LAST

THE YEW TREE

The Ordnance Survey Maps 1870 and 1897 (see ADVENT) show a clump of trees in the middle of the fields that George Tickner avoided in his layout of the Road (see CREATION). The Yew Tree supplied the road name although the adjacent Oak might have done the same. The trees can be seen on the aerial photograph (see POST). Regrettably, the Yew Tree is cut down by Maggie Clark in middle of the 1970’s about a couple of years before her family moved to Australia. The given reason was that the berries were poisonous to children. It was sad day for Mary Rowe who lived opposite. It was a big old tree probably hundreds of years old. However, the Stump survives in the front garden of The Yews (number 45) and still shows signs of life.

FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS

There were no plots which remained undeveloped by 1975. However, this did not prevent further significant building of houses.

The shop at 28 called Waverley Stores ceased trading in the 1970’s and became wholly residential.

Numbers 3 and 5 were built in 1976 in what was the orchard of the bungalow in Gasden Lane. Indeed, the garden of number 5 still displays two of the original apple trees.

Wey House was built in 1985 on the site of what was Mr. Forth’s Shop which was a single storey wooden building. Originally, it had been a green grocers but became a hairdressers in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s then a craft shop.

Numbers 55 and 55a have been built on the site of Eltham Cottage.

Number 14a was built as an extension to number 14 but became a separate property.

HOUSE ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS

There is hardly a property in the road that is without some kind of change in the form of an extension, conservatory, loft conversion. Some like number 16 have changed appearance by a coat of paint.

Some properties have undergone some major changes like Staveley (1).

RESIDENTS

Since 2000, there have been the sad departures of people who lived long lives in this road.

It was goodbye to Elsie and John Monger who had lived at 30 since the War and her family before that. And to Gerry and Ting May at 32 who had lived there from before the War. And to Bill and Elsie Yokiel at 10 who had lived there from about 1950 with Elsie having been born at 24 as one of the Barker family. And to Roy and Dot Collinson at 18 who had lived there since the early 1950’s with Dot having been born at 24 as one of the Barker family. And to Hilda Millard nee Barker who was also born at 24 and who lived there all her life and was the last of the Barker sisters. And to Hilda’s husband, Peter Millard. And to Mary Rowe nee Dawson who inspired this website and who lived nearly all her life at Cornholme in this road. All of their children were brought up here. And to Bryan Roberts who lived at number 5 and was a stalwart of the street parties. And to Jim Young who lived at 33.

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There remain only a few residents who have lived in this road for a good part of their lives.

RECENT EVENTS

Flooding 2000

In 2000 the watercourse which runs along the north-west boundary of the road properties flooded some of the adjacent gardens. It marked the boundary of the original fields. The watercourse is part of a drainage system running from Witley Common and along Gasden Lane and then to Oxted Green. The flooding prompted the relevant Authorities and the National Trust to take long-term remedial action which included ponds on the Common (to keep water where it fell) and clearance of the watercourses. There has been no re-occurrence

Gas Main Renewal 2019

Water Main maintenance 2019

Pandemic 2020

The global pandemic hit the UK in 2020 and a national lockdown was imposed restricting the population to their houses except for essential work and essential shopping. The road residents showed their community sprit. A ‘buddy’ system was organised to ensure everyone who was especially vulnerable had someone to look after them. Fruit and vegetable supplies were established. And, of course, the residents turned out every Thursday at 8 p.m. to applaud the NHS for their heroic work during the coronavirus pandemic.

Xmas 2021

The pandemic meant the absence of street parties but not an absence of the warmth and spirit of the road as its wonderful display of Christmas lights demonstrates.

Fibre Optic Broadband 2023 and 2024

Approximately half the properties in the Road have access to fibre optic broadband. A few years ago, under a scheme jointly funded by the Government and Waverley Borough Council, Openreach carried out work to provide the basic infrastructure i.e. boxes on telegraph and electricity poles. All those properties with a 01483 telephone number were connected but not those with an 01428 number. Despite recent efforts, no scheme of connection was available.

In March 2023, Swish laid an underground cable system in the footpath to allow connection to their system.

In January 2024, Virgin Media dug up the same part of the footway to lay their cables to enable residents to connect to their system.

THE FUTURE

History does not stop. There will be new houses, new people and events.