Historical Society - Progress Report

 

Chearsley Village Historical Society
Progress Report
 December 2022

 

Plans for the development of a Chearsley Village Historical Society (CVHS) were outlined at two village meetings during the current year - on Thursday 12^th May and more recently on Wednesday 7^th September.

 

The following notes briefly summarise the further progress made in recent months.

Steering Group:

A Steering Group has been established to oversee the development of the Chearsley Village Historical Society. Its main work in its meetings to date has been the preparation of a Governance Statement, which will describe the purpose of the new organisation and how its mission will be achieved. This is an essential first step in ensuring that the CVHS organisation is developed along properly considered guidelines and it is also a pre-requisite needed to support any application for external funding. It is hoped to circulate a final proposal to all interested parties in January or February next year.

The current members of the Steering Group are:

Derek Allen, Graham Barry, John Howard, John Lewis, Sharon Sampson, Karen Vear, Sarah Vickers and Julia Wood.
 

Project Groups:

The Stockwell Restoration Project continues to move forward. Restoration of the village pond and landscaping works in the adjacent area took place earlier this year.

More recently the existing pump was replaced by a new or rather a restored pump, dating from the early years of the 20^th Century. This pump was discovered in the garden of ‘Merrifield’ in Dark Lane and is believed to have been originally located at The Stockwell.

   

 Further landscaping and kerbing works adjacent to the site will take place in the next few months and further research into the historical role of the site within our village community will be concluded.

The current members of the Stockwell Restoration Project Group are:
Derek Allen, Paul Bown, Ian Houseman, John Howard and John Lewis.

The Chearsley Village School Project Group has held two meetings in recent months. Its purpose is to collect more documentary, photographic and othe evidence relating to the school to illustrate its vital role within our village community. The group has already received a very positive response to its request for information and photographs.

It is also intended to put together an audio library based on interviews with those who attended school before its closure in 1988.

 It is also hoped to stage a Chearsley Village School Reunion event during 2023.

 Current members of the Chearsley Village School Project Group are:

Anne Adams, Gladys Arnott, Christine Collins, Peter Collins, John Howard, Sandra Saunders,

Tricia Tokeley, Karen Vear.

Here’s a photograph of ‘The Class of 1978…..any familiar faces?

 

….or how about ‘The Class of 1985’?

 

Two further groups will start work in the New Year.

 A Chearsley Pub Revival Group will conduct further research into the five pubs which sold beer in the village during the last couple of centuries:

The Bell, The Boot, The Pig & Whistle, The Plough, The Red Lion and The White Horse

 …..and a’ Chearsley Pub Revival Day’ is also being planned

A Chearsley Historical Project Group will start to conduct further research into the impact of a range of key external events in English history on the community of Chearsley from Saxon times through the Middle Ages.

 

Other historical ‘events’ which took place in the village this year included:

 

·        St Nicholas Church History Day (Sunday 20^th March)

 

 Chearsley Cricket Club Centenary Dinner & Dance (Saturday 19^th November): 

The next CVHS village meeting will take place in the Village Hall on the evening of Thursday 9^th February.

This will provide a further opportunity to provide an update on the range of activities being undertaken by our new organisation and hear views from our community on how best to take things forward.

In the meantime, have a very Happy Christmas and New Year.