User:Inspeximus/Bourne Society

The Bourne Society is a local history society in north-west Surrey that was founded in 1956 and celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2006. Its quartely publication known as Local History Records (LHR) has been produced in various forms each year since since the formation of the Society.

Overview
The Bourne Society takes its unusual name from the "bournes" or chalk streams that flow through valleys in the area every few years, typically following periods of high rainfall. With membership from individuals, schools and libraries currently standing at over 2,000, the Society believes itself to be one of the largest local history societies in the UK.

The Society, which is a member of the British Association for Local History, exists to promote research into and the study of local history in the following towns or villages of North-East Surrey:


 * Caterham
 * Chaldon
 * Chelsham
 * Chipstead
 * Coulsdon
 * Farleigh
 * Godstone
 * Kenley
 * Purley
 * Sanderstead
 * Warlingham
 * Whyteleafe
 * Woldingham

Through close liaison with other local voluntary bodies and local government institutions, the Society works to preserve both documents and artifacts relating to the local history of the area. As a member of the Caterham and District Local History Centre the Bourne Society works in partnership with Surrey Libraries, Surrey History Centre, East Surrey Museum and East Surrey Family History Society to make resources available at Caterham Valley Library.

The Society organises a monthly meeting with a speaker, day trips to local places of historical interest and an annual week long "Heritage Tour" to an area of the UK with strong historical connections.

A wide range of printed publications is produced by the Society, including a series of local village histories and a quarterly volume of Local History Records. At the same time, the Society encourages members to initiate their own research into local history topics. Enquiries are handled via phone or email from members with specific questions about the area, who may be resident in any part of the world.

Details of all plaques, Society publications and maps, as well as other items of interest to local historians, are available at the Society's website that was re-launched in October 2011 after extensive re-development.

The Bourne Society is a registered charity No. 291093. Selected members of the Society's governing body or Council act as Trustees for the purposes of the Charities Act.

Journals
From 1956 to 2006 the Bourne Society published a newsletter, The Bourne Society Bulletin that eventually developed into a quarterly publication, of which 202 issues were produced. The Society also produced an annual edition known as LHR (Local History Records) that first appeared in 1962.

In late 2005, the Society’s Council decided that the two publications should be merged and the first quarterly volume of the new combined publication – No.46 – appeared in February 2006.

Village histories
In addition to the quarterly journal and a wide range of ad-hoc publications, the society has produced a series of 9 volumes of local village histories as follows:


 * 1) Purley
 * 2) Caterham
 * 3) Sanderstead
 * 4) Warlingham
 * 5) Coulsdon
 * 6) Kenley
 * 7) Chaldon
 * 8) Chelsham & Farleigh
 * 9) Whyteleafe

Recent major publications
The histories of a large number of large houses in the Caterham area were recorded by Gwyneth Fookes and published in a new volume entitled "The 'Big Houses' of Victorian Caterham". This, the most recent of the Bourne Society's major works was published in May 2011.

In 2009 Peter Saaler assisted by Gwyneth Fookes produced a work reflecting the lives of 240 individual soldiers from the Caterham area killed during World War I. "The Soldiers of Caterham 1914-1918" is an updated version of a volume originally created in 1984 and now includes additional soldiers and further research material.

Blue plaques
The Society has initiated the manufacture and placememt throughout the area of a series of Blue Plaques, bringing to the public's attention a number of historically significant local buildings, sites of former buildings or noteworthy individuals who made a significant contribution to the area in the past. To date a total of 26 plaques have been erected, although one or two have been removed pending re-siting, following the demolition and redevelopment of the buildings in question.

One of the more recent plaques recalls the Green Line Bus Garage that stood in Limpsfield Road, Chelsham, where the Sainsbury's store was built in 1994 following its demolotion.

The latest plaque to be unveiled, in October 2011, celebrates the life and running career of Gordon Pirie, the world champion long distance runner who lived and trained in Coulsdon during the 1950's.