LEATHERHEAD & DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

Streets and Roads - Leatherhead - Bridge Street

This street can be viewed via Street View in Google Maps by clicking here
Vardey references are from History of Leatherhead, edited by Edwina Vardey (L&DLHS 1988).
For information about the 1950 edition of Kelly's referred to below please click the Kelly's link on the left of your screen,
also for LUDC 1950 and LUDC 1965/67.
If you can correct or add information, or better or additional images to this page then please contact the editor

from Kelly's 1950 Directory - private addresses have mostly been omitted below

Where was the Blue Rabbit Café in the Bridge Street of 1950 -13? 39?

LUDC 1950

BRIDGE STREET
From North Street to River Mole
North side

2 National Provincial Bank Ltd (Henry B Sercombe, manager)
Bank Chambers
2 Tuck & Mann, solicitors & commissioners for oaths
4 GASCOIGNE-PEES AR&J estate agents & auctioneers Tel 4133/4
6 Shoolbred & Co. outfitters
8 Fleetway Cleaners (Epsom) Ltd cleaners & dyers
10 Morgan J & R, bakers
12 Turner A, café
16 Stevenson & Rush Ltd, grocers
18 Turton P & Sons, confectioners [sic]
20 Clark, Ernest M, fruiterer
22 Freeman M, hairdresser
24 Motor & Air Products Ltd plastics fabricators
-- here is Chitty's alley
26 Sky High Catering, restaurant
36 Reed, Henry, scrap metal merchant
38 The Running Horse, Public House, John Castleman
-- here is Emlyn Lane
East Surrey Water Co (works)

South side
-- here is Church st.
1 Westminster Bank Ltd. (T Cottrell, manager)
3 Eldridge, FC watch maker
5 Hughes, Gordon chemist
13 Palmer, SJ café
15 Hulme & Co, tobacconists
17 Underwoods, drapers
19 Harding, WT, boot repair
21 Bonnett, WH & Son, blacksmiths
23 Hawes, Sidney Leonard, butcher
27 Raleigh Valet Service (G & FA Goodrich), dyers & cleaners
29 Spidy, Jean, wool stores
31 Turton Percy C
31 & 33 Leavey TJ & Son, tailors
37 Yardley’s Ltd, grocers
39 Watney, Miss MC, café
41 Ford, Beatrice, ladies hairdresser
43 Hewlins, Miss
45 Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows (E. Worsfold, sec)
51 Clark GS, furrier
53 King, Nevill S, MRCVS, veterinary surgeon
-- here is bridge over river


2 Bridge Street
image 1960s?
Grade II Listed (exterior)

National Provincial Bank Ltd (Henry B Sercombe, manager)
Bank Chambers (Kelly's 1950)

previously Wild The Bakers on this site until 1927
Building dated 1928 is in mock Jacobean style

image above: courtesy of authors of Over The Other Bridge
2 Bridge Street
from 2008 to 2018

Barton's Bookshop
Peter Snell talking about being a bookseller - click here

previously:
Woolwich Building Society
currently vacant

Bank Chambers
Dec 2018
Offices


image: Haslam
drawing by Peter Irons

4 Bridge Street
March 2020


The Princess Alice Hospice

Charity Shop

previously:


LUDC 1965/67: AR & J Gascoigne-Pees FALPA
Auctioneers, Estate Agents, Surveyors and Valuers

GASCOIGNE-PEES AR&J
estate agents & auctioneers (Kelly's 1950)

image: Haslam


6 Bridge Street
March 2020

Christies Residential
Sales and Lettings

previously:
Shoolbred & Co. outfitters (Kelly's 1950)



Vardey (1988): No.6 is a timber-framed 17th century buildingwith a rough cast front

image: Haslam


8-10 Bridge Street
March 2020

Natural Beauty
Beauty Salon

previously:
8-10 Harringtons Bakery
8 Fleetway Cleaners (Epsom) Ltd cleaners & dyers (Kelly's 1950)


image: Haslam

8-10 Bridge Street
date

Harrington's Bakery
previously:
8 Fleetway Cleaners (Epsom) Ltd cleaners & dyers (Kelly's 1950)
10 Morgan J & R, bakers (Kelly's 1950)

[newspaper article to be located an added]


Vardey (1988): No.8-10 is an early 19th century building stuccoed with a slate roof. There is an earlier building at the rear, partly used as a bakery.

image: Haslam


12-14 Bridge Street
March 2020

Five Rivers
Indian Restaurant

previously:
12 Turner A, café (Kelly's 1950)
14 ?

Vardey (1988): No.12-16 is a mid 19th century building.

image: Haslam


16 Bridge Street
March 2020

Sunshine Indoors
Tanning Salon

previously:
WEH Nunns, Mens Wear 

Stevenson & Rush Ltd, grocers (Kelly's 1950)

Vardey (1988): No.12-16 is a mid 19th century building.

image: Haslam

16 Bridge Street
2003


WEH Nunns
Mens Wear

image: Shopfront Elegy
W.E.H. Nunns Mens Wear

18-20 Bridge Street

Bridge Place
date tba

Flats and Offices

previously:
18 Turton P & Sons, confectioners (Kelly's 1950) [sic]



20 Clark, Ernest M, fruiterer (Kelly's 1950)

Vardey (1988): No.18-20 is an early 19th century building in stock brick with a slate roof

image: temporary


22 Bridge Street

Black Dog Gallery & Picture Framers
March 2020

previously:

Freeman M, hairdrssr (Kelly's 1950)

Vardey (1988): No.22 is a red-brick 19th century building with a slate roof and somewhat continental windows.

image: Haslam

The Leatherhead Heritage Trail plaque beside the door refers to the former Bluesette Club which was once along the alley beside no.22.








THE BLUESETTE CLUB
This alleyway led to the Bluesette Club and along it walked many musicians who were important to the development of rock & pop music; not least was MARC BOLAN's first band, John's Children - Andy Ellison, John Hewlett and Chris Townson - who played here regularly in the 1960s. They once owned the club, together with their famous manager, Simon Napier-Bell. Others who performed here include Jeff Beck, Peter Frampton, Alan Price, Cat Stevens, Jethro Tull and Ronnie Wood. Jimi Hendrix once visited.


The club building is long gone.
 







Vardey (1988): The former coach-builders Ventham and Sons occupied the the premises between Nos. 22 and 24. It was basically a much altered early 19th century building and was demolished in 1986.
An early hand-operated petrol pump from it is now in the garden of the Museum at Hampton Cottage in Church Street. The new property is appropriately called the Coach House.

[24 Motor & Air Products Ltd plastics fabricators (Kelly's 1950)]

LUDC 1950

26 Bridge Street
March 2020

Offices

previously on this site:
Sky High Catering, restaurant

Vardey (1988): No.26 is an early 19th century house of red brick with a slate roof. Its ground floor has been marred by many alterations and an extension to its eastern side.

image: Haslam

Vardey (1988): Nos. 28-34 is a terrace of early 19th century houses of stock brick with slate roofs. With the exception of No.34, the original ironwork around the raised front gardens remains.

38 Bridge Street
The Running Horse
March 2020
Grade II* Listed

Built in the 15th century on land belonging to the church, The Running Horse was originally known as Rummings House, after Eleynor Rumminge who was written about by Henry VIII's poet John Skelton.

The poem can be found on a wall in the pub.

Legends have it that Henry's daughter, Elizabeth I, spent a night at the inn due to floods making the River Mole impossible to cross. It is rumoured that in the 17th century the pub was used as a frequent meeting place for smugglers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Running_Horse

Tony Robinson's History of Britain: The Tudors first broadcast on Channel 5 on 4th January 2020 included a piece on ale-wives featuring The Running Horse pub in Leatherhead and the notorious Elynour Rumming (other spellings are available) You can see it again (once you get past the adverts) by clicking here. It is a most interesting programme in which the Leatherhead segment begins at about 29:40.

Elynour was immortalised through the poem the Tunning of Elynour Rumming by John Skelton (c.1463-21 June 1529) who was an English poet and tutor to King Henry VIII.

The lengthy poem with detailed notes can be seen by clicking here - but perhaps watch the programme first.

images on right: Haslam
images below: Leatherhead & District Local History Society


1905


before 1938, when Meaux took over Mellersh Neame




Vardey (1988): The finest of Leatherhead's few remaining open-hall houses. Built on glebe-land, it is unlikely that it was built as an inn. Its two-bay cross-wing jettied out over the street has an impressive upper chamber with an open truss matching the hall. It has all the appearance of a high quality private house c1450-1550.

Although there is no firm evidence of her living at the inn  or even that it was an ale-house in her time, in 1525 Elinour was fined 2d at Pachenesham Magna for selling ale at excessive prices. Eventually in 1889 George Moore of the Swan Hotel bought it at auction.

Today it is a Shepherd Neame pub. It has won CAMRA’s regional pub of the year award and also features in The Good Beer Guide.

1 Bridge Street
March 2020
NatWest

previously:
Westminster Bank (Kelly's 1950)


image: Haslam


3 Bridge Street
March 2020

Huggins Edwards & Sharp
Chartered Surveyors - Estate Agents

previously:
Eldridge, FC watch maker: (Kelly's 1950)

image: Haslam


5 Bridge Street
March 2020
Grade II Listed

Nizam & Team
Hairdresser

previously:


LUDC 1965/67: Gordon Hughes Ltd
The only Pharmacy in the District which has given more than 100 years service. For all your Medical, Toilet and Photographic requirements.


LUDC 1950: Gordon Hughes Ltd: Dispensing and Family Chemists
Toilet, Sickroom and Nursery ,Requisites, Photographic Supplies
Hughes, Gordon chemist (Kelly's 1950)

image: Haslam
Vardey (1988): No.5 is a fine early 19th century stuccoed building with a slate roof. Although the windows have lost their glazing bars, the original shop-front remains but the Doric columns are a 20th century addition.

7 Bridge Street
top photo: date pre 2016
2nd photo: Oct 2016

Los Amigos II/2
Restaurant, British cuisine

previously:
tba

Vardey (1988): Nos. 7-9 was a saddlers and harness makers from the 17th century until 1905, run by the Ragge and Lloyd families.
The building was demolished by the Civil Defence in an exercise in 1939.

image: web


7 Bridge Street
March 2020

Caffe Deniro


previously:
Los Amigos 2


image: Haslam



9 Bridge Street
March 2020

KallKwik
Business Design + Print

previously:


LUDC 1965/67: Smartahomes Ltd
Come and choose from the largest
stock of Wallpaper and paint in the town

see Vardey for 7 Bridge Street

image: Haslam


11 Bridge Street
March 2020

Aligned For Life
Chiropractic

previously:
tba
 

image: Haslam


13 Bridge Street
March 2020

Botan Kebab House

previously:
Palmer, SJ café (Kelly's 1950)

image: Haslam


15-17 Bridge Street
March 2020

15 Optima
Recruitment Consultants

previously:
Hulme & Co, tobacconists (Kelly's 1950)

Vardey (1988): No. 15-17 is a timber framed building which may date in part from the 16th century.

image: Haslam


15-17 Bridge Street
March 2020

17 Caremark
personalised home care

previously:
Underwoods, drapers (Kelly's 1950)

image: Haslam


19 Bridge Street
March 2020

Patricia Morgan Optician

previously:
Harding, WT, boot repair (Kelly's 1950)

image: temporary

27 Bridge Street
March 2020

Bridge House
Offices

image: Haslam

in an earlier building, Kelly's 1950

Raleigh Valet Service (G & FA Goodrich), dyers & cleaners


LUDC 1965/67: WG Holland & Co Ltd
Florists


33 Bridge Street
March 2020
31 & 33 Grade II Listed

Accord CAD Services

previously:
31 Turton Percy C (Kelly's 1950)

LUDC 1965/67

31 & 33 Leavey TJ & Son, tailors (Kelly's 1950)

LUDC 1950: TJ Leavey & Son
The Shop for Menswear
Tailors, Hosiers, Outfitters

image: Haslam
Vardey (1988): No.33 is a charming early 19th century stuccoed building with a slate roof and 'gothick' windows.

35 Bridge Street
March 2020

vacant: last occupied by Quality Solicitors Palmers, now in Fetcham

previously: tba

Vardey (1988): No.35 is a red-brick building with a slate roof and dates from about 1840. It is unfortunate that the high shop-front on its eastern side obscures the facade above it.

image: Haslam


35a Bridge Street
March 2020

Excellent Cut
Hairdressers

Vardey - see 33

image: Haslam



37 Bridge Street
March 2020

Bridge Chambers
Offices

previously:


LUDC 1965/67: Accommodation Services (Leatherhead) Ltd
Do you need a Man about the House?
Bridge Chambers

Yardley’s Ltd, grocers (Kelly's 1950)

Vardey (1988): No.37 is an 18th century flint and brick building whose front has been rendered.

image: Haslam


39-41 Bridge Street
March 2020
39 & 41 Grade II Listed

39 vacant

previously:
Watney, Miss MC, café (Kelly's 1950)

41 Cosy Flooring

previously:


LUDC 1965/67: The Do it Yourself Shop
All Fobel Do it Yourself Materials
Timber, Paints, Mouldings, Tools
Bryan Strudwick

Ford, Beatrice, ladies hairdresser (Kelly's 1950)

Vardey (1988): Nos. 39-41 is a late 17th century timber framed structure with a jettied front.

image: Haslam


43 Bridge Street
August 2019
Grade II Listed

Phoenix House
Housed offices, but now contains serviced apartments.

image: Capper


LUDC 1965/67:
Mid-Surrey Mortgage and Insurance Brokers, 43 Bridge Street

LUDC 1965/67:
Leatherhead Staff Bureau Ltd
For all classes of Permanent and Temporary Staff and Typewriting, Duplicating and Photocopying Services

LUDC 1965/67: Delahaye, Holmes &Co
Auctioneers, Surveyors,
Valuers, Estate Agents
"Holmes House" 43 Bridge Street

LUDC 1965/67: John W Bethell, Builders and Contractors
Repairs, Alterations, Renovations
"Holmes House" 43 Bridge Street

Miss Hewlins had a small kindergarten school here which Hazel Brown was at in the 1930s. Miss Hewlins is listed here in Kelly's 1950.

45-47 Bridge Street
March 2020

Oddfellows Hall
Friendly Society

Vardey (1988): Nos. 45-51 is a mid 19th century terrace.

image: Haslam


page last updated 16 Jul 20