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Picture source: David Fisher

The Seven Stars was situated at 8 Swan Lane. Along with The Horse and Groom, this was one of the pubs bombed by the IRA in 1974. It was rebuilt and survived for quite a while after that and is now in retail use.

Source: Mike Andrew

My parents, brother and I live at Burpham, Guildford from 1963. In 1974, I joined Surrey Police as a cadet. On the evening of Saturday 5thOctober, 1974 I was due to go to Hendon Police College in North London, so decided to take my girlfriend out for the evening into the town. We went to the Odeon Cinema at the top of the High Street, and settled into the film. During the film we heard a loud noise and the floor shook. The film was stopped and the cinema was evacuated but we were given no reason. As it was still quite early we decided to go for a walk about ¼ mile to the old High Street. At the top of the High street is Jeffreys passage, a narrow pedestrian walkway with shops. We turned to walk down there but were stopped by a Police Officer. We could see lots of blue lights at the end as the passage opens out onto North Street, opposite the Horse and Groom Pub, or the Horse and Boom as it later became known. I offered my services, but at that stage my service only amounted to 1 month so I was politely told there was nothing I could do. It was of course the first of two explosions in the town though we did not know this at that stage. We continued our walk down the High street, and the second pub to be hit was the ‘Seven Stars’ in Swan Lane. It was very lucky that we had not decided to go down there. I do not remember the second explosion at that pub, but it must have been around the same time, and we were very much closer. We finished our walk and went home. When I returned from Hendon a week or two later for the weekend, news of the bombing had spread, and unlike the night of the bombings when the town was quite busy with people, the town was quiet. There was talk of the army having been the target, but people were frightened and stayed away. On another such weekend home I went with friends to another pub next to the river in Guildford. I do not remember its name. My hair was cut short and I was asked to leave. I was upset by this as I had done nothing wrong but the barman said, it was because I looked like ‘army’. I never went inside either the Horse and Groom, or the Seven stars, but to this day, whenever I am close to them, I always stop quietly to remember those that were killed and injured and the damage the bombings did to my quiet, gentle, historic home town……like all towns though it has its moments, and this was one I shall never forget. I ended up serving with Surrey Police for my full 30 years focusing on Crime Prevention and community Projects. I had no involvement in the investigation.

Brian Whicher (February 2022)

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