Rachel Hawker

Ooooh spooked now ! Thanks for all the comments it's so interesting to hear different perspectives - thanks for the links too Trevor & Cliff, very interesting. I thought I'd ask about it as I was helping my friend delivering brochures on Valley Road a few years ago & that house for some reason gave me a bad feeling when I walked up the path & posted a brochure - never had that before or since, probably nothing but wanted to hear if anyone else had any stories or history on the house so thank you everyone !

Yep that's the one ! Thanks for that, hopefully it might help someone remember something

Anyone heard about a house with supposed poltergeist (!) on Valley Road Sherwood??? It's a detached house on the same side & just before The Fox Pub (going towards Arnold). It was owned by Sketchleys for years & years from the 30's or 40's ish - then in more recent years rented out but apparently no tenants stayed for too long due to the haunting ! I am not a great believer in that type of thing myself but l love local history & stories & wondered if anyone else had heard about this house?

Ooh not sure m ick, I found the image on the Geograph website, it was one of 2 images, quite an interesting site but very little information really. I tried emailing the guy whose name was credited but he never got back....charming !!!

Thanks fch782c, Piggy & Babs - that's really interesting. I was fascinated with the building as a child, I thought a Princess lived there ! fch782c if you get any more info or images from your brother please do post them as I would love to hear more. Does anyone know if Seely lived there when it was build, before it was used for evacuees? I have read a thread from about 1850 when Seely wanted to build a family house high on the hill behind Ramsdale Farm (near the golf club) so I assume this was that house he discussed in the mid 19th century. Thanks again everyone this is really interestin

Does anyone know anything at all about the old Ramsdale 'Special' School that could be seen high up on the hill (seen from the Ollerton Rd) behind Ramsdale Golf Club? It was off the top of George's Hill & had a green dome on the top but was demolished about 10 years ago & turned into Calverton Hill Residential Care Centre. I know a bit about the later use of the building in the 50's-70's, as a school for the handicapped/ special needs etc, & it was previously used in the war as a temporary home for evacuees but I am particularly interested in the building of the house (for one of t

Hi Limey - yes I loved it around there but as you say I bet most teenagers in Redhill & Arnold have ever bothered venturing that way, to busy on their laptops etc ! Good to hear you enjoyed it there as a kid too, did you know my Grandfather at all or any of the Hawkers? I would love to hear from anyone who knew them & the business in the 1940-60's so if anyone did please get in touch it would be lovely to hear anything at all.

Hi Michael - no that's my aunt waving in the pic, she lived opposite with my mum & grandparents. I think the photo was taken around 1966 when she was a teenager. I was born in the mid 70's & the garage was sold by then but we still had the land at the side of the house opposite & we used to play there as kids. We often went over to the 'abandoned road' as we called it then & ride our bikes there & then over to the old derelict pumping station. My family eventually sold the land in the very early 90's & that is my last link to the place . I have a photo that shows the

Hi micktome Administartor, Yes I 'googled' Hawkers garage leapool & was surprised to find a link here. Am so pleased people remember the Hawkers & I am very proud to be one of the family. 'Hurley House' was sold way back in the late 60's early 70's I think but we kept the land at the side until the family sold it to the Highways in the 90's....I miss that place I have quite a few images of the old garage & Leapool island but am having problems uploading to this site (grrrr) but watch this space !

This is an image of the old Leapool Island before any work started.

Hi, My name is Rachel & I posted on here a couple of months ago regarding Leapool Island. My Grandfather was Peter Hawker (one of the Hawker & Sons) from the privately owned garage at Leapool. My great grandfather started the business way back in the 1940's I think & also built the house directly opposite which was then called 'Hurley House' named after my great Grandmother Eliza Hurley. The family sold the business in the late 60's but kept Hurley House for a few years after that. I have found quite a few images of the old garage, Leapool Island before the renovations etc.

My Grandpa was Peter Hawker & it was his father that started the garage business Hawker & Sons in the 1940's I think. My Grandpa worked at the garage with his Father & brothers. My Great Grandfather also built the house opposite 'Hurley House' originally named after his wife (my Great Grandmother) Eliza Hurley. I doubt it's called that now but my Mum lived there in the 1950's-60's & remembers playing at the garage & stealing cigarettes when she was 15! The house & garage were sold in the 60's but my family kept the land next to the house (next to the roundabout) until t