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There is no obvious connection between John Freeman, the poet, and Thursley, but he is buried in our churchyard. He must have visited the village, liked it and somehow obtained permission to be buried here. His friends, probably the circle of Georgian poets, including Walter de la Mare and Alice Meynell, bought the field next to the churchyard and gave it to the National Trust in his memory. From Allpoetry.com: John Freeman was a poet whose work reflects the asethetic principles of the Georgian era in British literature. This period, which roughly spanned the first two decades of the 20th century, was marked by a renewed interest in traditional forms and a focus on rural life and themes of nature. From A Dictionary of Methodism: Poet and critic, born into a WM family at Dalston, Middx on 29 January 1880. His health was permanently impaired by scarlet fever in early childhood. At 13 he joined the Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society as a junior clerk and spent the rest of his life in its employ, rising to become Secretary and Director in 1927 and a leading figure in the insurance world. He was a local preacher. But he was more widely known in the literary world, where he contributed to Edward Marsh's Georgian Poets anthologies and enjoyed the friendship of such figures as Alice Meynell, Walter de la Mare and J.C. Squire. His friend Edward Thomas called him 'a sort of angel' and Eleanor Farjeon described him as a 'quiet poet ... gentle, with a fine sensitive mind, and qualities which made his plain features lovable.' After Thomas's death, she collaborated with Freeman in seeing Thomas's first volume of poems through the press. His own first book of poems, published in 1909, was followed by several others, marked by his 'grave and quiet rhythms' and including Stone Trees (1916) which gained him recognition. Poems New and Old (1920) won him the Hawthornden Prize for imaginative literature. His Collected Poems appeared in 1928. He wrote on literary matters for the New Statesman, The Bookman, the Quarterly Review,and the London Mercury and his prose works included a Portrait of George Moore (1922), English Portraits (1924), Herman Melville (1926) and a play Prince Absalom (1925). He died on 23 Sept. 1929 and his funeral service at Anerley WM Church was conducted by his fellow poet, Andrew Young, then a minister of the Free Church of Scotland. He was interred at Thursley, Surrey, where a field adjoining the churchyard was given to the National Trust in his memory. 'Meanwhile de la Mare came to know a poet friend of Roger Ingpen's … John Freeman, who like himself was in business - a great deal more successfully than de la Mare. He had begun life as an office boy at thirteen, and became in time the Secretary of his insurance company, the Liverpool Victoria. Like de la Mare, he would come home at the end of an eight- or nine-hour working day in the City, to write verses late into the night. He was also a copious correspondent and very well read. Tall, gangling, ugly, solemn, punctilious, there was in him an endearing quality about these very attributes; Edward Thomas referred to him as "a kind of Angel", and de la Mare, after his death, described even his physical appearance in phrases that suggest beauty - "beautiful brows", and ruminative eyes "of a peculiarly ardent blue".' Theresa Whistler, Imagination of the Heart: the life of Walter de la Mare (1993), pp.127-8 A later photograph of John Freeman taken from the frontispiece of "John Freeman's Letters", edited by Gertrude Freeman and Sir John Squire, Macmilland & Co Ltd 1936. This delightful extract which describes Thursley and mentions John Freeman is from "Solo and Duet" by Sir John Squire: (But I was still on the bench at the Thursley Cricket Ground.) It was almost too hot to move, but very pleasant up there with the commons below, ridge after ridge of hills fading behind them and, in the other direction, the red roofs of the village outskirts. It would have been pleasant to stay there, or to tread again the old street of cottages and climb to churchyard and church and Rapley's farm which has King John walls in it. The church has newly discovered Saxon windows with the original wooden frames in them; it has also a magnificent lot of oak supporting roof and tower. And in the churchyard by the wall, above the steep declivity, there is a tombstone bearing the inscription "John Freeman, Poet", for there lies there, within sight of Crooksbury Beacon and in the heart of the country of Cobbett, whom he loved one of the strongest, most delicate, most profound, and most neglected of poets of our time. But I had set myself a long Journey that day; I wanted to get as near Winchester as I could; I should have to stop for lunch; and it was already half-past eleven. So I rose, and marched off to rejoin the main road, which climbs for three miles or so until it reaches Hindhead, the Punchbowl, and the monument of the murdered sailor. From Wikipedia: John Frederick Freeman (29 January 1880 – 23 September 1929) was an English poet and essayist, who gave up a successful career in insurance to write full-time. He was born in London, and started as an office boy aged 13. He was a close friend of Walter de la Mare from 1907, who lobbied hard with Edward Marsh to get Freeman into the Georgian Poetry series; with eventual success. De la Mare's biographer Theresa Whistler describes him as "tall, gangling, ugly, solemn, punctilious". He won the Hawthornden Prize in 1920 with Poems 1909-1920. His Last Hours was set to music by Ivor Gurney. From a newspaper article dated 27th November 1987 He died on 23rd September 1929 and probate was granted to his widow, Gertrude Frances Freeman, on 14 January 1930 leaving £3,745. John Freeman's headstone in Thursley Churchyard: This stone, set into the wall of the churchyard and juxtaposed to John Freeman's headstone, has this inscription: THE ADJOINING FIELD WAS PRESENTED TO THE NATIONAL TRUST IN 1931 FOR PRESERVATION AS A MEMORIAL TO JOHN FREEMAN BORN 29 JAN 1880 DIED 23 SEPT 1929 The view across the National Trust field with John Freeman's grave, and the inscribed stone in the wall, in the foreground John Freeman's poetry: Here are two examples of his verse: from MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD AND OTHER POEMS; published 1919 by Selwyn and Blount of London. Snows Now the long-bearded chilly-fingered winter Over the green fields sweeps his cloak and leaves Its whiteness there. It caught on the wild trees, Shook whiteness on the hedges and left bare South-sloping corners and south-fronting smooth Barks of tall beeches swaying 'neath their whiteness So gently that the whiteness does not fall. The ash copse shows all white between gray poles, The oaks spread arms to catch the wandering snow. But the yews--I wondered to see their dark all white, To see the soft flakes fallen on those grave deeps, Lying there, not burnt up by the yews' slow fire. Could Time so whiten all the trembling senses, The youth, the fairness, the all-challenging strength, And load even Love's grave deeps with his barren snows? Even so. And what remains? The hills of thought That shape Time's snows and melt them and lift up Green and unchanging to the wandering stars. The Wren Within the greenhouse dim and damp The heat floats like a cloud. Pale rose-leaves droop from the rust roof With rust-edged roses bowed. As I go in Out flies the startled wren. By the tall dark fir tree he sings Morn after morn still, Shy and bold he flits and sings Tinily sweet and shrill. As I go out His song follows me about ... About the orchard under trees Beaded with cherries bright, Past the rat-haunted Honeybourne And up those hills of light: As up I go His notes more sweetly flow. Or down those dark hills when night's there Full of dark thoughts and deep, A thin clear soundless music comes Like stars in broken sleep. When I come down All those dark thoughts are flown. And now that sweetness is more sweet, Here where the aeroplanes Labouring and groaning in the height Lift their lifeless vans:-- Sweet, sweet to hear The far off wren singing clear.

Photographs only of this Grade II listed building (23rd December, 1983) which is thought to date back to the 16th Century. Mrs Caroline Norman Mr Nash and Mrs Norman (his sister), at Hole Cottage, Summer 1978 Surnames of previous owners include: Moorey; Ayres; Norman; Nash Hole Cottage - a southerly view Hole Cottage with Bedford Farm in the background Hole Cottage was put on the market in May 2026:

Tony Kelly, of Bedford Farm, gave a talk in the village hall in October 2024 about his extraordinary feat. The text and the ppt below are condensations of his talk which was appreciated by the packed audience. From Thursley Village Facebook page: Climbing Mount Everest, 8848m, in 2003 The highest point on Earth. A summary of Tony Kelly’s story The presentation will cover the lead up to the climb and our summit bids. I’ll also touch on some history of the mountain, as in 2024 its 100yrs since the famous 1924 Mallory and Irvine Expedition (and the mystery of did they summit or not). Their route was on the North side of Mount Everest and we are attempting the same North side route from Tibet. We are attempting the north route because its technically much harder than the south and consequently climbed much less. Back then around 1200 people had summited Mount Everest but only approx. 200 of them from the North side. It's worth dwelling on George Mallory and Sandy Irvine briefly. Mallory’s body was eventually found on the North Face in 1999 with torso bruising indicating a serious fall whilst roped. The remains of his mid layer jumper were still visible supplied by W Paine, 72 High Street, Godalming. Yes, he was a local. Originally from the north west but settled in Godalming as a teacher at Charterhouse and married Ruth, a Godalming girl. Sandy Irvine’s remains were only found in September this year, 2024, on the north face directly below but much further down than Mallory’s body indicating they were almost certainly roped together when they fell. I will also bring to the talk a section of telegraph wire, used for Advanced Base Camp communications in 1924, that I found on the East Rongbuk glacier in 2000. I was with Graham Hoyland at the time (he was on our 2000 expedition) who had been responsible for the search that found George Mallory in 1999. Graham was the great great grandson of Howard Somervell who was on the 1924 expedition with Mallory and Irvine. So where did it all begin for me? After hiking in the UK through my 20’s I got introduced to rock climbing and quickly progressed to rock, ice and mountaineering in the Alps. After 10 years of multiple annual trips to the Alps, I was looking for a bigger challenge and met the internationally renowned expedition leader, Russell Brice, in a bar in Chamonix. My friend and mountain guide, Mark Seaton, was able to reassure Russell I was technically more than competent to join him but we didn’t know how my body would react to extreme altitude. In 1999 I went with Russell Brice to Cho Oyu, the 6th highest mountain in the world at 8,188m to find out if I was ok at altitude. As a test it went well. The weather was brutal. In the end we didn’t make a summit attempt because of extreme snow conditions but I was the only member of the expedition, westerner or sherpa, to reach the expeditions high point of 7,900m and I did it solo. Mt Everest was on! I had mentioned, summit bids, plural. In 2000 we took an expedition to Mount Everest to climb the North side from Tibet. After 2 months on the mountain we made 2 attempts on the summit. The first one was aborted at 7900 metres due to atrocious weather conditions and massive snow loading. That first attempt had high attrition and resulted in 6 of the 7 climbing members pulling the plug. Consequently, on the 2nd attempt, it was only myself, 3 professional mountain guides and 3 sherpa’s that made the attempt. At camp 2, 7500m, our tents got avalanched overnight and buried. It became a matter of survival, avoiding carbon dioxide asphyxiation overnight by punching holes through the snow and ice over the tents and the following day using a quite dangerous technique to deliberately trigger avalanches to clear the massive snow load in front of us to be able to down climb. To cap it off in our exhausted state when we pulled off the mountain a melt water lake had broken out of the East Rongbuk Glacier and we had to build a raft out of barrels and wood to ferry the 20 expedition members and 10 tonnes of equipment out! I’m reminded of the definition of an Adventure: “an undertaking with an uncertain outcome”! So the 2003 Expedition was “Unfinished Business”. We returned to Kathmandu, Nepal, in late March and after assembling some 11 tonnes of equipment and “shopping” in the local markets for 2 months plus of provisions for 17 team members we made our way via Lhasa, Tibet to Mount Everest basecamp at 5200m and set about the expedition proper. High altitude climbing is a combination of technical competence, mountaineering experience and a “head game”. It’s a marathon not a sprint. You’re going to spend months in daily calorie deficit, physically and mentally stressed by the environment and the challenge. -50 deg C and 150mph winds are regular features. You’ll spend a lot of time climbing at 10/10ths of your ability and experience but to be successful you will have to spend some time at 11/10ths or worse and make the judgement call on when to take those risks and how long to stay exposed. Tenacity, stamina and will power will count for a lot. On arrival at basecamp team members blood oxygen levels of mid 70% were not unusual. That would be an A&E visit back home at sea level. Acclimatisation to get the blood oxy levels into the 90%’s takes weeks as you teach your body to produce more red blood cells to cope with the ¼ of sea level oxygen availability we’ll have to deal with higher up the mountain. Acclimatisation starts in base camp knocking off 6000m peaks to warm up and then moving up the glacier to work on the mountain. The route will take a month and half of preparation work putting in fixed rope and installing and provisioning four high camps. We’ll be going up and down visiting and revisiting these camps. This will mean we will effectively climb the height of Mount Everest several times in the process before we even consider a summit attempt. The north side route is not only technically more difficult than the south side by it is much longer. Its 22km from Basecamp to Advanced Basecamp. From ABC we must establish camp 1 at 7050m, camp 2 7500m, camp 3 7900m and camp 4 at 8300m and fully stock them. That includes lugging oxygen bottles (about 6kg each) up which we will use (3 each) from camp 3 7900m onwards. The climbing is a mix of technical ice climbing and massive snow slopes, rock sections of scrambling and massively technical vertical rock climbing at 8600m on the 2nd Step (this is the crux of the climb). Having got the infrastructure of the route set up we had to retreat to base camp because of a massive storm. It wiped out a significant portion of our camps on the mountain ripping tents stocked with personal kit, food and oxygen off the mountain and depositing it on the glacier below. When we went back up to ABC we had to find the debris on the glacier and icewall, extract it from crevasses, uncover the snow buried ropes, rebuild the camps and route. (when l say “we” went back to recover things it was actually only 2 of the 7 client climbers (Trynt and myself) together with sherpas). We then set about a summit attempt in late May. Two of the seven climbers pulled out sick. The rest of us pushed on. Five climbers with sherpa partners and a mountain guide. Herman, the guide, was focused on Zedi, Matt and Gernot. Sue and Chung were sick. Myself and my sherpa partner, Dorje, were operating pretty much independently. It’s typically a six-day push, four days up and two off. Leaving camp 4, 8300m, at circa 10pm/11pm to climb through the night. Intending to reach the three steps on the north east ridge by dawn. But we experienced some delays en route due to some slower expeditions blocking the route in front of us. It wasn’t busy like photo’s you may have seen of the south side but this was 2003, the 50th anniversary of the 1953 success, there were a few more climbers than normal and its the nature of the route on the north that is much more constraining. I got further delayed by having to rescue a climbing colleague (Zedi) who made a massive error and found himself hanging on the rope at the 2nd Step, 8600m, swinging over the north face of Mount Everest with a mile of fresh air between his legs. It cost me, and Dorje my sherpa partner, a lot of excess oxygen usage fighting to save him. We got him back in and back enroute. It took Dorje and I a while to sort ourselves out and get going again. The others, including Zedi, who I had rescued, were ahead and summited, albeit late (having breached the turnaround time limit we had all agreed to). I calculated I was about to run out of oxygen probably on top and that would risk death. I made an incredibly difficult decision to turn back 48metres from the top which would have taken another 1.5hrs! I radioed Russell to advise and we turned back. On descent I did actually run out of oxygen around 8500m but we still had to get down so Dorje and I pressed on without. We also had to help rescue (again) the same guy I had recovered on the way up because now he had gone snow blind and couldn’t see to down climb. The climb was incredible but a massive blow to turn back so close. After getting back to Advanced Base Camp and feeling pretty low the next morning Russell came to my tent with a mug of yak milk tea and a large shot of whisky and told me to shut up and say nothing. He said everyone else is leaving, there’s a narrow weather window opening and I think you have it in you to go back! Basically he convinced me to attempt what no climber (professional or amateur) other than a small number of sherpa’s had ever attempted on Mount Everest and that was to climb the mountain twice in one season and I was going to try twice in two weeks! So nine days after returning to Advanced Base Camp Sue and Chung, my colleagues who had been sick on the first attempt and myself together with our sherpa climbing partners mounted what was to be my second attempt this season and my fourth summit attempt on Mount Everest. The weather was going to be challenging. We didn’t have the requisite four days up and two off. We had to wait out a storm in Camp 2 and then pushing very hard from camp 2 we missed out camp 3 by a continuous climbing push stopping very briefly at camp 4 (not for rest, food and sleep as normal) we picked up water and oxygen and continued climbing into a 33-hour continuous aggressive push right through the night to summit early in the morning, for me at 7:03am, May 31st. It had been amazing as every other expedition except ours had left the mountain so Sue, Chung and myself had the entire mountain to ourselves. This is unheard of and although we had climbed through a storm the summit day was blue sky with the curvature of the earths horizon visible for a 100miles. There were tears. Which immediately froze! Getting up is of course only half way. Getting off is essential and almost as hard as going up. In my case very hard having only nine days prior albeit but for 48metres been on the summit. It becomes a massive head game. Your body is screaming for rest telling you its done in and there’s nothing not even fumes left in the tank. You want to stop. But if you stop and rest there is a very high chance you’ll slip into dozing followed by hypoxia and then hypothermia and death. So keep moving. I made it back to camp 1 at 7050m and rested for the night before descent to ABC the following day. 2003 was the 50th anniversary of the 1953 successful first summit by Hilary and Tensing via the South side Route and associated with that anniversary the Nepali Mountaineering Association were at the 2003 Kendal Mountain Film Festival awarding medals for significant achievement on Mount Everest. I was on stage in the company of Chris Bonington and Doug Scott (1st brit), Stephen Venables (1st brit no Oxy) and others including Mike Westmacott and George Band members of the 1953 expedition. I was awarded a Gold Medal with the citation from the NMA president: “an outstanding rescue, wise turn around at 48m, subsequent success after only nine days and in aggressive style, extraordinary & exemplary mountaineering”

Reg Cottle was the proprietor of the Red Lion Garage on the Old Portsmouth Road from 1934 until his retirement in 1980. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was called up by the Royal Tank Corps. However, the farmers of Thursley made such a clamour at the loss of the one man who could keep their farm machinery running that the authorities hastily released him. The documents below show the trajectory of his work and challenges running the Red Lion Garage and end with tributes from his family. Also see The Red Lion Garage, Reg Cottle and many road traffic accidents and The Red Lion Inn NB: All of these documents and also the ones referred to in The Red Lion Garage, Reg Cottle and many road traffic accidents are in the physical archive in a box marked "Red Lion Papers". Reg covered a radius of about 20 miles and worked very long hours, mostly 7 days a week. It was often difficult to obtain spare parts for the farm tractors, machinery and generators, but Reg was such a resourceful man that he would often make them himself. His garage petrol pumps were commandeered for military use, so Reg had to drive to Godalming for his petrol. Many tanks churned up the forecourt of the Red Lion Garage and each one had to be refuelled by manually turning the pump handle. Not the most popular job in those days! More photographs: Licence to keep Petroleum Spirit, 1934 Compulsory Purchase 1938: Licence to keep Petroleum, 1939 Rating Notice, 1947: Signage - Reg faced a number of planning issues over the years: Reg Cottle recovered many damaged cars from the A3 and the Devil's Punch Bowl but his garage was not immune from accidents: Rent increase, 1958 Site Plan 1958: Reg Cottle acquires the Red Lion Garage in 1959: Compulsory Purchase Orders and Opinions 1969 - 1972; there are 28 pages of documents in the pdf below: Undated Red Lion site plan: Correspondence relating to signage for the garage between The Right Honourable Maurice Macmillan, MP, and The Right Honourable Anthony Crosland, Secretary of State for the Environment. The letter below to Reg Cottle shows the disappointing result: Closure and sale of the business; Reg Cottle retires: Reg Cottle, a tribute by Maureen Waters (daughter), Chalie Waters (granddaughter), John Gunner (son-in-law) and Jamie Banks (friend A eulogy (unattributed) for Elsie Cottle: Growing up in Thursley by Maureen Elsie Cottle: The scans above can be found together in this pdf:

An article from The County Magazine, February 1965 This unattributed cutting from our archive is dated 27th November 1987:

In January 1995, Craig Taylor presented this essay to The Architectural Association's for their Diploma Course in Building Conservation. Front cover Here are the first five pages: The complete essay can be downloaded from the pdf below:

Miss Aileen Lutyens, Edwin's sister, with her pony and dog. She always wore purple tweed according to Mary Bennett. She ran a boys' club as she felt they needed purpose. She was also the choir mistress. Mrs Fisher also started a choir and Miss Lutyens "contributed a penetrating alto". The choir won a certificate at the Dorking Festival. Aileen Lutyens (1872 – 1926) was a member of the prominent Lutyens family who became a well-known and active figure in the village of Thursley during the early decades of the twentieth century. She was one of the daughters of Captain Charles Augustus Henry Lutyens, a soldier-turned-painter, and Mary Theresa Gallwey, and the younger sister of the celebrated architect Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens. The family lived at a large country house in Thursley known in its later years as Street House (then “The Cottage”), and Aileen remained there long after her parents’ deaths. In the 1920s, Aileen was remembered by villagers as a brisk, capable and benevolent presence in the community, someone who “dominated the Thursley scene.” She was deeply involved in local social life: helping to establish the fledgling choral society, contributing her rich alto voice, and playing a key role in securing Thursley’s first Village Hall — a large army hut that became the focus for social gatherings for decades. She was also a founder member of the local Women’s Institute, and took a keen interest in fostering activities that would occupy and guide the village’s youth. One of her own initiatives, remembered fondly by residents, was running a kind of social club aimed at keeping young boys constructively engaged and away from aimless drifting. Aileen’s influence extended beyond social clubs and cultural activities — she typified the spirit of village leadership in that era. She was regarded as someone who helped knit the community together through support for local institutions and events, and through her personal engagement in Thursley’s civic and social life. Aileen Lutyens died in 1926, and her death marked the end of an era in which members of the Lutyens family had been central figures in the village’s life. She is buried in the churchyard of St Michael's & All Angels, where there is a stone cross designed by her brother, Sir Edwin Lutyens, bearing the names of their parents Charles (died 19 May 1915) and Mary Lutyens (17 September 1900) and his sister Aileen Lutyens (died 5 August 1940).

Published by Robert Hale, London. Chapter 7: Greensand (West), pp. 135-145, including Tilford, Frensham, Hindhead, Thursley, Elstead, Peper Harow The full extract is available to download from the pdf below

The History of Thursley Society mounted an exhibition of the history of weddings in Thursley Church since 1613. Stories of weddings appear in the pdfs and photographs below but also some appear as separate blogs and can be found by searching Wedding Belles. With the launch of the website, we have taken the opportunity of adding weddings both before and after 2007. If you were married at St Michael's and All Angels and would like your wedding featured, please send photographs and a description via the website. Early Weddings The Squarson: The wedding of Francis Gooch & Catherine Paine, 28th April, 1868 Sir Alfred Giles's daughters: 1872, 1885 and 1887 The Fosberry family weddings: 1873, 1894 and 1949 A Farm wedding: George Warner & Edith Keen, 5th June, 1909 The weddings of the Reeds: 1909, 1957, 1960 and 1963 Father of the Bride: the wedding of Gerard Staveley Gordon & Marjorie Worsley Smith, 10th November, 1920 The Rapleys: the wedding of Vernon Rapley & Margaret Walters, 20th September, 1923 Mr Henry Walters and his daughter, Margaret High Society: the wedding of Richard Henry Anstruther Morris-Markham & Miss Iris Rose Sophia Larking, 22nd June, 1929 Three Wedding Gems: 1939, 1953 and 1971 The wedding of Leonard Raggett & Elizabeth Keen, 23rd March 1940 One Wife or Two? The wedding of Lawrence Pink & Evie Hayter, 1st October 1941 Canadian Union: the wedding of Charles Campbell Graham & Helen Elizabeth Keen, 17th August 1943 Robbie and Eddie: the wedding of Robert Patterson Morgan & Edna Madeleine Hall, 8th June 1946 A Very Long Marriage: The wedding of Richard Partington and Peggy Sayers, 16th September 1950 Dick and Peggy Partington were married at St Michael & All angels and lived together at Heath View (now Acorns) for five years and moved away when Dick got a job at Vickers at Weybridge, building Valiant bombers and VC10s. He spent 25 years working as a ground engineer at BA. They came to Thursley on 16th September 2025, to celebrate their 75th anniversary. They both enjoyed themselves hugely, visiting the church and reminiscing and were on very good form. The wedding of Bertram Webb & Joan Good, 1st September 1956 The wedding of Stephen Waters & Maureen Cottle, 16th August 1961 The wedding of Richard Timberlake & Anne Jobson, 23rd April 1966 The weddings of the Ransons of Bowlhead Green 1969, 1974 and 1992 The wedding of John Gunner & Kay Cottle, 26th September 1973 The wedding of Andrew Constable & Mary Lintott, 6th July 1974 Wedding at The Corner: Harry McNeilly and Jane Watson, 29th May 1976 A highland wedding: David Corbett & Peggy James, 26th September, 1976 The wedding of Peter John Goble & Teresa Ellen Boxall, 17th October 1981 The wedding of Michael and Debbie Spencer, 22nd May 1993 The wedding of Andrew Storey and Jillian Bird, 31st July, 1993 The Vicar's View The wedding of Philip & Angela Traill, née Burry, 11th September, 1993 The wedding of Stephen and Julie Langley, 9th September, 2000 The weddings of the Hall Brothers: 16th October 2004 & 1st April 2005 The Wakeley Weddings, 2006, Joe and Melissa The wedding of Simon Treadwell and Anne Finnerup, 23rd May 2015 The wedding of Peter and Jacqueline Rickenberg, 30th June 2018 The Ultimate Wedding Gift... On the 16th July 1702, Thomas Francis married Sarah Wheeler in Farnham. Two days beforehand on the 14th July 1702, a document was signed which was a marriage settlement (dowry) on Pitlands Farm (now Punch Bowl Farm) where Nicholas Wheeler has given Thomas Francis, Pitlands Farm "and all tenements, messuages, stables etc" on his daughter Sarah Wheeler. Beats being given a toaster!

In 1892, a return of Licensed Houses to Guildford Petty Sessions, show the pub as a free house. The Licensee was Arthur Steed, and the owner was Miss Rushbrooke. The usage was that of the general public. Listed under Thursley Public Houses were Railway Hotel, Crown and Cushion and other Haslemere Pubs. This shows they were in Thursley Parish. In the early part of World War 1, the publican of of The Three Horse Shoes, Arthur Ford and his wife, were dismissed by the brewery for procuring girls for the soldiers. This photo was taken when the pub was being used as a filmset. 'Save the Pub' and celebration poster Val and Paddy De Burgh, New Year's Eve 1984 Identified revellers are: David Jeffcoat; Popsy; Katy Jeffcoat; Hilary Barr Val De Burgh, Landlord of the Three Horse Shoes - January 1985 Men of Thursley Ride from The Three Horseshoes Pub 2008: Paul Smolas, Peter Broste, Philip Traill, Peter Rickenberg The Three Horseshoes re-opens after Quarantine, 4 July 2020: Photographs by Andrew Kaplanovsky

The portrait is of the English novelist, Margaret Louisa Woods (20 November 1855 – 1 December 1945). She died in Vine Cottage, her home in Thursley. Margaret Louisa Woods, known as Daisy to her friends, was born in Rugby, the daughter of the scholar George Granville Bradley, an academic and senior priest, who served as Dean of Westminster from 1881 to 1902. She was the third of seven children and was best noted in her lifetime for her poetry and historical fiction; her sister was the writer Mabel Birchenough. In 1879 she married Henry George Woods, who became President of Trinity College, Oxford, and Master of the Temple and she had three sons. She took rooms at Vine Cottage in Thursley in 1920, living there (mostly) until her death in 1945. It is thought she chose Thursley to be near her friend H A L Fisher and his family. She took part fully in Thursley village life including the Women’s Institute and the Canteen during the war. In 1934 she was knocked down by a motorcycle while alighting from a bus at the Red Lion Pub (now Bridle Cottage), breaking her leg which resulted in a crippling injury. Although she died in Thursley she was buried in Oxford and her ashes are interred with her husband, at Holywell Cemetery, Oxford. Margaret L Woods was featured in 'Lives of the People of Thursley' which was published by The History of Thursley Society in 1996. Here is the first page: More information on her life can be found in Yellow Nineties 2.0: https://1890s.ca/woods_bio/

As part of the History of Thursley Society's Wedding Belles exhibition held in 2007, this list of marriages that took place in St Michael's and All Angels was compiled. For ease of research a complete file of the marriages from 1613 to date can be found at the end of this post. Overall, the most popular month to be married is October and March the least: Thanks to the Wedding Belles committee of 2007-8, we have been able to add this pdf which contains photographs of the Register of Marriages from 1910 - 2007: 1900 February 5th Thomas Wisdom & Flora Rathbone April 14th Percy Denyer & Annie Snelling April 16th Henry Miles & Alice Edwards June 4th Leon Philemon & Louise Bywill Miller November 17th Henry William Hardy & Annie Chitty December 8th Henry James Keen & Eliza Ellen Paris 1901 April 27th Alfred Vowels & Annie Elizabeth West May 25th Edward Hardy & Ellen Underwood November 9th George Court & Lucy Hayden November 30th John Sheet & Ellen Grevitt 1902 April 26th Charles Lillywhite & Elizabeth Mansell May 20th Arthur Ford & Sophia Annie Barnard July 26th Walter Wilfred Hardy & Jane Timms Mr and Mrs Alan Karn September 18th Alan Edward Karn & Mary Ann Barnard November 6th Henry Young & Rosie Jane Penfold November 18th Anthony Astley & Margaret Lily Gooch December 29th William Henry Males & Emily Court 1903 January 20th Henry Young & Ann Boxall January 24th Wilfred Lillywhite & May Amelia Winter 1904 April 18th Arthur Hill & Kate Harris April 30th John Forey Karn & Mary Ann Keen December 24th Raymond Snelling & Mary Cousall 1905 April 24th William Bowbrick & Emily Baker 1905 wedding of Edward Baker (Ted) of Upper Highfield Farm and Maria Levy of Smallbrook Farm. June 15th Edward Baker & Maria Levy October 19th Frank Gulliver & Annie Watkins October 23rd William George Pink & Elizabeth Baker 1906 February 6th Henry Boxall & Emily Mary Clarke June 6th Albert Edward Harbut & Mabel Sarah Brown 1907 March 30th George Clarke & Harriet Cunningham May 15th Alfred Court & Ellen Young June 20th Albert Elliott & Maria Baker August 4th Harry Egbert Spokes & Edith Emma Winter September 14th Percy Frost & Olive Kate Fosberry October 7th William Toone & Laura Mabel Goodall 1908 April 18th Harry Mylward & Ellen Elizabeth Boxall August 3rd William Israel Pichard & Flora Poland September 16th Herbert Glendinning & Ada Brown October 31st George Potter & Ethel Jane Carter 1909 June 5th George Warner & Edith Keen July 8th Frank Brown & Ada Jones August 2nd Charles Ward & Annie Beatrice Rowe August 9th Conrad James Reed & Alice Mary Fosberry September 22nd Walter Woodin & Lucy Baker 1910 February 19th Albert Mansbridge & Emma Ward April 12th Arthur John Levy & Sarah Baker June 1st Charles Price & Rose Nash June 29th Frederick Harold Nash & Ellen Adams August 31st Charles Barnard & Margaret Bowden 1911 April 14th Herbert Henry Cripps & Edith Pullen April 14th Robert Keen & Daisy Pullen October 2nd Frank Hunter & Alice Abigail Smithers October 26th Arthur Boxall & Margaret Edwards 1912 March 7th Sydney Doy & Alice Keen 1913 June 25th Arthur Shadrach Spooner & Clara Pullen July 16th William Coombes & Adelina Chalcraft July 23rd Ralph Marshall & Louisa Chalcraft July 29th Ernest Churchill & Mary West December 31st Maurice Wisdom & Florence Catchpole 1914 April 23rd Edward Mansey & Florence Lawes September 23rd Dennis Mann & Louisa Alice Nash 1915 August 7th George Robert Manning & Martha West August 9th James Fisher & Ellen Karn Matthews September 2nd Archibald Pitchers & Mary Tozer September 4th Frederick Budd & Daisy Hole September 25th Walter Wright & Edith Johnstone 1916 June 17th William McLeod & Lilian Phillips June 17th Henry Court & May Randall December 25th Thomas Collins & Eliza Keen 1917 April 15th William Lailey & Harriett Wheeler 1918 February 4th Angelo Astri & Agnes Pullen June 4th Ernest Wilkinson & Emma Goodchild September 16th Wesley Abe Bolton & Harriet Milton 1919 February 6th James Barrett & Alice Sharland February 19th John Keen & Lilian Fosberry March 27th Oliver Hewton & Alice Karn Matthews April 23rd Walter Cullen & Alice Howard May 31st John Forey Karn & Barbara Williams August 2nd Edwin Burmingham & Emily Hayden December 22nd Leonard Felix Rapley & Florence Nash 1920 February 28th Stephen Norman & Lily Nash April 3rd William Goodeve & Esther West May 5th William Ferrer & Aileen Chalcraft November 10th Gerard Staveley Gordon & Marjorie Worsley Smith December 4th Alfred Chuter & Ellen Hayden December 16th Charles Vesey & Mary Dorothea Loring 1921 June 13th Ernest Croft & Gladys Powell June 15th John Lamboll & Edith Jacobsen June 18th Charles Crane & Ethel Milton October 10th Frederick Fosberry & Mabel Warn October 15th Mark Ellis & Ethel Little November 19th Thomas Karn & Florence West 1922 February 22nd George Fry & Angelina Ware April 15th Walter Norman & Caroline Nash July 18th Henry Sharland & Charlotte Lillywhite November 4th Thomas Upfold & Mary Raggett 1923 September 20th Vernon Rapley & Margaret Walters October 3rd Alfred Hayden & Annie Baker December 8th Maurice White & Ada Rice 1924 January 12th Alfred Court & Harriet Snelling June 9th William Pullen & Eva Chalcraft June 15th Leonard Fisher & Ada Dora Simmons September 23RD Tom Bishop & Edith Mary Sharland 1925 January 31st Arthur Charles Winter & Maude James May18th Benjamin Wonham & Eva Brockhurst September 26th Sidney Osman & Mona King 1926 February 1st Charles Boxall & Florence Colvill May 1st William Norell & Ivy Grace Beaven September 29th William Snelling & Gertrude Harrod October 23rd Richard Gillard & Louisa Mary Wisdom November 27th Harry Court & Ada Maud Rose 1927 April 30th Alfred Pullen & Emily Kate Ridout October 15th Frank Walters & Doris Minnie Hamm December 26th William Boxall & Elsie May Roberts 1928 June 16th John Baker & Matilda Alice Price auust 11th Ernest Ware & Dorothy Alice Christian August 25th Frederick Monk & Minnie Worsfold December 8th Frederick Miles & Dorothy Karn Matthews 1929 April 13th Ernest Greenagh & Ruth Leah Gregory June 17th Harold Lewis Barrington & Gertrude Richardson June 21st Richard Henry Anstruther Morris-Marsham & Iris Rose Sophia Locking December 28th William Gilbert Messenger & Maggie Booty 1930 June 7th Charles Sole & Annie Boxall June 10th Alan Wilkinson & Evelyn Birch Reynardson July 19th Eric Wynn & Emily Wade 1931 April 18th Robert Collard & Hilda Grace Snelling June 1st Ernest Watts & Annie Wonham October 10th Arthur Herbert Williams & Ellen Keen October 13th Henry Hounsley & Frances Richardson December 26th Leonard Harris & Emily Lucy Court 1932 April 26th Arthur Cecil Stuart & Dorothy Bateson June 11th Edward Winchester & Agnes Poultney 1933 January 7th Albert Hammond & Bertha West September 30th Harold Hibbin & Beatrice Nelly Court October 28th Henry John Nash & Gladys Amelia Wood November 4th Walter Thompson & Anita Carton de Wiart Major-General Carton de Wiart, VC 1934 March 7th Stanley Horne Gale & Ethel Mary Boxall March 24th Harold Parsons & Frances Kate West March 31st Alfred Cottrell & Emily Evelyn West 1935 March 30th Walter Hobbs & Margaret Boxall August 5th Bertram Holden & Violet Grace Smith September 12th William Penfold Grey & Alice West September 21st Frederick Howard & Miriam Leggett December 21st William Good & Lucy Winifred Karn 1936 January 25th Royston Bartlett & Kathleen Rose West August 31st Reginald Messenger & Dorothy Warner 1937 July 17th Digby Dent & Barbara Henty July 24th Horace Fullbrook & Emily Rose Boxall September 11th Ernest Holmes & Mary Chapman October 2nd Reginald Cyril Parr & Jessie Wilson December 23rd Henry Baden Keen & Phyllis Joan Trott December 27th Eric George Adams & May Giles 1938 June 2nd Herbert Smyth & Peggy Warren Meade 1939 September 9th Edwin Hall & Norah Kathleen Robinson September 19th Harry Howard & Minnie Madge West October 27th Julius Norman Gems & Olive Dewhurst December 9th John Edgerley & Anne Parker 1940 March 11th Owen John Reddick & Doris Keen March 16th Frederick Albert Miller & Pansy Taylor March 23rd Leonard Raggett & Elizabeth Keen July 18th John Constable Jackson & Irene Stainer July 27th Ronald Francis & Florence Lavender Mr and Mrs Ronald Francis August 16th Clifford Gibbs & Gwendoline Burrows August 17th Alan Priestman & Marjorie Kennersley September 5th Charles Jones & Patience George September 6th Frederick Sugden & Lillian Clode September 21st Harold Swatton & Doreen Hughes October 17th Maurice Clifford & Dorothy Blythe October 22nd Walter Martin & Zillah Alice Cole October 26th Alan Paice & Joan Curtis November 12th Basil Millar & Lorna Nichols December 7th Cuthbert Norris & Cicely Hurcomb December 26th Ray Hall & Marjorie Warner 1941 January 4th John Wonham & Gwendolen Nicholls April 2nd Albert Ayres & Unis Symes April 19th Charles Weeden & Elizabeth Maria Baker August 16th Thomas Brown & Alice Rose Miller September 30th George Hasler & June Russell October 1st Lawrence Pink & Evelyn Hayter 1942 January 4th William Zuschlag & Lilian Marshall April 25th Sidney Budd & Hilda Mary West May 2nd Leonard Cousens & Gladys Page August 15th Harold Whittle & Anna Gaeser August 15th Frank Dovey & Gladys Ida West 1943 August 17th Charles Campbell Graham & Helen Elizabeth Keen October 9th John Grant & Hazel Avril Jones 1944 February 26th Deryck MacDonald & Brenda Pitts March 25th Ernest Yates & Olive Winter March 28th William Wesbowsky & Florence Rapp April 27th William Brown & Lily May Price June 30th John Ellison & Rosemary Tephi Pitts Cecily Ida (Sammy) Warner was born in Thursley, Surrey, England on August 9, 1922 to George and Edith Warner. Sammy and Bill (William Avery Tiner) met in Britain during WWII - Bill a member of the Royal Canadian Navy and Sammy a member of the Royal Air Force. Bill and Sammy were married on July 2, 1944 at St. Michael's and All Angels. July 2nd William Avery Tiner & Cecily Ida Warner August 19th Frank Day & Sylvia Mary Brown December 14th David Bridger Austin & Diana Bush 1945 April 17th Peckles Crawford Greer & Caroline Talbot September 15th George Kenefick Rae & Mary Pitts December 8th Peter Barrington & Joan Warren Meade 1946 June 8th Robert Morgan & Edna Hall December 26th James Kelly & Phyllis New 1947 April 5th Albert Jack Merrifield & Barbara Joan Hall 1948 April 10th Norman Graffham & Betty Lee June 19th Leonard Linegar & Annie Simmonds July 24th Wladyslaw Wozniak & Jane Mary Davidson 1949 November 26th Mieczskaw Kalinowski & Mary Fosberry 1950 April 27th Reginald Crook & Nan Tavender Wilton June 17th John Olive & Betty Mary Keen August 5th Robert Seville & Elizabeth Gibb September 16th Richard Partington & Peggy Sayers Dick and Peggy Partington 16th September, 2025 - 75 years to the day later, Richard and Peggy returned to St Michael & All Angels. They lived in Heath View (now Acorns) for five years immediately after their marriage. They are photographed with their daughter (next to Richard), daughter-in-law Sheila (next to Peggy) and friends Paul and Sandra Cheeseman from Elstead. 1951 July 7th Patrick McEvoy & Peggy Kimbrey 1952 July 10th Ramon John Beesley & Anne Collins October 11th Clifford Fausset & Barbara Wilton 1953 March 21st John Graham Stewart & Pearl Annette Gems October 15th James Gray & Patricia Holford 1954 March 20th Keith Garland & Jeanne Hawkes April 3rd Derek Sharland & Marjorie Baker Mary Williams with her father, Bert Williams, on Mary's wedding day April 24th Cecil Arthur Rapley & Mary Williams October 2nd Derek Rosser & Nina Hoare 1955 February 19th John Welland & Olive Morland February 26th John Wheeler & Kathleen Clay November 19th Martin Fausset & Eva May Smith 1956 March 10th Edward John Baker & Maureen Meanwell June 2nd Robert Cowan & Sheila Ann Watts September 1st Bertram Webb & Joan Good 1957 April 20th Lindsay Pibworth & Patricia Reed July 13th Frank Miller & Dorothy Grove 1958 August 30th Roland Moss & Elsie Allwright September 20th Roland Palmer & Joan Sharland 1959 April 4th John Heard & Mary Middleton June 27th Eric Walters & Sheila Ware September 12th Douglas Sheehan & Ann Sharland 1960 January 23rd Jim Ellis & Christine Wordsworth April 2nd Robert Watt & Rosemary Rapley July 16th Ralph Cusack & Barbara Jobson September 10th Victor Moseley & Monica Reed September 17th Patrick Harvey & Tamzin James 1961 April 3rd David Williams & Pamela Ware August 16th Stephen Waters & Maureen Cottle September 30th Robert Latter & Susan Scott 1962 July 21st Richard Kent & Hazel Keen 1963 August 31st Peter Darlow & Paula Brooker 1964 March 28th Michael Reffold & Linda May July 18th Martin Auger & Elizabeth Holt August 22nd Malcolm Gee & Ruth Loarridge October 10th Patrick Gray & Jane Mary Barrow 1965 July 3rd Peter Mead & Susan Villiers Susan Brockbank and her father, Russell Brockbank, on their way to her wedding. Brockbank was working on a commission for Rolls Royce and they lent his this rare 1906 Silver Ghost for the occasion. September 4th Christopher Ellis & Susan Brockbank 1966 March 26th Rowland Bloomfield & Wendy Darlow March 26th Keith Tipping & Marilyn Joan Cooper April 23rd Richard Timberlake & Patricia Jobson September 3rd William Good & Penelope Darlow December 24th Anthony Walker & Hazel Deverall 1967 June 3rd Robert Banks & Diana Payne Crawfurd September 2nd Martin Pritchard & Caroline Lawson 1968 September 21st David Hepburn & Jane Slater September 21st Sydney James & Stephanie Morrison September 28th Brian Taylor-Jones & Rosemary-Anne Barnard September 28th Malcolm Reece & Brenda Francis 1969 July 19th R R & Fiona Payne Crawfurd September 13th Robert Ranson & Susan Thomas September 20th John Beamont & Sandra Hallam 1970 April 11th Bryan Shelley & Shirley May Drake July 11th John Lodder & Barbara Ann Good August 25th Graham Ramsey & Rosemary Holt 1971 August 14th Nigel Miller & Janet Holt August 28th Gerald Fox & Norma Ruth Gems September 3rd Robert Morris & Dianne King September 11th Geoffrey Redwood & Judith Goddard 1972 Anthony Langdale & Susanna 'Sukey' Man January 29th Anthony Langdale & Susanna Man May 18th Rolf Unwin & Amy Rowe July 22nd Kenneth Lawson & June Lawson September 25th Alan Wisely & Anita Aveline 1973 April 28th Stuart Aldridge & Carol Ann Hard John Gunner & Kay Cottle with the legendary Reg Cottle and his wife Elsie next to Kay September 26th John Gunner & Kay Sonia Cottle 1974 July 6th Andrew Constable & Mary Lintott August 24th Duncan Beal & Margaret Ranson 1975 July 26th Stephen Loveday Jupe & Jane Petherbridge August 30th David Hoare & Janet Shorter September 20th Michael Stead & Josephine Karn 1976 April 14th John Brown & Victoria Seymour-Sloan May 29th Robert McNeilly & Philippa Jane Watson September 18th Kenneth Smith & Brenda Rees September 25th David Corbett & Peggy James 1978 April 29th Malcolm Graham & Diane Louise Smith 1979 April 7th Anthony Hawkes & Jennifer Anne Collins May 5th Stuart Millichamp & Wendy Effer 1980 May 3rd Graham Keen & Jacqueline Hill July 12th Geoffrey Smith & Christine Butt 1981 October 17th Peter John Goble & Teresa Ellen Boxall 1982 June 5th Peter Davis & Rebecca McCreath June 5th Eric Warren & Sandra Valerie Platfoot June 12th Vladimir Bojoric & Annabel Clery November 20th Paul Davis & Sharon Piggott 1983 July 30th Keith Conrad Moseley & Anne Palmer August 20th David Grimes & Petronella Matthews October 8th David Brazier & Judith Keen 1984 May 19th Grantley Pearson-Wright & Caroline Wilson August 4th Robert Brown & Emma Frances Bevan 1985 August 24th Michael Walker & Nicola Jane Watt September 21st Nigel Lelend & Elizabeth Norman 1986 February 15th Martin Simpson & Maureen Andrew March 15th John Giddens & Marie-Louise Clayton 1987 May 2nd Michael Huntley & Alison Jane Phipps May 16th Michael Stuart Arnold & Sandra Macleod June 27th Russell Segalov & Melissa Bristow July 25th David Redwood & Penelope Briscoe September 26th Harry Sutherland-Hawes & Catriona McLean 1988 January 6th Carlos Manuel Garcia Hiraldo & Lynn Ann Pearson-Wright June 4th Richard Foster & Shan Suzanne Davies July 23rd Stephen Riedlinger & Sula McKinnon September 3rd Andrew Keen & Sharon Selmes October 1st Christopher Wallis & Amanda Drayson 1989 May 20th Kim Clive Platfoot & Anne Bulley July 29th Emile Pinco & Nicola Susan Mann September 23rd Hugh Latimer & Tracey Hammond 1990 June 2nd Stuart Chapman & Bryndis Forberg September 28th Paul Redden & Charlotte Cordy-Simpson 1991 April 20th Louis Cotterell & Yanine Hughes June 1st Christopher Holuj & Kirsten Hamilton June 29th Piers Germain Van-Mol & Helen Price June 29th Neil Randolph & Robyn Morley August 3rd Spencer Hutchings & Caroline Clark 1992 March 14th David Gregory & Gillian Briscoe May 30th Nigel Jones & Katy Jane Middleton June 6th Robert Ellerby & Rachel Royall July 17th Gary Fannin & Zena Khan August 8th Timothy Metherell & Philippa Sprinks 1993 22nd May Michael Spencer & Debbie Myerscough July 31st David Andrew Storey & Jillian Bird September 11th Philip Traill & Angela Bury 1994 January 9th Charles Malcolm Coles & Sarah Dwyer May 14th Paul Howling & Joanna French September 3rd James Thoden van Velzen & Amanda Gadd 1995 May 13th Julian Watt & Kirten Cawsey September 9th Christopher Leyshon & Sally-Ann James 1996 June 29th Edward Lear & Annabel Palmes September 14th Stuart Wilkinson & Catriona Wilson 1997 August 23rd Anthony Wybrott & Wendy Faulkener September 20th Christopher Simson & Rosalind Taylor 1998 February 7th Steven Moffat & Susan Vertue March 21st William Westbroek & Carolyn Venner