Moira MacQuaide’s history of Burpham

Many will remember the old people’s homes in Coniers Way, called Burpham Homes. They were opened in June 1964 with speeches from Lt. Col. H J Wells CBE, Alderman E B Nicklin JP and the Marquess of Lothian amongst others.

It is rare to find information specifically about Burpham men in conflicts before the Boer Wars, but we do know that there were some in the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, serving in South Africa, including George Howard.

The homes consisted of three buildings, named Abbot, Annandale and Astolat – presumably named after George Abbot, John Annandale and Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, which suggested that Astolat was another name for Guildford? Each building accommodated 40 residents, male, female and couples. There were landscaped grounds, gardens and woodland, providing a nice environment for people living there.

Local support for the Homes included a Friends of the Homes group and the Burpham Friendship Club, which made visits, arranged outings, gave birthday cards and gifts, and a Christmas party. The WRVS took round a sweet and book trolley each week. On the first Sunday each month, the Evensong service moved from the Church of the Holy Spirit next door into the dining room of one of the houses, including a portable organ for the organist to play. Residents were fetched from each house if they wanted to attend.

In 1987 the Surrey Advertiser reported that two of the residents, with a combined age of 150 years, had fallen in love and got married.

An annual event was the Burpham Homes Fête, held at the end of June, early July. Stalls were run by local organisations, including the Womens’ Institute, as well as selling second hand books, jumble, hoopla, cakes, plants, and a beer tent. Celebrities usually opened the fetes, such as Tony Hart (artist), Richard Baker (newsreader) and Joyce Grenfell (entertainer). The Sea Cadets’ band played.

In the 1970s there was some media interest when Council officials investigated issues about expensive running costs and complaints about the conditions. Staff, unhappy with the suggestion that they did not do their utmost to make life happy for the residents, challenged the complainants to come and see what life was really like in the Homes. Funding was made available in 1979 for improvements to make life more private and comfortable for people who had to share rooms.

In 1987 the Surrey Advertiser reported that two of the residents, with a combined age of 150 years, had fallen in love and got married. A wedding buffet and party was arranged, including champagne and cake.

Unfortunately, there were more concerns later in 1987 when an elderly woman wandered out unnoticed, and was found the next morning lying dead in a ditch half a mile away. The Vicar wrote to the Council asking for redesignation of the Homes to enable higher staffing levels and better pay for staff. By late 1990 it was decided to close Burpham Homes because it was outdated and too costly to refurbish. Residents were moved to new homes planned for Merrow and Farncombe, or back into the community. In 1997 the Surrey Advertiser reported that six purpose-built houses, providing community living for 27 people with learning disabilities, were opened in Mallow Crescent, in place of some of the old Burpham Homes buildings. The Astolat building remained as office accommodation for voluntary sector organisations.

Astolat now hosts not-for-profit and charitable organisations who support challenged, vulnerable and disabled people, carers and other groups.

If you are willing to share your memories and/or photos to tell us more about Burpham then please contact Moira MacQuaide, either by e-mail (moira.macquaide@gmail.com) or by phone or text (07963 756543). My book, Burpham – A Gateway to Guildford is still available from me for £10 (free delivery locally) or on Amazon, but the History of Burpham Primary School 1908-2014 is now out of print (available to borrow at Guildford Library).