Betty Bicker-Robinson remembers the villagers of Cobham 1938-40

Posted on 15th December 2017 by Ruiha Smalley

Betty Bicker-Robinson (nee King) was a young girl when she moved to Cobham in 1938 but has managed to recall, not only a vast majority of the occupants but also occupations of people who lived in the village at that time. Many thanks to Betty for all the work that she has put into compiling the following list of people who lived in Cobham from 1938-1940.

Mrs Hoppe, lacemaker, of no. 39 The Street (image supplied by Paul Kingsman)

 

HOUSE NO. HOUSE NAME OCCUPANTS NOTES
The Street (South side)
1 to 7 n/a n/a Properties built since 1940
9 Robins Wood (opposite The Ship) Mr & Mrs Butler Vicar of Cobham Church
11 to 19 n/a n/a Properties built since 1940
Sunalta Tom & Nan Wilson n/a
(Lawrence Drive not built at this time)
The Exchange n/a n/a
21 The Mill Café tea rooms (The Granary House) Mr & Mrs Bean Upstairs room for weddings and magic lanterns
23 The Bakery Mr & Mrs Bean Bakers was a building at the back of no. 23
25 n/a Mrs Robinson Cobham Hall washing in garden shed
27 n/a Mr & Mrs Sanderson & daughters Iris & Doreen n/a
29 The Murrells Lou & Betty Ingram Groom for Jacksons Farm
31 n/a Mr & Mrs Lovelace & children Robert & ? n/a
33 The White House Mrs Haig n/a
35 n/a Mr & Mrs Mayhew & daughter Phyllis n/a
37 n/a Occupants unknown n/a
39 The Old Curiosity Shop Mrs Hoppe Lacemaker
41 n/a Ernie & Mrs Wooddridge & son Ernie n/a
43 n/a This cottage was let to woodmen who were not permanent tenants n/a
45 Little Dortitt Café Mr & Mrs Wood & daughter Doris Café owners
47 n/a Occupants unknown n/a
49 Through the gate and behind the café Doctor Hasler Doctor’s surgery
51 n/a Mr & Mrs Sharman n/a
53 n/a Alexander (aka Harry) & Lilian Carson-Tate Army Despatch Rider
Stonehouse Yard
55 n/a George Mungeum n/a
57 n/a Mr & Mrs Wickens & children Evan & Doreen n/a
59 n/a Miss Alice Wiffen n/a
61 n/a Mrs Shiregold  and daughters Jessie & Connie n/a
63 n/a Mr Lusher n/a
The Street (South side continued)
The Old Parsonage n/a n/a
1 The Terrace George & Mrs Ford & son George George worked on English’s farm
2 The Terrace Mrs Box & son Son worked in the Rectory
3 The Terrace Len & Joyce Barden & sons Leonard, David & Colin Len worked on English’s farm
4 The Terrace Mrs Austen n/a
1 Parsonage Cottage Les & Joyce Twitchett & 3 sons & a daughter Both worked on English’s farm
2 Parsonage Cottage David & Nina Harris Both worked on English’s farm
Parsonage Farm Mr & Mrs English & son Mark Farm owners
Parsonage Farm Mr Rye Farm foreman
Halfpence Lane
Halfpenny House George Beech Police Sergeant
The Firs n/a A council store shed was here at the time
Meadmore Mr Gates Ex Headmaster of Cobham Primary school
Homelea George and Mrs Skinner Bus Inspector
Ashdown Mr & Mrs Alice Horton School Mistress
Rose Cottage Jack & Mrs Walker and children Ted, Jack, Joan (twins) Isobel & May Jack played cricket for Kent
The Street (North side)
6 Forge Cottage Mrs Nan Pierce (Nee Wood – sister of the Wood brothers) n/a
8 Forge Cottage Mr & Mrs Arthur Wood (aka Sid);Mr & Mrs Frank Wood Owned and worked in the forge
10 Mill Farm House Archie & Mrs Morris Dealt with milk (probably at the depot)
12 n/a n/a Property built since 1940; A rose garden at the time
14 The Ship Inn Tom Trent Licensee of The Ship Inn
16 n/a Mr & Mrs Lusher Mrs Lusher was school caretaker
18 Cobham school buildings Horace Burrow Headmaster – taught senior pupils
20 n/a Mr & Mrs Broad & daughter Mary n/a
22 n/a Mrs Street n/a
22 n/a George Mungeum (aka the old man) Had a rose garden
24 n/a Mr & Mrs Spells Village policeman
26 n/a Mr & Mrs Hawkes & children Rosemary & Jack n/a
28 One up, one down, at rear of Wisteria Cottage Miss Backhouse Nurse
30 Wisteria Cottage George & Mrs Morris & children  George & Violet Son cycled deliveries for Gander’s shop, daughter looked after retired parents
7 (old numbering) n/a Mrs Emma King & daughter Betty (youngest of 10) Now demolished
6 (old numbering) n/a Miss Dol Russell Worked in Mrs Rose’s guest house; Now demolished
5 (old numbering) n/a Mrs Downe & son Jack Now demolished
4 (old numbering) n/a Mrs Emily Knight & children Kenneth, Doris & Rene Now demolished
32 n/a n/a This was the store room for George Ganders shop at the time
34 n/a n/a Propery built since 1940
36 n/a n/a This was not a separate address at the time
38 Gander’s shop George & Mrs Gander & sons Jack & Eric General stores
40 The Darnley Arms Mrs James & daughters Betty & Kay Licencee of The Darnley Arms
42 n/a Occupant unknown n/a
44 n/a Bill Fenner Played the trumpet in Ivy Benson Band
46 Mr Fenner (Bill’s brother) n/a n/a
48 Bert & Ciss Baker & children Bert, Peggy & Jean Sweet shop owners
50 n/a Ted & Mrs Ralph & children David, Leonard, Colin, Pauline & Terence Owners of coal business
52 n/a Miss Doris Usher Turned her front room into a café in WW11
54 The Leather Bottle n/a n/a
56 n/a The staff from the Leather Bottle n/a
58 2 Crokers Place Doctor & Mrs Horron Ships Doctor?
60 1 Crokers Place Occupants unknown n/a
Meadow House Mr Arnold (may have been an artist)
2 Meadow Cottages The four Parker sisters n/a
1 Meadow Cottage Laurie Austin; George & Mrs Ford & son George Verger; George worked on English’s farm
Battle Street (East side)
3 n/a Mr & Mrs Sands & daughters Sheila & Jean n/a
4 n/a Mr & Mrs Beckham & sons Ronald, Albert, Norman & Leslie n/a
7 n/a Mr & Mrs Day n/a
8 n/a Mr & Mrs Barden & sons David, Leonard & Colin n/a
Battle Street (West side)
n/a Two Oast Houses Bill & Rose Dray & children Peggy & Teddy Were Oast Houses for Pyes Farm at the time
1 & 2 n/a Mr & Mrs Austen & sons Oscar & Tom Worked on Pyes farm now Jeskyns
n/a Holly Lodge Mrs Brady n/a
Battle Street (North end, before Sarcen Close was built)
5 n/a Laurie & Joyce Austen & 2 daughters n/a
The Street (North side continued)
Green Hedges Miss Grace Wood Church organist
1 Owletts Cottages Mr & Mrs Allen & son (? name) Both worked in George Gander’s shop
2 Owletts Cottages Miss Finlay Sunday school teacher
4 Owletts Cottages Fred & Phyllis Jones & daughters Phyllis & Anne Cattleman
5 Owletts Cottages Miss Violet Barron n/a

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3 Responses to Betty Bicker-Robinson remembers the villagers of Cobham 1938-40

  1. Niki Glazier says:
    12th January 2020 at 7:21 pm

    This is wonderful, thank you!
    I have been looking into my family history on my father’s side.
    He was John Street and lived at number 22 The Street with his mum and Grandad (George Mungeam) during the 1930’s and 40s.
    He has told me many tales of the happenings in Cobham and I can see the names of so many families he mentioned in this list. It brings it all to life and I can imagine it how he saw it. He used to be great pals with George Beech’s son (also George) and Mr and Mrs Skinner’s son (Alan Skinner) and they road their motorbikes around together as young lads.

    My father sadly passed away in October 2019 at the grand age of 94 (even older than his grandfather – George Mungeam!) so it is lovely to have this memento.

    Kind Regards,
    Niki Glazier

    Reply
  2. Jaki says:
    30th January 2022 at 2:56 pm

    Love this..
    Just walked up the road from our house to find where the doctors would have been (behind No 45 The Street)…..
    29 & 30 are now one house as is 45 & 47.

    Reply

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