Newdigate - Occupations over the Ages

Newdigate, situated midway between Dorking, Reigate and Horsham has always been remote. Lying on thick clay the tracks during winter were quagmires and impassable and during the summer were deeply rutted. A visit to Dorking was a major undertaking right up to the mid- nineteenth century.
We will be setting up an exhibition in Newdigate Village Hall examining how villagers survived. We will be looking at farming, milling and showing the importance of timber. An ironworks developed to the north of the parish in the mid sixteenth century and this brought experts from abroad and gave employment to local people performing tasks such as general labouring, charcoal making, carting ,coppicing, etc. The ironworks closed in the early 1600s and the village suffered much poverty until the mid to late nineteenth century. Estates were set up by wealthy people. This created employment within the large houses and the attached land. Shops opened up including a butchers, a grocery and general store, a bake house, a boot maker, a post office and a saddlery. Pubs provided alcoholic refreshments.
In the early days of the twentieth century a brick works was established and in the 1930s Schermulys opened a factory producing rocket propelled safety devices for ships. During World War II over a thousand people were employed there.
We will be describing these occupations with archives and pictures.

Timings

Saturday 19 September:

1000-1600

Location & directions

Newdigate Village Hall, Kingsland, Newdigate, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5DA

Contact on day:

John Callcut

Telephone number:

+447973489764

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

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