{"id":12,"date":"2019-03-02T09:57:49","date_gmt":"2019-03-02T09:57:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.moleseyhistorysociety.org\/mlhs\/?page_id=12"},"modified":"2026-03-30T07:58:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T07:58:44","slug":"past-events","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.moleseyhistorysociety.org\/mlhs\/past-events\/","title":{"rendered":"Past Events"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summary for each year with link<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

2026<\/a> – History of Sandown Park Racecourse \/ Coffee morning Hurst Park Archaeology \/ Aethelstan, the First English King \/ The Six loves of James 1 \/ Henry V111 Hunting Grounds and Lodges \/ West Horsley Place \/ Summer Stroll \/ Arts & Crafts Houses in Surrey \/ Edward Potterton; Molesey builder & Architect<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2025<\/a> – Coffee and Quiz \/ David Garrick’s Temple to Shakespeare \/ Oatlands Park and Grotto \/ Elizabethan and Jacobean Theatre at HCP \/ Bushy Park in WW2 \/ Mystery Stroll \/ Chertsey Abbey \/ John Wilson Croker \/ A Royal Christmas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2024 <\/a>– Indian Camps at Hampton Court \/ <\/strong>Dream Factories and Picture Palaces: Hollywood on Thames in History and Memory \/ The Treasures of the Gill Family of Apps Court \/ Indian Army Camps Exhibition Tour \/ Terence Cuneo \/ Summer Stroll \/ Sir Barnes Wallace – The man and the Myth \/ Victorian and Edwardian Gypsies in Surrey \/ St. Paul’s Church Research<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2023<\/a> – Coffee Morning \/ AC Cars of Thames Ditton \/ Eel Pie Island \/ Odette – SOE Agent in WWII \/ More things about Kingston you (probably) didn\u2019t know! \/ Summer Stroll \/ Artists, Antiquaries and Collectors: Illustrations of Surrey by John and Edward Hassell collected by Robert Barclay of Bury Hill, Dorking, c.1820 \/ Ann Boleyn and Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Made History \/ Taggs Island (Part 2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2022<\/a> – Coffee Morning about Tagg’s Research \/ AGM \/ Molesey WW1 War memorials \/ Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill House\/ Exhibition and displays \/ Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary\/ History & more of Bushy Park \/ Summer Stroll \/ Things about Kingston \/ Tagg’s Island (Part 1) \/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2021 <\/a> – Victorian Life: Upstairs and Downstairs \/<\/strong> A History of Boat Building on Platt’s Eyot \/ Down the Drain \/ In the footsteps of the Impressionist \/ Hampton Court Village – Residencies and Residents \/ Our AGM \/ Summer Stroll \/ Archaeology of Hampton Court Palace\/ Enclosure Story: Looking for Lost Fields \/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2020<\/a> – Our first Virtual Tour\/ Our second Virtual Tour \/<\/strong> Our third Virtual Tour \/ <\/strong>Objects of Empire \u2013 A talk by Amy Swainston of Elmbridge Museum \/<\/strong> The Gentleman\u2019s Magazine: A Panorama of Georgian Surrey for Family and Local Historians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2019<\/a> – Suffragists, Suffragettes and Antis: Surrey\u2019s Road to the Vote \/ <\/strong>Hampton Court Pleasure Palace – A Story of Two Palaces – Tudor and Baroque \/ <\/strong>Brooklands into the 2nd Century\/ Merton Priory \/<\/strong> Apr\u00e8s le Deluge at Imber Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2018<\/a> – AGM followed by Molesey Then and Now \u2013 A Journey of Discovery \/<\/strong> Sopwith Aviation and the Great War – a talk by David Hassard \/<\/strong> Tudor Fashion \/ Summer Stroll – Visits to Imber Court Museum \/<\/strong> The Weybridge Diggers \/<\/strong> 1968 and All That\u2019 A History of Flooding in Molesey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2017<\/a> – The Power of Beauty in Restoration England: The Windsor & Hampton Court Beauties \/<\/strong> Kenneth Wood, Molesey Architect \u2018A Modernist in Suburbia \/<\/strong> Painshill Crystal Grotto The Restoration Story \/ <\/strong>Anne Boleyn: A King\u2019s Obsession \/<\/strong> Summer Stroll round Painshill Park \/<\/strong> Surrey in the Great War: A County Remembers \u2013 Life on the Home Front \/<\/strong> Educating Molesey: Memories of Schools and Schooling in Times Past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2016<\/a> – Thames Bridges, Staines to Kingston \/<\/strong> House and Garden Tour of Warren House, Kingston \/<\/strong> The King\u2019s Chocolate Kitchen, Hampton Court Palace \/<\/strong> Summer Stroll \u2013 Guided Walk through Kingston \/<\/strong> Cameras and Corsets \u2013 Dating Historical Photographs \/<\/strong> 150th Anniversary of Molesey Boat Club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2015<\/a> – Maps for Local History \/<\/strong> Temple to Shakespeare Trust -Behind the Scenes \/<\/strong> Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII’s Most Faithful Servant \/<\/strong> Summer Stroll \u2013 Royal Paddocks \/<\/strong> R C Sherrif from \u2018Towpath to Red Carpet \/<\/strong> Everyday Life in 13th Century Esher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2014<\/a> – Members\u2019 Evening \/<\/strong> Wayneflete Tower \/<\/strong> Real Tennis \u2013 Game of Kings – and other Tudor Sports \/<\/strong> Summer Stroll \u2013 Molesey Cemetery \/<\/strong> The Treasures of St Peter\u2019s Church \/<\/strong> Then & Now\u2019 Photographic Exhibition \/<\/strong> How the East Surreys went to war in 1914 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2013<\/a> – Sport on the Hurst (Part 2) \/<\/strong> Victorian Hampton \/ Hampton Court in Old Photographs \/ <\/strong>Liquid History: houseboat life and the Elmbridge riverside trail \/<\/strong> History of Frederick Paine, Undertakers \/ <\/strong>Bridge on the River Thames, the History of Hampton Court Bridges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2012<\/a> – Imber Court \u2013 A Stately Home for Horses \/ Exhibition \u2013 Life in Molesey during WWII \/ Dickens and the Thames: Richmond to Hampton \/ Dining with Kings (and Queens): Eating at Hampton Court Palace through History \/ Summer Stroll \/ Sport on the Hurst (Part 1) \/ House History.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2011<\/a> – The Elmbridge Hundred \/ We Are Fred Karno\u2019s Army \/ Henry VIII, The Making of a Tyrant \/ Summer Stroll \u2013 Island Barn \/ Claremont House \/ It\u2019s Carnival Time! A look back at the Molesey Carnival over the years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2010<\/a> – Members Evening; The BBC\u2019s \u2018Who Do You Think You Are?\u2019 programme on Family History and the Media \/ AGM followed by a talk on Hurst Park Racecourse and his career as a jockey \/ Getting By at William III\u2019s Hampton Court \/ Summer Stroll \/ Water, Water, Everywhere – the waterways of Bushy Park \/ A Walk round Walton-on-Thames \/ Life in Molesey during World War II.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2009<\/a> – Members\u2019 Evening \/ The Floods Part 2 \/ House History \/ AGM, followed by a talk on Molesey Mills \/ The Knights of Christ \/ Summer Stroll \/ The First Line for Leisure \u2013 What the Railway did for Molesey \/ The Cuneo Society on the life and work of the well-known Molesey artist Terence Cuneo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2008<\/a> – Members\u2019 Evening \/ Visit to Surrey History Centre \/ History of Hospitals and the NHS in Molesey \/ The Thames and Riverside Houses from Hampton Court to Hampton \/ Talk on the Hampton Court Fire in 1986 \/ Thames Riverbank Walk, followed by a at Molesey Boat Club \/ 40th Anniversary of 1968 Floods \/ Alfred Sisley on the Thames and the Welsh Coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2007<\/a> – Grace and Favour Apartments at Hampton Court \/ Historic Molesey Walk \/ Visit to Royal Holloway College \/ History of the 1st Molesey Scout Group \/ Family History Talk – Relative Connections: Sources for Family History at Surrey History Centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newsletters for 2024 & 2025 & 2026 are only available to members under the members only section. <\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Event in 2026 (jump to top)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 18th, 2026 – AGM followed by Aethelstan, The First King of the English<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details will be found in our next news letter soon to be released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 16th, 2026 – Morning Coffee and the Archaeology of Hurst Park<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details will be found in our next news letter soon to be released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 22nd, 2026 – History of Sandown Park Racecourse<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details will be found in our next news letter soon to be released.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2025 (jump to top)<\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

December 2nd, 2025 – A Royal Christmas<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages11 to 13 of our January 2026 Newsletter Number 70<\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 15th, 2025 – John Wilson Croker<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 6 to 11 of our January 2026 Newsletter Number 70<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 4th, 2025 – Chertsey Abbey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 to 6 of our January 2026 Newsletter Number 70<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 18th, 2025 – Mystery Stroll<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 10 to 12 of our August 2025 Newsletter Number 69<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 17th, 2025 – Bushy Park in WW2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 7 to 10 of our August 2025 Newsletter Number 69<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 15th, 2025 – Elizabethan & Jacobean Theatre in HCP<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 3 to 7 of our August 2025 Newsletter Number 69<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 26th, 2025 – Oatlands Park & Grotto<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 6 and 7of our May 2025 Newsletter Number 68<\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 25th, 2025 – David Garrick’s Temple to Shakespeare<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 to 5 of our May 2025 Newsletter Number 68<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 15th, 2025 – Coffee and Quiz. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 2 of our May 2025 Newsletter Number 68<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2024 (jump to top<\/strong>)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

November 15th, 2024 – St. Paul’s Church – Our Research project<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 7 to 10 of our January 2025 Newsletter Number 67<\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 10th, 2024 – Victorian and Edwardian Gypsies in Surrey – A Talk by Alan Wright<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 4 to 6 of our January 2025 Newsletter Number 67<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 5th, 2024 – Sir Barnes Wallis – The Man and Myth – A Talk by Vivien White<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 and 3 of our January 2025 Newsletter Number 67<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 15th, 2024 – Our Summer Stroll – led by Richard McHardy<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 12 to 14 of our September 2024 Newsletter Number 66<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jun 12th, 2024 – Terence Cuneo – A Talk by Terry Johnson<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 8 to 11 of our September 2024 Newsletter Number 66<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 7th, 2024 – Indian Army Camps Exhibition Tour by Ian Franklin<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 5 to 8 of our September 2024 Newsletter Number 66<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 18th, 2024 – The Treasures of the Gill Family of Apps Court – A talk by Amy Swainston of Elmbridge Museum<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 9 and 10 of our May 2024 Newsletter Number 65<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dream Factories and Picture Palaces: Hollywood on Thames in History and Memory – A talk by Dr. Simon Brown<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 6 to 8 of our May 2024 Newsletter Number 65<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 16th, 2024 – Indian Army Camps at Hampton Court Palace<\/strong> – A talk by Ian Franklin<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 to 5 of our May 2024 Newsletter Number 65<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2023 (jump to top)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

November 16th, 2023 – Tagg’s Island (Part 2)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 7 to 12 of our January 2024 Newsletter Number 64<\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 4th, 2023 – Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter who changed history – A talk by Tracy Borman<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 5, 6 and 7 of our January 2024 Newsletter Number 64<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 7th, 2023 – Illustrations of Surrey by John and Edward Hassel – a talk by Julian Pooley<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2, 3 and 4 of our January 2024 Newsletter Number 64<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 12th, 2023 – Summer Stroll – preceded by a talk by Roger Hoad <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 10 and 11 of our September 2023 Newsletter Number 63<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 28th, 2023 – More things about Kingston you (Probably) didn’t know – A talk by Julian McCarthy<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 6, 7, 8 and 9 of our September 2023 Newsletter Number 63<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 3rd, 2023 – Odette Hallows, SOE Agent in WWII – A talk by her granddaughter, Sophie Parker<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 4, 5 and 6 of our September 2023 Newsletter Number 63<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 20th, 2023 – A visit to Ham House, Ham<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 and 3 of our September 2023 Newsletter Number 63<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 23rd, 2023 – A Slice of Eel Pie Island – A talk by Celia Holman<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 8 and 9 of our April 2023 Newsletter Number 62<\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 23rd, 2023 – A C Cars of Thames Ditton – A talk by John Spencer<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 4 to 7 of our April 2023 Newsletter Number 62<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 18th, 2023<\/strong> – Coffee Morning Quiz on your local knowledge<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 3 of our April 2023 Newsletter Number 62<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2022 (jump to top)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

November 18th, 2022 – Tagg’s Island (Part 1)<\/strong> – Exhibition and Research Report<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 4 to 6 of our December 2022 Newsletter Number 61<\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 12th, 2022 – Coffee Morning to celebrate the life of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 4 of our December 2022 Newsletter Number 61<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 13th, 2022 \u2013 A talk by Julian McCarthy \u2013 Things about Kingston you (probably) didn\u2019t know!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 and 3 of our December 2022 Newsletter Number 61<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 11th, 2022 \u2013 Summer Stroll<\/strong> \u2013 Prominent Victorians buried in St. Peter\u2019s \/ Molesey Cemetery<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 6 to 9 of our September 2022 Newsletter Number 60<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 22nd, 2022 – A talk by Peter Morpurgo – The History of Bushy Park and the Restoration of the Diana Fountain and the Water Garden.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 to 5 of our September 2022 Newsletter Number 60<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 10th, 2022 – A talk by Anita Anand – Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 4 to 6 of our May 2022 Newsletter Number 59<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 25th and 26th, 2022 <\/strong>– Molesey Local History Society Exhibition celebrating 15 years.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 4 of our May 2022 Newsletter Number 59.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 24th, 2022<\/strong> \u2013 A talk by Keith Hathaway \u2013 The Kaleidoscopic Life of Horace Warpole<\/strong>.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 and 3 of our May 2022 Newsletter Number 59<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 26th, 2022 – AGM and The First World War Inscriptions on the War Memorials in Molesey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 3 and 4 of our February 2022 Newsletter Number 57<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 13th, 2022<\/strong> – A coffee morning took place at the Royal British Legion in order to lay a foundation for this years (2022) research project on Taggs Island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2021 (jump to top<\/a>)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 25th, 2021 – Molesey’s Enclosure Story : Looking for Lost Fields<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our 2021 Research project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 and 3 of our February 2022 Newsletter Number 57<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 16th, 2021 – The Archaeology of Hampton Court Palace –  Talk by Ian Franklin<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Ian, a former State Apartment Warder at Hampton Court Palace, will take us on a trip back through the history of the Palace site from the Bronze Age to the present. You will see artefacts and parts of the Palace never usually seen by the public \u2013 because they are in store or reburied! You will see parts of the Knights Hospitaller\u2019s settlement, Charles Daubeny\u2019s buildings, Wolsey\u2019s Palace etc., you will visit excavations in Clock and Base Courts, join the Timeteam as they uncover Henry\u2019s Bowling Alley, and visit the Tiltyard Gardens to see the recently discovered remains of the fourth of five of Henry VIII\u2019s Tiltyard Towers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A report of this meeting will be in our next newsletter for members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 4th, 2021 – Summer Stroll and talk by Roger Hoad<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Our Summer Stroll – members can find more information in the Members Only section of this site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 3 of our September 2021 Newsletter Number 56<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 29th, 2021 \u2013 AGM <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Our AGM was held as a Zoom meeting, which lasted, as expected, all of 20 minutes. Reports had been sent out prior to the meeting and no further questions or comments were raised. Minutes will be posted in the Members Only section in due course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 27th, 2021 – A coffee morning presentation by – Richard McHardy – Hampton Court Village – Residencies and Residents <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A link to the talk can be found in the Members only section (A YouTube recording)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 1 & 2 of our September 2021 Newsletter Number 56 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 22nd, 2021 – A talk by Michael Robinson – In the footsteps of the impressionist (A Zoom Presentation)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A link to the talk can be found in the Members only section (A YouTube recording)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 3 & 4 of our June 2021 Newsletter Number 55 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 16th, 2021 – A talk by Ray Elmitt – Down the Drain (A Zoom Presentation)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A link to the talk can be found in the Members only section (A YouTube recording)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 & 3 of our June 2021 Newsletter Number 55 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 10th, 2021 A coffee morning presentation by Roger Day and Roger Haile – The History of Boat Building on Platt’s Eyot.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 2 of our January 2021 Newsletter Number 53<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 27th, 2021 -A talk by Judy Hill –  Victorian Life: Upstairs and (A Zoom Presentation)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 2 of our January 2021 Newsletter Number 53<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2020 (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

December 10th, 2020 – A coffee morning presentation by Anthony Barnes – Pemberton Road Virtual Xmas Stroll<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 3 of our January 2021 Newsletter Number 53<\/p>\n\n\n\n

November 24th, 2020 – The Gentleman\u2019s Magazine: A Panorama of Georgian Surrey for Family and Local Historians (A Zoom Presentation)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 & 3 of our January 2021 Newsletter Number 53<\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 14th, 2020 – A coffee morning presentation by Anthony Barnes – The Hurst Park Dig.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 & 3 of our November 2020 Newsletter Number 52<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 23rd, 2020 – A talk by Amy Swainston of Elmbridge Museum (A Zoom Presentation) – Objects of Empire.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 2 of our November 2020 Newsletter Number 52<\/p>\n\n\n\n

August 11th, 2020 – A coffee morning presentation by Anthony Barnes – Molesey in 1841<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 1 and 2 of our September 2020 Newsletter Number 51<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our third Virtual Tour – August 2020<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A summer stroll which Tony Osborne created ten years ago round the East Molesey (Kent Town) Conservation Area<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 14th, 2020 – A coffee morning presentation by Anthony Barnes – Postcards of Molesey<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 1 of our July 2020 Newsletter Number 50<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our second Virtual Tour \u2013 May 2020<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This month was a link to another map which Tony Osborne drew for the Society\u2019s first ever summer stroll in 2007  round the East Molesey Old Village Conservation Area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our first Virtual Tour – April 2020<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Due to the Covid situation, all meetings ceased but as exercise was still permitted, it was suggested – A Summer Stroll in 2008 along the Thames riverside – A link to Tony Osborne’s map was provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2019 (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 15th, 2019 – Apr\u00e8s le Deluge at Imber Court<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 2 and 3 of our January 2020 Newsletter Number 47 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 25th, 2019 – Merton Priory<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 1 of our January 2020 Newsletter Number 47 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 16th, 2019 – A Talk by Tim Morris – Brooklands into the 2nd Century.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 3 of our September 2019 Newsletter Number 46 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 16th, 2019 – A Talk by Siobhan Clarke – Hampton Court Pleasure Palace: A Story of Two Palaces (Tudor and Baroque).<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Pages 1 and 2 of our September 2019 Newsletter Number 46<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 13th, 2019 – A Talk by Holly Parsons and Anthony Barnes – Suffragists, Suffragettes and Antis: Surrey\u2019s Road to the Vote<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Further details can be found on Page 3 of our April 2019 Newsletter Number 45 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 31st, 2019 – AGM followed by Surrey on Film<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Society held its 12th Annual General Meeting at St Lawrence School on Thursday. 31 January 2019. 66 members attended, with apologies from 14 others. Unfortunately, due to adverse weather conditions our planned speaker, Michael Miller was unable to attend. His proposed talk on The Golden Age of the Postcard was postponed to a date still due to be announced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minutes from the previous year’s AGM were approved, as was the Financial Report: the election of officers and committee was very straightforward, as all members of the 2018\/10 were willing to restand with Dave Jupp taking on the role of Treasurer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of the talk, we were treated to a delightful showing of Surrey on Film, covering the period 1911 to 1953. A fascinating view of times past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2018 (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 23rd, 2018 – 1968 and All That – A History of Flooding in Molesey<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Fifty years ago, in September 1968, Molesey suffered a devastating flood. Our meeting in November was the culmination of many months of research and interviews by members into this and previous floods. The Ballroom at Imber Court was full of displays and information, which the large numbers of members and guests could enjoy before and after the meeting. Our evening began with Roger Hoad, a retired surveyor, explaining why Molesey is prone to flooding first is documented in 1233.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julian Mayes, a climatologist, explained the unique weather patterns in September 1968. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eye-witness accounts followed from three residents who had lived in Molesey at that time. Two had been teenagers and found it all a bit of an adventure and an excuse to miss school. The third was a parent, who emphasised the worry and anxiety caused and talked of the remarkable sense of community spirit with people looking out for each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were very lucky to have four members of The Barn Theatre Club to entertain us. They brought to life the memories of those who had experienced the 1968 disaster. These memories vividly described the devastation caused to homes and the heroic efforts of the armed forces, police and the general public to help those affected.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

October 18th, 2018<\/strong> – A Talk by Dr. David Taylor – The Weybridge Diggers.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Over 60 people came to hear Dr. David Taylor\u2019s illuminating and delightful talk on Gerrard Winstanley, the seventeenth-century radical, activist and enigma. David focused on the origins of the Digger movement following the execution of King Charles I. He told the story of the Diggers\u2019 short-lived communistic settlements, first on St. George\u2019s Hill in Weybridge, and then, on Little Heath in Cobham, in 1649-50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was fascinating to hear about Winstanley\u2019s ideas and the opposition to him locally as well as from the authorities. Winstanley lived until 1676 but his writings were concentrated into a 4- year period \u2013 why? A clue may be in these words that he almost certainly wrote at the time:
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd here I end, having put my arm as far as my strength will go to advance Righteousness; I have Writ, I have Acted, I have Peace: now I must wait to see the Spirit do his work in the hearts of others, and whether England shall be the first Land, or some other, wherein Truth shall sit down in triumph.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

25 July 25th and August 29th, 2018 – Summer Stroll – Visit to Imber Court Museum.
<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On 25th July and 29th August, groups from the Society visited the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch Training Centre at Imber Court. Imber Court was purchased in 1920 as a training centre for the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch. There are now normally about 48 horses at Imber Court; we were told that the Branch has 122 horses in total. Our guide said that there are six stables \u2013 Great Scotland Yard, Hyde Park, Bow, West Hampstead, Lewisham and Kings Cross. The best horses go to Great Scotland Yard as this is the area with the busiest traffic and most ceremonial duties.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

May 23rd, 2018 – A Talk by Eleri Lynn, Curator at Hampton Court Palace – Tudor Fashion. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Our annual meeting at the Clore Centre this year was a talk by Eleri Lynn on \u2018Tudor Fashion\u2019. Eleri previously worked at the Victoria & Albert Museum and is now Collections Curator of the Royal and Ceremonial Dress Collection at Hampton Court Palace. This collection consists of some 10,000 items, including underwear, a particular interest! Hardly anything survives from the Tudor period, as expensive and highly prized items would be recycled or passed down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, there are plenty of paintings of Tudor dress, in one Henry VII is shown wearing a long gown on top of his doublet and hose. In contrast, his son Henry VIII is always shown in a short gown to emphasise his shapely calves and enormous codpiece. He was the ultimate \u2018power dresser\u2019 in a bid to impress the ambassadors and his fellow rulers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women\u2019s clothing was more complicated and involved being sewn and pinned into various layers. It would take about two hours to get dressed and would require assistance. Elizabeth I, dressed very modestly before she came to the throne, as her life was constantly under threat. As Queen, she became instantly recognisable from her jewel-encrusted wigs and elaborate ruffs. Thanks to a \u2018bum-roll\u2019 and farthingale, her silhouette almost matched her father\u2019s. At her death, Elizabeth had more than 2,000 items of clothing. Most of this was kept in the Great Wardrobe, unfortunately lost during the Great Fire of London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a packed meeting and Eleri\u2019s talk was fascinating and entertaining, giving rise to a multitude of questions from the audience.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

March 15th 2018 – A Talk by David Hassard – Sopwith Aviation and the Great War.<\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Thomas Sopwith, 1910<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

On a cold evening in March an audience of some seventy people, a mixture of MLHS and friends and members of the public, including a number of motor cycling enthusiasts, gathered at Hurst Park School eager to hear David\u2019s talk on a subject not necessarily widely appreciated locally. An introduction about Tommy Sopwith (photo) and how he came to start building and promoting his own early aircraft designs. He set up his first factory in an old roller skating rink at Canbury Park Road in Kingston-upon-Thames, which provided the large space that was needed to accommodate the aircraft construction. He mentioned his partner Fred Sigrist, a very clever engineer who lived at one time in Wolsey Road, East Molesey. He also told us of Harry Hawker, an Australian, who became their test pilot and was a bit of a dare devil. A full report can be found in Issue No. 42 of the Newsletter. Available to members now and non-members next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

February 7th, 2018 – AGM followed by A Talk by Jenny Woods – Molesey Then and Now: A Journey of Discovery.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Society held its 11th Annual General Meeting at the new\nSt Lawrence School on Wednesday 7th February. 68 members attended, with\napologies from 13 others. The business part of the meeting took about half an\nhour, and was followed by a talk by our Chair, Jenny Wood, about the creation\nprocess, trials and tribulations of bringing the \u201cMolesey Then and Now\u201d book\ninto being \u2013 more of that later. The minutes of the previous year\u2019s AGM were\napproved, as was the Financial Report; the election of officers and committee\nwas very straightforward, as all members of the 2017\/18 committee were willing\nto re-stand, and no formal motions had been received. In her Chairman\u2019s Report,\nJenny reported that 2017 had been a memorable year, with the Society\ncelebrating its 10th anniversary and the publication of our first book,\n\u201cMolesey Then and Now\u201d, with over 900 copies having been sold to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Events in 2017<\/strong> (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 14th, 2017 – Educating Molesey: Memories of Schools and Schooling in Times Past <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Education c.ame full circle in Molesey on 14 November. Our meeting on the history of education in Molesey was held in the brand-new St Lawrence School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a wealth of information and artefacts on display.\nThe St Lawrence School History Club had made a model of a Victorian schoolroom.\nElmbridge Museum had some school-related items from their collection. Members\ndisplayed personal memorabilia of their school days in Molesey. The wall\ndisplay included a time-line of education in Molesey relating it to what was\nhappening nationally. All the information members had researched about the\nvarious schools was presented in the form of scrapbooks so there was plenty for\nthe 100 members and guests to look at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A school hand bell was rung to start the proceedings,\nintroduced by Jenny Wood our chair. Anthony Barnes gave an interesting and\ninformative talk about the history of education in Molesey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were very lucky to have four actors from the Barn Theatre\nto entertain us next. They performed a dialogue covering schools from the\n1850s-1950s, talking about uniforms, punishment, school dinners, lessons and\ntoilets! The information in the dialogue came from school log books and\nnumerous interviews conducted by members. The usual refreshments were enhanced\nby a real school dinner favourite, butterscotch tart!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was a very enjoyable evening – did other members have\nthe similar thought, that reminiscing about school was more fun than actually\ngoing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Septmber 21st, 2017 – A Talk by Imogen Middleton – Surrey in the Great War: A County Remembers \u2013 Life on the Home Front.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Kirsty Bennett, Project Officer from the Surrey History\nCentre, gave the presentation. on \u2018Surrey in the Great War \u2013 A County\nRemembers\u2019. A four-year project supported by Heritage Lottery funding and run\nby Surrey Heritage. (Kirsty works alongside Imogen Middleton, our original\nspeaker, who was unable to make the evening).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project aims to engage people of all ages and\nbackgrounds across the county to create a legacy which will tell Surrey\u2019s story\nduring the Great War. This will take the form of a website recording the lives\nand service of all the men and women whose names are on war memorials in\nSurrey. It will not only be a comprehensive 21st century digital memorial but\nalso a resource to enable people to explore, discover and understand the impact\nof the war on their local area and community. A commemorative book, walking\napps and an educational pack are also planned to keep alive the memories of the\nGreat War in Surrey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having briefly explained the project, Kirsty told us about\nsome of the research topics and the success so far in finding information. For\ninstance, there are records of women workers at Chilworth Munitions, stories of\nlocal communities engaged in fundraising to support Belgian refugees and\ntribunal reports of conscientious objectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research materials include archives, maps, photographs,\nhospital records, local newspapers and online resources such as conscription\nrecords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were shown the records of two VADs (Voluntary Aid\nDetachments) from Molesey who gave their time to support the war effort: a\ndriver, transporting the sick and wounded and, a pantry worker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Kirsty showed some examples of the website pages:\nhttp:\/\/www.surreyinthegreatwar.org.uk\/website-launched\/, which invites\ncontributions from anyone who has any information about the experiences of the\npeople of Surrey in the Great War.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 20th, 2017 – Summer Stroll round Painshill Park<\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Painshill Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A one and a half hour walk round the beautiful grounds of\nPainshill Park laid out by Charles Hamilton in the mid-eighteenth century was\nundertaken my members. Our guide reminded us about Charles Hamilton and the\nhistory of the landscape garden and showed us to the best view points as well\nas showing us inside the sparkling crystal Grotto to see the dazzling\nstalactites. At the end of the tour some of us took a look at the Gothic Tower,\nHermitage or Waterwheel under our own guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 6th, 2017 – A Talk by Alison Weir – Anne Boleyn: A King\u2019s Obsession<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The renowned novelist, Alison Weir, spoke at the Clore Centre, Hampton Court Palace, about her latest novel, \u2018Anne Boleyn, A King\u2019s Obsession\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Anne Boleyn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Alison is the top-selling female historian in the United\nKingdom. She has sold more than 2.7 million books \u2013 over a million in this\ncountry and more than 1.7 million in the U.S.A. Her latest book about Anne\nBoleyn is the second novel in a series, \u2018Six Tudor Queens\u2019, about the wives of\nHenry VIII. Alison said that her favourite of Henry\u2019s wives was probably\nCatherine of Aragon but that Anne Boleyn is definitely the most fascinating.\nShe described Anne as \u2018unknowable\u2019. Unlike Catherine of Aragon, Anne did not\nleave a wealth of letters and much of the contemporary information which we\nhave about her comes from hostile sources. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alison spoke about Anne being revered as a feminist icon and\nsaid that she feels that it is legitimate to see Anne as a feminist. Anne, who\nserved at the court of Margaret of Austria, regent of the Netherlands, between\n1513 and 1514 and then at the French court, was exposed to the debate, which\nwas being carried on in early 16th century Europe, that questioned traditional\nconcepts of women and called for them to enjoy equality with men. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January 1536 when Anne had a miscarriage, her enemies,\nparticularly Thomas Cromwell, determined to bring about her downfall. Cromwell\nand Anne had originally been friends, but they had fallen out and Cromwell\nbecame the prime mover in the plot against Anne. Alison thinks that Cromwell\nmay have believed that Anne was recovering some of the ascendancy over Henry\nwhich she had lost and that it was his neck or hers. Cromwell based his case on\nHenry\u2019s fear of treason and Anne\u2019s flirtatious nature. Alison believes that\nAnne was probably innocent of adultery because she does not think that she\nwould have risked her immortal soul by lying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 26th, 2017 – A Talk by Cherrill Sands – Painshill Crystal Grotto:The Restoration Story.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Cherrill Sands is a freelance Garden Historian and is also\nchair of the Surrey Gardens Trust.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Crystal Grotto, Painshill Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Painshill Landscape Garden was originally created by the\nHon Charles Hamilton, who bought land near Cobham in 1738.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garden fashion of the time was all about man \u2018controlling\u2019\nnature. Hamilton\u2019s idea was to create scenes and views to be enjoyed on a set\nroute around the garden. Each area would evoke a different emotion in the\nviewer. He carried on creating until he ran out of money and being forced to\nsell in 1773, when he retired to Bath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the Second World War, various parts of the estate were\nsold and the garden became neglected and overgrown. In 1964, local historian,\nDavid Taylor, highlighted the state of Painshill and Elmbridge Borough Council\nbegan to buy back land that had been part of the original estate.\nUnfortunately, the National Trust was not interested, as there was too much\nwork involved. In 1981, the Painshill Park Trust was set up to \u2018research and\nrestore\u2019 and \u2018manage and maintain\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With no estate papers to help, archaeology was used to\nidentify features. It was decided to replant only with varieties that would\nhave been available in the eighteenth century up until 1770.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cherrill impressed us with her enthusiasm for Painshill and\nits importance to Surrey. Funding and volunteers are always needed..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 9th, 2017 – A Talk by Dr Fiona Fisher – Kenneth Wood, Molesey Architect: A Modernist in Suburbia.<\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
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Ken Wood Sketch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Our March meeting was devoted to the work of Kenneth Wood, a\nrenowned architect who lived and practised in Molesey. Our talk was given by Dr\nFiona Fisher, who lectures in the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture of\nKingston University and supports the research and activities of the Modern\nInteriors Research Centre. Dr Fisher is also curator of Kingston University’s\nDorich House Museum, the former studio home of the sculptor Dora Gordine and\nher husband, the Hon. Richard Hare, a scholar of Russian art and literature.\nHer book \u2019Designing the British Post-War House, Kenneth Wood 1948-1968\u2019\nprovided the background for the talk, which included slides of his work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kenneth Wood was born in 1921 and attended Dartford Grammar\nSchool. During the War he served in the R.A.F. His first job was with Eric\nLyons in East Molesey from 1953. He established his own practice in 1955, still\nin East Molesey, until 1984. He then joined another practice until his\nretirement in 1994.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps his most well-known building is the Stanley Picker\nhouse on Kingston Hill. Stanley Picker wanted a contemporary home in which to\nhouse his art collection. He had made his money in the world of cosmetics and\nowned the Gala factory on the A3, which produced Outdoor Girl and Quant\nproducts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kenneth Wood will be remembered for his concept of flexible\nliving: homes able to adapt to changing family needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A number of the audience had personally known Kenneth and\nhis wife, and several recounted their own memories following the talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For further enquiries regarding possible visits to the\nPicker House and Private Collection, please contact the administrator by\ne-mail:  lorraine@stanleypickertrust.org.\nPlease note that although the current guardians of the property live on site,\nthe office hours are part time only.\nhttp:\/\/www.stanleypickertrust.org\/opening-arrangements\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can see a 15 minute video about Kenneth Wood, entitled\n\u2018A Modernist in Suburbia\u2019 on Vimeo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 1st, 2017 – AGM followed by<\/strong> A Talk by Laurence Shafe – The Power of Beauty in Restoration England: The Windsor & Hampton Court Beauties .<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
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Portrait of an Unknown Woman c.1670-5 Sir Peter Lely 1618-1680 Bequeathed by Cornelia, Countess of Craven 1965 http:\/\/www.tate.org.uk\/art\/work\/T00755<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Laurence Shafe gave a most interesting talk and presentation\nabout the Windsor Beauties and their role within society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting at the time of Charles II, around 1660, Laurence\nexplained how ballads were used as a medium to poke fun at society in general.\nThe new freedoms introduced by the Reformation Court spread through society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this time 10% of businesses were owned by women, passed\non to them by their husbands. The first daily newspaper was run by a woman.\nHowever, it was a male dominated society and so these heroic women had to fight\nagainst established norms and laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mistresses were public knowledge and accepted in society, a\nFrench idea introduced by Charles, with Charles known to have had between nine\nand eleven. Laurence showed portraits of Nell Gwyn, Barbara Villiers and Louise\nde K\u00e9rouaille, as three examples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The talk was concluded with the works of Sir Peter Lely, The\nWindsor Beauties, commissioned by the Duchess of York, which can now be seen at\nHampton Court Palace, and he provided interesting nicknames: Hidden; Poisoner;\nPoisoned; Curse of the Nation; La Belle Hamilton; Joker; Trophy; Villainous,\nSmelly, Quiet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2016 (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 2016 – 150th Anniversary of Molesey Boat Club<\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
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Molesey Boat Club<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

2016 marked the 150th anniversary of Molesey Boat Club. To\ncelebrate this, the Society had worked with Boat Club members to compile displays\nand talks on the history and achievements of Molesey rowers and our November\nmeeting was held at the Boat Club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our evening began with Roger Haile providing a potted\nhistory of rowing from ancient boats, such as triremes, to the present day.\nPhil Bourgignon, head coach at Molesey Boat Club, gave us a more technical talk\nwith examples of how rowing has changed since the early days. This led into the\ntalk by Martin Cross, an Olympic rower. Martin won bronze at the Munich\nOlympics and a gold medal in Los Angeles (alongside Steve Redgrave). A\nlong-standing member of Molesey Boat Club, John van Ingen, then gave us a talk\non the history of the Club itself, from the first club house on Ash Island to\nthe well-equipped building today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The evening was well attended and was a great success. We\nall left knowing significantly more about rowing and our local Club than we had\nbefore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 14th, 2016 – A Talk by Jane Lewis – Cameras and Corsets, Dating Historical Photographs.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s easier to date the fashion than the photograph\u201d\ndeclared Jane Lewis. An old family portrait showing three generations of women\nillustrated the point perfectly: the grandmother decked out in the fashions of\nyesteryear, the mother a little behind the times and the daughter wearing the\nlatest fashion. Outfits and hairstyles can be dated \u2013 even for men whose\nclothes and facial hair changed more subtly than those of women. These clues\ngive important indications as to not just when a photograph was taken but\nwhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jane\u2019s illustrated talk was full of rich detail enlivened by\nhumorous asides and personal anecdotes of her own family history photographs.\nIt is clearly a passion which serves her well in her day job at the Surrey\nHistory Centre in Woking. When dating photographs for the archives, she is\nhelped by others in the team with particular specialisms such as uniforms and\nforms of transport which can provide other important clues to the age of a\npicture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 12th & 13th, 2016 – Summer Stroll \u2013 Guided Walk through Kingston<\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The walks were led by three different guides and it seems\nthat we were taken on slightly varying routes and that in some cases the guides\nemphasised different facts. The walks were extremely interesting and\ninformative and we were given so much information that it would be impossible\nto attempt to summarise it all. This is just one of the interesting facts given\nout:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people believe that Kingston derived its name from the\nCoronation Stone (King\u2019s stone) but in fact its name comes from the Old English\nwords \u2018cyning\u2019 and \u2018tun\u2019, meaning \u2018the king\u2019s estate\u2019. The first written\nmention of Kingston is as Cyningestun in 838.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you would like to find out more about Kingston\u2019s history,\nKingston Tour Guides run walks every Sunday from April to September and on the\nfirst Sunday of the month from October to March. Walks start at the Church\nGates in the Market Place at 11 a.m., last about 1\u00bd hours and cost \u00a35.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 9th, 2016 – A Talk by Marc Meltonville, Royal Palace Food Historian – The King\u2019s Chocolate Kitchen, Hampton Court Palace.<\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
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Hampton Court Chocolate Kitchen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Hampton Court Chocolate Kitchen You and I might have\ndifficulty in losing a kitchen, but when your residence covers six acres, with\nover 1000 rooms, and has undergone numerous transformations, it can happen all\ntoo easily. So it was that Marc Meltonville, Royal Palace Food Historian was\ntasked with the challenge of finding the Chocolate Kitchen, which was built for\nWilliam and Mary but mainly served the Georgian kings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After extensive research, an entry was found in an inventory\nmade after the death of William III, which showed that there was a chocolate\nroom, 8th door on the right in the Fountain Court. This room was being used for\nstorage and, once emptied, revealed the intact kitchen \u2013 the original range\nwhere the beans would have been roasted, Georgian shelves and even the original\nfold-down table for preparing the drink, still firmly fixed to the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tea, coffee and chocolate all came to England during the\n1650s. Gentlemen would meet in coffee houses to discuss matters of the day.\nThey would escort their wives to genteel tea houses but took their mistresses\nto the chocolate houses!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 19th, 2016 – A Talk on Warren House, Kingston followed by a Garden Tour. <\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
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Warren House<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

On 19th May, 25 members and guests spent an enthralling\nmorning listening to Vicky Good talk about the history of the owners of Warren\nHouse and Andrew Fisher Tomlin speak about the history of the garden and then\nwalking round the garden and much of the ground floor of the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After her parents bought Warren House in 2005, Vicky\u2019s\nattention was grabbed by a photograph taken there on 22nd May 1909. This\nphotograph showed the then owners of the house, General Sir Arthur and Lady\nPaget, and various illustrious guests, including Edward VII and his mistress,\nMrs Alice Keppel. It inspired Vicky to research the story of the inhabitants of\nthe house and in 2014 she published a book \u2018The Warren House Tales\u2019 about their\nlives. http:\/\/www.warrenhouse.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrew took us on a tour of the gardens and in particular of\nthe Veitch Heritage Garden, a walled garden which has been redesigned by Andrew\nto commemorate the Veitch nurseries and to celebrate the plant hunters who\nrisked their lives to bring back exotic plants to Britain.\nhttp:\/\/www.warrenhouse.com\/veitch_garden.php. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 26th, 2016 – A Talk by Nick Pollard – Thames Bridges, Staines to Kingston.<\/h4>\n\n\n
\n
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Chertsey Bridge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

On 26 April members were given a talk by Nick Pollard on\n\u2018Thames Bridges from Staines to Kingston. Nick explained that until the 1869\nKew and Other Bridges Act everyone using the bridges paid a toll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There has been a bridge since Roman times in Staines, when\nit was known as \u2018Ad Pontes\u2019. The bridge was broken during the Civil War to\nprevent movement of troops, but soon replaced as it formed part of the main\nroute to Exeter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chertsey Bridge is first mentioned in 1410 and was built by\nthe monks of Chertsey Abbey. In 1782 a new bridge was built which, although\nconstructed with the number of arches specified, did not reach the banks and\nhad to be extended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Walton Bridge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first bridge was built at Walton on Thames in 1750. Due\nto the wooden lattice work, it was known as a mathematical bridge. A stone\nbridge was built in around 1784, which fell down in 1859 and was replaced by a\ncast iron bridge in 1864. A temporary Callender Hamilton bridge was built in\n1953, which was replaced by the new bridge which opened in 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first bridge at Hampton Court was built in 1752 in the\n\u2018chinoiserie\u2019 style. It was followed by a wooden bridge in 1778 and an iron\nbridge in 1864-5. The present bridge was styled by Lutyens to reflect the\ndesign of Hampton Court Palace and was opened by the Prince of Wales in 1933.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wooden bridge at Kingston was known in the twelfth\ncentury. It was broken down during the Wars of the Roses and again in the\nrebellion against Queen Mary. A stone bridge was opened in 1828 and was widened\nto take trams in 1911-14 and again in 2001. From underneath the stages of\nconstruction can be clearly seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was an entertaining and well-illustrated talk by Nick,\nincluding some very interesting aerial views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2015 (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

October 22nd, 2015 – A Talk by David Stone, Oxbridge Research Fellow and Author specializing in medieval history – Everyday Life in 13th Century Esher.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Dr David Stone brought to life the story of the expansion of\nthe Winchester bishopric\u2019s estate at Esher and the hardships endured by the\ncommon people in the early fourteenth century as they battled climate change,\nfamine and the Black Death. You can read an account of the evening in\nNewsletter 35 (March 2016). The results of his research will be published by\nSurrey Records Society in 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 9th, 2015 – A Talk by Loretta Howell of the R C Sherrif Trust – R C Sherrif from Towpath to Red Carpet.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We were treated to a fascinating and informative evening\nwith Loretta Howells from R C Sherriff Rosebriars Trust celebrating the life\nand works of local playwright Robert Cedric Sherriff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Born in Hampton Wick in 1896, he attended Kingston Grammar\nSchool and was captain of cricket and rowing. His ashes were placed with those\nof his mother in St Winifred\u2019s Chapel, Selsey. Today, a small half hidden\nplaque marks the life of a writer who is best known for Journey\u2019s End but in\nfact wrote so much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1932, he was asked to write the screenplay for The\nInvisible Man and then went on to write a number of screenplays including\nGoodbye Mr. Chips, The Four Feathers, Lady Hamilton, Odd Man Out, Mrs. Miniver,\nQuartet, No Highway and The Dam Busters. He spent his time commuting between\nHollywood, Rosebriars, (his house in Esher), a farm in Dorset and a house in\nSelsey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 7th, 2015- Summer Stroll \u2013 Royal Paddocks<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jason Debney from the Thames Landscape Strategy led a\nfascinating walk on a beautiful summer\u2019s evening, introducing members to the\nsecret world of the wildlife in the Royal Paddocks, and area not normally open\nto the public. A project to restore the lost floodplain habitat of The Royal\nPaddocks in Home Park and look at ways of enhancing the area for water and\nwildlife has been underway for four years, and includes new sluices, expansion\nof the reedbeds and improvements for fish and eels, as well as kingfisher and\nsandmartin banks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 4th, 2015 – A Talk by Tracy Borman, joint Chief Curator for Historic Royal Palaces – Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII’s Most Faithful Servant.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Tracy’s gripping account of the life and career of Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s Chief Minister. Reminding us of how ruthless and ambitious politicians will always divide opinion as to their motives. Achievements and Reputation. You can read an account of the evening in Newsletter 33 (June 2015). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 29th, 2015 – AGM followed by A Talk by Bill Weisblatt, Trustee of the Garrick\u2019s Temple to Shakespeare Trust, titled: David Garrick \u2013 \u2018\u2019Behind the Scenes\u2019 <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

After studying law and a period with his brother in a wine\nbusiness, David Garrick started as a playwright, which was considered as a\ngentlemanly career. He then joined the disreputable acting profession,\neventually achieving acclaim playing Richard III. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an actor\/manager he brought Shakespeare back into fashion\nand completely changed the acting profession with his style of interacting with\nother members of the cast in a natural manner. He became a celebrity and,\nfollowing his death in 1779, crowds of people visited his body as it lay in\nstate. Garrick and his wife moved to Hampton in 1754 to farm buildings that had\nbeen renovated by Robert Adam. Garrick\u2019s Temple was built in 1756 to celebrate\nthe genius of William Shakespeare. It is open to the public on Sunday\nafternoons (14.00-17.00) from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in\nOctober. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018February 5th 2015 – A Talk by Carole Garrard, Local Studies Librarian at the Surrey History Centre – Maps for Local History.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Over 60 members ignored the elements and made their way to\nHurst Park School to hear Carole Garrard, local studies librarian at Surrey\nHistory Centre, tell us about the amazing maps we can access in Surrey to\nilluminate the story of Molesey and its inhabitants. Molesey is well served not\nonly by Ordnance Survey maps dating back to the 1860s but also by Manorial,\nEnclosure and Estate maps going back to the 1780s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carole\u2019s talk was well researched and illustrated with a\nselection of images relating to Molesey. Most of the important maps covering\nMolesey have been scanned by the Surrey History Centre, and photocopies and CDs\nare available for purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2014 (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

\u2018November 11th 2014 – A Talk by Ian Chatfield, curator of the East Surrey Regiment Museum – How the East Surreys went to war in 1914.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A highly appropriate topic for Remembrance Day, which\nattracted an audience of over 75 members and guests. The East Surrey Regiment\nwas formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of two Regiments with a view to saving\nmoney. When war broke out on 4th August 1914 the 1st East Surrey battalion was\nbased in Dublin. Eleven days later the battalion was in France and involved in\nthe Battle of Mons. The 2nd East Surrey battalion was in India at the outbreak\nof war but was soon recalled and by January 1915 was in action in France.\nDuring the war the Regiment lost 6,223 men.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1959 the East Surrey Regiment was amalgamated with the\nQueen\u2019s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) to form The Queen\u2019s Royal Surrey Regiment,\nand a Museum, now called The Surrey Infantry Museum, was opened at Clandon Park\nin 1981. A visit is highly recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 3rd & 4th 2014 – Then & Now a Photographic Exhibition<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For two days the Methodist Church in East Molesey was packed\nwith visitors to our enthralling \u2018Then and Now\u2019 exhibition of historic\nphotographs alongside present-day images of the identical locations. The modern\nphotographs were taken by two professional photographers who are based in\nMolesey, and by members of the Society. Each pair of \u2018Then and Now\u2019 photographs\nwas accompanied by a caption explaining the history of each location –\nresearched and written by Society members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The displays really stimulated conversation and there was a\nconstant buzz as people shared their memories of Molesey\u2019s past and the changes\nthat have taken place over the years. Whilst not everything has changed for the\nbetter, the \u2018Now\u2019 photographs showed everyone that Molesey residents are\nfortunate to live in such beautiful surroundings. One visitor wrote, \u2018What a\nwonderful exhibition which I thoroughly enjoyed. I am going to enjoy living in\nMolesey even more now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018September 16th 2014 – A Talk by Lindy Wilson, member of Walton & Hersham NADFAS – The Treasures of St Peter\u2019s Church.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

St Peter\u2019s church in West Molesey was the location for a\ntalk by Lindy Wilson about a project carried out by volunteers from the Walton\n& Hersham branch of NADFAS (National Association of Decorative & Fine\nArts Societies) to research and document the contents of the church \u2013\nmemorials, metalwork, stonework, woodwork, textiles, paintings, windows and\nother items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St Peter\u2019s church tower was built, probably as a watchtower,\nin about 1420, and is said to be the oldest building in Molesey. The present\nchurch, apart from the tower, was built in 1843 but it replaced a much earlier\nbuilding and there are many memorials and other artefacts which are older than\nthe building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the memorials is one for Admiral Sir George Cranfield\nBerkeley, a member of the Berkeley family who, along with the Hotham family,\nwere one-time Lords of the Manors of Molesey, and another for the Right\nHonourable John Wilson Croker who was a Member of Parliament for 25 years and\nchiefly responsible for the re-building of the church in 1843. A booklet\nentitled \u2018A Short History of St Peter\u2019s Church West Molesey\u2019 is available and\ncan be purchased at the church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 16th 2014 – Summer Stroll \u2013 Molesey Cemetery<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On an idyllic summer evening over sixty members took a\ngentle stroll through Molesey cemetery, before making their way to Hurst Park\nschool for refreshments and a talk by Anthony Barnes on the history of the\ncemetery and some of the notable people buried there, one of whom was Sir Henry\nThompson who, ironically, was one of the first in this country to advocate and\npopularise cremation! The cemetery is located in West Molesey close to St Peter\u2019s\nchurch and came into operation in about 1865 when St Mary\u2019s small churchyard\nbecame full.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the evening of the summer stroll, flags were in place to\ndraw people\u2019s attention to significant graves. Many eminent figures prominent\nin Molesey public life from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century are\nburied close to the cemetery office; but every area of the cemetery has a story\nto tell whether it\u2019s the graves of members of local families, a group of nuns\nburied by the cemetery wall or the headstones of service men and women who died\nin two world wars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 5th 2014 – A Talk by Lesley Ronaldson, former Real Tennis professional at Hampton Court – Real Tennis, Game of Kings and, other Tudor Sports.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Clore Centre at Hampton Court once again proved to be a\npopular venue. Lesley Ronaldson has been associated with Hampton Court for 27\nyears, firstly as Tennis Professional and \u2018Keeper of the Royal Tennis Court\u2019,\nand latterly as a guide and lecturer. Incidentally, the use of the word \u2018Real\u2019\nin describing the game does not refer to its Royal connection but to its status\nas the original (i.e. real) version of tennis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Tudor times sport was regarded as training for warfare.\nThus there were few ball games but lots of \u2018manly pursuits\u2019, some more\ndangerous than others, (e.g. jousting). Like many sports, tennis originated in\nhumble surroundings, the ball being played off the shop roofs in the streets.\nThis explains the unusual layout of a Real tennis court today, with sloping\n\u2018penthouses\u2019 around three of the four walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were once told that Coca-Cola was the \u2018real thing\u2019 but\nnow we know differently. A most interesting talk, for sports fans and history\nlovers alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 30th 2014 – AGM followed by A Talk by Penny Rainbow – Wayneflete Tower.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Society\u2019s seventh AGM was held at St. Lawrence Junior\nSchool and was attended by around 100 members. After the formal business of the\nmeeting, Penny Rainbow gave an illustrated talk on \u2018Wayneflete Tower\u2019 in Esher\nwhich has been her home for the past 20 years. The Tower was the gatehouse of\nEsher Palace which was built in the 1460s by William Wayneflete, Bishop of\nWinchester. For over 300 years, it was a building of national importance, lived\nin and visited by some of the most important people of the Tudor and Elizabethan\nperiods. The Tower is all that remains of the Palace but the site has been\nextensively excavated by archaeological experts and Penny has spent the last 20\nyears painstakingly restoring the outside and inside of the Tower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 4th 2014 – Members\u2019 Evening<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Members\u2019 Evening is essentially a social event with some\nhistory thrown in. This year\u2019s attractions were another chance to see the\ndisplay material from the \u2018Bridges\u2019 evening and a talk by two of the Society\u2019s\nmembers on a part of Molesey with its own distinct character. This is the area\nin West Molesey where the \u2018Howard Houses\u2019 are located. These are so called\nafter Donald Howard, an enterprising young property developer who, in 1933,\nembarked on a plan to build a community for middle class Londoners looking for\na more rural lifestyle. Sadly this dream was never fully realised as Howard\nwent bankrupt when only 300 houses had been completed. Although many of the\nhouses have been altered and extended in the 80 years since they were built,\nthe estate still retains its distinctive Modernist look and the houses are much\nin demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2013 (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 15th 2013 – Bridge on the River Thames, the History of Hampton Court Bridges<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On 3rd July 1933 Edward, Prince of Wales, officially opened\nthe new Hampton Court Bridge. Now 80 years later, and following extensive\nresearch, the Society mounted a comprehensive display that commemorated the\nfour bridges built at Hampton Court since 1763. This was complemented by\nillustrated talks given by three members of the Society telling the story of\nthe bridges and their construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To conclude the evening, one of the Society\u2019s members who,\nas an eight year old school boy was amongst the pupils who were invited to the\nopening ceremony in 1933, told us that having walked from Park Road school and\nthen waited for what \u201cseemed like ages\u201d to see the Prince of Wales \u201cfor all of\n50 seconds\u201d and then walked back to school having had no lunch or tea the whole\nthing seemed \u201ca bit of a non-event\u201d. Hopefully nobody could say the same about\na very interesting and entertaining evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 17th 2013 – A talk by Ian Smith curator of the Frederick W Paine Museum in Kingston – History of Frederick Paine, Undertakers.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Around 80 members and visitors attended this informative\ntalk but to what extent their interest lay in the past or the future is not\nknown! At the time of his death in 1945 Frederick W Paine had the largest\nnetwork of branches of any funeral directing business in the country, including\none in East Molesey. The name still survives but the business is now part of\nDignity Plc. Also surviving are the company\u2019s records of past funerals, some of\nwhich Ian Smith brought along so that members could search for relatives or\nfriends. The Frederick W Paine Museum is located at 24 London Road, Kingston\nand is open on Tuesdays, free of charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 4th 2013 – A Summer Stroll followed by A Talk by Toby Butler – Liquid History: houseboat life and the Elmbridge riverside trail.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

East Molesey Cricket Club was the starting point for this\nyear\u2019s Summer Stroll which involved following the Elmbridge riverside audio\ntrail from Cigarette Island to the Hurst Park Heritage Marker. Before the walk,\nToby Butler, a University lecturer specializing in audio history, regaled us\nwith stories of life on the river Thames which included his own recollections\nof living on a houseboat, as well as recordings of people speaking about their\nlives working and living on narrow boats in the 1940s and 1950s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 23rd 2013 – An illustrated Talk by Ian Franklin and Robert Hoare – Hampton Court in Old Photographs<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Clore Centre provided an appropriate backdrop for a talk\non the development of photography in the 19th Century and the popularity of\nHampton Court as an early subject for photographic pioneers. The first\nphotographs of Hampton Court date back to 1845 and comparisons with modern\nphotographs help to identify changes to the Palace over the years. The\ndevelopment and popularity of photography \u2013 Queen Victoria and Prince Albert\nwere both enthusiasts \u2013 led, in the 1850s, to the Victoria and Albert Museum instigating\na project to photograph all works of art and historic buildings for posterity\nand commercial exploitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 25th 2013 – AGM followed by A Talk by John Sheaf – Victorian Hampton<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Society\u2019s sixth AGM was held at St. Lawrence Junior School\nand was attended by over 100 members. After the formal business of the meeting,\nJohn Sheaf gave an illustrated talk on \u2018Victorian Hampton\u2019. John used his\ncollection of old photographs to show that, although some of the Victorian\nbuildings are no longer in existence, the overall structure of Hampton remains\nmuch as it was in Victorian times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 29th 2013 – Sport on the Hurst (Part 2)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another good turnout at St Paul\u2019s Church for the second part\nof our Sport on the Hurst programme. A number of well-researched and very\ninformative talks were given by four members of the Society\u2019s Committee \u2013 Jenny\nWood, Paula Day, Wendy Wilson and Anthony Barnes. The sports covered were\nhunting, cock fighting, prize-fighting, duelling, athletics, archery, golf, ballooning\nand swimming. In addition to the talks there was a comprehensive display of\nhistorical memorabilia including an actual pair of cockspurs and a fascinating\nset of instructions as to appropriate behaviour when swimming in the Thames.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2012 (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 14th 2012 – A talk by Nick Barratt – House History<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Nick Barratt of BBC\u2019s \u2018Who Do You Think You Are\u2019 and the\nHistory Channel\u2019s \u2018Hidden House Histories\u2019 gave a very informative talk which\nexplained how to set about building up the history of a house. Starting from\ngetting to know the neighbours, he went on to describe how to access the many\nand varied sources that are available, and what sort of information these might\nsupply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nick has very kindly offered to make copies of his\npresentation available to any member of the Society and also to guests at the\nmeeting. If you would like to receive a copy by email, please contact Jill\nWilkins, on historysociety@btinternet.com, and we will send one to you in its\noriginal digital form. Also, for anyone who wants something more in-depth, Nick\nhas a few copies of his book \u2018Tracing the History of Your House\u2019 that he is\nhappy to sell at a discounted price of \u00a310 (instead of \u00a315.99). Please contact\nadmin@house-detectives.co.uk if you would like a copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nick\u2019s agency undertakes personal research and would be\nhappy to take on the research of your house. Contact\nadmin@house-detectives.co.uk for further information. His new website is\nhttp:\/\/www.house-detectives.co.uk, where you will find further details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 12th 2012 – Sport on the Hurst (Part 1)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The faithful \u2013 about 150 of them \u2013 flocked to Mole Hall to\nwitness another of the Society\u2019s in-house productions. The subject was the\nhistory of sporting activity on Molesey Hurst which stretches from Tudor times\nto the present day. Originally planned to coincide with the London 2012\nOlympics, it was particularly appropriate that Molesey played a part in the\nOlympics as host to some of the Cycling events. The evening consisted of an\nintroduction by the Society\u2019s Chair, Jenny Wood, followed by illustrated talks\non Cricket by John Hutton and Horse Racing by Stewart Nash, both of which\nfeatured Path\u00e9 News clips. The talks were supplemented by displays of\nphotographs and other material. Sadly there was insufficient time to do justice\nto all the other sport that has taken place on the \u201cHurst\u201d and so a further\nevening is planned for early in 2013 to cover the exclusions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 11th 2012 – Summer Stroll<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s Summer Stroll was the sixth such event since the\nSociety was formed in 2007. It was an event tinged with sadness as Tony Osborne\nwho had designed and led the previous strolls died on 5th May this year.\nFortunately Tony\u2019s plans for this year\u2019s stroll were well advanced and with his\ndaughter Mary taking over the post walk presentation the stroll was a tangible\nand fitting tribute to Tony\u2019s efforts on behalf of the Society. Armed with a\nspecially drawn map strollers were able to visit 18 places of interest in the\nEast Molesey Old Village Area and with these fresh in our minds Mary Osborne\nprovided more detail in her presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday 24th May 2012 – A talk by Dr Annie Gray – Dining with Kings (and Queens): Eating at Hampton Court Palace through History.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another excellent turn-out for our annual Clore Centre\nmeeting. Dr Annie Gray, who clearly enjoys her subject, provided an\nilluminating insight into the eating habits of the \u2018court\u2019 at Hampton Court.\nThe sheer scale of the provisioning and cooking arrangements was immense but a\ngreat source of employment for the local people. Fortunately the River Thames\nwas on hand to help deal with the waste disposal problem. Although it was a\nwarm night, no one felt like swimming!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday 25th April 2012 – AGM followed by A Talk by Dr David Parker – Dickens and the Thames: Richmond to Hampton.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Society\u2019s fifth AGM was held at St. Lawrence Junior\nSchool and was attended by over 120 members. After the formal business of the\nmeeting, Dr David Parker, former Curator of the London Dickens Museum, gave an\nillustrated talk on Charles Dickens\u2019 connection with the Thames from Richmond\nto Hampton. Dickens habitually rented houses close to the river, inviting\nfriends to share the delights of the \u2018countryside\u2019, and his works contain many\nreferences to the scenes and characters he encountered whilst staying in the\narea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday\/Saturday 9\/10th March 2012 – Exhibition \u2013 Life in Molesey during WWII<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A well-attended exhibition was held over two days at Molesey\nRoyal British Legion entitled \u2018Life in Molesey during World War II\u2019. This was a\nfollow-up, at the request of members, to the meeting held in November 2010 and\nit provided another opportunity for members to view photographs and other\nmaterial depicting life during the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday 31st January 2012 – Imber Court \u2013 A Stately Home for Horses<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Chris Forester, a former officer in the Metropolitan Police\nMounted Training Division, gave an illustrated talk on the history of Imber\nCourt through the ages. Once part of Henry VIII\u2019s hunting grounds, it became a\nprivate house in the 17th Century and remained so until 1915 when the War\nDepartment leased it for use as a munitions testing ground. After WW1 the\nestate was broken up with parts being developed for housing and light industry.\nThe rest was sold to the Metropolitan Police, who turned it into a training\ncentre and sports facility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2011 (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 16th 2011 – It\u2019s Carnival Time! A look back at the Molesey Carnival over the years.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Imber Court was once again the venue for yet another\nbrilliant show by the Society\u2019s research team. With the aid of photographs,\nfilms, newsreels, press cuttings, and presentations by Anthony Barnes and Clive\nKirk, the history of the Molesey Carnival was retold to an appreciative\naudience of over 100 members and guests. Originating from the \u2018pound day\u2019\ncollections and parades in support of the Molesey cottage hospital, the\nCarnival has developed into an essential part of the social calendar for\nMolesey residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 8th 2011 – Claremont House \u2013 Talk and Tour<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Today, Claremont House is the home of Claremont Fan Court\nSchool attended by 600 pupils between the ages of 3 and 18. But its history, as\nexplained by Pamela Rider, one of the teachers at the school, stretches back to\nthe early 18th Century when the first house was built by Sir John Vanbrugh. The\npresent Palladian-style mansion with gardens landscaped by Capability Brown was\nbuilt for Clive of India and was subsequently bought by Queen Victoria as a\nhome for her youngest son. More recently it saw action during WWII as the base\nfor the design team of the Hawker Siddeley Aircraft Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 21st 2011 – Summer Stroll \u2013 Island Barn<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s stroll took us to the Island Barn Reservoir, the\nopening of which took place 100 years ago on 4th November 1911. This is very\nmuch \u2018off the beaten track\u2019 and members were able to satisfy their curiosity by\nwalking round the perimeter by the water\u2019s edge and enjoying splendid panoramic\nviews. Later, at Chandler\u2019s Field School, Tony Osborne gave another of his\nentertaining and illuminating talks about the reservoir and its construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 19th 2011 – A talk by Dr Suzannah Lipscomb – Henry VIII, The Making of a Tyrant.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In the historical setting of Hampton Court, Suzannah\nLipscomb, author of the book, \u20181536 \u2013 the year that changed Henry VIII\u2019,\ndescribed the events that turned Henry VIII from a fun-loving guy into a grumpy\nand despotic old man. Certainly the lack of a male heir contributed to Henry\u2019s\nill-temper but Suzannah believes that perhaps physical causes may have been at\nthe root of the change in his personality. A very enjoyable and informative\nevening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 7th 2011 – AGM followed by A talk by Ron Smedley – We Are Fred Karno\u2019s Army.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Society\u2019s fourth AGM was held at St. Lawrence Junior\nSchool and was completed without incident. After the formal business of the\nmeeting, Ron Smedley, Chairman of Hampton Riverside Trust, gave an illustrated\ntalk entitled \u2018We Are Fred Karno\u2019s Army\u2019. This was an entertaining account of\nthe rags-to-riches-to-rags story of the man whose name became a synonym for\norganized chaos and whose fun palace called The Karsino brought the smart set\nflocking to Tagg\u2019s Island in the 1910s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 15th 2011 – A talk by Alistair Grant – The Elmbridge Hundred. <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Parish Room at St Paul\u2019s Church was absolutely full to\nhear artist, writer and historian Alistair Grant give a talk on the Elmbridge\nHundred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This community project, initiated by Alistair, to celebrate\nthe centenary of the Elmbridge Museum, was designed to research, document and\ncelebrate some of the remarkable and diverse people associated with Elmbridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more details about \u2018The Elmbridge Hundred\u2019 visit\nwww.elmbridgehundred.org.uk<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2010<\/strong> (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 12th 2010 – Life in Molesey during World War II<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It was a V for Victory evening at Mole Hall when an audience\nof almost 200 people experienced a vivid recreation of everyday life in Wartime\nMolesey. The scene was set with a montage of photographs and memorabilia\ndisplayed around the hall illustrating such diverse topics as the Home Guard\nand the story of evacuees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An audio visual presentation, using photographs, film and\nsound effects, then told the story of the war\u2019s impact on the people of\nMolesey. A quartet of actors from the Barn Theatre then took the stage bringing\nto life many powerful reminiscences obtained from Molesey residents. One\naccount told of schoolchildren watching a dogfight overhead whilst bullets hit\nthe playground!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To round off the evening the audience was invited to enjoy food cooked from wartime recipes and to read the heart warming Wartime Diaries of a teenager living with her parents in Vine Road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 2nd 2010 – A Walk round Walton-on-Thames led by Bryan Ellis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Bryan Ellis led 17 members on a guided walk round the centre\nof Walton-on-Thames. The circular route started at the Riverhouse Gardens,\ncontinued along the towpath to the Old Manor House, then via the crossroads in\nthe centre of the town to St Mary’s Church, the old Village Hall and Elmgrove\nbefore returning to Riverhouse Gardens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bryan is the author of ‘Walton Past’ and his knowledge and\nenthusiasm gave us an extremely enjoyable and interesting afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 16th 2010 – A talk by Ray Brodie – Water, Water, Everywhere\u2019 the waterways of Bushy Park.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Once again a very good turn out of members and guests at\nHurst Park Primary School to hear Ray Brodie give a memorable account of all\nthat goes on in Bushy Park. Ray is currently the Park Manager for Bushy Park\nand the Longford River, and is able to draw on 30 years “on the job”\nexperience in the Royal Parks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story began with the Longford River, which flows past\nHeathrow and feeds the Park and the waterways in the Park itself. Ray then\ncovered the history of the Park and its various features, before concluding\nwith details about the recent restoration of the Water Gardens and the Diana\nFountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 22nd 2010 – Summer Stroll<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Our third Summer Stroll, this time taking in the Kent Town\nConservation Area. Tony Osborne once again gave us the benefit of his\nexpertise, producing maps for the walk and an illustrated talk afterwards. The\narchitectural styles in the area, particularly in Palace Road, illustrate the\neclecticism of the mid to late Victorian era, ranging from Gothic Revival to\nItalian Renaissance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 19th 2010 – A talk by Annie Gray – \u2018Getting By\u2019 at William III\u2019s Hampton Court.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Our annual visit to the Clore Centre at Hampton Court and a\nmost appropriate setting for a highly entertaining and informative talk by Dr\nAnnie Gray on life at the Baroque Palace of William III. Dr Annie Gray is a\nhistoric food expert and costume interpreter who regularly appears as a guide\nat the Palace in the guise of the Countess of Carlisle. Using telling details\nof changes in domestic consumption, clothing, eating and drinking, she\nillustrated how William and Mary\u2019s reign marked the birth of modern times and\nhealed the Civil War legacy of Britain\u2019s \u2018broken society\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 21st 2010 – AGM followed by a Talk by Cliff Taylor – Hurst Park Racecourse and his career as a jockey.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another good turn out for the Society\u2019s third AGM, held at\nSt. Lawrence Junior School. The formal business of the meeting was completed\nwithout incident and then Cliff Taylor entertained us with an illustrated talk\non Hurst Park Racecourse and his life as a professional jockey. From Cliff\u2019s\nentrance in full racing silks to his advice to would-be punters, the whole show\nwas riveting. Worth the \u00a35 annual subscription alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 9th 2010 – A talk by Nick Barratt from the BBC\u2019s \u2018Who Do You Think You Are?\u2019 programme – Family History and the Media.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Nick Barratt entertained in excess of 160 members and guests\nat Imber Court with an account of his background in research whilst working at\nthe National Archives followed by his work with various TV programmes on House\nHistory, eventually leading to his involvement with the BBC\u2019s \u2018Who Do You Think\nYou Are?\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 19th 2010 – Members Evening<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Our third Members\u2019 Evening, once again held at St Paul\u2019s\nChurch, included contributions from members of the Special Interest Groups on\nHampton Court Station and the demographic changes in Molesey following the\ncoming of the Railway, plus displays of historical maps and other material.\nFinished off with mulled wine and fruit cake as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events for 2009<\/strong> (jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 10th 2009 – Talk by Carole Cuneo and Peter Collins of the Cuneo Society – The life and work of the well-known Molesey artist Terence Cuneo.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who thought that Terence Cuneo just painted trains\nand cars was very pleasantly surprised to discover an artist with complete\nmastery over an extremely wide range of subjects, particularly ceremonial\nevents such as the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. This talk by Cuneo\u2019s\ndaughter, Carole, and Peter Collins of the Cuneo Society covered every aspect\nof the artist\u2019s life and work, and by the end one longed to own a Cuneo\noriginal or to have attended one of his famous New Year parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cuneos have left their mark on Molesey. Terence had his\ncars serviced at the Walton Road Garage \u2013 Lewis Balkwill still owns Cuneo\u2019s old\nBristol \u2013 and Carole once owned the model railway shop in Molesey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 17th 2009 – The First Line for Leisure \u2013 What the Railway did for Molesey<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The coming of the Railway in 1849 was one of the pivotal\nevents in the recent history of Molesey. It was built as the country\u2019s first\nline for leisure – to give Londoners access to Hampton Court Palace, the River\nThames and Hurst Park – but turned a sleepy rustic area into a commuter\ncommunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well over 120 members and guests came to the Molesey Youth\nCentre to hear members of 3 of the Society\u2019s Special Interest Groups \u2013\nWaterways, Transport, People & Buildings \u2013 tell the story of the\nconstruction of the railway, the development of leisure and sporting\nactivities, and the effect on the social landscape. In addition, these\ncarefully researched presentations were supported by a whole variety of maps\nand photographs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 16th 2009 – Summer Stroll<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

About 75 people strolled (not all at the same time) beside\nthe Mole and the Ember on a lovely summer evening visiting points of historical\ninterest, including the sites of the Upper Molesey and Ember Mills. Tony\nOsborne provided an annotated map of the route, which included a visit to the\ngarden of the Old Manor House in Bell Road. After the walk came the illustrated\ntalk, by Tony Osborne, expanding on the history of this surprisingly open and\nalmost rural area of Molesey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 13th 2009 – Talk by Chris Gidlow – The Knights of Christ.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Our third visit to the Clore Centre at Hampton Court Palace,\nand a most interesting illustrated talk by Tower of London expert Chris Gidlow\nentitled \u2018Knights of Christ\u2019. The talk covered the antics of the Knights\nTemplar and Knights Hospitaller from the 11th Century onwards, and described\nthe founding of these orders, their involvement in the Crusades, and their time\nas residents of Hampton Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 23rd 2009 – AGM, followed by a Talk by Brian Smith – Molesey Mills.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Society\u2019s second AGM, held at St. Lawrence Junior\nSchool, attracted just over 100 members. The formal business of the meeting was\ncompleted without incident and then Brian Smith gave an illustrated and\nentertaining talk entitled \u2018Molesey Mills: a story of conflict, scandal,\ngunpowder, explosions, theft and grave robbing\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 5th 2009 – House History.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Jill Hyams from the Surrey History Centre gave a\nwell-illustrated and enjoyable talk about the sources available at the Surrey\nHistory Centre to assist those interested in researching the history of their\nhouse. Jill highlighted various techniques which she had used in researching\nthe history of her own house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 6th 2009 – The Floods (Part 2).<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By public demand, a re-run of the highly popular meeting held\nlast September to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the 1968 Floods. Another\nexcellent evening and, thanks to the all-ticket format, no problems in\naccommodating all those attending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 20th 2009 – Members\u2019 Evening.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Our second Members\u2019 Evening, once again held at St Paul\u2019s\nChurch, included contributions from all the Special Interest Groups (Waterways,\nTransport, Sport, People & Buildings) plus displays of historical maps and\nother themed material. All rounded off with mulled wine and fruit cake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events for 2008<\/strong> <\/a>(jump to top)<\/a><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 18th 2008 – Talk by Nicholas Reed – Alfred Sisley on the Thames and the Welsh Coast.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another packed house, this time at the Molesey Youth Centre,\nand a top-class illustrated talk by Nicholas Reed, the well-known art\nhistorian, about Sisley\u2019s paintings of the Thames at Molesey in 1874 and his\nlater works of the Welsh Coast in 1897. Slides of Sisley\u2019s paintings were\nprojected alongside recent photographs of the same locations in both Molesey\nand South Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 19th 2008 – 40th Anniversary of 1968 Floods (Part 1).<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Members and visitors packed Mole Hall for an audio-visual\nevening commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the 1968 Floods. The programme\nincluded newsreels, amateur film footage, eye-witness accounts from some of\nthose living in Molesey at the time, and a host of photographs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 18th 2008 – Thames Riverbank Walk; followed by a Talk by Tony Osborne at Molesey Boat Club.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A leisurely stroll on a fine evening along the riverbank\nfrom Hampton Court Station to Molesey Boat Club was followed by a dip into Tony\nOsborne\u2019s history box with revelations about the Thames Canal Scheme of 1805\nand the proposed Molesey Boulevard of 1918, both of which were abandoned\nfollowing objections from local residents. Plus \u00e7a change!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 21st 2008 – Talk by Dennis Ashbourne – The Hampton Court Fire in 1986.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Another good turn out for our second visit to the Clore\nCentre at Hampton Court Palace. With the aid of wonderful photographs Dennis\nAshbourne described the drama of the fire which gutted the State Apartments of\nWilliam and Mary. He then took us on the painstaking journey from the damp and\nsmouldering remains to the complete restoration of the South Wing which was\nre-opened in 1992.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 24th 2008 – AGM, followed by a Talk by John Sheaf – The Thames and Riverside Houses from Hampton Court to Hampton.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Society\u2019s first AGM, held at St. Lawrence Junior School,\nattracted a good crowd and the formal business of the meeting was completed\nwithout incident. John Sheaf then gave an illustrated and well researched talk\non the history of The Thames and its environment from Platt\u2019s Eyot to Hampton\nCourt, a distance of only one and a half miles, but packed with historical\ninterest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March 6th 2008- Talk by Dr. Ken Brown – History of Hospitals and the NHS in Molesey<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Over one hundred members and visitors came to the Molesey\nYouth Centre to hear Dr. Ken Brown give a fascinating illustrated talk about medicine\nin Molesey. The first part of his talk was about the cottage hospitals, of\nwhich there have been three. Dr. Brown then went on to give an engaging\npersonal account of the NHS in Molesey in 1960, when he first came down from\nScotland to join a practice in Molesey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January\/February 2008<\/strong> – Visit to Surrey History Centre<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

During January and February two groups from the Society\nvisited the Surrey History Centre to take a tour behind the scenes. The History\nCentre, which is in Goldsworth Road Woking, was opened in 1999. The building\nwas purpose built to provide the best possible conditions for the preservation\nof the historic documents stored there and for public access to these\ndocuments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 15th 2008<\/strong> – Members\u2019 Evening<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Despite the wind and rain, there was a good turnout of\nmembers at St Paul\u2019s Church for a social evening and to hear reports from our\nResearch Groups. There were displays around the Church of photos, maps and\nother memorabilia, and many members brought along items from their own collections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events in 2007<\/strong> (jump to top<\/a>)<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

November 13th 2007 – Family History Talk – Relative Connections: Sources for Family History at Surrey History Centre<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

About 60 members and visitors came to Vine Hall to hear a\ntalk by Jill Hyams from the Surrey History Centre about family history sources\nat Surrey History Centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 7th 2007 – History of the 1st Molesey Scout Group<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Molesey was one of the first Scout groups to be set up after\nthe founder Lord Baden-Powell had the idea to run groups to teach boys how to\nbe good citizens in 1907. The evening, held during 1st Molesey\u2019s Centenary\ncelebrations, consisted of short talks coupled with displays of memorabilia and\nphotos collected by the 1st Molesey Scout Group over many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 30th 2007 – Visit to Royal Holloway College<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In the last years of his life, between 1881 and 1883, Thomas\nHolloway, a self-made multi-millionaire whose fortune had been made in patent\nmedicines, paid well over \u00a380,000 (equivalent to more than 6 million pounds in\ntoday’s terms) for the seventy seven paintings which make up the Royal Holloway\nCollection. Visitors were given a tour of the Chapel and Quads, a talk on the\npicture collection and a visit to the College archives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 27th 2007 – Historic Molesey Walk<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On a rather wet Wednesday at the end of June, a large number\nof members turned out to hear Tony Osborne give a short talk based around a\nwalk in the Conservation area of East Molesey Old Village. He showed a number\nof maps, illustrating how the area had changed since the days of King Henry\nVIII, and where remnants of boundary walls, buildings and roads could still be\nseen today, and also displayed photographs of buildings which unfortunately are\nno longer standing. Having heard the talk, the braver souls walked the walk.\nThe rest of us went to the historic pub \u2013 The Bell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 27th 2007 – A talk by Ian Franklin – Grace and Favour Apartments at Hampton Court<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first event of the Molesey Local History Society took\nplace, appropriately, in the grand surroundings of Hampton Court Palace. More\nthan 100 members met at the Clore Centre, the new education facility at Hampton\nCourt, for refreshments and a brief talk by Rita Ashbourne about the centre. We\nthen moved across the courtyard into the Barrack Block, where Ian Franklin gave\nus an informative and amusing illustrated talk about the Grace and Favour\napartments. Ian has been associated with the Palace as a local historian for 25\nyears and has been a State Apartment Warder for ten years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary for each year with link 2026 – History of Sandown Park Racecourse \/ Coffee morning Hurst Park Archaeology \/ Aethelstan, the First English King \/ The Six loves of James 1 \/ Henry V111 Hunting Grounds and Lodges \/ West Horsley Place \/ Summer Stroll \/ Arts & Crafts Houses in Surrey \/ Edward … <\/p>\n

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