About the Author

Born a Fearnley in Epsom in Surrey in 1948, I have lived in, or very close to, Surrey all my life. My Fearnley (paternal) line is descended from a group of miners, mine workers and engineers from Lancashire, my maternal line is White (farmers on the south coast of Devon) and Relph (Labourers in Sussex) - how these grandparents met is a mystery to me!

I now live in a small town in west Surrey, if you've been here no doubt you'll recognise some of the places pictured here. I earn my living as a Computer Engineer and IT Consultant these days though by training and inclination I'm an electronics engineer, having spent most of my working life designing electronic equipment of one sort and another. My hobbies are sailing, cycling, walking and 'messing about with electronic gadgets", particularly computers.

A quiet stretch of the river

Our parish church dates from Saxon beginnings in 980 AD

My interest in my family tree was sparked, like many other people, by the announcement of the availability of the 1901 census on the web. Once I started I was hooked! I describe the challenge as a combination of crossword and jigsaw puzzle - you have to solve a crossword in order to obtain each piece of the jigsaw and then work out how to fit your new piece into the puzzle.

Narrowboats ply our river

Horsedrawn river trips too!

Our old town has some lovely old buildings and our streets are increasingly being used as period sets for TV and film drama.

The Godalming 'Pepperpot'

One of the town's mills on the river Ock

We also have a couple of hideous monstrosities that should never have received planning permission!

The Police Station viewed from the main road.   Everyone passing through Godalming sees this beautiful view! The Knowhere Guide - Best and Worst in Godalming, records this about our 1960's police Station: "Demolish It Now Building: * Neo-brutalist concrete Police Station" .... .... I couldn't say it better myself!

The entrance on the old main road The view from the supermarket   I nominated this ugly duck for the Channel 4 TV program 'Demolition' about the ugliest buildings in Britain!

More photos of the old and attractive buildings in our town with a tiny bit of their history

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to my site. Why not drop me a line and let me know what you think, I can't guarantee to reply to all messages and I only check them once a week anyway.

Thanks for your visit!