After consulting the Friends Committee, Peter
Humphreys and Duncan Macfarlane, the managers of Leatherhead Museum Church Street
The Museum was due to open as usual in the
spring after its winter shutdown but the lockdown overtook this. The Friends of
the Museum working group has also been suspended with only essential checks and
gardening taking place. The garden and the new wellhead will not now be on
public view before next year.
Volunteer Dorothy Stapleton has been working on
a new 1960s display in the former Hollis Room and the planned John Ainley art
exhibition has been postponed. The new plaque commemorating Linda Heath - see
picture - will also be on show from 2021.
There are two main reasons for the continuing
closure. First is the small size of the Museum, located within a 17th century
cottage. Social distancing and hand-washing requirements would be difficult to
apply and there is also a lack of storage space. Second is the age of many volunteer stewards, most of whom are above the age recommended for continuing
protection against Coronavirus. Dorking Museum
The plaque shown above will be installed at the
Museum in memory of Linda Heath, former L&DLHS Chairman and later
President. It
is nine inches in diameter and in cast aluminium.
Linda joined the Executive Committee in
1986. She served as Society Chairman
1989-1996 and President 2002-2007. She was a Museum steward for many years,
gave many talks and wrote books on the Society’s behalf. She and her husband
lived in the Leatherhead district from the 1960s. As well the L&DLHS she
was also active in many other local organisations including the Leatherhead Parish Church