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Down Memory Lane
Part 1

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A Surrey Tragedy from 'The Motor' - March 29, 1932 Contributed by Mr. Maurice Mager of Stoke D'Abernon

Many know the centuries old Cobham Mill but few have heard of the tragic tale with which it is associated. It is related - with what truth I cannot say - that two brothers, members of the Vincent family of Stoke D 'Abernon were out on a shooting expedition. They had put up several birds, without getting a single shot, when the eldest swore with a great oath that he would kill whatever next they met with. They had gone but little farther when the Miller of Cobham Mill met them and bade them good day.
When he had passed, the younger brother jokingly reminded the elder of his oath, whereupon the latter immediately fired at the Miller, who fell dead upon the spot. …… The scene of the shooting, so the story goes, was the gorse clad expanse of Fairmile Common, but few of the thousands who hurry across it along the Portsmouth Road ever give a thought to the Miller of long ago.

Mr A Roberts of Winston Drive, Stoke D'Abernon reminisces:

. In the 1930's Tilt Road from the cemetery gates to Ashford Farmhouse was all mud until the Canadian troops improved it.
. Until 1923/4 cricket was played on The Tilt over what is now Stoke Road. The cottages on The Tilt were protected with chicken wire!
. A Hurricane test pilot (Captain Hindmarsh) crashed a hurricane in St.George's Hill in 1938.

Mr C Van-den-Steen of Coveham Crescent writes:

'I am writing about Street Cobham. I have lived there for over 50 years of my life …… we had our own shopping centre, three pubs, a restaurant, a snack bar and also tearooms. We had our own grocery store and ironmongers and we did not need to go up to the High Street for anything. When I look at it now it is more over-developed than any part of Cobham …… I remember the United Dairies with the horses at the back of our house.  Also Lynns, the butcher opposite.  I also remember Dobson the shoe repairer, with a mouthful of nails; two of his daughters still live in Cobham.  My Gran used to work for Matthew Amold ... I worked in Cobham Mill until I went into the Army during the War and again for a little while after I came out.'