ASH MUSEUM NEWSLETTER NUMBER 51 JULY 2018 The Museum is Open 3rd Sunday each month 2 - 4.30pm and Entry is Free Open Sundays 9 and 16 September 2018 2 - 4.30pm for Heritage Open Days 1ST ASH GIRL GUIDES 1st Ash Girl Guides on the occasion of the presentation of Queen's Guide to Ann Dewhurst in 1952. This was taken in the St Peter's Church Hall. (1129/8) THE HISTORY OF ASH, ASH VALE, ASH GREEN AND TONGHAM Ash Museum, Cemetery Chapel, Ash Cemetery, Ash Church Road, Ash, Surrey GU12 6LX email: [email protected] www.ashmuseum.org.uk www.facebook.com/ashmuseum Winifred Manfield, the first Captain of 1st Ash Girl Guides. (1129/3) 1st Ash Girl Guides with Miss May Gatehouse. In January 1933 the Guides met in St Peter’s Church Room at 6pm on Mondays and Miss May Gatehouse of Church Path Ash Common was Captain; whilst the Brownies met at 2.30pm on Saturdays and Miss Manfield of Hascombe Villas Church Road was Brown Owl. (928/1/5) Annie Trimmer of Ash 1st Ash Girl Guides Green, who became a camp at Yateley in Lieutenant in the 1st 1932. (928/2/4) Edna Hersey, 1st Ash Girl Guide, in 1936. Edna Ash Girl Guides. later became Brown Owl. (1129/4) (928/1/2) 1st Ash Girl Guides marching past the Chester Arms pub towards the level crossing at Ash Station on Armistice Day 1950. (1129/7) Left. Edna Hersey. 1st Ash Guide, late 1930s, with her nieces Joyce and Pamela Collins. (1129/5) With thanks to Margaret Sivill and the Guides research team and Mr and Mrs Knight 1st Ash Girl Guides were taught the Elizabethan Minuet to perform at the Ash Coronation Celebrations in 1953 by Mr and Mrs Cox who ran the Old Time Dancing classes at the Ash Victoria Hall. Left to right: Ann Neville (later Swabey), Pat Smith, Janet Ware (later Lunn), Rita Best, Diana Wetherill (later Caplin), Diane Bloomfield (later Tuck), Margaret Barlow (later Sivill). (1129/11) 1st Ash Girl Guides presentation of Queen's Guide to Joyce Giles 1st Ash Guides 1952. Left to right: Eileen Collins, Rosemary Chiffney, Sylvia Debut, Ann Dewhurst, Joyce Giles. (1129/10) FIRST WORLD WAR CENTENARY - NEWS FROM 1918 CASUALTIES IN FRANCE MISS FLORENCE EMBLETON BURIED WITH FULL MILITARY HONOURS Private George Sidney Jones 6th Battalion IN ASH CEMETERY Dragoon Guards died 1 April 1918 aged 22. George lived in 3 Prospect Cottages in Tongham. Mechanic Driver Florence Embleton He had joined the Carabiniers aged 15 and had Women's Legion died 26 May 1918 aged 30. gone to France in October 1914. Miss Embleton was the only daughter of Major and Mrs John Embleton of Valetta in Frimley Road. Private William Kimber 6th Battalion The She had been engaged on various kinds of war Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment died 5 April work since the beginning of the war. She had 1918 aged 33. William lived in Flimby Lodge in been a clerk at the Field Stores and a nurse at Hutton Road Ash Vale when he enlisted in 1916. Aldershot hospital. She had joined the Women’s Legion in October 1917, and had been a Motor Lance Corporal George Guthrie 2nd Driver in No 52 Motor Transport Company, Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry died Army Service Corps, Aldershot, and was attached 10 April 1918 aged 21. George’s family lived at to the Army School of Sanitation. Upware in Prospect Road. He had been in the army for seven years and was a bugler. She was given a funeral with full military honours. The coffin was carried on a gun carriage with a Private Horace Postans 1st Battalion Norfolk Union Jack covering the coffin and the band of the Regiment died 16 June1918 aged 19. Horace lived Middlesex Regiment. The pall bearers were from in 5 Stanley Villas in Shawfield Road. the Women’s Legion, and a trumpeter from the Army Service Corps sounded the last post. DIED IN BELGIUM HOME FRONT Lance Serjeant Harry Alexander Taylor 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers died 11 April 1918 In June there was a Rose Day at Ash. The ladies of aged 20. Harry lived in Cuthbert Road Ash Vale Ash and Ash Vale raised £43 for war charities as and was employed by Messrs Dickerson Army compared with £30 last year, from sales of the contractors as a clerk. charming Alexandra rose. The event was organised by Mrs Eldred Wright and included Corporal Reginald Knowles 1st Battalion Royal selling the roses to people travelling on early Irish Fusiliers died 11 April 1918 aged 35. morning trains at the railway station. Reginald was the stepson of Annie Knowles of 1 Osgood Cottages, who ran the Ash Wharf On 26 June 1918 a quote was sent to the Boathouse. Reverend Lambrick of St Peter’s Church by Sutton and Co. timber merchants at Guildford, to buy two windfall elms. To take down two trees in the PRIVATE HANKINS BURIED IN ASH churchyard involved moving a group of gravestones to prevent damage, so they decided that they had better stand until labour was not so Private Albert George Hankins 5th Battalion expensive and difficult to obtain. Northamptonshire Regiment died 26 April 1918 aged 23. He was wounded in both legs in France In August William J Emmings of Ash Green, and his right leg was amputated at the hip in market gardener, was given three months hospital in Manchester. He died an hour later. exemption at the Farnham Rural Tribunal. His Private Hankins’ funeral was in the Ash Street agricultural certificate had now been withdrawn Wesleyan Chapel and he was buried in Ash but he had a letter saying he would not be called Cemetery. up until after the harvest. LOCAL GIRLS WHO WERE VADS MUSEUM NEWS AND EVENTS AT THE CONNAUGHT HOSPITAL The museum was opened as usual on the third Records of the VADs (Voluntary Aid Detachment) Sunday of each month during the winter and can be seen on www.scarletfinders.co.uk and they spring. As always it proved popular with visitors reveal that a number of local ladies worked at the of all ages. For our younger visitors, there are Connaught Hospital in North Camp during the now some activity sheets to help them understand war. some of the museum’s exhibits. Miss Sara Louisa Drage of 4 Sydney Villas Frimley Two local schools have enjoyed private visits to Road Ash Vale was a full time paid storekeeper in the museum as part of their local history the pack store 21 April 1916. curriculum. The children enjoyed finding exhibits and asked all sorts of challenging questions. Mrs Kate Florence Foster (nee Stedman) of The Poplars Ash Street was a paid storekeeper 26 The museum is taking part in the Surrey Museums April 1916 to March 1919. Air-mazing I-Spy Challenge this summer. Museums all over Surrey have found an air themed object Miss Theodora Hume-Wright of Elleray Ash Vale from their collection and are challenging children was a full time clerk and then a laboratory to spot them all. As well as Ash Museum other attendant 26 April 1916 to 26 May 1917. Her local places to find clues include the Basingstoke brother Maurice was killed on 10 July 1916, and is Canal Visitor Centre and the museums at remembered on Ash War Memorial. Godalming and Farnham. Miss Olive Jones of Sherbourne Ash Vale was a full Postcards of Ash views are now on sale for 50p time storekeeper 26 April 1916 to March 1919. each in the museum and other local outlets. Her brother Alfred Roy died 22 March 1918, and is remembered on Ash War Memorial. An illustrated talk about Ash Museum has been compiled by Alan Norris, and he is willing to Mrs Mary Willett of Ectonville Station Road Ash present it to local clubs, societies, etc. The talk Vale was a full time clerk 16 June 1916 until March covers the history of the cemetery chapel, the 1919. creation of the Museum, its contents, facilities and recent events. For further information please Mrs Maud Mary Howard of 2 Sydney Villas Ash contact us at [email protected]. Vale was a full time paid storekeeper in the pack store 16 September 1916 to March 1919. If you would be able to spare an occasional afternoon to help steward the museum, please get Miss Ellen Drage of 4 Sydney Villas Frimley Road in touch. No knowledge or experience is Ash Vale was a full time paid storekeeper in the necessary as you would be paired with one of the linen store 3 February 1918 trustees. More volunteers would mean that the museum would be able to open more often which Mrs Louisa Frances Bence of 5 Grove Road Ash is something the trustees would love to see Vale was a full time paid cook 30 August 1918, and happen. previously on the labour staff. Louisa's brother Hubert died 5 February 1917 and is remembered Dates for your Diary on Ash War Memorial. THE CAMBRIDGE HOSPITAL Ash Museum Annual Quiz Night Saturday 20 October 2018 Mrs Emily Doris Cann of Ash Vale Post Office was a full time clerk at the Cambridge Hospital 5 Ash Museum AGM October 1917 to February 1919. Friday 16 November 2018 TONGHAM TREASURES Outside the butchers in The Street Tongham, which was opposite the junction with Ash Road. (406/25) Looking up what is now Manor Road, with Spoil Lane to the right. This road used to be called Ash Road in Seale and Tongham parish and Tongham Road in Ash parish, and was renamed Manor Road in about 1949.