Amersham ---- News, Views & Information

Amersham 1930s/40s 1

I am very grateful to visitors to this site who have provided the following pictures for display.

If anyone has any pictures I can display, please email the web master

The following fascinating pictures have been supplied by Pete Wood. The pictures were taken by his Grandfather, William Veale, he was a free-lance photographer after WW1 and also served as an airborne photographer in the Royal Flying Corps during WW1.

Picture Courtesy of Pete Wood

The Berkely Hunt meeting in the High Street in the mid 1930s. Note the unpaved road surface complete with puddles. Also, this picture shows the row of houses that used to be in the middle of the street, these were demolished in the late 1930s in a slum clearance programme. The small building at the end of the row I believe was an electric sub station. The building on the right is "Ye Olde Malt Tea House" a well know place in Old Amersham

Picture Courtesy of Pete Wood

Logging, probably taking place in Batchelors Wood. The wood was being cleared of beech trees for the houses that were built just post-war. The concrete road itself (Batchelors Way) was completed  in 1939.

Picture Courtesy of Pete Wood

The "Met" houses in Woodside Road were built in the 1930s and this photo, looking towards Chiltern Avenue, shows William Veale's (the photographer) 1935 Morris Minor in the driveway of number 47

Woodside Road in 2003. Not a great deal of change, a few trees have been lost to Dutch Elm disease and the road has been re numbered (number 47 above is number 115 today). At the far end developments have taken place (shell garage etc.). Also, St. John's Methodist Church has been built and the fire station. Before these were built there was a field which backed onto the gardens of Highfield Close

Picture Courtesy of Pete Wood

A shop window display of dried milk, orange juice concentrate and cod liver oil which was available at the Food Office (where Pete's mother worked). The Food Office was upstairs in the building on the corner of Sycamore Road and Woodside Road, about 50 yards from this shop. If you look carefully you can see the reflection in the window of the cupola on the roof of the old Free Church across the street.  This would put the shop just a few yards North of the Regent cinema. The signs in the window read "An example of our local babies fed on National Dried Milk, Cod Liver Oil and orange Juice" and "Supplies of these foods can ONLY be obtained from the Local Food Office" I was born in the 1960s but too can remember the orange juice and milk which my mother got from the "clinic" at the community centre in Chiltern Avenue

Picture Courtesy of Pete Wood

The annual Amersham fayre at night. It was probably  taken during the War  since the fayre was still operated throughout the war. (One of the reasons it had to continue was to preserve its Royal Charter, if it is not held one year then the right to hold the fair is lost). Between the round stalls you can see the old sign post at the end of Whielden Street.

Picture Courtesy of Pete Wood

ATC Cadets - 1411 Squadron - parading in front of the Assembly Hall at Dr. Challoners during World War II, reviewed by an RAF Squadron leader.

Picture Courtesy of Pete Wood

Squadron leader with officers of 1411 Squadron. Pete only recognises one of them, Mr. Gibson, the physics master at Dr. Challoners, second from the right,  who actually retired in the late 40's. Does anyone know any of the other officers?

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We would be very please to receive other photographs of Amersham, past or present, please email the web master if you can help.

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