hospital. Early in 1900 Weston Green was not content. It began to build a proper church, All Saints, now the church Hall. Soon after it was opened a little 'One Manual Positive' organ was installed and an organist appointed. He was paid £5 per year to play at all services and to act as Choir Master. Out of this he had to pay his own organ blower £1 per year. The gentleman appointed was a Mr. George 'Pop' Over. He was the local Council's 'Public Health Dept.' - a one-man show in those days. I believe he was called the Sanitary Inspector.

the crossroads ... what is now Hampton Court Way (then, Arch Road) intersects with the Portsmouth Road before the 'Silly Isles' were constructed

A little later a cottage hospital was built, a real one this time with two wards, one for male patients and one for female. It was also in Weston Green Road. The need for a church room was met by a small room near the Alma Arms. A Sunday School was formed and held there under the guidance of Sister Metson of the Church Army. In 1909 Mr Buckingham who lived at a house called 'Kingswood', the site of the present St Helens, opened a Lads Social Club in his own house for two evenings a week, Mondays and Thursdays. From his own pocket he provided a billiard table and other necessary equipment. About a year later, the club was transferred to the room by the Alma and met Thursdays and Saturdays. Mr. Tom Martin, who lived in Weston Road, and was a member of the Church Choir, was in charge. During the 1914/18 war, the Lads Club made its amenities available to the soldiers stationed at Sandown Park. The Lads had to meet at the other end of the Parish, in a gymnasium (later St Nicholas Parish Room). However, in the early 1920s Miss Habersham, who had by now bought Mr Buckingham's house, generously gave Weston Green a new 'hut,' much better than the one by the Alma, and the Lads were back on the map. Miss Habersham ran the Girl Guides and also a successful Ranger company from this new Church room. Mrs Harry Turner, who was a court dressmaker affectionately known as 'Old Polly' behind her back, ran a branch of the Girls' Friendly Society, and the Lads' Social Club returned to the hut with Miss Habersham donating a new quarter-size billiard table to welcome them back. Shortly afterwards a new club was formed from the Girls' Friendly Society and the Lads' Social Club, called the Social Club. Meetings were held every Sunday evening after Church. Boys and girls mixing together - how daring we were in the 1920s! That room really proved a boon to Weston Green.

A Variety Concert was held once a year, admission one shilling, children's night twopence. A jazz band was formed and dances were held every other week. Whist drives were held fortnightly. There was also a Lending Library. Weston Green had a flourishing football team. They played on the Slade, that is the piece of common between Marney's and Ember Lane. Cricket too was played on the Common and we were very proud of our Bowling Green on the Back Common (by the Old Cranleighans). Not only did we have a very full social life in those days, but Weston Green was a hive of industry and trade. We had our own farrier, two builders, shoe repair shop, several laundries, a baker, Post Office, dairy, butcher, sweet shop, fishmonger, greengrocer, two general provision stores, draper, dressmaker, timber yard, coal merchant, and 'Bikle Smith' to mend our bikes. We even had our own undertaker. And seven public houses.

By now, Weston Green looked much as it does today, except we miss our little narrow road by Arch Cottage and find in its place that great race track called Hampton Court Way. The last big change came when the new Church was built. Some of us were not too sure that a new Church was required, but of course it made it possible for our Over 60s Club to have a meeting place.

our thanks to Gerry Mitchell for this material