Leatherhead & District Local History Society

The Society's pages and those relating to the Leatherhead Museum, are searchable - see SEARCH

As chairman of the History Society I am disappointed at the decline in attendance in support of the fundraising efforts of the Friends of the Museum and for other events such as National Archaeology Week. The turn out was truly disappointing at this years event, only three representatives of the History Society were present when our invited guest, the Chairman of Mole Valley District Council arrived to launch the event.

The attendance in general last week at this event was no better with a distinct absence of any of the membership visiting the museum, exhibition or supporting the walks lead by Gordon Knowles and Gwen Hoad on the two Sundays of 13th & 20th July.

Maybe archaeology is not your thing, or you were committed to other things? You and the Membership must decide what is wanted from the Society and the Museum. Without your support attending talks, lectures and events we will have no History Society. Make your voice heard, speak to your representatives on committee and let us try to move forward and build an interested, interesting and healthy Society.

We need to engage with you the membership and the general public at large and other local interest groups if we are to survive. We also need your help in running the day to day business of the History Society and we need new volunteers who are prepared to give up a small amount of time to sit on committee. We have a committee of dedicated members who have held responsible positions for a number of years, who have carried out their duties without complaint. A number of committee members have now indicated that they wish to retire from committee having done their stint and performed a very valuable service to the History Society to peruse other activities.

So what do we do? We need new members to step forward and take up some of the positions vacant - some we have advertised previously in the Newsletter and others are more recent and need to be filled one way or another before or at the next AGM. None of these posts are particularly onerous but they do require a commitment to attend a bi-monthly committee meeting on the third Monday every other month.

We are currently looking for a new Membership Secretary and a Records Secretary to co-ordinate the work of the archivists of the various parishes.

We need someone to act as an Independent Examiner of the History Society's Accounts. We also need new committee members to just serve on committee, bring in new ideas and make a contribution to the debate as to how the History Society should move forward and serve you better.

Other posts that currently remain vacant are Curator to work with the Museum Manager and a Publicity Officer.

July 2008 Wanted - a new Honorary Independent Examiner of Accounts.
After many years as Independent Examiner of the Society's accounts Brian Kirby has moved away from the area and has relinquished this position. The Society therefore needs someone, preferably a member of the Society, to replace him.

The task is not very onerous being a once a year job taking not more than 2 or 3 hours.
The financial year runs from 1st January until 31st December. It is intended that the accounts will be available for auditing by the middle of January and the approved accounts should be available by the end of the month.

Anybody who is interested in undertaking this important job for the Society should contact me, Ron Clarke , telephone number 01372 375496. I will be happy to take people through the financial system in use so that they may have a good idea of what is involved

National Archaeology Week 12th – 20th July 2008 - Programme of Events
POSTER

Saturday 12th July
10am Leatherhead Museum opens
noon The launch of National Archaeology Week at Leatherhead Museum by the Chairman of Mole Valley District Council, Councillor Derrick Burt who will launch NAW with a short address to the assembled visitors. Refreshments - Canapés and a glass of wine will be served to invited guests.

Activities for Children - POSTER
Designed for children with their parents, to be held in the Garden of Leatherhead Museum Hampton Cottage (weather permitting).
Please note that all children must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult

10am-4pm at the Museum Crafts Day: Children’s Fun Day, Picture Making and other activities

Hello and welcome to our first Newsletter of the New Year. It has not been a particularly auspicious start to the New Year for our Museum or the History Society and it has certainly started with a bang literally, with a car running out of control into the front of the Museum on Sunday morning 6th January. You will have probably all seen the newspaper coverage. [see our photo report]

The Museum Trustees and Alan Pooley the Museum Manager have done everything necessary with the insurance assessors to put the work in hand to reinstate and carry out the reconstruction works as quickly possible in order that the museum is readv to open on time in April.

Notwithstanding the time of day the unfortunate accident happened, it has in fact raised the wider issues of public safety of pedestrians, museum staff and stewards during daylight hours. This is an opportunity not to be missed to raise the matter of heavy lorries and articulated vehicles who try to negotiate these streets and we will be exploring some of these issues with the County Council in the next few months.

With this Newsletter members will be receiving the notice and agenda for this year's AGM. I do hope that you will all come and use the opportunity to make constructive comment on matters and issues that concern you both about the History Society and your museum. Your Executive Committee, Trustees and the museum manager deserve your feedback and support.

We also have the positions of Curator and Publicity Officer vacant and we will also ask you to ratify our appointment of Martin Warwick as Newsletter Editor and Ronald Clarke as our New Treasurer as our present Treasurer Mrs Norma Robertson has previously indicated her desire to retire at the AGM after a number of years in the post.

So what now of our plans for 2008? I would like to see both the history society and our museum form stronger links and networks with other history societies and museums of Guildford, Ewell and elsewhere in Surrey. At a local level we can and should build on existing and form new links with groups such as the U3A in Fetcham and Bookham to see how we can reciprocate and assist each other in research and on joint projects.

Your executive committee have spoken about new books and publications and it's my hope that we can launch or at least start some new projects that will lead to publication and will explore other aspects of our local history and range of interests in Leatherhead and District. There may in fact be members of the history society who have or are currently working on projects, or have a manuscript suitable for publication under the umbrella of the history society - if so please speak to us.

It's quite reasonable in my opinion that the history society should support and publicise some of the talks and lectures that members give to other groups and societies. I attended recently a very interesting and informative talk given by Peter Tarplee my predecessor and now vice president of our history society to the Epsom & Ewell History and Archaeological Society (EHAS) on the subject The beginning of Public Utilities in Surrey. Peter's knowledge and interest in industrial history is well known to some of us and to those within his circle of like minded colleagues. Peter, Linda Heath, Derek Renn, Goff Powell and others do give these regular and occasional talks and lectures.
David Hartley

Museum Appeal Volunteers and Ideas The first stage of the appeal could be said to be over as the main donations from members and friends have been received and we can only expect further contributions to be minor. Many thanks for the generosity you have shown. There is always much work to be done. Fortunately the recent accident and demolishment of the bow window will probably be entirely met by insurance.

Grant giving bodies are mostly looking for new work to give funding - it is easier to obtain a grant to build an extension than to maintain an existing asset. Because of this we will need to stage money making events. If we are to raise further funds we will need volunteers to help us and offer need ideas. The Trust itself is bound by a limit of only six trustees.
Please help us with your ideas and your time.
John Morris
Treasurer & Trustee 01372 362524

Chairman's Report Welcome to this our November Newsletter. We start first with the news that Martin Warwick who may be known to a number of local residents and members of the L&DLHS who live in Bookham, Martin has stepped forward and volunteered his services as our Newsletter Editor, to fill the vacancy left with the retirement of John Wettern with this edition of the Newsletter. (Ref. August Newsletter 3/2007) Martin has a number of interests and already edits the National Trust's ‘Polesden People' newsletter and the ‘Bookhams Bulletin' of Bookham Community Association, as well as working with other local groups. Your Executive Committee believe that Martin will prove to be a worthy successor to John Wettern. We all wish Martin well in his new office and offer him our full support.

To John Wettern we offer our grateful thanks and appreciation for his dedication and years of service as Newsletter Editor. John previously held the post of Editor during 1999-2002 and again during 2006-07. John as usual has always used his best endeavours to promote and publicise both the History Society and the Museum over the years with some notable successes, we hope he will continue to do so with great effect where and when the opportunity arises.

Heritage Open Day 6th-9th September, reported elsewhere in this newsletter was from all accounts was another successful event, for which we should thank the Heritage Day organising committee for all their hard work and all those members and volunteers who made a contribution.

The Soirée at the Leatherhead Museum on Friday 28 th September is also reported elsewhere in this Newsletter. However I would like to record my personal thanks to all those Friends and Members of the Museum and History Society who turned up on a very damp and wet evening in support of the event and to all those who worked to make it a success. I would also like to record that Stephen Fortescue the well known local historian and surviving founder member of the Museum and the History Society and former past President attended with his wife having travelled up from Devon , they have kindly written to thank us for our hospitality.

Finally this is the last Newsletter before Christmas and as a timely reminder the Museum will be closed from Saturday 15 th December there are a wide range of Local History Publications available to purchase which could perhaps make a suitable Christmas gift.
David Hartley

The displays at the Letherhead Institute were as published in the official programme: Food & Rationing during World War II presented by Linda Heath; Leatherhead Museum Appeal presented by John Morris; The Parks in the Leatherhead District presented by David Hartley; The Inns and Public Houses of Leatherhead & District presented by Goff Powell.

May 2007
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
(Report by the Chairman to the Society’s members at the Annual General Meeting, held on 20th April, 2007)

The History Society in 2006 has had its highlights and some successes, touched with a little sadness at the loss of some members of the Society who have died. Most if not all the activities of the society have been ably reported in the Newsletter throughout the course of last year by members and need not to be repeated again here.

Our President and your executive committee with other members of the History Society, namely our Museum Manager and his team, our Curator, the Friends of the Museum and their Chairman as well as our Stewards have all worked tirelessly on your behalf to ensure the smooth running of the business of the History Society and the Museum.

The current Newsletter Editor has done valuable work in keeping the Newsletter on the road. At the beginning 2006 we had no Editor the prospect of loosing this vital organ of communication with the membership looked very much on the cards. My predecessor as Chairman together with our Hon Secretary managed to hold things together. Through his contacts our editor has served us well with that all important ingredient, publicity, vital to the success of any local history society and/or museum.

Finally we have the Editor of the Proceedings and all those members who submitted contributions to last year’s bumper Diamond Jubilee publication to make it a success. Last but not least we have our member who runs and manages our website and provides a public face of our History Society and museum.

I have deliberately refrained from naming you all individually as we should by now all know who you are and the roles you play in contributing to the success of our History Society.

I would like to extend my personal thanks to our Hon Secretary for her help and support through this last year and to you all for your contribution and commitment to the success of the Society during 2006.

I consider myself fortunate to follow in the footsteps of a long line of Chairmen, and to serve on the Executive Committee with my colleagues. My predecessor who had last year served for ten years in this post may well have retired as Chairman but he has since been actively involved with other matters at the museum and serving on the committee for Mole Valley Heritage Weekend as well as on Surrey Archaeological Society sub committees. If I needed any examples for good role models I would have plenty to draw on from within our History Society, and long may it continue.

Having said all that and truly pondered our future as a History Society I must express a little disappointment at the lack of new volunteers coming forward to take up the vacant positions highlighted in the February Newsletter. My view is that the strength and weakness, and in fact the health of our Society and the Museum, are very much dependant on the sum of its parts and we need to be able to fill these posts as a matter of urgency.

Without a membership and the support of you our volunteers the Society would not exist, therefore the fact that it does surely means that the work of this Society will only be diminished if we fail to find further support plus a fresh intake of new members and willing volunteers. Without this infusion it puts an added burden on those already carrying out their offices and others who are active on your behalf. I for one do not want to see the prophetic comments of Stephen Fortescue at the Dallaway Lecture of 2006 come true : -
“Research must be continued and be published, and so must the collection or reconstruction of artefacts for the benefit of future generations. Otherwise, the Society will become merely a social club with a monthly dose of local history”

Now is the time to redouble our efforts to attract new and (relatively) younger members to our History Society, involve them, and tap into their interests as well as our own. The proposition will no doubt involve some change and adaptability in order to attract new members.

Graham Evans our Museum Curator and member of the executive committee attended his last AGM. It presented an opportunity for us the members to say farewell and wish him good luck with his move down to Sussex. Graham informed us that he would be opening a Tea Room and invited us to drop in if we were passing. Graham was Curator of our Museum artefacts for some six years during which time the Museum has undergone a number of changes under the successful management of Alan Pooley with the assistance from the Chairman and Friends of Leatherhead Museum. Graham participated in the team effort bringing success, growth and reputation of the museum, especially in the quality of its displays.

In recognition of his service to the History Society and museum Graham was presented a signed card from the Executive Committee together with a cheque and a bottle for which he gratefully thanked us all

The President of the History Society
Linda Heath our President stood down at this year’s AGM after many years of service to the History Society both as President and as Chairman of the Executive Committee and in many other capacities. Linda will continue with some of her many interests both in and outside the History Society and the Museum, and will be making a presentation at the Heritage Open Days at the Letherhead Institute on the 6th- 9th September.

Linda’s departure at this years' AGM afforded an opportunity for us all to thank her whole heartedly for her work on our behalf. In acknowledgement of her contribution to the History Society a presentation was made by Gordon Knowles the new incoming President. Gordon presented a signed card from the Executive Committee on behalf of the membership, together with a photo of a garden table for her patio terrace, purchased in lieu of a cheque together with a colourful bouquet of flowers. Linda graciously thanked everyone present for their kind thoughts and best wishes and the membership applauded in response.

The last act of the outgoing President was to draw the 60th Annual General Meeting to a close.

The New President
On behalf of the Executive Committee the Chairman welcomed Gordon Knowles as the new President of the Leatherhead & District Local History Society.

Leatherhead Aviation Services
Following the annual general meeting our former chairman Peter Tarplee gave an excellent illustrated talk on the full and eventful life of William George Chapman who among many other things operated the Leatherhead Aviation Services at Byhurst Farm, Maldon Rushett for a time. He spoke of the plane whose propeller is now on display in the Leatherhead Museum. An interesting life of a man who flew by the seat of his pants so to speak.

I hope Peter will consider publishing his research or submit it to the Editor of the Proceedings.
David Hartley,
History Society Chairman
[A full account of Peter’s lecture will appear in the next editionof the Society's newsletter]

Feb/March 2007
Contents list of Vol 6 No.10 of the Proceedings added
Report of January talk by Lucy Quinnell on Rowhurst added
2007 Programme updated

FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Dear Members, Welcome to another full and interesting year, with a full programme of lectures and visits organised for the year ahead by our Lectures Committee comprising, Fred Meynen, Linda Heath, Derek Renn, Goff Powell and John Wettern. They are responsible for planning and organising the events throughout the year on your behalf. I hope you will continue to support them in their efforts. I am sure this committee would welcome your suggestions on topics of interest or speakers for a forthcoming programme next year. If you have a suggestion please contact Fred Meynen on the phone number given on the inside cover of the Newsletter. He will look forward to receiving your comments.

Attendance has been good during last year, thanks to your support, and increased numbers of members and visitors have attended the talks at the Leatherhead Institute. This has been due to good advance publicity in the local press. You may like to speak to your friends and invite them to join you at some of the events planned for this year.

The Leatherhead Museum and Heritage Centre Trust
Just a brief note in support of the Trustees of Leatherhead Museum who are launching an appeal for funds to provide for the long term maintenance of Hampton Cottage, a Grade 2 Listed Building, the home of the Leatherhead Museum. John Morris, the Hon. Treasurer and a Museum Trustee has written elsewhere in this Newsletter outlining the case for this appeal. The Executive Committee of the History Society supports the aims and objectives of the Trustees in launching this appeal, and would encourage all members to support this effort.

The President of the History Society
It is with some sadness that I have to report that Linda Heath our President has decided to give up the Presidency of our society at in April. Linda is a dynamic, busy lady who has many commitments, both public and personal to which she would like to devote more time.

Linda has served the Society very well over the years both as President and as Chairman and in many other capacities. She has assured me that she will try to continue her many interests in the Society and the Museum. I wish her well and thank her personally for her support and for the time and commitment she has given to the Society over the years.

The Executive Committee has nominated Gordon Knowles to be our next President of the History Society, and we hope the membership will endorse our recommendation at the Annual General Meeting.

The Museum Curator Graham Evans our Museum Curator and member of the Executive Committee has written to the committee to confirm that he will be standing down at the next AGM. Graham will be making some changes in his life with a move down to Sussex during the course of this year. Graham has been our Museum Curator for some five to six years during which time the Museum has undergone a number of changes and has grown in reputation and in the quality of its displays and presentations. He has also been personally responsible for producing the many posters for the Museum and the History Society announcing forthcoming lectures and events. We all wish him well in his new beginning in Sussex, and thank him for his commitment and time given to the Museum as Curator. Graham, if you have any time on your hands, Sussex Archaeological Society could provide you with a useful outlet. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on.

Election of Members & Positions Vacant Finally I would like to address you all and make an appeal for members to come forward as volunteers, or allow themselves to be nominated to fill the following important vacancies : ?
Museum Curator, Newsletter Editor, Publicity Officer.

In the case of Newsletter Editor and Publicity Officer posts, John Wettern has been very helpful in preparing a job description and terms of reference. He would, I am sure, be supportive in assisting any prospective candidates in settling into these posts. [Yes indeed ! Ed.]

All these are voluntary, honorary positions, and anyone who is interested and is able to give some time for these activities should contact me or the Hon. Secretary before the Annual General Meeting.

AEROPLANE PROPELLERS
Lately my interests with the Society seem to have centred round aeroplane propellers. Firstly, we received in the museum a propeller donated by Mr Finch of Bookham. This was found under a bench in Luff’s garage in Kingston Road, Leatherhead. It had belonged to Leatherhead Aviation Services which was operated by Mr William Chapman who was Luff’s predecessor at the garage at 268, Kingston Road. The aviation company operated from an aerodrome at Byhurst Farm at Malden Rushett and carried out quite a lot of joy riding trips as well as charter work. Research on this has turned up quite a lot of information, particularly from Mr Chapman’s grandson and from the Croydon Airport Society as well as a number of interesting contemporary press cuttings. I am hoping that a more complete account may appear in the Proceedings.

Having found out all I could about the Leatherhead Aviation Services my attention was drawn to a recent article in The Leatherhead Advertiser about the building firm Presland Brothers which stated that as well as operating a breeze block making plant they made aeroplane propellers during World War I. More interestingly, they were said to have made the propellers for the Vickers Vimy in which Alcock and Brown made the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic in 1919. We have been trying to verify this but, so far, have found no proof (except the newspaper article).

The original Vimy plane is on display in the Science Museum but its propellers are replacements as the original ones were damaged when the plane landed in Ireland. Correspondence has taken place with the appropriate curator but they have no details of suppliers of parts for the original plane. One of the original propellers is in Brooklands Museum and this was examined by Doug Hollingsworth but none of the markings give us details of the maker. Preslands operated from 14, St Johns Road and ‘The Withies’, Garlands Road until at least 1931 and I shall be very pleased if anyone can provide any information about this company – particularly their propeller making activities. Mr Orliffe Wilfred Presland, one of the two Presland brothers, lived at ‘Travelon’, Ottways Lane, Ashtead.

Incidentally, the markings on Mr Chapman’s propeller, which is on display in our museum, show that it was made by Betjemann & Sons who were cabinet makers in Pentonville Road, and were part of the family of the poet and journalist Sir John Betjeman. Peter Tarplee

A MESSAGE FROM OUR RECORDS SECRETARY
Should the records of the Society be more accessible in this age of the computer?

The simple answer is YES - but to achieve that aim your help is needed and a computerised index is the first goal.

Those members who look after the records need assistance with the compilation of a new detailed index and its transfer to an ACCESS database. Specialised knowledge is not required; only a desire to help and a willingness to learn a few simple rules of procedure. There is a lot of straightforward work to be done which needs a lot of hands to do it. Please let me know if you can help; our records managers cannot do it all on their own!
Brian Godfrey, Records Secretary (01372 454654)

to 25 Feb 2006 update of both the History Society and Museum pages. Contents of Procedings Vol 6, no 9, 2005 added. Appreciation of the late David Bruce

21 Jul 2005 Report of May's talk on George and Abraham Dixon added: pages have also been added on National Archaeology Week

24 Feb 2005 Report of January's talk on the History of the Claremont Estate added: Appreciation of JC Stuttard, Editor of our annual Proceedings since 1990, who died on 23rd January 2005. Programme updated. Plans for Leatherhead Museum's 25th Anniversary. Member Gordon Knowles' book Surrey and the Motor added to the Publications page.

7 Jan 2005 Report of November talk on Papermaking in the Tillingbourne Valley (The Other Damnable Invention) added

19 Nov Report of October talk on The History of Croydon Airport added - see Programme

17 Oct Report of 17 September talk on Old London Bridge added - see Programme

25 Jul Report of May (Lambeth Palace) meeting added; images added to Museum pages on pottery and the new 'Museum open' sign

19 May Reports of the March (Plateau Group) and April (AGM and update on the Census Project) meetings are added - see Programme

31 Mar Derek Renn's report of the February Meeting in the Leatherhead Advertiser is added. The Museum opens on 1 April.

14 Mar All the General Indexes of the Proceedings of the Society are now accessible on the website - see Proceedings - apart from the years 1997-2006 which is not yet published. All may be searched - see Search

23 Feb All the Contents pages from the Proceedings of the Society are now accessible on the website - see Proceedings - and may be searched - see Search

20 Feb For Derek Renn's report on the January talk by Dr Nigel Barker - see Programme

The Society's 2004 Lecture season commenced on 16th January 2004 - see Programme

Leatherhead Museum closed on 13th December 2003 and will reopen 1st April. Friends of the Museum AGM is Monday, 26th April : the time 7.30 for 8.0 p.m. Apart from the official business there will be a talk on Local Reminiscences and some refreshments. A chance to ask awkward questions (we had some good ones last year), also to meet some of our fellow members. Friends, please do come along.

2003's Museum Exhibitions The exhibition 'Leatherhead and its Titanic Connection' [which told the story of a local family who were aboard - who they were, why they sailed, the sinking and the aftermath] was a very difficult exhibition to follow and enquiries are still coming in - in fact we have had to print an adapted form of the exhibition in booklet form (available from the Museum or when closed, Corbetts in the Swan Centre). The exhibition was due to be changed in August but due to the popularity it ran on until the close of Heritage Weekend, the latter part of September, an extra 6 weeks!

Please see the Museum's pages for news of a 16 page A4 ‘souvenir’ containing replicas of many of the documents that were on display. As a preface there is an article describing the fateful voyage of the Titanic and telling the story of the Collyer family.

scale model of R.M.S. Titanic which was on display at Leatherhead Museum.

With only a couple of months left to the end of the season, I assembled an exhibition on the origins of Leatherhead's name - a frequently asked question as most stewards will know - and also about the one time unconnected leather industry that there was here.

"Who Put The Leather in Leatherhead" as it was named, apart from the town's name origin, told the story of three different trades that existed here up until the mid 1920's, the tanner, the harness & collar maker and the retailer. Chitty's Tannery, The Old Leather House (both of which have now unfortunately disappeared) and the building of The Approach, by a Mr. Smith, Boot & Shoe retailer were of special note. A small section of the display went on show at Chertsey. A 're-vamped' form is hoped to be displayed at the S.A.S. Symposium in Ashtead in February.

For those interested, The Origins of Leatherhead's Name will be available as a leaflet from the Museum shortly.
Graham Evans, Feb 2004

Thursday, 3rd April 2003 marked the re-opening of Leatherhead Museum in Church Street after a programme of refurbishment during the winter months. Opening hours were on Thursdays and Fridays from 1pm to 4pm and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.

New illuminated show cases enabled visitors to see an even greater variety of historic objects.
These included an enhanced World War 2 section and a display of products from famous industries including Ronson and Goblin. Full sized figures in uniform add a touch of realism : these include an air raid warden and a bandsman.

A new display - including a scale model of the liner - explained Leatherhead's connection to the TITANIC disaster (see above).

Old favourites to be seen included the Victorian kitchen, the Roman villa model and the well in the garden - now illuminated. A tempting array of books, postcards and souvenirs was on sale at the museum shop.

Strenuous efforts were made by The Friends of Leatherhead Museum to boost the number of visitors in 2003. Their efforts were assisted by the appearance of a new colour leaflet depicting some of the objects on display. A contribution towards the cost of this was received from Mole Valley District Council.

Visits from local schools are expected. Teachers interested in arranging such a trip are invited to ring or email the museum.

FRIENDS OF MUSEUM ANNUAL MEETING
A report of the 2003 Annual Meeting can be seen at Friends AGM

21ST BIRTHDAY OF THE LEATHERHEAD MUSEUM
6th October 2001 marked the Museum's 21st Anniversary. Celebrations in the town included an enactment of a Victorian schoolroom by children from a local school and rides on a Victorian horse bus.

NEED FOR MORE STEWARDS
The Friends of Leatherhead Museum are responsible for providing volunteers to act as stewards, on duty during opening hours. They are urgently seeking further volunteers. Anyone interested should phone us or send us an email. It only involves three hours once a month. Please contact johnwettern@btinternet.com

CENSUS STUDIES FOR LEATHERHEAD
Society members with home computers are currently collaborating to record information taken from the Census returns of 1851 to 1891.

The analysed results will yield valuable information about life in the Town during the 19th Century. Non-members wishing to participate will be welcome.

If you can help please send an email:
leatherheadmuseum@localhistory.free-online.co.uk.