Moira MacQuaide’s history of Burpham

In 1922, the land that we now know as Sutherland Memorial Park was owned by the Duke of Sutherland. At that time the only places for Burpham residents to gather were the two pubs. The Vicar felt that a village hall was needed.

The land, where the Church Room already stood, was leased from the Duke for one shilling per year and Reverend Storr learned that surplus war materials were being auctioned at Thursley Army Camp where an unused wooden hospital ward, with a dispensary attached, was discovered. The whole building cost £180.

The Vicar, and local farmer George Gatley, had the building transported to Burpham, where it was left on the muddy grass, due to the heavy rain. for several months. The image of a flat pack, waiting for someone to put it together, comes to mind! Once built, a couple of tortoise stoves, so named because fuel burned so slowly in them, were put in to provide heating and the new community facility was ready to go.

Improvements have been made to the hall over the years, including a new stove, flooring and roof lining after the war.

The first caretaker was Mrs Marshman; minor repairs were done by members of the committee, though contractors were brought in for bigger works. By 1923 the Trustees for the Village Hall included Mr CH Binsted, Mr HC Binsted, Mr H Kerr, Rev. A Theodosius, Mr A Berry, Mr J Archer and Mr P Gatley. Mr Bidwell was Honorary Secretary and his wife ran the Scouts group.

In 1940 the lease was agreed for a further 99 years, and the rent kept at one shilling per year. Apparently, the minute books for committee meetings in the early years made fascinating reading, but they were thrown away as valueless by Mr Gatley’s executors.

Improvements have been made to the hall over the years, including a new stove, flooring and roof lining after the war. The kitchen was refurbished recently and there is WiFi available.

…during the war it was used for Burpham Primary School children’s lunches, as well as a mother and baby clinic.

Over the last 100 years the hall has been used for a wide variety of events, including whist drives, Women’s Institute meetings, Mothers’ Union, Old Time Dance Club, birthday and wedding parties, Guildford Photographic Society, and during the war it was used for Burpham Primary School children’s lunches, as well as a mother and baby clinic.

In recent years a major user of the facilities has been Guildford u3a, which holds many of its group meetings held there. The hall is managed now by a committee of Trustees.

If you are willing to share your memories and/or photos to tell us more about Burpham then please contact Moira MacQuaide, either by e-mail (moira.macquaide@gmail.com) or by phone or text (07963 756543). My book, Burpham – A Gateway to Guildford is still available from me for £10 (free delivery locally) or on Amazon, but the History of Burpham Primary School 1908-2014 is now out of print (available to borrow at Guildford Library).