Chipstead's Greengrocer 1952-1983

Mrs. Nichols was born in 1872 and was interviewed by W.G.Tharby of the Bourne Society in 1962. Her account spans the late Victorian period and the early 20th century, during which she lived at a number of addresses in Coulsdon and Chipstead.

Before the coming of the railway in 1899, the village of Chipstead that we know today consisted mainly of farmland, including Elmore Pond Farm, Dean Farm, Hazelwood Farm and Doggetts Farm. These farms were partly built over, mainly between1899 and 1939, to create the residential area of Chipstead, although some of the farms, including Shabden and Starrock Farms, continue today. So before 1899 the main residential area within the parish of Chipstead was at Mugswell in the south, which included the Old Rectory for St. Margaret’s Church, and, for the Rector, a hike or pony and trap ride of about 2 miles to the church!

“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.

A branch of the important Walpole family lived at Stagbury on Outwood Lane during the nineteenth century. Their influence over Chipstead lasts until today.

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.

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.

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.

"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?

Rupert and his wife Pat have lived in Chipstead for almost 50 years. They have brought up five children in the village and been actively involved in St. Margaret’s Church as well as many other aspects of the village community.

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

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:

The Domesday Book refers to two manors in Chipstead but there is uncertainty as to where they were. This article argues that the smaller one, Pirbright Manor which was owned by Chertsey Abbey, is in the south and east of the parish.The other, Chipstead Manor, is in the north and west.

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.

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.