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The climax of the national celebrations came in early June. On the evening of Monday 6 June, The Queen lit a bonfire beacon at Windsor which started a chain of beacons across the country. On Tuesday 7 June, vast crowds saw The Queen driven in the Gold State Coach to St Paul's Cathedral for a Service of Thanksgiving attended by heads of state from around the world and former prime ministers of the UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3hfM1R4Xvw An estimated 500 million people watched on television as the procession returned down The Mall. Back at Buckingham Palace, The Queen made several balcony appearances. Street parties and village parties started up all over the country: in London alone, 4,000 were reported to have been held. The final event of the central week of celebrations was a river progress down the Thames from Greenwich to Lambeth on Thursday 9 June, emulating the ceremonial barge trips of Elizabeth I. The journey ended with a firework display, and a procession of lighted carriages took The Queen back to Buckingham Palace for more balcony appearances to a cheering crowd. In Thursley, a whole host of events (for every age and predilections apparently) were planned under the watchful auspices of Norman Ratcliffe, then the village bobby, living in the police house on The Street. It all took place on Tuesday 7th June and I am guessing the following day must also have been a Bank Holiday as it was a busy old day, culminating in dancing until midnight! The programme of events from Norman was such: HORSE SHOW At 10am at Haybarn stables. Programme and entry form available from Thursley Stores, Thursley Post Office, the Police House and the Red Lion garage. OLD PEOPLE’S LUNCH At 12 noon in the Village Hall, a lunch and entertainment will be held for our senior citizens. PROCESSION At 2.30pm the procession will go from The Red Lion to the cricket field. Anyone is welcome to join in. Please come in fancy dress, on foot or horseback. You can organise a group float, decorate your cycle or car and just join in the fun. CRICKET MATCH At 3pm the Half Moon (one of three pubs in the village – Ed) will do battle against the Three Horseshoes, in a not too serious match. DOG DISPLAY At 5pm on the cricket field, there will be a display by Guardwell Security Dogs. CHILDRENS PARTY At 5.30pm all children of school age will be welcome to a party in the Village Hall. This will be tea and a magic show. DANCE AND CABARET The dance will be 8pm to 12 midnight on the cricket field. There will be a cabaret during the evening. Dancing will be to The Gold Top Roadshow. This is a show in its own right. There will be a bar.

Photographs, please! The central focus for the year was the Jubilee weekend in June 2002 which began with a classical music concert in the gardens at Buckingham Palace. There was a Jubilee Church Service at St George's Chapel in Windsor and a National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral which followed a Ceremonial Procession from Buckingham Palace. Events culminated in a pop concert at Buckingham Palace with performers including Paul McCartney, Bryan Adams, Elton John and Shirley Bassey. The evening ended with a spectacular firework display and The Queen lighting the National Beacon, the last in a string of 2,006 beacons which had been lit in a chain across the Commonwealth. It was much more difficult to track down much information on how the Golden Jubilee was celebrated in Thursley despite it being only twenty-two years ago. It was noted “That on Saturday the 1st June, there will be a Thursley Village party – a pig roast, jazz and fun for all the family in the Village Hall”. And so, it was to be. A fantastic whole village feast was prepared. Long tables were set up, bunting was hung and young and old enjoyed a day of sunshine, celebrations and commemorations for our dearly loved Queen.

Including an article written by Jackie Rickenberg for the Parish Magazine in December 2021 The name Thursley is probably Norse. In the 14th century it was known as "Thoresley" which is thought to be the Danish name meaning "Thor's field". Thor was the Norse god of thunder and a block of sandstone on Thursley common is called Thor's Stone; it was believed to have been a thunderbolt thrown by the god. Alternatively, the name may be a personal one associated with a former owner or holder of land - there was an Abbot Thor in 975AD or an Archdeacon Thor in 1100. Not much is known about the very early history of Thursley; a few neolithic implements have been found, mainly axe heads and arrow heads. Many years ago, the parish boundaries of Thursley extended as far as Haslemere, but now they are greatly curtailed. They run round Thursley common, including Warren Mere, and cut across to Bowlhead Green almost to Brook, then back past Boundless Farm to the Devil's Punch Bowl. They then continue round the bowl to Pitch Place, down to Truxford and back on to the common again. The first metalled road was constructed in Thursley in 1749 and the Portsmouth road became a turnpike road in 1767 when travel by stage coach became popular. Naturally the Portsmouth road has always had its influence upon Thursley's life. Baring-Gould's book "The Broomsquire" is based on the notorious murder of a sailor on Hindhead by three ruffians in September 1786. The sailor set out from the Red Lion Inn accompanied by three men who murdered and robbed him, throwing his body into the Devil's Punch Bowl. The men were caught near Petersfield trying to sell the stolen clothes. They were hung on Gibbet Hill on 7th April 1787 in chains made by the Thursley village blacksmith at Forge Cottage. The Gibbet remained as a warning to passing travellers until it was blown down in a thunderstorm in December 1790. The murdered sailor was buried in Thursley churchyard where a memorial stone was erected. His coffin was made at Wheelwrights, then the carpenter's workshop, and cost 7s. 6d. Other villains frequented the Portsmouth road which was a great source of revenue to highwaymen. It has even been hinted that the local clergy held up coaches themselves in order to improve depleted church funds. St.Michael & All Angels Church is largely Saxon although it was enlarged and restored in 1860 and 1884. Two small windows in the chancel are Saxon, and still have the original oak grooved for bedding the horn windows which were customary before the manufacture of glass. There is an old Saxon oven which was used for baking the Communion wafers, and also for heating charcoal for incense. The font is almost certainly Saxon. About 1500 a massive oak timber frame was added to support the bell cage and spire. There is an interesting 16th century oak chest, fitted with three locks. Each warden was provided with a key for one lock and by this method their honesty was never allowed to be in doubt.. The group of 18th century table tombs by the church porch erected in memory of the Stillwell's of Cosford are particularly fine. The building that now serves as the Village Hall was formerly the school which replaced the Dame school in the churchyard. It was built of local Bargate stone in 1843 and enlarged in 1854. After the school closed in 1959 it was decided to utilise the building as a community hall and money was raised by selling The Institute (now Prospect Cottage) and the site next to the Three Horseshoes pub on which stood the old wooden village hall (now Tilhurst). The Institute was designed by the famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, whose father leased The Cottage (now Street House). Lutyens also designed extensions to The Corner, opposite Street House. In Thursley churchyard, not far from the grave of the poet John Freeman, is a cross designed by Edwin Lutyens, bearing the names of his parents and his sister Aileen. Nearby is Edwin’s memorial stone to his nephew, Derek Lutyens, who was killed in 1918 whilst serving in the Royal Air Force. On the outskirts of the parish Lutyens designed two lakeside boathouses for Whitaker Wright in Witley Park. During the 15th and 16th centuries the woollen cloth industries flourished at Godalming. Although it was illegal to weave outside the cloth towns, two Surrey families, the Hookes and the Chittys, carried on the industry at Thursley. In the 17th century Thursley became a centre for iron smelting when the industry was flourishing with contracts from the Navy for cannon and shot. The iron mills were built near a brook on Thursley common, which was widened in places to make the ponds, known as the Hammer Ponds. Gradually the iron industry with its attendant occupation of charcoal burning died out, and by the end of the 18th century very little iron was worked. Thursley ironworks were the last to operate in Surrey. It is generally accepted that the first four cottages in The Lane were used as workshops connected with the industry, while the cottages above them were the dwelling houses of the workmen. At the beginning of the 19th Century silk weaving took the place of iron smelting, and the “crape” mills were also built near the Hammer Ponds. Crape is a gauze-like fabric with a wrinkled surface and the black silk was often used for mourning dress. Much raw silk was reputedly smuggled from France to the mills at Warren Mere, then on to Dye House where it was dyed before disposal. The smuggling activities were no doubt very profitably managed and at a later date even whiskey was supposed to have been hidden away in cellars under Highfield Farm and its outbuildings. It is said that the horses used for transport of the whiskey were taken to The Forge where their shoes were turned back to front in order to fool the customs officers. The silk weaving industry was closed by 1851. Thursley common was left to sheep, quite large flocks being raised on the excellent grass which at that time covered the heath. Although there were only minor skirmishes in the area during the Civil War, the local ironmaster, William Yalden, was a friend of Oliver Cromwell. Towards the end of the war it was suspected that Thursley had Royalist sympathies so Cromwell stationed Livesey’s Kentish Men in the village. They remained for nine months and were reputed to have behaved badly. The piscina in the church was probably damaged at this time. The inhabitants petitioned Sir Thomas Fairfax to remove them in 1649. King Edward VII reviewed the troops on Thursley common early in the twentieth century, a road being specially built for this occasion. In December 1941 the Canadian Lorne Scots regiment occupied Tweedsmuir Camp which was used as a repatriation centre for Canadian soldiers returning from the war. There were also large scale movements of troops through the camp until 31st May 1944, 5 days before D-Day. A bronze tablet was donated to Thursley Church by the Lorne Scots on 10th January 1943. On the departure of the Canadians in 1947 Tweedsmuir became a Displaced Persons Camp for Polish families many of whom still live in the area. There is an interesting web-site at www.tweedsmuirmilitarycamp.co.uk which gives more information about the camp, its history, geography and occupants both during, and after, the last war. It is the brainchild of the Rogalski brothers who spent their childhood there. In 1941 Winston Churchill, General de Gaulle and General Sikorski came to Hankley Common to review a tank demonstration. Throughout World War II Hankley Common was used for training by British and Canadian armoured units and was also used for many top secret trials including flame-throwers, anti-mine flail tanks and rocket launchers. Hankley Common (near the Lion’s Mouth) is also the site of the Atlantic Walls constructed in preparation for the D-Day landings. The Hankley Common Atlantic Wall Trust has carried out a detailed investigation into the construction and usage of the walls. In October 1942 a 19 year old English girl, Joan Pearl Wolfe, was murdered on Hankley Common and the following April a Canadian soldier, August Sangret, who was based at Witley Camp, was hanged at Wandsworth Gaol for her murder. This became known as “The Wigwam Murder” as Sangret had built wigwams for her to shelter in. The trial was famous for being the first time a human skull had been produced as evidence in a British court. Because of its scenic location and proximity to London, Thursley has always attracted tourists and visitors some of whom subsequently decided to take up residence either by renting or owning property. The composer, Sir Malcolm Arnold lived in the village in the nineteen-sixties. He owned “Sawyers”, next to the recreation ground, from 1962 to 1965. In that short time he married his second wife, Isobel, and also extended the house which was then known as Canbury Cottage. In addition to his classical music and dance compositions, Sir Malcolm also composed 132 film scores including those for “Hobson’s Choice, “Inn of the Sixth Happiness”, “Whistle down the Wind” and five St.Trinians movies. He was awarded an Oscar for his musical score to “The Bridge on the River Kwai”. The poet, John Freeman, did not reside in Thursley but wished to be buried in the churchyard in sight of Crooksbury Hill. Motoring cartoonist Russell Brockbank lived in The Lane between 1951 and 1978. He worked long hours from a studio in his garden and during this time he was appointed art editor of “Punch” magazine. The author, Monica Edwards, famous for her stories of life in and around Punch Bowl Farm, was a renowned expert on badgers which she studied in detail in the local area. Margaret L. Woods, a popular novelist and poet at the beginning of the twentieth century, spent some time at Vine Cottage in The Street. Sir Roger Stevens, an eminent diplomat and a University Vice-Chancellor, enjoyed his many years in the village. Another diplomat, the RT.Hon. Herbert Fisher O.M. had a country house in Thursley. He was a member of parliament and a minister in the government until 1923. The owner of the Cosford Estate, Colonel Rushbrooke and other major landowners have, in their times, had considerable influence over the development of the village, its people and its architecture. The Thursley History Society is open to all those with an interest in the village. An archive is maintained of documents and artefacts relevant to Thursley’s history, both ancient and modern, and there are periodic exhibitions of these archive materials. Additions to the archives are always welcome as are new sources of information on the history of the village. More details of Thursley and its Church can be found on the British History web-site at http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42929 Parish Magazine article written by Jackie Rickenberg for December 2021 It’s hard to believe, as I write this in early November, that this is the last article of this year. I know it’s supposedly a sign of old age – but just where has this year gone? I’ve just got time to slip in excerpts from a little brochure written exactly seventy years ago, sadly, author unknown, but published “in aid of Thursley Festival Funds” at price 6d (old pennies for those who don’t remember!) Thursley 1951 A Brief History of the Parish and Village “When writing a brief history of Thursley, it is difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction: between actual events and romantic yarns, which everyone has heard from their ancestors. The generations of Thursley’s inhabitants appear to include honest hard-working labourers, hard-working smugglers and hard-working highwaymen amongst those who have created its history. A variety to please all! Many years ago, the parish boundaries of Thursley extended as far as Haslemere, but now they are greatly curtailed. They run round Thursley Common, including Warren Mere and cut across to Bowlhead Green, almost to Brook, then back past Boundless Farm to the Devil’s Punch Bowl. They then continue round the bowl to Pitch Place, down to Truxford and back on to the common again. Naturally the Portsmouth Road has always had its influence upon Thursley’s life and villains often frequented it as it was a great source of revenue to the highwaymen. There is believed to be a secret underground passage running from the back of Foldsdown to the sandy bank at the foot of the hill below Millhanger (remember this was 1951, before the A3 extension - ed), through which they made good their escape after holding up the coaches, as they toiled up the hill. It has even been hinted that the local clergy had held up coaches themselves in order to improve depleted church funds. The church is largely Saxon, although it has been enlarged and restored. There is an old Saxon oven which was used for baking the Communion wafers and for heating charcoal for incense. The font is almost certainly Saxon and the massive oak timbers supporting the steeple make a structure which is probably unique. Inside, there is an interesting 16th century oak chest, fitted with three locks. Each warden was provided with a key for one lock and by this method, their honesty was never allowed to be in doubt. Not much is known about the very early history of Thursley; a few Neolithic implements have been found, mainly axe heads and arrow heads. However, during the 15th and 16th centuries, the woollen cloth industries flourished at Godalming, and although it was illegal to weave cloth outside the cloth towns, two Surrey families, the Hooke’s and the Chitty’s carried on the industry at Thursley. In the 17th century, Thursley became a centre of the iron smelting industry. The iron mills were built near a brook on Thursley Common, which was widened in places to make the ponds, known as the Hammer Ponds. These were used for cooling the iron as it was smelted. Gradually, the iron industry with its attendant occupation of charcoal burning, died out, and by the end of the 18th century, very little iron was worked. It is generally accepted that the first four cottages in The Lane were used as workshops, connected with the industry, while the cottages above them were the dwelling houses of the workmen. Silk weaving, at the beginning of the 19th century took the place of iron smelting, and the mills were also built near the Hammer Ponds. Much raw silk was reputedly smuggled from France to the mills at Warren Mere, then onto Dye House, where it was dyed before disposal. The smuggling activities were no doubt very profitably managed, and at a later date even whiskey was supposed to have been hidden away in cellars under Upper Highfield Farm and its outbuildings. It is said that the horses used to transport the whiskey, were taken to The Forge where the shoes were turned back to front in order to fool the customs officers. After the decline of the silk weaving industry, the common was left to sheep; quite large flocks being raised on the excellent grass, which at that time, covered Thursley heath. Thursley has now almost healed the scars of the last war and is peaceful once more. How will the future compare with the past? The facts show us Thursley is as lovely and industrious as ever, its countryside unrestricted to us in almost every direction, but no doubt the imagination can still visualise a smuggler behind every door”. This little gem, which throws up some lovely connotations and visual images of Thursley past, is kept in our archives. Apologies to the Rev. Hannah and the inhabitants of some of Thursley’s most historic houses mentioned in the article; there is absolutely no suspicion that we have smugglers or highwaymen amongst us today! The archives are lovingly and safely stored and protected by Tim Walsh and Alie Hanbury from Thursley History Society, and contain a vast array of irreplaceable reports, photographs, records, deeds, etc, etc. If you have anything relating to the village or surrounding area, your house or descendants that you would like protected and stored for future generations, please feel free to contact us at thursleyhistorysociety@gmail.com. We’ve recently been contacted by someone whose grandparents lived in Thursley before the beginning of WW1, who has donated a beautifully embroidered fire screen, done by his grandfather, whilst in hospital in 1917 recovering from gas poisoning. Irreplaceable! And very gratefully received into our archives and where hopefully, we will find a suitable spot to publicly display it.

This article written by Jackie Rickenberg was published in the Parish Magazine in September 2021 Last month’s explanation about the origin of Emley Farms’ name, started me thinking about some of the names familiar to us, but perhaps not immediately obvious as to where their origins lie. The village sign gives a clue as to the name Thursley, which was called Thoresle in 1292. This names etymologically is difficult to interpret but it was probably derived from the Saxon God, Thunor or Thunder and may be related to the heathen temple at Peper Harrow. Read on further for another possible explanation! What about The Devil’s Punch Bowl? This is another very odd name. It seems (according to “Portrait of S.W Surrey” by Jane Brown from the early 1980’s) to have “arrived” in the district around the mid-18th century, roughly at the same time as the neighbouring Devil’s Jumps. The first recorded mention of the name is on John Rocque’s map of 1768 where the area is labelled “Hackham Bottom or Devil’s Punch Bowl”. The Devil’s Jumps also appear on this map, but it is interesting that this name also appears on an earlier map by John Senex in 1729. On that same map the site of the Devil’s Punch Bowl is simply shown as Hackham Bottom, which suggests that the Devil got the Jumps before the Punch Bowl! The name Hackham is probably derived from an ancient place name “Hegcumbe” meaning a hay-combe or meadow in a valley, a reference to the meadows that occupied the northern part of the valley before the gorse took over. There is a road map by John Ogilby dated 1675 of the London to Portsmouth Road and as this is fairly large scale it should surely show the Devil’s Punch Bowl, if it were known as such – but it does not; it only shows the name Hindhead. Why the devil the Devil suddenly came to this corner of Surrey in the mid 1700’s, it is difficult to say. An alternative origin to the name Thursley is that the name is related to “Thor’s Ley”, which dates back to the Danish occupation of Surrey in the 9th century. Thor was the Scandinavian Vikings God of war and folklore has it that Thor made war on the Devil, who had annoyed him, by jumping from hill to hill – hence the name Devil’s Jumps. One day Thor caught him in the act and bowled him over with a stone – they say you can still see the stone on the Jumps! However, the delay of nine centuries before the name stuck, is somewhat tardy, so believe what you will! The name Devil’s Punch Bowl, coupled with the wilderness of the landscape, has always conjured up vivid imagery, and Charles Dickens made use of this very cleverly in the following passage from Nicholas Nickleby: To Godalming they came at last, and here they bargained for two humble beds, and slept soundly. In the morning they were astir, though not quite so early as the sun, and again afoot; if not with all the freshness of yesterday, still with enough hope and spirit to bear them cheerily on. They walked upon the rim of the Devil’s Punch Bowl: and Smirke listened with greedy interest as Nicholas read the inscription upon the stone which reared upon that wild spot, telling of a murder committed there by night. The grass upon which they stood, had once been dyed with gore; and the blood of the murdered man had run down drop by drop into the hollow which gives the place its name. “The Devil’s Punch Bowl” thought Nicholas, as he looked into the void, “never held fitter liquor than that!” Nowadays, the Punch Bowl is a well-known walking and beauty spot but as Charles Dickens implies, it has had its share of dark and sinister times. The sailor’s murder referred to above by Dickens, is a part of Thursley’s history, but for those not familiar with it, it’s worth repeating. Next month’s subject! Incidentally, The History Society recently unearthed an old Tithe map of Thursley dated 1846, which lists all the field names around the village. It goes a long way towards explaining some of our house names. We are in the process of getting it framed and it will be on display at the upcoming VE Day exhibition on 14th November in the Village Hall. It’s interesting to note that the majority of land in Thursley was then owned by either Lord Middleton or Henry Yaldon Knowles. I don’t claim to know all the house names in the parish, but I can’t remember seeing anything known as The Rumpy, Dunghill, Upper Bottoms or indeed Lower Bottoms! I would love to stand corrected though. Remember to email if you have any queries or points of interest; thursleyhistorysociety@gmail.com. Postcard circa 1933

The History of Thursley Society (HoTS), the forerunner of Thursley History Society, used the opening of the renovated barn at Wheelers Farm as a focal point for their exhibition in July 1996. Other examples of HoTS's activities are shown below.

Only photographs of this Grade II listed building (28th October 1986)

Ann Wakeley wrote in December 1996, "We have lived in Little Green ever since we were married in 1967. It started off as a "dolls house" and has subsequently had four extensions, to grow with the family. Oliver is 27 and works in the research department of BT in Ipswich. Fenella is 25 and is a primary school teacher in Huntingdon. Melissa is 18 and in her last year as Downe House taking three A levels. Adam is 18, in his last year at Radley and he is also taking three A levels.

This parade was arranged to celebrate Thursley winning the Best Kept Village Competition Ben Wonham as William Cobbett Other floats celebrate the Farmers; Association (Tom Ranson); the British Legion; the Unknown Sailor; Emergency Ward 10

Introducing Mary Bennett and her parents, H A L Fisher and Lettice Fisher, from these three articles written by Jackie Rickenberg for the Parish Magazine Mary Bennett outside Rock Cottage Her childhood calendar Rock Cottage and some neighbours Thursley in the Twenties

This article was part of The Wedding Belles exhibition held in the Village Hall in 2007 On September 25th 1915 Lt. Colonel Walter Cecil Wright of  the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers married Mrs. Jane Edith Marion Johnstone. Colonel Wright lived and owned Rock Cottage at the top of Highfield Lane. This, in itself, was unusual as all the surrounding property was part of the Cosford Estate. The Colonel was a good friend of a gentleman artist who lived in Helen Allingham’s old house in Sandhills,   Walford Graham Robertson, who affectionately called his friend “Dolly”.  The Colonel’s bride was a widow with two children (Ralph and Lettice). Graham Robertson attended with another local child, Rachel, and described the wedding and marriage in some of his many letters to his friend Kerrison Preston: 7.8.1915 [sic.] “Lettice’s mother has been passing through a time of great sorrow and anxiety, but she is now a widow and is going to marry Dolly, at which I am delighted. They thoroughly deserve great happiness and I trust they will find it if there is any such thing left in these days. I am to be Dolly’s second-best man, and Lettice will appear with her grandfather in the character of the bride’s mother” 20.8.1915 [sic.] “Lettice and I have appeared in our respective roles and the performance is over. It was really very sweet and pretty – just what a wedding should be – absolutely. Rachel and I arrived first at the little old Thursley Church, near Rock Cottage. Then came Colonel Dolly with his best man, Major Campbell, another stray major and Lettice, absorbed in her new shoes and the difficulty of keeping on her first hat. Also big Ralphie, her brother, who had managed to get there unexpectedly. Then the bride came in with her father and though we tried to turn her out again, and make her enter properly at her proper cue, she sat down calmly, remarking that she was always punctual if the padre wasn’t, and she was not going to hang about for him or for anybody else. Then when the clergyman did put in an appearance, we lost the best man and Dolly clung miserably to me, wailing at the top of a naturally powerful voice, ‘What am I to do? Where am I to stand? I’ve never been married before.’ However, Major Campbell reappeared and sorted them and got them comfortable, and they got through very well, the children deeply impressed by the mystic ceremonial. Then we went up the narrow lanes to Rock Cottage, where we had chicken and wedding cake and blackberry gin. During the meal I noticed, through the window behind the bridegroom, strange and unaccustomed presences bouncing about the garden and staring in from the sacred, newly-turfed terrace. ‘What is it?’ he inquired, noting my rapt gaze. ‘P-pigs, Dolly,’ I murmured, loath to disturb the peace of the assembly and feeling sure that the colonel, lately become rather peppery and particular from overwork, would burst from the room like Betsy Trotwood. However- ‘Pigs?’ said he, dreamily. ‘Oh, yes, of course. They are the Baker pigs from over the way. They were specially invited and arrived bright and early this morning. She says they’re lucky. They were all in the dining-room when I started for church.’ I thought that, as a first concession on marrying an Irishwoman, it was charmingly tactful and appropriate. When the happy trio left (Lettice accompanied them), the bride’s father said to her in joke, ‘Well, Edith, you had better come back with me to Ireland now and rest a bit,’ but Lettice, departing with the bridegroom, called patronisingly over her shoulder, ‘No Mummy, you may come with us. We should like it.’” “The Times”, September 28th 1915 The Wrights then enjoyed a simple country life here in Thursley as further letters describe. 20.8.18 “Yesterday was my weekly ‘Rock Cottage’ day, and the walk home in the evening along that wonderful valley was quite exquisite. They have induced a village lady to come in and ‘oblige’, so Dolly and I cook no more. I’m rather sorry, though the interest was almost too painful; we distrust each other’s methods so deeply. However, after my triumph in the regrettable incident of the bouquet garni, which Dolly had so far forgotten himself as to allude to as ‘your damn flowers’ and which proved the making of the boiled salmon, I was able to take high ground. Mrs. Wright has developed extraordinary talents as a bee mistress, very luckily, as no bee master is now within summons. She goes calmly to work with bees in her hair and bees covering her face and hands, veilless and gloveless, and all is well. She took over twenty pounds of honey the other day.” W. Graham Robertson painted Lettice many times and described her head of blond hair as “a dandelion clock”. The little girl Lettice Mary, was born in 1908 whilst her elder brother, Ralph U. Johnstone, was much older having been born in 1894. 15.8.19 “The Wrights of Rock Cottage have been wrenched from me, and they all vanished last week”. The Wrights remained at Rock Cottage until 1919 when it was bought by Mrs. Lettice Fisher, so that her husband H.A.L. Fisher who was then Minister of Education in the post-war Coalition Government could have a place in the country that was still within reasonable reach of London. Colonel Wright died on September 8th 1939. Rock Cottage remained the home of Mary Bennett, nee Fisher, until her death in 2005.

From Thursley Parish Magazine June 2019 ”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.

From Thursley Parish Magazine July 2019 Did you know….? Some houses in our area were called ‘hall houses’ because originally the fire was placed in the middle of the large central room and smoke escaped through a hole in the roof. An example is Bowlhead Green Farmhouse. Now, of course, an upper floor has been put in and so the roof beams cannot be seen. This drawing of Bayleaf at the Weald and Downland Museum illustrates how a ‘hall house’ was constructed. The museum has kindly given permission for this picture to be included. More on the museum website