Thursley Celebrates the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, Thursday 8th May 2025
- David Young
- Oct 5
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 7
As usual, Thursley does nothing by half and produced an extensive programme of events for everyone to enjoy:
VICTORY EUPHORIA
First up was 'Victory Euphoria', Thursley History Society's exhibition held in the village hall. To mark and celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Thursley residents researched and retold the wartime experiences of their relatives during the nearly six years of conflict.
The show was opened formally by Bryan Stevens, son of Sir Roger Stevens formerly of High Hill Farm. There were well over 100 exhibits (see separate entry for 'Victory Euphoria') and the event was well attended throughout the two days.
The ceramic plaques that surrounded the flagpole were all made by Sally Scheffers.
THURSLEY IN BLOOM
For two consecutive Saturdays, some gardens were opened: first in Thursley on Saturday, 3rd May; and then Bowlhead Green on Thursday, 8th May. Those who had registered to see the gardens were aided by beautiful maps and illustrations prepared by John Swift.
Badgers; Bear's Barn; Sunset Cottage; Little Green; Wheelwrights; Hill Farm Barns; Halcyon Fields
- following the sequence of the walk
The Order of Service can be found in full in this pdf:
These two events are covered in the article below.
This article by Sally Scheffers was published in the Parish Magazine in June 2025:
THANK YOU
Our VE & VJ Day Celebrations are over. Our combined efforts brought a lot of people out to enjoy the various activities and it was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones.
Saturday the 2nd May was busy. The “Victory Euphoria” Exhibition presented by the Thursley History Society opened in the Village Hall with numerous stories of the relatives of village residents. The high point seemed to be the wartime toys made out of whatever came to hand. Marion O'Brien kindly loaned her beautiful, crocheted dolls with their chicken wishbone frames. They are so special and were a huge hit for the visitors. On a larger scale was Sukey Langdale's model farm which is about eight square feet and is made from the thin strips of wood from old orange boxes. It was made by Sukey's mother-in-law, Daphne, for her sons and is a replica of their family farm in Midhurst. It has the buildings, the cows, the pigs, the sheep, the horses, the people and even the bloodhounds they bred. It is wonderful and has obviously been cherished to have lasted so long.
There were also log books, medals, a nazi dagger and prisoner of war documents to fill the display cases. Dr Dennis Smith brought his father's photo albums – Colonel Douglas Smith had been an equine vet with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and had worked with the mules and horses in the Middle East and Yugoslavia. Outside we had a perfect Austin 7 gleaming in the sunshine and on the Sunday a wartime Jeep too.
Huge thanks to everyone who contributed to make the exhibition the success it was. For months before I had called it, rather tongue in cheek, “The Great Exhibition”, but thanks to the wonderful response from the contributors it was! So thank you and to the History Society Committee for all your help. The exhibition can be found on Huge thanks to everyone who contributed to make the exhibition the success it was. For months before I had called it, rather tongue in cheek, “The Great Exhibition”, but thanks to the wonderful response from the contributors it was! So thank you and to the History Society Committee for all your help. The exhibition can be found on https://www.thursleyhistorysociety.org/post/victory-euphoria-thursley-history-society-s-exhibition-to-celebrate-the-80th-anniversary-of-ve-da
Outside the Hall Pat Clake and Lisa Woods, on behalf of the Horticultural Society, had organised “Gardens Open” in the middle of the village. On a glorious day the spring gardens looked their best and were very much enjoyed. Maps were available from the Church which had also been beautifully decorated with floral arrangements by Lisa and Debbie Spencer along with a group of talented flower arrangers. Thank you!
Saturday evening was our wartime themed concert / sing-a-long in the Church. Claire Dailly, Wendy Edwards, Sabrina Dragoni-Long and myself produced a fun evening of patriotism and bucket loads of nostalgia. Grateful thanks go to our guest musicians who stepped in and joined in. Richard Fermer on Double Bass and his wife Gwen on Saxophone have recently moved to Witley and answered Claire's request on facebook for musicians. They love to play and I hope they will play for us again. Rob Lewis on keyboards and vocals is a professional musician and he too answered the call to play and our concert was very different from those he usually conducts but Rob had a blast. And to Wendy and her choir thank you for all coming along to lead us and I hope you enjoyed it as much as we all did. Thank you to Sabry for your incredible and powerful voice and personality.
Sunday morning Delia Orme led a special Church Service to remember and commemorate Victory in Europe. Delia's sermon was sensitive and thoughtful and a good balance to the weekend where we all took time to reflect.
Mike Spencer led the first softball match at the Cricket Club and Camilla Daubeny made a special cake for the players and spectators. It was super that everyone could be a part of the game and I'm sure will be repeated.
Throughout the weekend the Village Hall Committee ran a pop up cafe for all the visitors and passing cyclists! I'm sure everyone was very grateful for the tea and home made cake – thank you.
On Thursday 8th May the gardens of Bowlhead Green opened and were much admired by all the visitors. Weeks of work went into getting them ready and they all looked glorious. Thank you.
Later, the official celebration began with the early evening bell ringing. All three of the Church's bells rang for half an hour with Tim Wakeley, Steve Cruickshank, Anne Treadwell, Peter Hunter, Simon Treadwell taking it in turns. Outside in the Churchyard, in the evening sunshine, listening to the bells was very poignant. Thank you.
On Thursday 8th May the gardens of Bowlhead Green opened and were much admired by all the visitors. Weeks of work went into getting them ready and they all looked glorious. Thank you.
Later, the official celebration began with the early evening bell ringing. All three of the Church's bells rang for half an hour with Tim Wakeley, Steve Cruickshank, Anne Treadwell, Peter Hunter, Simon Treadwell taking it in turns. Outside in the Churchyard, in the evening sunshine, listening to the bells was very poignant. Thank you.
On Thursday 8th May the gardens of Bowlhead Green opened and were much admired by all the visitors. Weeks of work went into getting them ready and they all looked glorious. Thank you.
Later, the official celebration began with the early evening bell ringing. All three of the Church's bells rang for half an hour with Tim Wakeley, Steve Cruickshank, Anne Treadwell, Peter Hunter, Simon Treadwell taking it in turns. Outside in the Churchyard, in the evening sunshine, listening to the bells was very poignant. Thank you.
Michelle de Vries and Claire Dailly had organised the Parish Council's celebration at the pub. The copious lengths of bunting fluttered all around thanks to Peter and Teresa Goble and Peter's platform cage on his telehandler. Michelle had created wonderful tins with old wartime labels and the pub was full of props and even a UXB cordoned off area complete with replica bomb! Sally and Dave Catchpole brought their beautifully restored tear drop caravan and 1940's caravan which were much admired and brought a vintage feel to the evening.
The stage for our performers was the wooden cabin and it was perfect for “The Cadettes” who sang to everyone gathered outside the pub. We should have all followed Ella and Stanley's lead and danced and thank you to the children for hopping and swaying and thoroughly revelling in the forties songs.
Michelle and Daniel fed us all with portions of fish and chips, salt, vinegar, tomato sauce and a big bowl of delicious homemade tartar sauce. It was so good and how they managed to feed around 120 people so efficiently was very impressive. Well done and thank you.
There was also a generous array of salads made by Michelle de Vries and her mother Dee, Sandi Hanauer and Moose Thorne (apologies if I've left a name or two out). The salads were a great idea and a very popular accompaniment. Thank you.
For pudding there was the WI Orange and Ginger Cakes made by several of us and very tasty. (It was relatively easy to make though the cooking time needed adjusting!) Lucy Goble, without being asked, brought meringues and crème brulees and filled the pudding table. Thank you to everyone who gave us a sweet treat at the end.
At 9pm we began the formal proceedings. We listened to a recording of Winston Churchill accepting the German surrender and we all sang I Vow to Thee My Country and God Save the King. James Mendelssohn as Chairman of the Parish Council thanked everyone involved, eighty years ago it was William Featherby as Chairman of the Parish Council who spoke to the village, no doubt thanking them all for their fortitude and service. The O'Brien family were then handed the reins: Michael and Marion read the official VE Day 80 proclamation and then Marion and Sarah lit the beacon which looked amazing standing in front of the pub. It was a perfect end to all the activities. Thank you to everyone in setting it all up, doing it and then taking it all down. It may all be cleared away now but the memories of a unique evening will stay.
James Mendelssohn flew the specially purchased VE Day 80 flag from Arthur's flagpole and I had made little porcelain plaques recording the names of those in the exhibition to go around the base. The flag flew for over a week and looked fantastic. And with all the bunting on and around the pub it was very obvious that Thursley remembered, commemorated and celebrated the end of the Second World War with enthusiasm and heartfelt gratitude.
Sally Scheffers, May 2025
