HISTORY FROM PARISHIONERS
The Honeyball Tapes
Chapter 3
Odds and Ends in Leigh as told by Marjorie
This has been taken from
articles in the Leigh Post, the Parish Magazine 1993 & 1994.
The notes below are a summary of the Honeyball Tapes.
Marjorie's mother shopped in Reigate (not Dorking), or in Gurney's General
Store (next to Chantry Cottage)
Click on the photo to enlarge
 Mrs Gurney at her Village Stores. Person on the right is Jean Parker's grandmother. (Photo by permission of C Brain) |
 Mrs Gurney (Photo by permission of C Brain)
|
Or she would shop from the man who came with his horse and cart, who delivered
and then took an order for the next week. There was also a shop at
Norwood Hill. The butcher and the coalman called, and the baker
delivered every day from the village bakery and general stores. In the
1950s a shop opened opposite the Vicarage and was Leigh's own supermarket,
though it is now a private house.
Click on the photo to enlarge
 The village bakery in more recent times (Photo by permission of R Worth) |
 The general stores in more recent times (Photo by permission of R Worth) |
The Flower Show used to be held at Charrington's who had the patronage of the
Church (Bures Manor). The village green was not the trim spectacle of
today. Villagers would bring their cows and horses to graze on it, their
owners staying with them. Flocks of sheep were walked through the
village from field to field or from Leigh to Dorking.
At some time the Duke of Norfolk owned the village of Leigh. The Glebe
was built in 1953, Coronation Year, when Marjory moved into the house she
lived in to her death. The old Georgian Vicarage was destroyed by fire,
and there are now flats on the site.
The Publican of the Seven Stars had cattle as well as the pub. Villagers
also frequented the plough, The Spotted Cow and The Fox (not "revived" in
those days!) Neither her father nor her brothers went to those places.
Finally, from Marjorie's sitting room, looking towards the village green (bus
shelter) there used to be a pond surrounded by trees. This was a
favourite play area and hiding place for Marjorie and her friends. It
was enclosed, the trees were easy to climb.
The village green (date unknown)
To enlarge click on photo