Hethersett belonged to my great-uncle - Julius Auerbach and lived there with his wife, Helena Auerbach from 1894 to 1956. It is our family home.

However,unfortunately, because my father, Harold Auerbach, his nephew, did not continue the family busines - Dreyfus & Co - Julius's wife, Helena, left the house to the secretary who in turn left it to the RNIB in 1952 to set up a Residential home for the blind. We have several photos of the house and some original etchings. The house should have gone back to the family but we did not claim it. I went to visit it myself in 1991. If you would like further information about the house or its owner, Julius Auerbach - please contact me via my e-mail address: - Patricia Aubrey (formerly Auerbach)- great-niece of Julius Auerbach.

I'm interested to know about a gallery called Hethersett Galleries on Philanthropic Rd. Was it based in this house? I bought a pencil illustration in a charity shop which has the gallery's sticker on the back. The frame looks 1970s ish style. In particular does anyone know of a link to E H Shepard as the drawong is of one of his Winnie the Pooh illustrations but probably a copy by someone else ( no visible signature). Fascinating to read about the house, though I've. no local connection.

Charlotte

This looks very Gothic, almost worthy of Horace Walpole.

As a matter of interest, can anyone tell me what was on the land in Gatton Park road, where the modern Parkside Court now is?

It must have been a substantial house, or hospital perhaps.

I would love to see any other photographs of Hethersett House. My late father was associated to the RNIB for some years.

I went there with my school in 1975 to play cricket. The blind school had a team that played using a large ball filled with lead shot so that they could hear where the ball was. I have very fond memories of a lovely summer's evening. My form master at Purley Boys also worked at Hetherset.

I run a web site and electronic magazine for Hethersett which is a village about six miles from Norwich on the London Road and just off the main A11. I have been told that the original owner came from Hethersett in Norfolk. I come from Hethersett and ironically my niece lives in Reigate but has never mentioned Hethersett House

I have been researching my family tree and found that my great great uncle was Head Gardener and lived at Hethersett Lodge, Wray Lane in 1901. I wonder if he worked for the Auerbach family at Hethersett. He later had a nursery and florist shop in Wray Lane which his son took over. If anyone can confirm this or has any photos I would love to hear from you. Anne

Yes your great great uncle worked for my great uncle Julius Auerbach. He owned Hethersett from 1890 - 1924. He died in September, 1924 age 64 years. His wife continued to live there for a few years before selling it on. She passed away in 1955.

Regards Patricia Aubrey

was a pupil at Heathersett in 1975. I also remember the cricket match on the common that David Rogers is referring to. Funny the things we remember. I remember it as I played Silly Mid Off and managed to take and hold on to a well struck ball. Took the wind out of me.

I am researching the history of the campaign for the vote in the dorking/reigate area. Mrs Auerback (helena, Julius's wife) was very active in the non-militant campaign and hosted many events at Heathersett. are there any photos of her surviving?

Dear Kathy,

Thank-you for your interest in my family. Yes, I have one photo of my great aunt Helena Auerbach. I don't have it scanned at the moment. She was on various committees - I believe she was the Treasurer on most of them - of the Suffragette movement during the 1920's. There is quite a lot of information about her on the internet if you just google her name - and more photos of her. Please contact me anytime, should you want further info. You can email me or call me on my mobile - 07716311400 . Kind Regards - Patricia Aubrey (Auerbach).

My parents were friends with Hellen and Jasper Otley who lived in the gatehouse in the mid-50's. I remember seeing the main house in a sorry state having been damaged during WWII with the upper floors and the contents of the rooms (beds/wardrobes etc) in clear view. I was about 8 years old at the time.

Comment number 12. My apologies to Hetherset, I was confusing it with Quarry HiLL house and Lodge.

I've just come across this post and found it fascinating to read the history of the building I worked at when it was known as RNIB Hethersett Centre for Blind Adolescents. I was Beryl Starmer in those days and worked there as Office Secretary to the Principal from 1977 to 1984. Mr Cunliffe was the Principal and he and his staff did some fantastic work helping many visually impaired youngsters (all school leaving age) to progress into suitable gainful employment. I would love to hear from any of them if they too should stumble upon this page - oh the wonders of modern technology!!

I was a student at Heathersett in 1971. Mr Cunliffe was principal and mr Kettle was deputy. I had never been away from my home until I went to Heathersett and I found it difficult at times. I had very good sight at that time except when it was dark, I lost all my sight by the time I reached my mid thirties, I was 16 years old in 1971. I too played cricket and was pretty good out in the field, but I was a bit of a slog em and run type of batsman. I learnt much about engineering with Mr Hockley and my first real job was working in a local factory, so Heathersett gave me a good start to my working life. I often wonder what happened to all those folk I met during that year. Cheers Bob.

I was one of the 2 cooks at Hethersett from about 1969 for a couple of years. Mrs Semen was the head cook, and Mrs Keens was the head housekeeper. I met Miss Liz Moulder, an American teacher there and we married for a couple of years. I travelled around for some years then I went i7nto Further Education and finally retired as a FE College Assistant Principal. I only have good memories of Hethersett.

Hello, my grandfather, John Jack Harris, was a gardener at The Gardens Hethersett, Reigate according to the 1911 Census of England. William Morgan Blackwood signed the census form. I have been told that when he came to Canada he had inhand various Letters of Reference to help him with employment in Canada. If you can tell me anything more about John Jack Harris I would really appreciate that.

I was interested to come across this picture of Hethersett having been connected to my family. Although a bit vague, from conversations with my maternal Grandmother, she along with her Mother Elsie and her own Parents lived in something like a stable block above what I think were the stables as my Grandmother's Grandfather was involved with providing the horse and carriage transport for the house - they were the Pescud family. My Grandmother sometimes talked about the smell of horse leather and of a vivid thunderstorm when they lived there. I would guess it was around the 1920's-1930's (she was born 1917) because by the second world war, my Grandmother and her Mum were living in Bath where she met my Grandfather and got married before moving to Poole in the 1950's. My Grandmother died in 2003. Her Mum's Brother - Arthur Pescud - went on to be a Butler for his working life, latterly being a Butler at a large house near West Meon in Hampshire. My Grandmother did visit the house with my Aunt back in - I think - the 1990's while on holiday and mentioned about it being connected to the RNIB.

Wondering if anyone knows the history of the original owners of Stone House? I have heard that one of them was an eminent horticulturist (perhaps associated with the RHS?) and planted a number of non-native trees and shrubs in his garden at Stone House. We believe that some of the trees in our current garden (which would have originally been part of the wider grounds of Stone House) were perhaps part of his garden. We have two huge Redwoods which are some of the tallest trees in the area.

The Stone House was built in 1866 for Augustus Mordan (1821-1901). Augustus Mordan was joint owner of the luxury gold and silver goods manufacturing company of S.Mordan & Co. With his brother, Sampson Junior he had inherited the thriving company from his father, Sampson Mordan Senior, in 1843. Augustus's daughter Clara Evelyn (1844-1915) became a generous champion of women's rights and education. She was often a speaker at suffragette meetings and she gifted the money to enable the then newly formed St Hughs College, Oxford to build their first purpose built home.

I have just started researching my family history. The Surrey Electoral Registers show my paternal grandparents, John Reuben & Lillian Kate Lewin, were resident at Little Gatton from 1945 to 1947 and the entry for 1947 includes A "malcolm Campbell". I remember my grandmother telling me she was in service to Sir Malcom Campbell for a time. I know from the 1939 Register they were butler and cook to a stockbroker in Chertsey so they may well have served the same functions for Sir Malcolm. Sadly I don't have any photographs relating to this period of their lives and I would be very grateful to receive any photos (especially any showing Little Gatton as it was in the mid 1940's and/or the servants at that time) or any other relevant information.

i have discovered that my father lived at Little Gatton as a small child. I wondered if you had any more pictures/information.

I used to stay at Little Gatton as a small child

My parents used to live at Quarry Hill House 1959-1986/and then built Old Garden House 1986-1993 (ish!) on Gatton Road. I used to visit Little Gatton very frequently to visit my friend; the house then belonged to the Smedley family (of frozen pea fame). There used to be a bothy to the side of the house that we used to love playing houses in. The garages to the side were used to keep the famous racing cars in when the house belonged to the Campbell family.

There were 2 large houses at the end of Gatton Road near Wray Common, Nethercote (only the Lodge remains now) and Greystones (nothing left), and Hethersett opposite Little Gatton. Quarry Hill House has perhaps survived because it was divided up and the owners never agreed together to have it demolished. Before us, from the 1950s, Colonel Bain, the Cox family, & the Pettit family and the Darnell family lived at Quarry Hill House. Over the years the Trembath family, the Lowe family, the Holbrook family, the Warner family , then the Kirton family lived in various divisions of the house. I have lost track since the 1990s.

When we moved to Gatton Road in 1959 there were very few other houses in Gatton Road. The views across the countryside were spectacular and everywhere was light and open. I am saddened to find now how many heavy evergreen trees are around, and how dense the hedging is. However I still remember the wonderful walks across the Downs especially with our two dogs.

I believe this is the house where Sir Malcolm Campbell died, he was born and s buried in Chislehurst, Kent. Does this house still exist, can anyone send me a photograph?

This house still exists. My mum lives just along the road from it.

part of the garden has been built on in recent years but the house and garages remain apparently well cared for

All these postings about Gatton Road ring many bells with me as my family built one of the houses in Gatton Close in 1961/62, (there were 4 others on the new-road site) and stayed there until the mid 1980s. The plot (Hillview) was incredibly steep but the views from the top were magnificent. My parents were very keen gardeners and landscaped it beautifully into beds, paths and terraces. That top boundary was between us and Hethersett grounds.

Georgina, I remember coming to your house to play, and also we used to go to the Smedleys house to play with a friend there, but I cannot remember her name.

I also used to visit Hethersett because another friend lived there as her father worked at the School for the Blind. I recall being invited to go around the work rooms to watch what the people there were making: it was a hive of industry and training and I remember being amazed at it all.

Very pleased to see photos of Little Gatton. I lived in the Lodge during the late 70s/early80s and loved the area. Needed more space! The lodge was OK for 2 but not when family came along!