Help in Thursley is a volunteer driving scheme and was founded in 2017 and which was launched in the village hall. Help in Thursley: Constitution Help in Thursley responds to the pandemic And here, we hope, is another piece of history: The current committee comprises: David Young, Chairman Peter Hunter, Treasurer Jo Kelly Julie Langley Sallie Roles

A few months ago, we were asked why there wasn't a history of the first village hall on the website. Since then, a number of photographs of it have been found as well as photographs of it being used. More recently an article on its formation has been discovered in our archive. The Old Village Hall with the Three Horse Shoes in the background Helpers at Christmas Party in the Old Village Hall about mid 1950s. Left to right: Mrs Wonham; Mrs Messenger; unknown; Mrs Keen; Mrs Good; Mrs Dummer Hannah Wonham (See above) in her home, Overdale Bill Cooper's car, most likely an Alvis Firefly or Alvis Firebird, outside the Old Village Hall c1950 An Alvis Speed 20 Sports Tourer also outside the Old Village Hall Horticultural Society Dinner in the Old Village Hall - probably about 1950. Old Village Hall: exhibits at autumn show held by the Horticultural Society and Farmers Assocation - early 1950s Old Village Hall: Sid Hall facing microphone with Wilfred Pickles in the "Have A Go" radio show in 1958. See separate entry.

Truxford Cottage is at one of the extremities of Thursley Parish. It lies up a lane leading from Truxford Corner which is on the Thursley Road leading to Elstead. From Kay Cottle's Postcard Collection (see separate entry) Truxford Cottage and Barn Taken from sales particulars in 2025

This remarkably comprehensive information was transcribed, typed and indexed by Tim Wilcock, Cliff Webb and members of West Surrey Family History Society - https://wsfhs.co.uk/pages/index.php NB: pdfs, when downloaded, are searchable and here is an example: This is the complete 212 page file: Here are the titles of the various sections where the first page of that section is shown to illustrate the content:

The books listed below are available to be borrowed. Please make any requests via the contact form on the website LIST OF BOOKS, BOOKLETS, CATALOGUES, LEAFLETS & DVDs HELD BY THURSLEYHISTORY SOCIETY – MAY 2025 The Trial of August Sangret, edited by Macdonald Critchley The Great War, Imperial War Museum, edited by Mark Holborn Hindhead’s Turn Will Come (Golf Course), Ralph Irwin-Brown The Lost Countryside Images of Rural Life, Chris Shepheard Living in Tweedsmuir Camp 1948-57, Wies & Zen royal ski Helen Allingham’s Cottage Homes – Revisited, Annabel Watts The LWRR Guide – Tigers – 2017 25th anniversary  2 copies Farnham and the Civil War,  Derek & Angela Hall Edwin Lutyens – Monographs 6, Academy editions Pictures from a Country Churchyard St Michaels , Guy Singer All Tanked Up – The Canadians in Headley WW2  2 copies, John Owen Smith Thursley Today 1965, Thursley Women’s Institute Monica Edward’s – Authorised Biography, Brian Parks Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius – donated by Patricia Coles, Anthony Meredith & Paul Harris Witley & Milford in Living Memory, Valerie Box The Badgers of Punchbowl Farm, Monica Edwards Fascinating Farnham, Guy J Singer Tales from a Country Churchyard – St Michaels & All Angels, Guy J Singer The Wigwam Murder, M J Trow The Unsought Farm, Monica Edwards A History of Europe Vol 1– donated by Mary Bennett, H A L Fisher The Land of the Sophy, Roger Stevens Dolphin Summer, Monica Edwards Wish for a Pony – 2 copies, Monica Edwards Discovering Local History, David Iredale & John Barrett Thursley Remembers, John P Hill The Hunter Children, Natalie Joan Punchbowl Harvest, Monica Edwards Black Hunting Whip, Monica Edwards The Broom-Squire – 2 old copies, S Baring-Gould Witley & Thursley Parish Churches – 4 copies, Alan Bott Common Prayer Book donated by Mary Hall (nee Warner) 1927 Holy Bible presented to Tim Christmas at Sunday School 1912 The Punchbowl Companion to Monica Edwards’ books, Brian Parks The Romney Marsh Companion to Monica Edwards’ books, Brian Parks Women in the First World War, Neil R Storey & Molly Housego Marchan’s Hill 1939-1989, Judy Hewins Thursley Horticultural Society Centenary 1923-2023    DVD Lancaster: Above and Beyond, directed by David Fairhead

Thursley History Society hosted an evening showing of Lancaster: Above and Beyond in February 2026. The review below first appeared in the Parish Magazine in April 2026. To the village hall, for the Thursley History  Society’s very special showing of Lancaster , the 2022 documentary about the Avro Lancaster, the iconic British plane.  It proved to be a fascinating evening, and a captivating film.  We were incredibly lucky, too, to have one of the film’s directors, and local man, David Fairhead , with us for a Q&A afterwards.  David described himself as both film maker, and aviation enthusiast, and that combination of passions was very obvious – the film was full of stunning ariel footage of a surviving plane, cut alongside tremendously poignant and affecting first-hand accounts from some thirty surviving members of Bomber Command, while Charles Dance’s narration was informative and fascinating.  David Fairhead, far left, and the appreciative audience. The vast Lancaster bomber first saw service in 1942, and played a decisive, even pivotal role in the war.  From flying over 156,000 sorties over enemy territory in night raids, through the Dambusters raids where Barnes Wallis’s bouncing bombs decimated the Ruhr Valley dams that were powering the German weapons and munitions factories, to the almost obliteration of Dresden as the conflict drew to a close, the impact of the plane on the course of the war cannot be underestimated.  Nor can the human cost – more than 55,000 men out of a total of 125,000 wartime members of Bomber Command were killed.  Another 8,403 were wounded, while 9,838 became prisoners of war.  It felt like a privilege to hear the pin sharp recollection of the survivors David had quite brilliantly interviewed for the film, all in their nineties.  And a further privilege to hear David speak afterwards.  Spitfire  was the first of a trilogy of films, of which Lancaster was the second.  David and his partner are finishing Mosquito next.  I think the History Society should start a petition for a world premiere  of that one in the village hall. Lizzie Young

This book was compiled through the efforts of the Thursley Women’s Institute to commemorate their Jubilee Year, 1965. What different times we live in today! Many of the articles in the book appear under separate headings on the website and can be searched using '1965', the whole text of the book can be downloaded, see below. As President of the Thursley Women’s Institute, I would like to place on record my appreciation of the help afforded by Mrs Sadler (WI) of The Lodge, Thursley, who was responsible for the cover design, and to members of the Thursley Women’s Institute and Thursley village who contributed the following articles.   The delightful copyright photographs are by Miss Megson of Godalming who kindly allowed them to be reproduced and the reproduction was done by Mr Sadler of Thursley   Ursula Dunlop, Pitch Place, Thursley 1965

The lodge known as the Temple of the Four Winds was built around 1910 by Viscount Pirrie, a leading Irish shipbuilder and businessman, and owner of the nearby Witley Park Estate. It stood within his private deer park and served as a viewing lodge and social retreat. After Viscount Pirrie’s death in 1924, the estate declined and the temple fell into disrepair. By 1959 it had been vandalised, and in 1966 it was demolished as unsafe and only a low stone platform remains. Photograph by Sean Edwards From https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/hindhead-commons-and-the-devils-punch-bowl/the-history-of-hindhead-commons-and-the-devils-punchbowl: However, with help from the Black Down & Hindhead Supporters, the scrub and undergrowth around the old lodge has been removed, once again opening up wonderful views. Venture up to Hurt Hill to see the ongoing work, which is set to eventually restore the stone plinth to its former glory. This walk, described by the National Trust as 'great but demanding' takes in the Temple of the Four Winds: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/hindhead-commons-and-the-devils-punch-bowl/roam-639-walk-at-hindhead-commons-and-the-devils-punch-bowl

"The Domesday Book for the County of Surrey being that portion of a return of Owners of Land in England and Wales, exclusive of the Metropolis, in the year 1873, which refers to the County of Surrey, the whole return having been presented to both Houses of Parliament, by command of Her Majesty." Thursley has but two people listed: 1) Revd H Brancker, The Vicarage, 5 acres, Rent £80 and 2): The complete text can be downloaded from this pdf:

From Thursley Parish Magazine June 2019 The illustration depicts the three murderers of the unknown sailor hung in chains on Gibbet Hill. ”Placed in chains, and there close by The London Road to be hung on high... A sight more loathsome none could see.” But did you know that the links used on the gallows to hang the murderous sailors were forged at Forge Cottage, dating back 700 years, here in Thursley?  The Forge, was run by Uncle Tom Khan, his father and grandfather and, it is thought, was worked until the last decade of the 1800s.  The Hammer and other historically interesting items were acquired by Haslemere Museum.  The forge, as it would have been at the time of the murder, is depicted in drawings done by Mr Khan. Popsy Holford, who lived at Forge Cottage for over 50 years, has allowed us to reproduce them here. The Forge - outside The Forge - inside The Anvil The blacksmith who made the chains and gibbet was Richard Court who is buried in Thursley churchyard and his headstone bears the inscription: ‘My Sledge and Hammer lie reclin’d, My Bellows too have lost their wind; My Fire is out, and Forge decay’s, And in the Dust my Vice is laid.’

Photographs only but including views from and of Gibbet Hill, Gibbet Cross, the Sailor's Stone, Broom Squire's Cottage and Keeper's Cottage. See also, "It's All in the Name" article.

This article, written by Jane Haviland in 1994, was first published in the ring-bound book,"Lives of the People of Thursley". Eddie Gale, 1939-48 Queen's Royal Regiment The first two pages are reproduced below and the rest of the article can either be found in the pdf below or in the entry in "Lives of the People of Thursley".