Midhurst, North Street c.1955

Photo ref: M74019

My grandmother, Violet Bowden, worked as a usherette at the Orion. I used to love the Saturday afternoon matinee shows that gave sweets as prizes. Towards the end of the cinemas time my friend Robert Constable and I were watching a film when the manager asked us if we would mind coming back another day as we were the only customers and he wanted to close!!

This is the view I remember as I went up to bed when I stayed at my grandparents' house as a child. There was a window on the turn of the stairs that overlooked South Pond. At night the street lamp outside the white house on the right, then an antiques shop, threw a silvery light over it which was reflected in the dancing waters of the pond. Quite magical! Granddad drove a train on the Midhurst branch line. He ...see more

Shops on West Street in the 1960s were left to right: Merritts the butcher next door to Blackiston the butcher, famous for the specialty sausages, also had its own slaughterhouse and in the back garden an Anderson shelter used by us kids as a 'camp'. Next door florist and green grocer, Goldrings. Harris's the grocer, Bannisters the jeweller, you know, the old-fashioned type that could actually repair watches, ...see more

I lived in the Wheatsheaf for 20 years. My parents Len and Desi Murphy were Landlord and Landlady from 1950-1977 The pub had only a beer licence when Dad took over. What a great photo. I remember the Catholic church bell ringing and the nuns processing to the church from the convent on Sundays. Eventually the new church was built and the bell removed. Sometime in the 1960s the top half of the chimneys were removed for ...see more