My Woking
To many people, Woking is a forward-looking, modern town with state-of the art buildings and links to scientific innovation that can suggest it has a stronger affinity with the future than with the past.
But for one local man, the history of our Borough has always been a major part of his life and it continues to be a topic of fascination. The Woking Magazine caught up with local historian and author, Iain Wakeford, to find out what it is about Woking that he finds so intriguing.
Now aged 46, Iain has spent his entire life in Woking and it is clear from talking to him that he has no intention of moving far from the Borough. "I love travelling around this country visiting historic sites with my family, but why would I want to live anywhere else? Everything I need is here - good amenities, lovely countryside and a fascinating history, what more could I want?" says Iain.
History in the blood
Iain believes that he inherited his love of history from his parents who would take him on childhood outings to ruined castles and abbeys where he could imagine what it was like for people in days gone by. When he was in his last year at Horsell Secondary School (now Woking High School), he regularly visited Woking Library and, instead of spending time revising, he would spend hours engrossed in books about the history of Horsell.
When he left school at 16, he joined the local history society, based in Mayford, where his enthusiasm and appetite for historical facts were quickly recognised. He started conducting historical walks, giving talks and adult-education lectures, and, at the age of 19, was asked to write his first book, entitled "Bygone Woking", which featured many old photographs from Woking Borough Council's archive as well as old postcards from numerous local collectors.
Sharing his research about Woking with others has been a theme throughout his adult life. As well as writing a number of other books and articles about Woking's history, he organised the annual Woking History Festival for around ten years before moving on to other projects. During the nineties, he spent a huge amount of time carrying out research for Woking's community plays - performances about different aspects of local history. For the millennium, he wrote and directed ten open-air plays (or "dramatised walks" as Iain likes to call them), one for each century, which were performed around ten local villages during the summer of 2000 - an experience which he describes as "a huge highlight".
For many years, Iain has spent much of his spare time leading guided "heritage walks" around the Borough, telling people about the history behind the railway, The Crematorium, Woking Palace and the Mosque. But Woking's history extends way beyond these well-known sites, as Iain explains: "Many people may not be aware of the history that is all around us. For example, Wellington Terrace and the houses of Raglan Road at St John's were originally built in the late 1850s for the staff of the Woking Invalid Convict Prison (later Inkerman Barracks) the first prison in this country to be built specifically for disabled prisoners.
A fascinating history
"The site of the Lion Retail Park also has a fascinating history - it was once the site of James Walker's Lion Works (one of Woking's largest employers). Before that, it was the site of Martinsyde's Aircraft Factory (by the end of the 1st World War the third largest aircraft factory in the world) and before that the site of the Oriental Institute and University. This was preceded by the Royal Dramatic College, built in the early 1860s as a sort of `Fame' school, although it actually ended up as a home for what `The Times' called `decaying actors and actresses'!"
With so many stories to tell, Iain has no intention of hanging up his historical hat just yet and he continues to lead monthly walks around the Borough. If you are keen to know more about local history and would like to participate in a walk, contact Iain on 01483 722591 or email i.wakeford@tavak.co.uk. And look out for Heritage Week, taking place during September when many local sites will be open for members of the public to view.
