Don't Miss the Christmas Miscellany

You would be hard put to find two more contrasting characters than the subjects of 2017's last presentation. After the massive success of our November talk at Leatherhead Theatre, when the audience filled every seat to hear TV presenter Bamber Gascoigne, our final talk this year will be back in the Abraham Dixon Hall of the Letherhead Institute on Friday, 8 December.

Two local historic figures will be featured. One man, one woman. One poor, one rich. One who spent almost his entire life in the village of Bookham, near Leatherhead. One who lived in not one but two of the great local houses and whose legacy changed the lives of millions.

Tony Matthews will present the life of Turville Kille, the gardener who came to head local government and worked to preserve and enhance our precious allotments. And Fred Meynen will talk about Marie Stopes who lived in both Givons Grove and Norbury Park and revolutionised British attitudes towards birth control.

Completing the line-up and acting as Master of Ceremonies for our Christmas Miscellany, will be Brian Hennegan, lifelong Leatherhead resident and author of several works on our local history. He will talk about A Street with Colourful Characters

The evening starts at 7.30pm with the usual welcoming coffee, followed at 8pm by the presentations and at 9pm wine, soft drinks, nibbles and mince pies. Don't miss it.

Bamber Gascoigne Triumph for Society, Museum and Theatre

A full house of 500 gathered at Leatherhead Theatre on 17 November to hear Bamber Gascoigne, onetime presenter of TV's University Challenge, speaking about his inherited mansion, West Horsley Place, and how it became the new home of Grange Park Opera this summer. He told the extraordinary story of his late great aunt Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe, and how the house came into the family possession. Following the talk came a performance by opera singer Kate Aitchison, accompanied by pianist Marion Lee, while the theatre foyer contained a special exhibition on the town’s historic operatic society, arranged by Leatherhead Museum.

The whole event marks a new era of cooperation between the Leatherhead & District Local History Society, which runs the Museum, and Leatherhead Theatre. Bamber Gascoigne, who spent part of his childhood in Ashtead, was also involved in the foundation of what was formerly called the Thorndike Theatre in the 1960s. He was introduced on stage by Museum curator Lorraine Spindler and after the evening's performances, was presented with a historic photograph of himself with Hazel Vincent Wallace whose fund-raising made the theatre a reality in 1969.

A brand new local repertory company will be launched at Leatherhead Theatre at 7pm on Monday, 11 December with free drinks, live jazz and information about its first season of three plays starting next spring. To learn more, go to www.leatherheadrep.com

Another Chance to Hear This Fascinating Story

Local historian Vivien White will be repeating her hugely successful talk about Fetcham Park House later this month, this time in Little Bookham. She gave the lecture during the summer to two packed sessions at the former manor house. If you missed it then, this is your opportunity to catch up. 

Edwardian Operetta Exhibition at Leatherhead Theatre

As part of their first co-operative project for many years, Leatherhead Museum and Leatherhead Theatre are hosting a fascinating new exhibition at the theatre covering the town's historic amateur operatic society and its remarkable productions more than a century ago.

The operatic society was founded in 1906 by Charles Grantham, a North Street carpenter and builder, and  its productions were of a very high standard  - mainly Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. They had a good orchestra of around 20 members and were directed by Cornelius Hooker, the parish church organist and choirmaster, and for many years later by his son Bernard. The operatic society would sometimes employ a professional producer from the D’Oly Carte Company. The sets were designed and painted by the multi-talented Charles Grantham, who was also the stage manager, singer and actor.

The show is based on a unique album of photographs, cuttings and other memorabilia donated by a direct descendant of the Hooker family. It also covers the involvement of the Neates, an especially musical local family with Percy, Reginald, Beatrice, Kate and Ella all featured. Beatrice and Ella in particular were also involved with the church choir as well as the operatic society.

The Museum closes on Saturday, 9 December and will reopen on Thursday, 5 April 2018 with the official opening on 7 April. A social evening for all stewards and Museum workers will be held  from 7 for 7.30pm on Monday, 4 December in Room G6 at the Letherhead Institute.