Hare Lane: Difference between revisions
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=== Fieldview School === | === Fieldview School === | ||
Fieldview School at 41 Hare Lane, a pre-preparatory school for boys and girls from 2 to 9 years of age, of which Mrs. E.M. Gibbs was the founder and principal. | Fieldview School at 41 Hare Lane, a pre-preparatory school for boys and girls from 2 to 9 years of age, of which Mrs. E.M. Gibbs was the founder and principal. | ||
=== Shops in Hare Lane === | === Shops in Hare Lane === | ||
Shortly after the First World War, circa 1919, RJ Bevington and Major Gould bought a parcel of land at the top end of Hare Lane (164) from the Speer family estate. On this they built a garage to the design of E Priestly Cooper of Messrs Lofting and Cooper and called it ''Claygate Motors''. After a few years Bevington bought out Gould's interest and managed the business on his own, aided by a staff drawn largely from Claygate, until the outbreak of World War II. During the war the premises were leased to a firm doing war work, and used as the headquarters of Claygate's Auxiliary Fire Service which was equipped with an Austin tourer and a trailer pump unit. | Shortly after the First World War, circa 1919, RJ Bevington and Major Gould bought a parcel of land at the top end of Hare Lane (164) from the Speer family estate. On this they built a garage to the design of E Priestly Cooper of Messrs Lofting and Cooper and called it ''Claygate Motors''. After a few years Bevington bought out Gould's interest and managed the business on his own, aided by a staff drawn largely from Claygate, until the outbreak of World War II. During the war the premises were leased to a firm doing war work, and used as the headquarters of Claygate's Auxiliary Fire Service which was equipped with an Austin tourer and a trailer pump unit. |
Revision as of 15:38, 31 August 2024
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O X S H O T T |
Albury Place
- Amended Planning Application 2020/1037 - Shalford, 2 Albury Place, Hare Lane KT10 0RB – Retrospective rear detached outbuilding with decking. Mr Mossett, neighbour to 2 Albury Place, spoke stating the outbuilding was originally built in 2019. In October 2019 it began being used as a separate dwelling referring Cllrs to his sleep log and photos. It was raised as an alleged unauthorised development to EBC. EBC visited the site but Mr Mossett believes that they failed to enter the site or question future usage. Mr Mossett is concerned that the retrospective application does not cover the use or mention several key points such as the boundary line of the building. Mr Mossett confirmed he had not objected to the amended planning application as he didn’t feel that the actual application reflected what had been built so he couldn’t as such comment on it. Instead he had emailed the Head of Planning at EBC, Kim Tagliarini raising concerns that the addition of the outbuilding to Planning application 2020/1037 had failed to include information needed for consultees to make an informed decision. He stated the pictures he had provided were solely to provide context for committee members. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 16-JUL-20)
№ 37
- 37 Hare Lane KT10 9BT — 2020/3268 — PROPOSAL: Part two/part single-storey rear extension and alterations to fenestration following removal of chimney. — COUNCIL RESPONSE: No objection, no comment (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 5-JAN-21)
- 14-Day Re-Consultation: 37 Hare Lane, KT10 9BT — 2020/3268 — PROPOSAL: Part two/part single-storey rear extension, rear dormer and alterations to fenestration following removal of chimney. — COUNCIL RESPONSE: Unanimously agreed no further response was required by CPC. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 28-JAN-21)
№ 75
- 75 Hare Lane KT10 0QX — 2020/3298 — PROPOSAL: Hip-to-gable roof extension, rear dormer window and front roof lights. — COUNCIL RESPONSE: No Comment (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 5-JAN-21)
Old Bank — № 109
AP52 Clerk to notify EBC on decision to reinstate bench outside Old Bank, Hare Lane. Clerk notified EBC who instructed her to notify GPS. GPS confirmed they will action but then have refused. SCC now resolving the issue directly with GPS as the landowners. SCC have agreed with the developer a location left of Old Bank in front of new side alley fence. Clerk to confirm CPC’s agreement to proposed bench location back to SCC. DONE. With SCC to reinstate. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 28-JAN-21) |
AP52 Clerk to notify EBC on decision to reinstate bench outside Old Bank, Hare Lane. ONGOING. Clerk notified EBC who instructed her to notify GPS. GPS confirmed they will action, but progress has halted. Clerk to continue chasing seeking support of SCC and EBC. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 5-NOV-20) |
AP19 Carol Walker informed the Clerk that the pavement outside the Old Bank 109 Hare Lane remains Highways Land so the CPC could return the bench and waste bin to their original position. Cllrs agreed neither the Old Bank location nor the existing location outside of Boots was suitable and an alternative needed to be found. Committee members to send GH alternative suggestions ahead of the next planning meeting DONE. Covered under Item 9. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 13-AUG-20) |
- No suitable alternatives have been put forward to the Old Bank 109 Hare Lane location or Boots. It was noted that leaving the bench where it is outside Boots and moving the CPC Notice Board to the other side of the EBC Notice Board would create visibility issues for vehicles exiting Torrington Close. It was agreed as such that the CPC notice board should remain where it is, and the bench needed to move. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 13-AUG-20)
It was unanimously agreed that the bench & litter bin should be moved in front of the EBC Notice Board on Hare Lane/Torrington Close corner and anchored down. |
AP19 Carol Walker informed the Clerk that the pavement outside the Old Bank 109 Hare Lane remains Highways Land so the CPC could return the bench and waste bin to their original position. Cllrs agreed neither the Old Bank location nor the existing location outside of Boots was suitable and an alternative needed to be found. Committee members to send GH alternative suggestions ahead of the next planning meeting. OUTSTANDING. Covered under Item 5. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 16-JUL-20) |
Committee members were to send GH alternative suggestions ahead of this planning meeting of where the Old Bank bench could be permanently positioned. GH confirmed he had only received one suggestion. Clerk had received an update since the last meeting from Martin Kearton, Environmental Officer at EBC, stating that Cllrs had in fact already instructed EBC to reinstate the seat and bin in their original positions once the work was completed back in August 2018.
Two Cllrs voted for the bench to remain as is outside Boots, Hare Lane. Two Cllrs voted for the bench to return to its prior position outside the Old Bank, 109 Hare Lane and 1 Cllr abstained. Chairman’s casting vote was to abstain. |
AP39 Chairman to speak to Boots about moving the CPC notice board to the other side of the EBC notice board so that the bench could remain as is and not obstruct people viewing the CPC notice board. It was agreed that if this was a possibility then a new CPC board could be put in place and a new cost for this would be brought to the CPC meeting in September. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 16-JUL-20) |
№ 115
- 115 Hare Lane KT10 0QY — 2020/2512 — PROPOSAL: Single-storey rear extension, front canopy, side and rear dormer windows and alterations to fenestration and finish following demolition of existing rear projection. — COUNCIL RESPONSE: Refused by EBC.
- EBC stated:
- “The proposed roof extension by reason of its design and scale, would appear incongruous and dominate the building, detrimental to the character and appearance of the host dwelling and the surrounding area contrary to policies CS11, CS17, DM2, the Design & Character SPD (Home Extensions Companion Guide) and the NPPF.” (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 5-JAN-21)
- 115 Hare Lane KT10 0QY — 2020/2512 — PROPOSAL: Single-storey rear extension, front canopy, side and rear dormer windows and alterations to fenestration and finish following demolition of existing rear projection. — COUNCIL RESPONSE: No Objection. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 5-NOV-20)
№ 123
- 123 Hare Lane KT10 0RA — 2020/2059 — PROPOSAL: Tree Preservation Order EL: 12/02 - Remove 1 x Horse Chestnut (T1). — COUNCIL RESPONSE: No objection. Please note that although we have no objection to the tree being removed, we would strongly recommend that a suitably large replacement is planted of a species that will grow to be eventually of a similar size. There is plenty of space for this in the garden on land bordering the car park to the east of the existing tree. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 8-OCT-20)
№ 133
- 133 Hare Lane KT10 0RA — 2020/2435 — PROPOSAL: Single-storey front extensions, first-floor side extension and alterations to fenestration. — COUNCIL RESPONSE: No Objection. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 5-NOV-20)
№ 151
- 151 Hare Lane KT10 0RA — 2020/1790 — PROPOSAL: Part two/part single-storey rear/side extension, conversion of garage into living space, front canopy and alterations to fenestration following demolition of existing rear projection. — COUNCIL RESPONSE: EBC agreed the CPC request to impose a condition for the Flat Roof not being altered or adapted to form a balcony, roof garden or similar amenity area without the grant of a further specific permission from the Borough Council. (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 5-NOV-20)
- 151 Hare Lane KT10 0RA — 2020/1790 — PROPOSAL: Part two/part single-storey rear/side extension, conversion of garage into living space, front canopy and alterations to fenestration following demolition of existing rear projection. — COUNCIL RESPONSE: No objection. Please let it be noted if an application is granted, we request that a condition is included that prevents the flat roof from being used as a balcony or roof garden so to protect neighbour’s privacy in line with Policy DM2. Unanimously agreed (PARISH COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING 13-AUG-20)
The area
- It was noted that both Red Lane and Hare Lane had full or partial closures due to road works. (PARISH COUNCIL HT&E MEETING 11-FEB-21)
AP58 Clerk to liaise with Martin Kearton, Environmental Officer at EBC, and get the new white entrance gates on Hare Lane installed. DONE. (PARISH COUNCIL H&TE MEETING 10-DEC-20) |
- Following residents’ concerns, SCC carried out a survey in 2019 between The Swan and the railway bridge on Hare Lane. SCC then closed the case and referred it to CPC saying it was for CPC to consider CIL funding to pay for speed reduction measures. The chairman stated that SCC were responsible for Highways and as such this case should never have been referred to CPC.
AP104 MS to send SCC 2019 report to Cllrs. |
AP105 MS to draft two letters to SCC on Highways responsibility of Hare Lane and speed reduction options. (PARISH COUNCIL H&TE MEETING 10-DEC-20) |
98/13 | To note the minutes of the Highways, Transport and Environment Committee and decide any action arising. |
The CPC had received a poor response from Network Rail with regards to the Hare Lane land clearance before the bridge on Network Rail land. |
AP93 Clerk to write back to Network Rail stating the CPC were not happy with their response and what were they going to do about the eyesore that remains. (PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 19-NOV-20) |
AP58 Clerk to liaise with Martin Kearton, Environmental Officer at EBC, and get the new white entrance gates on Hare Lane installed. IN PROGRESS. Martin’s team finishing painting gates and then ready to go in. Final costs were £327.65 for fencing, £52 paint and £10 postcrete £390 Incl VAT versus £525 anticipated. (PARISH COUNCIL H&TE MEETING 29-OCT-20) |
It was unanimously agreed to allocate £525 from the Highways Bridle Budget to replace the Hare Lane White Entrance Gates. |
- EBC look after two of the white entrance gates and CPC own the Hare Lane white entrance gates. EBC cleaned and checked all three gates in May 2020 (they check them every six months) and have advised that the Hare Lane gate is rotten. If CPC purchase the new gate, paint and cement to fix, EBC would arrange for the team to paint and install it. Street Smart would not charge but it would have to fit in around their other works. Following receipt of quotes the Clerk confirmed the costs were £525 including VAT.
AP58 Clerk to liaise with Martin Kearton, Environmental Officer at EBC, and get the new gates installed. (PARISH COUNCIL HT&E MEETING 3-SEP-20) |
Flooding
5 | To discuss the EA Flood Action Campaign. |
The Clerk circulated the EA Flood action plan to Committee members ahead of the meeting. The prime focus of the EA Flood Action plan is to raise awareness of flooding with the general public. EBC had actioned a full strategic review of the flood situation in Claygate in 2019. In this review Claygate was classed as low risk for flooding from rivers. The River Rythe had creating some fluvial flooding on Hare Lane and Raleigh Drive historically. The EBC review noted that there is a high risk of surface water flooding in Claygate. SCC have identified the following locations as susceptible to surface water flooding: Oaken Lane, Gordon Road, The Avenue, The Parade, Foley Road, Church Road, Coverts Road, and Littleworth Road. It was noted that SCC had been actively clearing gullies in a number of problem roads over the winter period. In particular, the work that SCC had done in widening the gullies on Church Road by the bus stop, appeared to have been a success. SCC will still need to clear out the gullies each year due to leaves but once cleared the gullies should function correctly and Church Road
should remain flood free. Finally, it was noted that Claygate Centre on Elm Road was an Emergency Rest Centre in the event of a flooding incident. The CPC urged Claygate residents to move their cars on days that SCC are cleaning gullies to ensure SCC has the best chance in preventing surface water flooding. They asked that Raleigh Drive residents contact Thames Water in the event of flooding in that area as it was often relating to the pumping station by Hare Lane Green. CPC would continue to push that new developments in the area, such as Claygate House, are taking a proactive responsibility to protect the River Rythe area from future flooding and that they are doing their bit to maintain the river. The Committee agreed that EBC Strategic Flood review had identified the areas of concern and that CPC will continue to monitor the situation. The Clerk then updated the committee on the flooding under the railway bridge on the Bridleway South of the A3. Savills had informed her that they had Freeflow on site for three days pumping water from the underpass to try and clear the drain, however they were fighting a losing battle as the water was coming off the fields and into the underpass faster than we could pump it out. They’ve spoken to Surrey County Council and H&S signage has gone up for the time being to advise of deep water and blocked access. They will then need to revisit this in April/May once the winter rains have passed to pump the water away and then either clear the existing drain or look at alternative options of providing an outlet for the surface water run-off. Savills want CPC to be assured that it is something they are taking seriously and they are looking to find a long-term solution to. (PARISH COUNCIL HT&E MEETING 11-FEB-21) |

In the News
Anti-competitive behaviour by Boots of Claygate
'... there have been two pharmacies in Claygate for many years; these were both independently owned until Boots acquired both approximately 12 years ago.
'These pharmacies served the community well until a decision was taken by Boots to close Risdons pharmacy located on the Parade two years ago... At this time Shazid and Nilufer [Karim] decided to apply for a licence so that they could open their own pharmacy.'
'This however proved to be a long drawn-out process with the PCT granting them a licence initially, but this was shortly followed by Boots lodging an appeal.'
Source: Essential Esher, September 2014, page 50.
Historical Notes


Before 1900 there were only three houses between Hare Lane Green and where The Foley now stands. These were Loseberry, Peartree and Knightley:
- Peartree took its name from (or gave its name to) that stretch of Hare Lane between the Foley Arms and the railway bridge which was known in the nineteenth century as Peartree Hill. This could have been derived from a nearby orchard of pear trees if such existed, or more romantically perhaps from a much older form pyrihagh (Feet of Fines 1235). Peartree (House) disappeared with the coming of the railway, or more specifically when the station and The Parade were built. The site chosen for the station was the obvious and natural spot for it, .being the only relatively level area between the embankment to the north and the cutting to the south.
- Knightley, more or less opposite Peartree on the other side of Hare Lane, was renamed Torrington Lodge about a hundred years ago. During the 1914- 1918 war it served as a Red Cross Centre. After some tasteful alterations to the original house and the building of a harmonious extension (Greenstar House) to the rear of it during the 1970s, it now has a renewed life as an office building. Some of Torrington Lodge's original features such as the covered way from the front door to the roadside have, of course, disappeared, as have its farm buildings and seven acres of grounds, although part of the latter are still 'open' in the sense that they are the present home of Claygate Tennis Club. All these changes were, I suggest, better than the alternative of demolition and the replacement of Torrington Lodge (now called Torrington House) by some less pleasing, modern-style development.
Loseberry

Loseberry was built in the mid-19th century by John Peter Robinson, the owner of the Oxford Street department store and a large landowner in Claygate. He built Loseberry Farm soon afterwards, although the land had been farmed by several other people before that. The England cricketer, Bunny Lucas, lived here and founded Claygate cricket club in 1885. Both house and farm were bought by the Crown Commissioners in 1907. After the Great War, the Duchess of Albany lived at Loseberry.
As Princess Helen of Waldeck-Pyrmont (a small principality in Western Germany) she had married Leopold, the youngest son of Queen Victoria, in 1882. The couple originally lived at Claremont. He was a delicate man and less than two years later, he hurt his foot while on holiday in Cannes. This brought on an attack of epilepsy and he died a few days later. Nearly four months after Leopold died the widowed Duchess gave birth to their second child, a son, at Claremont. She continued to live at Claremont with her two children, Princess Alice, and Prince Leopold, who was better known after his second name of Charles. The Duchess became much involved in local affairs opening many fetes, concerts, and garden parties and attended every annual prize-giving at Esher National School until 1921.
But with the death of Queen Victoria's second son, the Queen decided that Charles should succeed to the Dukedom of Saxe-Coburg, and assume German nationality. For three years the Duchess closed Claremont while she made a home for her son in Germany. Charles studied at Bonn University in 1903, under the watchful eye of his cousin Kaiser Wilhelm.
The outbreak of the 1914-1918 war was a great shock to the Albanys. Charles, now a German citizen, was stripped by King George V of all his British titles and property rights, while his sister's husband was made Earl of Athlone. The Duchess, although German by birth, was sympathetic to the British cause and supported several charities. Nevertheless she was subject to much abuse and had to live with the almost impossible situation of having one child on either side of the conflict. During the first two years of the war, the Duchess ran an officers' convalescent home at Claremont, largely at her own expense. When the cost became too great she let the house to Almeric Paget who used it as a hospital for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers.
The Duchesss died suddenly in 1922 while visiting her son in Austria.
Loseberry returned to private ownership in 1981.
Loseberry Farm
Claygate had several farms in centuries past. There was Beazley Farm by Littleworth Common which ceased milk production in the 1950s in favour of horses; Slough Farm had a dairy herd of Red Poll Cattle and later pigs but later had horses; Manor Farm had a dairy herd of prize-winning jersey cows but later had horses; Elm Farm had dairy cows and chickens and sold delicious cream, but later had a plant nursery business and horse-feed shop; Barwell Court had a big herd of Friesian milking cows and grew cereals, but later kept horses; Horringdon Farm had one of the last big dairy herds of Red Poll cattle and grew cereals and potatoes, but but later horses and grazes young cattle for Loseberry Farm; Loseberry Farm no longer keeps a dairy herd; it later kept a house cow and young stock for the dairy herd at Stoke D'Abernon.
One of Claygate's largest landowners of the 19th century was John Peter Robinson, Gentleman of Oxford Street, and one of the founders of the department store of that name. His main holdings were located either side of Hare Lane, on the west side of the railway. One of the two residences he owned in the locality, Loseberry, still stands, but the other, Brookleigh, just outside Claygate on the west side of Arbrook Lane, has been demolished. Robinson died at Brookleigh on 31 October 1895. For some years thereafter there was considerable litigation over the terms of his will and the disposal of his properties.
Titts Farm was sold off for housing development, while Loseberry Farm, part of the Robinson estate, was purchased by the Commissioners of His Majesty's Woods, Forests and Land Revenues in 1907 as a long-term investment, and to enhance and maintain the Crown Estate. At just over 90 acres, Loseberry Farm has been with the present tenant, Jim Miller, since 1955. Prior to that, from the mid-1920s, John Gardner was the tenant.
Since 1970, Loseberry Farm, under Jim Miller's tenancy, concentrated on dairy cattle and could claim to be one of the nearest dairy farms to London. Some 80 Friesian cows were kept at Loseberry, with a further couple of hundred or so at another farm at Stoke D'Abernon which as managed with Loseberry Farm as a combined unit by the Miller family. The application of modern farming techniques, some of which were pioneered by Jim Miller, enabled the farm to carry around twice the national average density of dairy cows per acre, with an average yield per cow of some 1,000 gallons of high quality milk per year. Since 1971, all the herd were reared on the farm itself.
While Loseberry, as we know it today, is one of Claygate's newer farms, probably dating from around the mid-1800s when it was founded by JP Robinson, it may well have a longer history under a different name and land configuration. There is reason to suppose that a previous farmhouse existed on or close to the site where Claygate railway station and yard were built, and that this farm may have been called 'Polecats Farm' (or perhaps 'Pinners Farm') in those days. Such a farm certainly existed in this general locality in the early part of the 19th century, owned by the Debinham family and farmed by Thomas Sykes.
The Orchard
The Orchard was originally a farmhouse and dates from around the middle of the 18th century as indicated by the date 1723 inscribed on a beam of the barn in its grounds. It also bore Fire Mark J74J issued in 1825 by the Protectors' Insurance Company, now the Phoenix Assurance Company. This 15th century piece of Claygate history is now preserved, not in Claygate, but in Wallis Wood, near Ockley, after being dismantled and transferred. Under the supervision of its new owner, Stuart Aldridge, each piece of the barn was numbered with a plant label, so that it could be reassembled on its new site.
Mr Aldridge, a director of Deeks and Steere, the Godalming builders, said that he was achieving an ambition by acquiring the barn: "It will be erected in the garden of my cottage, which dates back to 1480. I have always wanted to get hold of an old barn that will be as much in keeping with the cottage as possible." Mr. Aldridge said he thought the whole project, from dismantling to the finished buildings on its new site. would cost around £10,000, including purchase of the barn. Ken Huddart, chairman of Claygate Village Residents' Association, said the question of the barn had been very carefully considered locally: "We had hoped it would be sold to a local owner," be said. "But unfortunately nobody came forward in response to advertising. As it is, it will be better where it can be properly looked after."
The barn had become very neglected, and there had been fears that without proper care it would eventually fall down.
Titts Farm
References to Titts Farm date back to 1743, but it was likely much older than this. The farm was broken up and the land auctioned off in lots for development purposes between 1908 and 1910. It comprised some 35 to 40 acres covering the area that now contains Station Road, Loseberry Road, Raleigh Drive and Rythe Road, with the railway line, Hare Lane, Hare Lane Green and the River Rythe as its approximate boundaries. In earlier years the farm probably extended further eastwards to embrace most, if not all, of Lambs Hill, and thus one of the Oaken Lane brickfields: there are references in old deeds to the payment of an annuity of £20 during the lifetime of one owner in lieu of forgoing a one-third royalty on 'unexhausted brick earth'. It also seems likely that one or two fields lying on the other side of Hare Lane may have formed part of this farm.
Titts Farmhouse and its main barn coincided very closely with the location of what became the Orchard, Hare Lane, and the old barn in its grounds bordering Raleigh Drive. The four cottages that went with the farm no longer exist. The barn off Raleigh Drive which stood until the formation of Chadworth Way lay in a field called Barn Close in the 19th century; other fields of Titts Farm were called 'Home Close', 'Carrot Field', 'Claygate Lane Field' — on which the old Swedenborgian church was subsequently built by Charles Higby — and 'Lambs Hill'.
For many years a substantial part of the farmland was owned by John Peter Robinson of Oxford Street, London, and after he died in 1895, by the trustees of his Loseberry Estate. Tenant farmers included James Freelove (1843), William Scott (1884) and William Aspin (1900).
Part of the farmland having been purchased by Bertram White of Raleigh House, Nelson Road, New Malden, was sold by him in 1910 to Ebenezer Thorogood, a builder of Surbiton. It was from the name of White's house that Raleigh Drive got its name; Rythe Road was also part of Raleigh Drive and so named originally.
Site plans of the farm and adjoining land show that a smithy was located on the corner of Station Road and Hare Lane next to the railway bridge until about 1910.
The Beaufort Arms
On Hare Lane coming from the High Street, there was a narrow lane on the right hand side almost opposite 'The Foley'. In this lane there was a small building which was once a public house called 'The Beaufort Arms', and then became a private garage. It is not clear whether this garage was the whole pub or just part of it. 'The Beaufort Arms' probably went out of business around 1900 after the nearby Foley Arms was built. And being located in an alleyway off the main thoroughfare would not have helped its chances of success against its much grander neighbour.
Fieldview School
Fieldview School at 41 Hare Lane, a pre-preparatory school for boys and girls from 2 to 9 years of age, of which Mrs. E.M. Gibbs was the founder and principal.
Shops in Hare Lane
Shortly after the First World War, circa 1919, RJ Bevington and Major Gould bought a parcel of land at the top end of Hare Lane (164) from the Speer family estate. On this they built a garage to the design of E Priestly Cooper of Messrs Lofting and Cooper and called it Claygate Motors. After a few years Bevington bought out Gould's interest and managed the business on his own, aided by a staff drawn largely from Claygate, until the outbreak of World War II. During the war the premises were leased to a firm doing war work, and used as the headquarters of Claygate's Auxiliary Fire Service which was equipped with an Austin tourer and a trailer pump unit.
After the war the remainder of the lease was taken over by Messrs Hubbard Combustion Ltd, employing over 20 men in the manufacture of industrial furnaces. With the expiry of the lease in 1969, and the merging of Hubbard Combustion into the Swan Hunter Group, Bevington sold the site to Esher UDC who developed it into a public car park.
Another garage was established in Hare Lane, at the junction with The Parade, by Sydney Salter in 1921. This business was started by him at the Caprons, Albany Crescent, in 1903, hiring out horse-drawn traps and broughams. Hire cars were introduced in 1919, Pratts petrol was sold, and a car showroom was built in 1932. A full Morris franchise was granted to S Salter & Sons in 1954.
The shops in Hare Lane opposite The Parade, other than the bank and supermarket, were built in 1930. The supermarket was built for and opened by Messrs Cooper & Co. in 1961; later it became a branch of the Fine Fare chain, before becoming a Somerfield and then a Co-op.
On the morning of 22nd March 1982. This was when three armed and masked robbers raided a Security Express van delivering money to the National Westminster Bank in Hare Lane. Using the threat of arms they stole £38,000 in banknotes from the van, and during the raid discharged two pistol shots, one at the van and one at the doors of the bank. Fortunately no-one was injured. The criminals concerned made good their escape via Hare Lane, St Leonards Road, and somewhat surprisingly, Telegraph Lane. There they abandoned their escape vehicle and proceeded on foot across the hill to, presumably, Manor Road South.
Sources
- Claygate Heritage Trail, (leaflet produced by Claygate Parish Council)
- Peebles, Malcolm (1983). The Claygate Book. (Millennium edition). Stockbridge: by BAS Printers Ltd. ISBN 0-9508978-0-9.
- Many thanks also for the photos, many supplied by Terry Gale, from the Claygate Local History Facebook group.
- Esher News and Mail
- Claygate Life — 2004 issue 4