Ewhurst History Society Programme

The Society meets on the third Tuesday of the month at the Glebe Centre, Ewhurst, at 8.00pm

2007 / 2008

• Tuesday 18th Sept 2007

  Roger Birch - 'Sussex Stones'

  A number of houses in this area are roofed with Horsham stone. Roger Birch will explain how Horsham Stone and Sussex Marble were formed 130 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed through a tropical landscape. He will also trace the history of the use of Horsham Stone as a building material and the use of Sussex Marble for decorative stonework.

• Tuesday 16th October 2007

  Peter Reese - 'The Flying Cowboy'

  Peter Reese will tell us the extraordinary story of Samuel Cody, an American showman, who became a naturalized British citizen. After experimenting with kites he went on to make the first powered flight in Britain and was involved with the development of early aviation at Farnborough.

• Tuesday 20th November 2007

  David Taylor - 'An Estate For All Seasons'

  We welcome David Taylor for a return visit. Having been asked to catalogue family papers relating to Cobham Park, David realized that he had come across a treasure trove of information, which has enabled him to put together the story of life on a gentleman’s country estate.

• Tuesday 11th December 2007 NB This meeting is the second Tuesday not the third.

  Members Evening - 'Tim Hurley Black Week'

  The week of 10th – 17th December 1899 was one of the blackest weeks in the history of the British Army with three serious defeats in six days. However the public reaction was one of overwhelming support with thousands offering to volunteer. Tim Hurley, who has recently completed a First Degree in English Local History, chose Black Week for his Dissertation and will show us how the people of Surrey reacted to these events.

• Tuesday 15th January 2008

  Joan Mant - 'All Muck and No Medals'

  Joan Mant has previously spoken to us about a Nest of Suffragettes. This time she will share her reminiscences of life as a land army girl on a farm near Albury during the Second World War.

• Tuesday 19th February 2008

  Quiz Night & Supper – details later.

• Tuesday 18th March 2008

  Andrew Norris - 'Bridge Over Troubled Walkers'

  William King, the 1st Earl of Lovelace indulged in his love of picturesque architecture by designing ornate cottages and other buildings in and around his estate at East Horsley. He also built 15 bridges, many of which fell into dereliction. In 2003 Horsley Countryside and Preservation Society embarked on an ambitious programme of conservation and repair of the ten remaining bridges and Andrew Norris will show us just what can be achieved through volunteer effort.

• Tuesday 15th April 2008

  Robert Simonson 'John Broadwood and Sons: Two Centuries of Musical History'

  The Surrey History Centre now holds the company archive for John Broadwood and Sons the famous piano manufacturers. Robert Simonson, an archivist from the History Centre will describe the value of the archive to historians and also tell us about the Broadwood family, who lived at Capel.

• Tuesday 20-h May 2008

  AGM followed by Patrick Yarnold 'STS5 Wanborough Manor and the Special Operations Executive'

  Wanborough Manor, off the Hogs Back, was used as a Special Training School for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the Second World War. Patrrick Yarnold is researching the history of the school and will tell us about the secret agents who trained there before being sent to France.

• June 2007

  Outing – Visit to The Great Barn at Wanborough, one of the most important timber framed barns in the country, which houses a very interesting local history museum. The adjoining Church of St Bartholomew dates from the 13th Century and has a memorial to the SOE agents who trained at Wanborough Manor. (details later)

• July 2007

  Summer Garden Lunch (details later)

Committee

PRESIDENT

Mary Smith

HON. LIFE MEMBERS

John Greenwood (Chairman)

Janet Balchin (Secretary/Archivist)

Margaret Forster (Membership Secretary)

Connie Watson

Sally Thompson (Refreshments)

Sylvia Wright

Norman Manning

Carol Woodrow

PUBLICATIONS / RESEARCH

Janet Balchin (Archivist)

Subscriptions

Annual Subscription - £4.00; Meeting fee / coffee - 30p for members, Visitors welcome at £1.50 per meeting (to include coffee)

For more information please contact the Secretary, Janet Balchin Tel. 01483 277342