Chipstead Village

Surrey

Village Archive

The Village Archive offers a wonderful exploration of Chipstead through the ages, mainly seen through the writings of residents, past and present.

It is the brainchild of our former Village Archivist, Rupert Courtenay Evans and Barry Pepper, who led the team developing this website. Over the years Rupert has collected many books, photographs and records which form the village archive. An index of what we have is included here.

In 2011 Rupert and Barry decided that it would be a good idea to digitise parts of the written archive and put it on the website. In 2019 another village resident, Jon Grant, took over from Rupert as custodian of the archive. If you have an enquiry about Chipstead's history or have material that you would like to contribute to the archive please contact Jon through CVPS@chipsteadvillage.org

"Memories of Chipstead" by Fred Little

“Memories of Chipstead” is a wonderful account of rural life in Chipstead between 1901 and 1920, including those gentle, bucolic days before the First World War. They make a valuable contribution to Chipstead’s folklore. They are written by Fred Little, who lived his early life in Bashford Cottage, Southerns Lane, Mugswell, and later in Starrock Lane, Chipstead. Fred was born in 1898.

Mrs Angela Fraser DL - Half a Lifetime of Community Service

Angela Fraser came to Chipstead with her parents as a young lady of 21 years. She was to go on to live in Chipstead for over 60 years, during which time she has had a long and distinguished career in local government. This included 21 years as a borough councillor for Reigate and Banstead, including one as Mayor, and 28 years as a county councillor for Surrey, including two years as Chairman.

The Grange - 1899-2012

This is the history of The Grange in Hazelwood Lane, one of the earliest of the grand houses in Chipstead. It was built soon after the stimulus generated by the opening of Chipstead railway station in 1899, which transformed Chipstead over the succeeding 40 years into the residential area we know today.

The Taking of Thiepval by Reg G Emmett (1895 – 1991)

As we entered the month of July 2016, our memories went back to the Battle of the Somme which began 100 years earlier on the 1st July 1916. In the space of four and a half months about 500,000 British and Empire soldiers were killed, the greatest loss of life in a single campaign in the entire history of the British Army.

Chipstead`s Lost River

"When Croydone Bourn doth upwards ryse, disaster dyre before us lyse" So runs the warning from Camden`s Britannia of 1586. After the floods of winter 2013/14, will 2014 be recognised as the year when disasters struck?

The Brewsters Of Longshaw

Marion and Trevor Brewster have been the most remarkable couple, contributing so much to Chipstead life over the last fifty years.

The Search for "Lilac Cottage"

This is the story of the Cox family, who lived in Mugswell in Victorian times. It is also the story of a painstaking search for the family cottage in Mugswell by our former Village Archivist, Rupert Courtenay-Evans:

Brian and Sheila Eades - A Chipstead Epic

Many of us will know Brian and Sheila Eades. Sheila worked for many years “behind the counter” mainly for newsagents/post offices at the former shops in High Road and currently at the Corner Shop in Station Parade. Brian finally became a garden machinery mechanic with a workshop in Kingswood mainly undertaking lawn mower maintenance and repairs for many customers in Chipstead. Brian and Sheila’s story is a true Chipstead epic spanning almost 100 years.

The Hooley of Yesteryear by Charles Gasson (1906-2003)

Charlie Gasson – a Hooley Legend - Charles Albert Gasson was a true man of Hooley and a true countryman. He was born in 1906 at No. 3, Star Cottages, next to the Star Inn (all now demolished) on the Brighton Road. He died in 2003 at East Surrey Hospital, aged 96.