Gallery
The first time I found a guide to Camberley I was quite thrilled, as I had never seen one before. The version I found had been produced by a local stationers, and had details of everything from the history of the area, to bus and train prices
Since then, I have discovered that a new copy of the 'town guide' was published about every ten years by the local council and they are a treasure trove of small but telling detail.
In the illustration you can see a 1920s version and the town is substantially the same as before WW1 - complete with bootmakers and stables.
By the time WW2 had been ended for a few years, the council were boasting about their ability to build new council homes and a smart new industrial estate. Space was still found, though, for considerable detail about the local 'tourist attraction' - the RMA.
But now that Camberley has become part of 'Surrey Heath' the guide has to cover a much wider area and a wider number of interests - so it covers very little in any detail.
In fact, it has become a ghost of its former self and I cannot even find a link on the SHBC website to direct you to the digital version (hard copies are like gold dust - I don't have one!).
Is it time to call it a day? Or is there still a place for a well researched, professionally produced guide to the town (both digital and print)?
