Surrey Archaeological Society

As a change to our normal ZOOM meetings Dorking Local History Group have invited SIHG members to come along to their January talk.  The talk is about  " The Post-Medieval Iron Industry in the Weald" and will be given by Jeremy Hodgkinson.

It is on Monday 8th January at the Crossways Community Baptist Church , Junction Rd, Dorking RH 4 3 HB doors open at 7pm and the talk starts at 7:30pm. Admission is free for SIHG members  who are also invited to go for a drink and a chat to the nearby House at Home pub after the meeting.   There is no need to book , just turn up!

Wallis is best know for his bouncing bomb used to destroy German dams in WW2, but in his early years he was a Naval Architect before moving on to become one of the country's leading airship designers. Reluctantly he transitioned to design aircraft, following the demise of airships, and perhaps his most famous design was the Wellington bomber. He studied bomb design and as well as the dams bomb, he designed the two largest  bombs used during WW2, the Tallboy and Grand Slam.  This talk will be given by Bill Mc Naught, Chairman of the 5 Deans U3A.

In 1914 the British aeroplane industry was in its infancy, as was the flying arm of Britain's armed forces. When World War One began in July the British went to France with only a handful of primitive aeroplanes, but by 1918 the Royal Flying Corps was the biggest and most capable air force in the world with many thousands of aircraft in service.  This talk will be given by Richard Marks, Freelance professional historian.

Musings of a miner – A glimpse of life in County Durham a century ago

The life and times of my great grandfather, as gleaned from his notebooks, family photos and a bit of family history research.

A talk by Michelle Howes - social historian

Any member of SIHG or SyAS who would like to receive details about joining one or all of these meetings and don't already  get details sent to them should send their name and e-mail address to :-  meetings@sihg.org.uk

Water is essential for human existence and this talk  will outline how we have obtained drinking water and dealt with the problems of waste water since the earliest of times to modern times. These issues became more urgent with the increase of urban living and particular problems faced by London are used as an illstration. This talk will be given by Doug Irvine, Civil Engineer.  

The River Wandle has long been an attraction to individuals and their families. Some have come to work and have  their business on the banks of the river others have decided to live by the river. This talk tells the story of some famous names and those lesser known people who have lived and worked in the Wandle Valley.  This talk will be given by Mick Taylor, Volunteer/General Manager at the Wandle Industrial Museum.

This illustrated talk looks at the Home Front in Surrey during the Second World War and includes defensive positions, munitions production, the Home Guard and Canadian troops, air raids and aircraft crashes, Civil Defence, the Women's Land Army and transport.  The talk will be given by David Rose, Local historian and writer.