Bourne Society Forum Meetings
Indoor forum meetings are held in the Jenkins Centre at de Stafford School, Burntwood Lane, Caterham. Refreshments served from 7.00 pm for a 7.30 start. Please note that dates of meetings and other events are liable to change due to unforeseen circumstances. This page will always provide the latest information.
Indoor meetings
Wednesday, 2 October 2024: Henrietta le Personne. Le Personne Homes are a well known community in Caterham. The trust supporting the homes was set up in 1941 in memory of Henrietta Frances Le Personne. She died in 1925 having devoted her life to helping the community. Eithne Webster, a trustee, will tell the story of this remarkable woman.
Wednesday, 6 November 2024: The Bourne Society and its Villages. This talk by Roger Packham will draw on his extensive historic postcard collection to describe each of the Bourne Society’s 13 parishes and unravel the secrets of the mysterious Bourne.
Wednesday, 4 December 2024: Pathe News in the Bourne Society area. A selection of local news items from the Pathe News Archive presented by Liz Bonsall and Phil Swallow. This will be accompanied by seasonal refreshments.
Wednesday, 8 January 2025: to be confirmed.
Wednesday, 5 February 2025: From Village Blacksmiths to the Holy Family. The story of The Old Forge at Sanderstead; an illustrated talk given by Lizzie Mould.
Landscape History Walks
Detailed information about timings, distances, meeting points and levels of difficulty are given in Local History Records, volumes 113 & 114, summer / autumn 2024.
Tuesday, 12 November 2024: Nonsuch Park Walk, Cheam. A 4-mile walk around the site of Henry VIII’s lost palace, visiting the London border villages of Cheam and Ewell.
Friday, 21 February 2025: Denbies Vineyard Walk. A 3-mile stroll around the hillsides and vineyard of Denbies, near Dorking.
Pub & Brewery History Group
Please see Local History Records, volumes 112 and 113, for details of how to join the meetings.
Saturday, 5 October 2024: The Whyte Harte, 12 High St., Bletchingley RH1 4PB.
Thursday, 7 November 2024: The Greyhound, Carshalton SM5 3PE.
Sanderstead Local History Group
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Wednesday, 30 October 2024: A look back at Shirley and its windmill by Chris Harman.
Wednesday, 27 November 2024: History quiz and pre-Christmas party nibbles.
Wednesday, 29 January 2025: An informal members’ meeting with guidance for drawing a family tree from Joyce Hoad.
Wednesday, 26 February 2025: Hammerwood Park: the amazing story of this 18th-century house near East Grinstead; its decline and rescue from dereliction, given by its current owner, David Pinnegar.
Wednesday, 26 March 2025: Some interesting accounts from the history of Croydon Minster, by David Morgan, its volunteer education officer and archivist.
Meetings of the Sanderstead group take place in All Saints’ Church Hall on the last Wednesday in the month at 2.00 pm. For more details go to our website sandersteadlhg.co.uk where you will find information to get on our mailing list.
Bourne Society Coach day tours
See ‘Coach Day Tours’ in the left-hand menu. A coach day tour to Bletchley Park has been organised for Saturday, 5 April 2025.
Chaldon History Group
Saturday, 5 October 2024: Farthing Downs, a history by Tom Oliver (Information Ranger for the City of London Commons) and Graham Lomas (Chair of the Friends of Farthing Downs. 2.00 pm in Chaldon Village Hall.
Sunday, 13 October: Chaldon Autumn Walks. 2.45 pm start (see website for starting points).
Saturday, 9 November: Netherne from farmland to hospital to conservation village. A talk by Liz Bonsall. 2 pm in Chaldon Village Hall . Please note that the date of this meeting has changed.
Saturday, 18 January 2025: Talk to be confirmed. 2.00 pm in Chaldon Village Hall.
Saturday, 1 March 2025: Talk to be confirmed. 2.00 pm in Chaldon Village Hall.
Chaldon Church, with its 12th-century mural, is open every day for visitors, usually between 10am and 4pm (3pm in winter). Church Teas are available on Sundays in British summertime, 3.00 to 4.30 pm in the Hazell Room at the Church.
For more on the Chaldon group please follow this link.