Saturday 21st January 2012

The History of Bushy Park by Ray Brodie

There was a record attendance at Holy Trinity Church Hall of one hundred and two for this talk, despite a matinee performance of Aladdin taking place at the Village Hall next door.

Ray explained that King Charles I had the idea of creating an artificial waterway in the Park because Hampton Court Palace was always short of water. There was nowhere locally with a sufficient fall of water and so the Longford River was built by hand taking nine months at a cost of £4,000. It was an ornamental canal, 12 miles long bringing water from the River Colne in Hertfordshire and it now appears to be a natural part of the landscape.

King Charles I also commissioned a statue and fountain for his Queen, Henrietta Maria. It first stood at Somerset House but was moved by Oliver Cromwell to the Privy Garden at Hampton Court. In 1713 the statue moved again. Sir Christopher Wren had designed the Chestnut Avenue at the Park to make a long formal route through the middle. He added a large round pound and put the statue and fountain in the middle. The feature is known as the Diana fountain after the Roman goddess of hunting, but the statue actually represents Diana's nymph, Arethusa.

Ray explained that much work and restoration had been done in recent years, particularly in the Water Gardens at the site of the Cascade, which had been built in 1710. A letter of that time was shown, written by the Earl of Halifax, the first Chancellor of the Exchequer encouraging a visit to Bushy to see his completed project.

The Park was much used in both World Wars. During World War I, Canadian troops were stationed there and Upper Lodge became the King's Canadian Hospital. In World War II part of the park was the base for the US 8th Army Air Force, US Strategic Air Forces and later where General Eisenhower planned Operation Overlord.

Thanks were given for an excellent fully illustrated lecture which encouraged many in the audience to visit or revisit the area armed with new information about such a historical neighbour.

Thursday 8th December 2011

Short talks on Local History by members at the Christmas Meeting.

The Society turned to a format which has been very successful in other years and volunteers from the membership prepared short presentations. Steve Webbe started with information about Frances Day, the lady who was responsible for the saving of 'The Tower of Esher', outlining the story of her career with little known but stunning facts and a little gossip and scandal. Tim Sargent then told us about the Cobham/London Bus Museum and showed some lovely images of old buses which have recently been rehoused at Brooklands Museum. Penny Jackson had prepared a well-illustrated talk about the career of Lady D'Abernon, who with her husband lived at Esher Place, and revealed a story of self-sacrifice and charitable work particularly at the time of World War I.

There was then time for a relaxing glass of wine or fruit juice with a mince pie and other refreshment to make the occasion a jolly one. Paul Langton showed several new images on postcards including Esher High Street in 1911 decorated for the coronation of George V. Keith Evetts then spoke about more scandal and a drunken vicar at St. Nicholas Church, Thames Ditton which led to the formation of the church at Holy Trinity, Claygate. Christine Whittle-Dall concluded this most enjoyable evening by reciting a Betjeman poem.

Saturday 19th November 2011

Cemetery Sanitation in 19th century London. The work of George Alfred Walker by Peter Harp.

Peter Harp's talk probably wasn't everybody's idea of a jolly afternoon with Surrey's favourite history society. Indeed on sober reflection, it might have been best delivered at Halloween. But to the great credit of the Society, there was a respectable turn-out and nobody fell to the floor in a dead faint or made a dash for the door.

Eschewing all euphemisms and sparing no ghoulish detail, Peter Harp made it clear that in the early 19th Century London's burial grounds were an abomination. Bursting at the seams, stinking and insanitary, they attracted loathsome body snatchers bent on stealing corpses for dissection and for other uses too ghastly to repeat here.

Fortunately, none of this horror escaped the attention of George Alfred Walker, doctor, surgeon and sanitary reformer of 101 Drury Lane, London who expressed his concern about the scandalous state of the capital's graveyards in the lengthy title of a book he published in 1839. It was called "Gatherings from grave yards; particularly those of London... And a detail of (the) dangerous and fatal results produced by the unwise and revolting custom of inhuming the dead in the midst of the living."

Dr. Walker was shocked by London's overcrowded graveyards with their ill-buried, rotting corpses and in 1841 he wrote to the Home Secretary Sir James Graham to protest a practice in which "grave after grave is dug in soil, frequently so overcharged with putrescent ... matter, that it is impossible to prevent the corruption of the atmosphere, from the exhalations unavoidably arising from the frequent up-turning of the earth." It was a custom, he warned, "as dangerous to private and public health, as it is destructive of morality."

Heedless of any queasiness on the part of the Home Secretary, he went on to note that "in many instances, bodies are placed one above another and side by side until the accumulated masses of corruption have reached a depth of 25 or 30 feet, the topmost coffins being but a few inches from the surface." But Dr. Walker wasn't merely offended by London's hellish graveyards. He was convinced that the noxious gases or "miasma" emitted by the putrefying bodies caused sickness and death. "Indisputable facts," he told Sir James Graham, "prove that the gaseous exhalations from dead bodies have in many instances seriously injured health, and in others immediately destroyed life."

As Peter Harp noted, Dr. Walker wanted the age-old custom of burying the dead in crowded cities and towns outlawed. Accordingly, he devoted much of his life to campaigning for the closure of London's repellent burial grounds. "There is scarcely a single grave-yard, vault, or receptacle for the dead in London that is not overcharged," he informed the Home Secretary. In 1842 Dr. Walker repeated his concern to a select committee of the House of Commons, observing that "the majority of the places for the interment of the dead" in London constantly give off "noxious effluvia, which...operate as a slow or energetic poison."

One of the capital's most offensive burial grounds, Peter Harp declared, was the ironically titled "Green Ground" belonging to the Parish of St. Clement Danes on Portugal Street where some 5,500 bodies were interred between 1823-1848. Drenched with human putrescence, it was a paradise for bodysnatchers. According to Peter a "foul graveyard" was to be found every 100 yards in London. That's because, despite the capital's soaring population, burying space in London remained constant at some 300 acres.

The Spa Fields Burial Ground in Clerkenwell (scene of the famous radical mass meeting in 1816) was spectacularly repulsive. In an old tea garden where some 1,300 bodies might have been comfortably interred, the proprietor managed to accommodate some 80,000 corpses by the time the cemetery closed in 1849. Charging less than the local parish church, Spa Fields was nothing more than a diabolical racket. To make room for the newly deceased, the recently buried were brutally dug up under cover of darkness and burnt in a bone house. At this London golgotha, the hellfires burned day and night.

But as Peter Harp stressed, nothing was more stomach-churning than the Baptist Enon Chapel (built in 1823 or thereabouts) which stood on what is today St. Clement's Lane off the Strand. Grieving families paid the minister, a certain Mr. Howse, 15 shillings apiece to consign the coffins of loved ones to the vault beneath. The fact that the Enon Chapel Vault was only 60 ft. long, 29 ft. wide and 6 ft. deep didn't deter the minister who stuffed untold numbers of deceased Londoners beneath the floorboards as he conducted divine service in the chapel above. The stench of corpses was often more than the congregation could bear. Worshippers inhaling it fainted and fell ill. Loathsome black insects, nicknamed "body bugs" by the Sunday School children, infested the chapel in the summer and local residents battled a vast army of rats. When Howse died in 1842 it was estimated that he'd consigned 11,000 bodies to the hellhole beneath Enon Chapel.

So how had Howse jammed so many corpses into such a small space? Peter Harp contends that the fiendish minister broke into a sewer that ran through the vault and flushed decomposing bodies into the Thames. It was a scene that Hieronymus Bosch would have quaked at. Incredibly he revealed that the grisly Enon Chapel was later used for tea dances. Records show that it became a "low dancing saloon" for those of the teetotal persuasion, unabashedly displaying a sign which read: "Enon Chapel - Dancing on the Dead - Admission threepence - No lady or gentleman admitted unless wearing shoes and stockings." A drawing in "The Poor Man's Guardian" of December 4th 1847 shows dancers cavorting over a charnel house of bones and shattered coffins.

As the scandalous condition of London's graveyards became increasingly apparent, a string of countryside cemeteries began to spring up. Kensal Green, which opened in 1833, was the first of these to challenge the long tradition of burial in local churchyard or family vault. But Peter noted that it was only when Princess Sophia, daughter of George III and Queen Charlotte, was buried at Kensal Green in 1848, that it became a socially acceptable repository for the dead. There's still room for 1,000 burials in its catacombs. But there's a catch: coffins cost £7,000 each. Other cemeteries that followed Kensal Green included West Norwood (1837), Highgate Cemetery (1839), Abney Park (1840), Brompton (1840), Nunhead (1840), Tower Hamlets (1841), and Brookwood (1854).

Brookwood near Woking in Surrey offered a railway line that linked the cemetery to a terminus just outside Waterloo Station. When mourners arrived on the special trains from London they discovered a North Station for Nonconformists and South Station for Anglicans. Wags joked that Brookwood's bars displayed a sign that announced: "Spirits Served Here."

Peter ended his talk with a mention of the growing custom of cremating the dead in Britain. In 1874 Queen Victoria's surgeon, Sir Henry Thompson, founded the Cremation Society and the first official cremation took place in 1885 at Woking Crematorium in Surrey after a judge had deemed it legal. Dr. Walker died suddenly in Wales in 1884 while working on his book "Grave Reminiscences." It was never published. London may have long forgotten Dr. Walker and the debt it owes him. But Peter Harp is determined to honour both his memory and achievement. That parliament intervened to outlaw further internment in London's wildly insanitary graveyards by the Burial Act of 1851 is largely due to Dr. Walker's courage and determination, he avers.

If Peter Harp's talk at times evoked the grisliest of Hammer Horror films, it did reveal one of the grimmest aspects of life in early 19th Century London and introduce to all who bravely attended the heroic doctor who put an end to a foul obscenity that stained the nation's capital. Thankfully, not a single member of the Society had to be revived with smelling salts.

© EDLHS/Stephen Webbe

This event was very well attended with eighty members and guests. Alistair concentrated his talk on several people who were local to Esher, mainly Victorian writers and poets of the romantic period. One of the first mentioned was Thomas Babington Macaulay 1800 - 1859 Historian, Poet and Writer who lived at Ditton Marsh. George Meredith 1828 - 1909 a celebrated Victorian Novelist and Poet was also included.

Two more modern names could not be missed, John Lennon 1940 - 1980 Musician, Composer and Political Activist who by mid 1964 had set up home at St. George's Hill, Weybridge and George Harrison 1943 - 2001 Composer, Musician and Film Producer who moved into a bungalow called Kinfauns near Claremont, Esher. Alistair was thanked for the eloquence of his script and for giving us such detailed information about some of the Hundred.

For a full list of the Elmbridge Hundred see the links page with the website address.

A fuller report will appear in the Winter newsletter.

We had been invited to Claremont Mansion to take part in the Heritage Day and several members acted as room stewards during the morning. There was much to be done at the property as the Claremont Tree Society were giving guided tours of the grounds which are not normally open to the public, there were guided tours within the property and there was tea, coffee and cakes throughout the day in the Grand Room.

The Drawing Room was set up for our meeting with several prints on the walls including Princess Charlotte wearing her Russian dress, the original Vanbrugh Claremont and a young Princess Victoria with the Duchess of Kent.

Julian Pooley from the Surrey History Centre at Woking spoke about the writing of Surrey's County History and informed the large audience about the problems encountered by early historians to get their information into print. He mentioned how historical documents were used to resolve boundary disputes and outlined the careers of men in the 18th and 19th century who had the vision to enquire and record the counyt's history in three large volumes.

After a popular question and answer session Julian was thanked for his informative, concise and educated lecture and then all were invited to attend the Grand Room for tea and coffee.

A fuller report will appear in the Winter newsletter.

Under the heading "Archaeology for All" the Esher Village Studies Group presented a display of facsimile maps from the time of the Eynsham cartulary to the Tithe apportionment. The presentation was held over 2 days between 11.00am and 4.00pm, the four members of the group sharing the time, always having one of them present to answer questions. The event proved to be very well attended over both days and the maps were stunning examples of early times in Esher.

Further information and photos appear on the Research Projects page. Note also the entry about "Putting Esher on the Map" on the Newsletter Extracts page.

This visit proved to be extremely popular and the list was full within a few weeks of booking slips being issued. A full coach of 52 set out from the Dittons Library car park at 9.30am. Cliveden was a stunning location, with arrangements having been made on arrival to visit the Cliveden Conservation Centre.There was then time for a walk around the magnificent gardens before and after lunch. A late afternoon visit to the House with a guided tour made the day a most memorable one. Peter Hills was warmly thanked at the conclusion for making the event such a resounding success.

Again more than 50 members and guests attended this walk which was arranged to be of an informal type, as members collected printed guides and a map at the church and set off in groups to walk the route at their own pace.

The first port of call was The Friends Meeting House on Claremont Lane who had kindly kept the property open for us, enabling the interior to be seen. Meetings had been held in the district in the mid 17th century and in 1793 land had been purchased and the current pleasant one-story building had been erected. Walkers then returned to the High Street and saw the Bear Inn, The Old Village Pump, The Victoria Memorial and the Drinking Fountain. Next came the Grapes, one of Esher's oldest surviving houses and then the former Post Office. Several other properties were admired as we went down the High Street as far as Moore Place Hotel, sadly currently boarded up. The return was on the opposite side of the road as far as Park Road which gives a fine view of Christ Church, consecrated in 1854. We crossed to Esher Green and back to the High Street and concluded the walk with a visit to The Traveller's Rest and Sandown House.

Back at St. George's Church tea and coffee had been arranged and there was a Power point presentation of old pictures of the route, display boards with old images and there was a short question and answer session amongst those present. A thoroughly enjoyable evening with one of the stars being the old church, the oldest public building in Esher.

This walk proved to be very popular, 51 members and guests attended the Mansion at 6.30pm for the evening walk. The weather was fine and because of the large number attending two groups were formed.

All manner of trees were seen during the visit, predominantly varieties of oak, but also many others including some rare specimens. They cannot all be listed in this short report but included in the first part were a Judas Tree (Cercis siliquastrum), a Colorado Blue Spruce, a Walnut Tree and Kentucky Coffee Trees (Gymnocladus dioicus).

The Claremont Tree Society are responsible for continuing to plant trees for the future and amongst many young specimens we saw on our visit was a small Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba). There were oaks including Red Oak, Hungarian Oak, Turkey Oak and Black Oak. As we entered the woodland area the Cork Oak underneath which Princess Victoria had taken tea was seen. Finally, on our return to the Mansion, at the end of this most enjoyable walk Noel gave us a description of how one recognises the varieties of Cedars.

Committee members Anne and Peter Hills opened their garden for the second year in a row at 7 More Lane, Esher and free parking was arranged with Sandown Racecourse at the More Lane entrance.

The walled garden looked superb at this late Spring event and proved to be a popular place to visit on a warm, sunny day. There was much to see, including some rare shade loving plants and spring and summer bulbs under them.

In 1730 Henry Pelham commissioned William Kent to remodel Wayneflete Tower and to landscape the surrounding area, Esher Place. Within four years this was in the majority accomplished. The Head Gardener, Robert Leadman, leased a Cottage, Orangery and extensive Walled Garden within the Pelham Estate. He lived at the Gardener's Cottage whilst managing and maintaining the 'Pleasure Gardens' and 'Kitchen Gardens' that famously featured in many 19th century publications. The successive Head Gardeners would enter the estate through an imposing brick Archway, 6 metres high, onto Wayneflete Tower Avenue.

The Gardener's Cottage, Orangery, Wall and Archway still stand and visitors were able to stroll around the delightful garden and enjoy tea on the terrace by the summer rockery.

Our President Dr. Pamela Reading had indicated her wish to retire from the position after three years. The Society was not allowing her to go that easily and appointed her as a Vice-President. Christine Whittle-Dall was appointed unanimously as the new President of the Society. The Chairman reported a most successful year with an increased membership and attendances at meetings. All other members of the committee were willing to remain in post. The guest speaker was then introduced.

David Page is the Countryside Estates Officer at Elmbridge Council and has worked on the Commons for over 20 years. He is currently completing the Esher Commons Restoration and Management Plan which was agreed in 2006 to help restore the nationally important grass, heath and wetland habitats still found there. David gave a marvellously informative, illustrated talk which covered aspects of the natural and social history of the Commons and countryside around Esher.

In 1860, figures revealed that up to one third of the army suffered from sexual diseases causing them to be unfit for duty. The government passed an Act that was so draconian, it galvanised women into action and ultimately led to women getting the vote.

Chris gave a well presented, informative talk. The Society have been fortunate to have a hat trick of talks from him in recent years showing his great qualities as a guest speaker.

Another well attended meeting heard Sylvia talk about the social and economic changes in Britain which caused an increased demand for the services of Craftsmen. The talk explored how the Craftsmen adapted their skills to carry out the wishes of the landowners, who were building, rebuilding or extending their houses to show their wealth and political influence. Reference was made to the properties at Claremont and Ham House.

A fuller report appears in the Spring newsletter.

Initially with this illustrated talk Judy showed us a slide of numbers of servants in many roles in 1851 and 1871. It was obvious from those figures that as a general principal the numbers of females increased in the later year and the numbers of males decreased. There were over a million servants in Britain in this period. Industrialisation was to play its part in the reduction of males working in country houses.

She went on to describe the ranking and structure of the servants in the households and continued with the job descriptions of many of them. From the Housemaid whose work with others would start at 5am cleaning grates, lighting fires, sweeping, dusting and polishing, work that would continue until late at night, to the role of the Housekeeper whose badge of office was a large bunch of keys. The Laundrymaid, the Dairymaid, the Chef, Valet, Footman and Coachman were some of the many appointments required to run the property to a standard.

The talk drew on letters, diaries and autobiographies giving a vivid insight into the day-to-day lives of country house servants. There were many questions and answers afterwards which showed the enjoyment and information that the audience had drawn from the talk. It was also a new record for the Society at this venue, a total of 80 members and guests.

A full report appears in the Spring newsletter.

Jeremy's first slide showed us Fairs that took place all over Surrey and Horse Fairs initially took precedence over any other kind. As the Victorian era progressed the fairground became the attraction that drew people in and illustrations were shown of how crowds flocked to the events and a comment was made about the rubbish that was left behind.

From flimsy stalls and sideshows to gleaming steam-driven machinery, the fair never ceased to attract attention, condemnation and investment. Fairground folk were a community like no other - quick-witted as the clowns, ostentatious as the gilded gingerbread and frequently as law-abiding as Mr. Punch himself.

Jeremy who is the manager of Bourne Hall Museum described daylight and twilight fairs, the peep show, fairground art, magic mirrors, boxing booths, the travelling menagerie and what was behind the curtains.

A truly stunning presentation which was followed by wine and mince pies. A full report appears in the Spring newsletter.

Seventy six members and guests attended this talk by Jon who is working towards an MPhil at Kingston University. This talk was based on that work.

Between about 1848 and the latter half of the 1850s there were scares arising from perceived threats by the French against the British. The French were modernising their navy and the British Army was in large part scattered around the globe.

The Volunteer Force was to be set up on a county basis with the Lord Lieutenant's approval being required. A Corps could be formed with a minimum of 60 members and 3 officers. Kingston struggled to form a Corps but Esher was more successful and was Gazetted as the 6th Company of the Surrey Rifle Volunteers effective the 29th October 1859. Jon then outlined many names both of the officers and other ranks which he had identified, including the second private recruited, William Limbrick, the publican at the Prince of Wales at West End, Esher.

The Esher Corps was fortunate to be allowed to build their rifle range on the Claremont 'wastes'. Jon outlined what remains at the site today and then described what men did there with the targets up to 900 yards away.

The talk was superbly illustrated and contained a rich description of events of the period. A fuller report will appear in the Winter newsletter.

Seventy four members and guests attended this talk by Ian who is a State Apartment Warder at Hampton Court. It was almost seven years ago that he had come to the Society and had spoken about the Palace behind the scenes. This was an entirely different talk that took us through the wealth of personalities who had connections with the Palace.

Much was learned by an appreciative audience who were shown illustrations on slides of paper ephemera material that had survived including photos of areas that the public are not entitled to see.

He outlined the fact that the approach building to the Palace on the left after entering through the Trophy Gates was a block which had been a Military Garrison until 1914. Even frequent visitors to Hampton Court were to learn new facts. Several personalties who had lived in the apartments were looked at in detail and then Ian took many questions from the interested audience. He was thanked for such a well researched talk and it had been worth the wait to have him as our guest speaker again.

A full report will appear in the Winter newsletter.

A very well attended meeting opened the new season of talks. Forty six members and guests came to listen to the story of a local regiment. Ian briefly explained their initial formation and then outlined the involvement that they had in World War I. Kingston Barracks was too small to train many of the men and most were trained elsewhere including training camps in Richmond Park. In all 18 Battalions were formed from Regulars, Territorial Army, Volunteers and Conscripts. A total of 6,356 officers and men died in Service.

7 Victoria Crosses were won, 3 in one day on Hill 60. Each of those awards was looked at with images of the men involved. On 1st July 1916 2 footballs were kicked towards the enemy lines with men following and the East Surrey's football charge was the headline in a copy of the Daily Sketch. Only two footballs were involved and they were brought back to Kingston on 22nd July 1916. There had been about 350 casualties from a 1000 men.

A full report will appear in the Winter newsletter.

Fifty two members and guests attended this trip which had been fully booked for some months. After arrival the party were divided into two groups each with their own guide. The Dockyard is a stunning survivor of a bygone era and the tour enthralled everyone present. There was time after lunch for individuals to explore the large site, decisions having to be made as to whether to attend the working Napoleonic Ropery and make rope or to go on board the Second World War destroyer HMS Cavalier or board the Cold War submarine HMS Ocelot.

Additionally there were galleries and a museum setting out the dockyard's 400 year history. Many of the group took the opportunity to upgrade their ticket for another visit. So much to see and on the coach trip back members commented on what a memorable day it had been.

It was a dark, windy and wet night when 26 walkers met at Hollyhedge Road, Car Park. A three mile walk followed and David took walkers to areas of Cobham that many never knew existed. At the end many were discussing when they could return again. A fuller report will appear in the Autumn newsletter. A collection was made at the end for David's charity - the Cobham Uganda partnership.

Twenty six members and guests attended for a "Bespoke Tour" of this magnificent Grade 1 listed building which had been founded by George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury in 1619. The Hospital's plan was modelled on an Oxford or Cambridge college of the kind Abbot knew well. It is not a hospital in the modern sense, but in the old-fashioned meaning as a home for the elderly.

Our numbers were split into three groups each with an individual guide. The High Street frontage is dominated by the central gate tower which is flanked by two wings. The great oak doors bear George Abbot's initials, the three gold pears of his personal coat of arms and the Y-shaped pallium of the See of Canterbury. The gate tower contains a strongroom, now known as the Monmouth Room which we were shown displaying many artefacts and we were then taken to the top which had splendid views of Guildford.

We had initially been taken to the Guesten Hall which was comfortably panelled and we were also privileged to see the Chapel with magnificent painted-glass windows. The Common Hall and the Garden were also shown and described to us. The Society had been fortunate to have visited this beautiful building and to have had such splendid guides.

The business part of the AGM was kept to a minimum. The only alteration to the officers and committee was that Peter Hills became Honorary Secretary, all others members remained in post.

Matthew Alexander then outlined that life for ordinary people in the Surrey Hills in the later part of the 19th century was picturesque perhaps, but hard, as they wrested a living from unrewarding soils. His lecture was eloquent and illustrated with some superb early images, many of them memorable for the detail of the person or event they were portraying. There were photographs of men ready to dig carrots, a charcoal burner, hop picking by ladies and a Surrey smock to name a few. A most informative talk was warmly applauded by the forty two persons present.

A full report will appear in the Autumn newsletter.

Seventy five members and guests attended this presentation by four members who had done a vast amount of work and research, which Jo Richards outlined in the introduction.

They would be covering the period from around the arrival of the railway in Esher and would be working backwards from about 1850. A copy of the Tithe map was on display along with other maps and records. The major influences on the development of Esher and what brought people here over the ages were to be investigated. The sources would include maps, parish records, family papers and tax and census returns. Esher Library had a large local history collection which they had now largely catalogued. The project was work in progress and eventually it was hoped to publish a book.

Dr. Veronica King outlined the geology of the area, and covered the Portsmouth Road and coaching.

Anne Hills spoke about Esher Green and its development.

Pat Worthy continued the presentation with information about Sandon Hospital.

Jo Richards concluded with information about the landscape and medieval open fields.

David Taylor in a tribute at the end complimented them on the quality of the work done. He stated how long we had waited as a society for such a group to work towards the goal of a published document. It would form part of a series of books which was encouraged and supported by the Surrey Archaeological Society.

More than forty members and guests attended this talk about Nonsuch. Gerald had kindly agreed to give us an introduction about Nonsuch Palace as well as the story of Nonsuch Mansion.

He had spoken earlier that day to a group in Cheam and to allow him time to recover from his journey a short presentation of some local images and information about the proposed Elmbridge Hundred was given.

Gerald then gave an eloquent talk using slides. He showed us the original Palace and gave an explanation that so little survived because of the recycling of the material. He then went on to explain that the Mansion which is located within Nonsuch Park was built in 1731-43 by Joseph Thompson. It was rebuilt in Tudor Gothic style in 1802-6.

It became an important centre for Victorian and Edwardian high society in the area until its decline before WW2.

More information will be available in the Spring Newsletter.

Another well advertised event brought in a new recent record of sixty two members and guests.

Chris told us about the early history of the estate giving a brief outline of the many owners including Onslow. He used maps to show the sheer size of the grounds and images to portray the beautiful gardens which complimented the house.

During WWI, the Munitions and Inventions Department was set up by Winston Churchill and between 1915 and 1920 the land became one of several testing grounds. Major William Herbert Smith was in charge and they set about experimenting with many contraptions which might assist the troops at the front.

The building was knocked down shortly after the war and the large estate was sold off, some of it for housing, some for light indusrial usage and some to the police for horse training and later as a sports club. All that survives is an old Lime tree.

Chris also reminded us that it was the scene of a horrendous incident in 1944 when a flying bomb fell on the sports field and 23 Welsh Guards were killed.

A fuller report will appear in the Spring newsletter.

A well advertised event drew in forty five members and guests for this festive occasion.

Penny Rainbow described the work of William Kent with beautiful illustrations some of the images shown being snow scenes.

Anne Hills gave a delightful talk about the Gardeners Cottage which lies within the grounds of Esher Place and traced its existence back through the centuries.

Christine Dall recited a piece of poetry to conclude part one and refreshments were taken.

Steve Webbe then gave us a lovely story about Princess Victoria meeting the gypsies in Esher.

Paul Langton provided pictures of some thought provoking postcards and the audience joined him singing a verse of "Robin Hood".

Maureen Langton concluded proceedings by reading the poem "Christmas" by John Betjeman.

The Winter 2009 Newsletter was also distrubuted to those members attending. More details of this meeting will appear in the Spring newsletter

The day was memorable for being very wet and very windy. However, despite this more than 40 members attended to listen to Cherrill talk about some of the lesser known gardens in Surrey and additionally a couple of her favourites. They may be lesser known but her illustrations were to provide the audience with wonderful images of gardens close to us.

She covered a number of centuries in this talk and commenced with the garden at Albury which is near Guildford. Others included Gatton Park, Merstham, Titsey Place Gardens, Oxted and Great Fosters, Egham.

Claremont, Esher and Painshill, Cobham could not be forgotten. Cherrill was thanked for such a splendid talk, which had given many of our members a list of beautiful places to visit.

A fuller report will appear in the Winter newsletter.

The Society were privileged to have Suzannah with us the day before she flew out to the USA for a series of lectures.

Before the lecture there was a tribute to Colin Dall, Vice-President, former Chairman and Newsletter Editor whose funeral had taken place on the preceding Thursday.

Suzannah then enthralled the large number of members and guests about this amazing year in the life of Henry.

It all seemed to be going so well for Henry, such a handsome, athletic man with a warm and benevolent nature and then on 24th January 1536 he had a jousting accident. From that moment and throughout the year it became obvious that Henry was a changed man.

This lecture was a highlight of the year for the Society and a fuller report will appear in the Winter newsletter.

Over forty members and guests attended this talk which commenced the new season. Dr. Sue Hawkins gained her doctorate, on nursing in Victorian London, at Kingston University. She is the research project manager for the Centre's Great Ormond Street Hospital Victorian patient admissions project and is currently managing a follow up on two further London children's hospitals.

The database is rapidly expanding and now circa 120,000 admissions will be recorded. There were many arguments against children's hospitals in the Victorian era, one being that children should not be removed from their mothers. The original hospital for sick children was opened at 49, Great Ormond Street on 14th February 1852.

Much information was imparted of Surrey children who had been admitted including details of two brothers living at High Street, Esher next to the Coburg Arms. Also mentioned were the illnesses that these children were admitted with including tubercular diseases often with joints, bones or muscles problems.

A full report will appear in the Winter newsletter.

Thirty members and guests attended this magnificent Museum which had been launched in 1967 by a small group of enthusiasts led by the Museum's founder, the late Dr. J.R. Armstrong MBE.

The principal aim of the founding group was to establish a centre that could rescue representative examples of vernacular buildings from the South East of England, and thereby to generate an increased public awareness and interest in the built environment.

The Museum promotes the retention of buildings on their original sites unless there is no alternative.

The group were guided in the morning by one of the volunteers, Anne, who showed many of the buildings to us and offered tips on how to spend the remainder of the day after lunch. Shire horses at work and Lurgashall Mill grinding wheat into flour were some of the many highlights.

A fuller report will appear in the Autumn newsletter.

Our meeting point was St. Mary's Church, London Road, Ewell and 23 members and guests attended the location to listen to Ian who has a vast knowledge and understanding of the architecture of both Epsom and Ewell.

He gave all present a fascinating introduction to the history of the village area and we were privileged to enter Ewell Tower and Spring House which are the subject of much ongoing work. The walk took us by Ewell Castle and another building displaying Tuck pointing which he had explained in an earlier lecture to us.

Mathematical tiles were shown at the conclusion of the evening and as he explained they were not a consequence of the brick tax.

A full report will appear in the Autumn newsletter.

The Workhouse stood on the periphery of Guildford and in 1906 stood as a testament to the welfare system. It housed the forgotten classes of England - the poor, the infirm, the ill and the destitute. In that year a purpose-built Casual Ward was designed to separate the 'undesirable' vagrants and their disruptive influence from the routine of the Workhouse.

The Society were to enjoy this well attended visit by listening to costumed guides of the period telling them about the experiences that inmates endured to earn their keep at the Spike.

More details to follow in the Autumn newsletter.

Wayneflete Tower has been the logo of the Society since formation.

Peter gave a brilliant account of the excavation that took place a couple of years ago. He detailed the effort involved in completing the task and showed us with splendid illustrations many of the finds. A perfect topic for the AGM.

A fuller report will appear in the Autumn newsletter.

Ian explained the production of early brick in the county and brought with him several samples which were available for members to look at during the break. With illustrations on slides he showed many of the earliest buildings in Surrey. Some of the notable ones were the Epsom Assembly Rooms, the first Spa Assembly Room in the country and the perfect Robert Dyas shopfront in Dorking. Ham House, Carshalton House, Clandon House and many others were shown with a detailed description of each and the merits of certain architectural features.

A full report of Ian's informative, entertaining and excellent talk will appear in the Spring newsletter.

Excellent illustrations accompanied Nick's very informative lecture about the 5 bridges and the proposed sixth. He took us back to a 1747 Act of Parliament which allowed the building of the first bridge and he showed the 1754 Canelleto painting of the bridge which is at the Dulwich Art Gallery. This was a wooden bridge which spanned 130' and was 65' high in the middle. The wooden bridge did not last long and was replaced by one similar in style to Queens Bridge, Cambridge in 1788. The collapse of the bridge's central arches in 1859 led to the railway coming to Shepperton in 1864. The 3rd bridge was a girder bridge and in 1870 was freed from toll. Nick outlined the construction of the later bridges and mentioned proposals for the future.

A fuller report will appear in the Spring newsletter.

A former journalist and corporate affairs director, David now writes on the Great War and reviews military books. His passion for the works of author and dramatist RC Sherriff has involved hours spent researching the Sherriff Collection at Surrey History Centre. Sherriff served as a captain in the East Surrey Regiment during the First World War and his experiences are captured in the hundreds of letters he wrote home. David focussed on Sherriff's war and how it inspired him to write his great play 'Journey's End'.

A fuller report will appear in the Society's spring newsletter.

The Society were associated with RC Sherriff towards the end of his life. In our newsletter of December 1975 his death was recorded and stated "many members will recall the enjoyable afternoon we spent at his home 'Rosebriars', in May 1972, when he talked to us and showed us round his garden. Often, afterwards, he wrote in appreciation of the items which appeared in the Local History News, and he was full of enthusiasm and encouragement for the objectives and ideas which bind us together as a Society.

David after his informative talk took a question and answer session adding to our knowledge of the character of the man and was warmly thanked for such a splendid insight into a local personality.

Paul had been busy the previous month over the Remembrance weekend and had taken his preserved Mail Van to Quorn Station, Leics. In a ceremony the Duke of Gloucester had renamed a steam locomotive to mark the centenary of the Territorial Army. Paul had then picked up mail as the Travelling PO came rushing through dispatching the mail as in days past and conveyed it to an Army PO.

Paul had been a telegram boy in the late 1950's before becoming a postman. He showed the audience of over 40 members many magnificent early slides of Staff, Vehicles and Buildings, produced an old postman's chapeau and regaled us with fascinating stories of his own and his father's experiences from the early days until the end of the General Post Office in 1969.

A full report of Paul's excellent talk to the Society will appear in the Spring 2009 newsletter.

Chris worked as a Constable and Sergeant in the Mounted Branch and he has researched many facets of the Metropolitan Police history. He is the author of many articles on police history and allied subjects. It was in 1984 that he founded the Mounted Branch Museum at Imber Court in Thames Ditton Surrey.

His lecture to the Society explained how the Mounted Police developed and adapted over time from chasing and deterring highwaymen to maintaining public order at demonstrations, football matches and other gatherings. His explanation verified that they are as essential now as in 1736.

Chris was warmly thanked for giving such a humorous, informative and well presented talk.

A Royal Warrant instituted the Albert Medal and the first recipient was dated 23rd March 1866. The following year the award was split into a 1st and 2nd class distinction for acts of courage at sea. In 1877 the medal was instituted for saving life on land. In 1917 the 1st and 2nd class distinctions were revoked and finally in 1971 the Albert Medal itself was revoked. The award could be controversial and was refused for many reasons including insufficient risk to life, insufficient evidence or multiple acts at the same incident.

John gave an excellent account and examples to members of how the award was won or refused. He outlined examples of the courage that would be required including the story of HMS Birkenhead in 1852 and of a woman Grace Darling who earlier had been a heroine.

A fuller report of John's well illustrated and very enjoyable lecture will appear in the Winter newsletter.

Forty members attended the first lecture of the new series as Dr.Judy Hill told us about the Swing Riots in Surrey 1830 - 1832.

There had been much unease in the country at this time, particularly in southern parts with a great deal of unrest in Kent but also in Surrey. Formally noted offences in the county included 48 cases of incendiarism, 7 cases of threatening letters and 5 food riots to name a few. The rising took place against increasing pauperisation of labourers after 1827 because of bad harvests. The summer of 1830 was wet and cold and was a particularly poor harvest. Parishes were finding it difficult to provide Poor relief.

The labourer's grievances included a demand for higher wages, the destruction of threshing machines, direct access to the land and the granting of Poor relief as a right and not as a privilege.

Events are often difficult to trace as vestry minutes didn't want to show that their parishes were involved in the Swing Riots. Certainly in this period Cobham was to appoint Special Constables to police the area. Outsiders were often blamed but the truth is local labourers had had enough.

Dr. Hill was warmly thanked for an informative and knowledgeable lecture.

Thirty two members and guests met at Thames Ditton library car park for a coach trip to Brunswick Square WC1. On our way we passed Lambeth Palace (the scene of a visit the previous year) and Russell Square arriving in good time for our guided tours.

The museum is situated in a leafy Bloomsbury cul-de-sac, between the British Museum and the British Library. It tells the story of Thomas Coram who in the early 1720s was horrified by the many young children he saw abandoned on the streets of London. He resolved to do something about this drastic situation and spent the next 17 years working to raise funds for the establishment of the Foundling Hospital. It was supported by some of the leading cultural figures of the day including William Hogarth and George Frederick Handel. The Hospital was to close in 1926 and many paintings and exhibits are now on display in the Museum adjoining the site of the original Hospital. Today, Coram continues the Foundling Hospital's work with vulnerable children and young people.

After the visit was an opportunity to take lunch locally with a large selection of restaurants and cafes available and then being at the heart of London's Museum Mile informal visits were made to Dickens House or the British Library. Many extended a walk as far as the newly transformed St. Pancras to see the champagne bar!

A return journey on this hot sunny day in our air conditioned coach through Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square reminded us of the magnificence of London and concluded a very pleasant, enjoyable and informative day.

It is several years since the Society had a stall at a local event and a decision was taken that in our 40th year we should advertise ourselves.

This was the 105th year of the Claygate Show and was very well attended. Great interest was shown in the maps and photos that were exhibited and a constant flow of people ensured that the time flew by. As the President of the Show David Williams said in his programme notes "Flower show is a day for all the family and also a day when old friendships are renewed and new friendships are made". The local M.P. Ian Taylor was one of the first visitors to the stand and told us "Keep up the good work".

Thanks are due to Chris and Gay Harris for helping with the setting up and dismantling. Thanks also to Pamela Reading and Christine Dall for their support and good humour in greeting the many visitors.

Twenty three members attended the evening meeting and were given a very good insight into the varied and amazing history of the Royal Borough by Alan Mason.

The walk around one of the best preserved medieval street layouts in Greater London included stories about the coaching inns and the Coronation Stone of Saxon Kings. A visit to the riverside showed us the site of the first bridge at Kingston to cross the Thames and a look under the present bridge showed the work required to extend it twice from the original width.

Descriptions of the long lost industries and buildings in the area added to the interest of an enjoyable evening. A full report will appear in the Autumn newsletter.

Over 50 members and guests attended the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Esher District Local History Society and were privileged to visit the Mounted Branch. A guided tour of the stables and museum was given after a passing-out parade for newly trained horses and riders.

The visit was followed by a buffet which was held in the Esher Suite of the main building. The Elmbridge Deputy Mayor, Councillor James Vickers, was guest of honour and Pamela Reading, President of the Society, welcomed him to the meeting. A fuller report appears on the News Items page.

After many years as President, David Taylor stood down this year and Pamela Reading was voted in as our new President. He accepted a position as Vice-President, as did Colin Dall who had for many years served in various capacities on the committee.

After formal proceedings about 40 members, listened to Andrew give an excellent, enthusiastic and entertaining talk to the Society about "The Homewood", near Esher, Surrey. It is a country villa reflecting the style and ethos of the Modern Movement designed and lived in by the architect Patrick Gwynne. He created the house for his family - his father, mother, sister and himself - and completed it in the early summer of 1938.

However, the Gwynnes lived together for only a little over a year as the Second World War broke out in the autumn of 1939 and Commander Gwynne was forced out of retirement re-entering the Royal Navy. Patrick joined the Royal Air Force, and his sister Noreen (known as Babs) joined the Women's Royal Naval Service. Both parents died during the war and Patrick and Babs returned in 1945. She soon married and moved out, while Patrick remained. There he had his architectural office, tended the ten-acre garden, entertained and lived at the house until his death in May 2003.

A full report will appear in the Autumn Newsletter.

This well attended meeting listened to the Family History author Diane Marelli giving us an insight into research into her own family history. She was a very enthusiastic speaker on her subject and was able to offer much advice on the pitfalls if one is proposing to do research.

The lecture was accompanied by excellent illustrations using a PowerPoint presentation and she outlined the details of several members of her family, giving us much information about life in Victorian London. There were examples of the workhouse and imprisonment in this difficult time and we were also reminded that a workhouse existed in Esher.

A full report of this very good talk will appear in the Spring Newsletter.

Over 50 members and guests attended this meeting to hear David Taylor talk about his tenth book.

In 1806 Harvey Christian Combe, brewer and Lord Mayor of London, decided to establish himself as a country gentleman and purchased the Cobham Park estate. His family played a significant role in the development of the village into a small town over the past two centuries.

David talked about the bicentenary of Harvey's arrival in Cobham and told the story of his descendants and their contributions to the estate.

He told us that the Combe family were relative newcomers to Cobham, an area of ancient settlement. Recent excavations at Down Farm have revealed occupation of the site in the Anglo-Saxon period. The land saw many fascinating owners and occupiers, including a fishmonger granted lands for his 'faithful services' to Chertsey Abbey, a royal officer under Henry VIII, an apothecary to Elizabeth I, the Suttons, who had links to the famous episode of Gerrard Winstanley, and a gentleman of Charles II's 'privye chamber'.

A full report of David's fascinating talk will appear in the Spring 2008 Newsletter.

Over 50 members attended this meeting to hear Patrick Molineux talk about Domesday Book with the emphasis on Surrey and our own local area.

Some say that Domesday Book is the most important document in English history, vying for that honour with Magna Carta.

Patrick gave us a superb talk on that early period telling us the owners of the areas in our locality including Chertsey Abbey and Westminster Abbey. He described the way that taxes were collected, in one way in the form of a a hide which originally was a unit of land. He detailed how the peasants whether they be villans, borders, cottars or slaves worked the land. The most important land was ploughland but meadow, grazing and woodland were also of great use.

A full report of Patrick's excellent lecture will appear in the Spring 2008 Newsletter.

The Christmas meeting was well attended to hear writer and publisher Chris talk about the Holly. There was a strong Xmas theme to the evening as he explained that the Holly was used as a ritual plant at this season for thousands of years before the coming of Christianity. It has now become a generalised commercial symbol, making Holly one of our best known trees.

He covered a vast amount of history including it being a seasonal symbol with the Babylonians and Romans and explained how it came to be accepted in Christianity.

This was the perfect event for this time of year and Chris made the evening a memorable occasion with his knowledgeable, witty and informative style.

A full report will appear in the Spring Newsletter.

Rob Poulton works from the Surrey History Centre at Woking and is a member of the Surrey Archaeological Unit.

His many excavations include Guildford Castle, Chertsey Abbey and Oatlands.

Rob gave a fascinating intriguing and very knowledgeable lecture to an audience of 50 gathered to hear information about this Palace. Henry expanded an existing Medieval manor house in Weybridge using foundation material which was taken from the demolition site of Chertsey Abbey. It became one of Henry's Hunting Lodge's and the importance of hunting to Tudor monarchs cannot be over-emphasised. It was demolished at the end of the Civil War in 1650.

A full report will appear in the Society's Winter Newsletter.

Local author Howard Mallinson gave the Society a talk about the prelude to and arrival of the Railway.

A collapse in agricultural land values, because of a bad harvest in 1878, a catastrophic harvest in 1879 and cheap grain from North America, brought a proposal by the largest local landowners for a new railway from Guildford via Kingston.

The impact that a railway could bring was shown locally many years before when a businessman from Hampton, F J Kent, having early notice that the London & South Western Railway intended to make their terminus for Hampton Court in East Molesey, had acquired about 300 acres of land, which when developed produced about £3,000 per acre compared with the £60 - £80 per acre that he paid.

There was controversy about the route particularly in the direction to Cobham and Queen Victoria was opposed because it was too near Claremont. The Oxshott, Stoke D'Abernon direction was finally decided upon and the New Line to Guildford opened on 2nd February 1885.

The audience gave Howard a warm round of applause for a very informative lecture.

Lucy owns and runs the Fire and Iron Gallery in Leatherhead, a gallery dedicated to art metalwork.

She lives and works on the same site with her husband Adam, and "home" for them just happens to be the oldest house in Leatherhead.

We were taken on a trip through time back to the inhabitants of the early days of occupation of the house which she had researched meticulously. Several old maps were used to illustrate her points. The property had large grounds prior to the arrival of the M25 and some delightful images were shown around the end of the Victorian era and up to modern days.

The talk included details of her family's arrival in Leatherhead and included photos of her grandfather "Boggy" who had fought in both World War One and World War Two. The talk was a fascinating record of the house and covered a combination of social, local and family history. Lucy feels that despite being the current owner of the property she is merely a custodian and her research continues.

Lucy was warmly thanked for giving the Society such a brilliant start to the new season.

Members met at Thames Ditton Library car park and the trip was fully booked.

The group arrived at Lambeth Road just before the Garden History Museum opened. We had learned that Admiral ( Captain ) Bligh of 'Bounty' fame, d. 1817, was buried in the grounds of St. Mary's Church which the museum now occupied.

The museum was a fascinating history of gardening techniques with displays amongst others of Gertrude Jekyll, Lutyens and Tradescant.

Lunch was taken and then came the highlight of the day. The group were divided into two and one group walked around the gardens where a fox was seen showing the rural nature of this Central London location. The other group were shown a video with a welcome by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Both groups were then led by guides and saw the splendours of the Palace. The building was begun by Archbishop Langton (1207-1229), but few of his successors failed to add to or alter it. The residential part was built in 1829-1838. Morton's Tower, a noble red brick gatehouse was built in c. 1490. The Great Hall, Library and Guard Chamber and the oldest part of the building the beautiful Crypt beneath the Chapel were admired. The current Archbishop when in residence uses the Crypt for daily services.

Many fine documents are held in the Library including Edward VI's Latin grammar and Elizabeth I's prayer book. The Guard Chamber contains a fine series of portraits of the archbishops since 1503. The Great Hall was rebuilt in medieval style by Archbishop Juxon in 1663 and has a roof 70 feet in height, resembling that of Westminster Hall.

Finally the Post Room (1435) and the small Chapel (c. 1230) rededicated in 1955 preserving stalls and other fittings provided by Archbishop Laud (1634) were seen.

A thanks was given to our knowledgeable, informative and eloquently spoken guides.

Members met outside Twickenham Museum, The Embankment, Twickenham close to St. Mary's Church. Initially the walk centred on this area and we saw many old cottages/houses and then the old coaching route of Church Street, seeing firemarks on buildings.

We also walked by the river, saw Eel Pie island and visited the grounds of St Mary's Church. Alexander Pope (1688 - 1744) is buried in the church. Whilst at the river we had looked upstream and seen the remaining part of Pope's riverside villa where he lived from 1717 - 1744. It lay on the direct road to Hampton Court.

We then visited the grounds of York House, Montpelier Row (where Chapel House was Tennyson's home in 1850 - 1853) and Sion Road. Both of these roads have almost unspoilt 18th century houses.

We passed the now defunct Twickenham Ferry and our journey also took us to Orleans House and Marble Hill House, a fine Palladian Mansion built for George II. Here the walk finished and a warm thankyou was given to our most informative guide.

The disappointment on a splendid evening was that only 10 members attended.

This was the perfect follow up to a previous visit to Wayneflete Tower. The Tower had survived from the original "Palace of Esher" when William Kent pulled down the majority of the Tudor mansion on the site. He built a manor and added wings on both sides of the Tower for Henry Pelham, a future Prime Minister, who had bought the manor and estate in 1729. The original estate covered 560 acres.

John Spicer, a London stockbroker, purchased the estate in 1805 and the William Kent manor was pulled down leaving again the existing Wayneflete's Tower. A new residence was built at the top of the hill from re-claimed masonry and bricks from the Kent house which had been next to the River Mole. In 1895 Edgar Vincent D'Abernon purchased the estate which was now 366 acres. He incorporated some of the Spicer house as the southwest wing and built a new house in the French style.

In 1930 the house was given to the Shaftsbury Society and a home for girls was opened which lasted until 1952. It was then sold with 8 acres of parkland to the Electrical Trades Union who opened its own residential college in 1953. Today, Amicus is committed to preserving the history and beauty of Esher Place.

The Society as well as viewing the house was privileged to see the amphitheatre, the great urn to Pelham and the 17th century Tulip tree in the grounds.

The main topic for the AGM was the retirement from the committee of two members, Colin and Christine Dall. A presentation was made to each for their sterling work over the last ten years. Christine has been our Secretary over that period and Colin, a former Chairman, has edited the Newsletter in recent years.

There were no members willing to take over their roles and so they will be temporarily left vacant and performed by current committee members.

After the official business was concluded the audience were then treated to a talk on Molesey by Pamela Reading. She took us on a walk around the area covering entries in the Domesday Book and bringing us right up to date with the recently constructed sundial near the river. The majority of the talk concentrated on that period around the arrival of the railway at Hampton Court.

A hearty thanks was given to Pamela for concluding the Society's lectures this season.

John Morris brought along equipment with him to show the audience gathered at the Molesey Day Centre, how to digitally photograph large original tithe maps. An ingenious configuration of poles and brackets enables an overhead photograph of the item to be downloaded to a laptop for easier viewing.

Questions were invited from the audience before a short break was taken. We were then enlightened with local and national information surrounding the story of the tithe. Originally it had been a 10% charge on produce of land, particularly to farmers, for support of clergy and church. This was to account for the existence of the tithe barn and later the charge was to be made in cash.

John spoke in detail about arrangements in the Leatherhead area and was thanked for being such an eloquent speaker.

Unfortunately our guest speaker Howard Mallinson was ill and unable to attend. I am happy to report that he is now on the mend and his talk will be rescheduled to later in the year.

Paul deputised with a description of the years of the postcard before World War One, often referred to as the Golden Age or Golden Era. We saw images of the experimental army airship "Nulli Secundus" and racing at Brooklands in those halycon days before the start of the war. German printing was at its best far superior to that which we could produce.

Sadly with the start of the war all that was to change and German products naturally were shunned. The postcard having been used as a happy contact between people all over the world was to be used for propaganda purposes and also to keep up morale. A sinking of British ships by a U-boat and each army taking prisoners were illustrated to show that both were winning the war. Cards sent by men in training, on the way to or at the front were mentioned. The unveiling of the Claygate War Memorial was the conclusion, one of the names thereon having lost his life at the Battle of Jutland.

A late change of venue and a letter to members reminding them of the fact led to a large number attending this meeting.

John Evelyn was born in 1620 into a substantial Surrey landowning family whose fortunes were founded in gunpowder manufacture. John Evelyn became of age just as the Civil War began and to escape the disturbances embarked on a prolonged period of travel in Italy and France. This period abroad stimulated his varied intellectual interests. He returned to England in 1652 and had made himself learned in many matters. He began a famous garden at Sayes Court, Deptford. The Restoration of Charles II in 1660 began his engagement in public affairs and he became a founder member of the Royal Society.

He has principally been known from his diary. Interesting to note that the diary of Pepys a friend of his covered a period of 9 years and Evelyn's diary a period of 80 years. Some deeds and manorial records involving his family are held at the Surrey History Centre. Thanks were given to Isabel for imparting some fascinating facts about his life.

Ian is a full time freelance weatherman, author and speaker on meteorological matters. The timing of his talk at the Claygate Day Centre was remarkable as London had a tornado on that day which overshadowed the 22 flood warnings issued that morning as heavy rain swept across from the Atlantic.

The talk concentrated on 'Frosts, Freezes and Fairs' the title of one of his books, a chronicle of the frozen Thames and harsh winters. The last of the 'Great Frost Fairs' took place on the Thames in 1814 and some of the other cold winters occurred in 1895, 1947 and 1963.

An interval at this Xmas meeting allowed people to warm up with mulled wine and mince pies! Ian concluded his excellent talk and illustrations with an explanation of why the Thames no longer freezes over.

Nick works in the Aerospace industry and gave a well illustrated talk to members at West End Village Hall.

About to celebrate its 60th Anniversary Heathrow was built on a flat expanse of farmland where several of the then properties were to be demolished. We looked again at early airports in the area and saw tents at Heathrow in those first days as an international airport with arrivals and departures shown in chalk on a blackboard. What must those early travellers from New York have thought of London Airport when it rained with mud and dirt everywhere. The constant factor was the Bath Road running to the north despite many of the houses being demolished to make way for hotels. Propellors gave way to Jets and the development of the airport was shown with excellent photographs.

A good turnout of members at Holy Trinity Church Hall, Claygate on a day clashing with the opening of an Exhibition of the 150th anniversary of St Paul's Church Molesey and a French Market in Esher.

A well received interactive day with members seeing images which invoked that nostalgic feeling when looking at old picture postcards. Mr F.W.J. Fricker a local photographer of Esher was well illustrated from a century ago, as well as Mr Martin of Claygate and then a look at the Edwardian holiday resort of Surbiton.

This was an excellent follow up to our June visit noted below.

Penny's illustrated talk at St. Christopher's Church, Hinchley Wood spanned the centuries from 1462 to the present day with an insight into events that had occurred at the Palace and Gatehouse. Spanish Admirals had been imprisoned there and later British Prime Ministers had been the owner. It's survival is a glorious tale.