Hambledon Yesterday and Today

The big-screen slideshow of historical photos was much enjoyed at the HAS May AGM, generating interest, information and memories. These photos can now be viewed on the Local
History pages of the Hambledon Arts Society website, hambledon artssociety.org.uk. Soon each
photo will be accompanied with a brief account of what it shows, who the people are and where it was taken — this work is in progress but we may need your help to complete it. A link will be added to the website which you can use to send any information you have on the photos to us. For example it has taken some digging to name all the people in this month's photo (below, 1951) but it is now done except for one person standing at the far right of the back row with the false beard. Please let us know if you can identify him. Many photos have come to light through Pat Crew and her team of interviewers; they have set out to interview all the 60 or more people who have resided in the village for 50 years or more. Obviously this will take months, if not years, but is proving fascinating to all involved.
One of those interviewed was Nigel Wilgoss, and thanks to him we know now that last issue's cricketing picture features the players involved in the cricket match between The Men of Hambledon and The Ancient Firemen at Broad Halfpenny Down to celebrate the Queen's Coronation on May 30*‘ 1953. It was in aid of naval and insurance charities.
Additionally, Brenda Haynes has given us copies of the ‘Deeds Group' articles we were looking for and they give a fascinating insight into the history of East Street. These Will be added to the Archive as the Website is developed. As We write this article, work is in progress to redesign the Website to bring it up to date with our current projects.
Do look at the photos on the website and think how you can add to them through your existing
collections and by entering the Horticultural Society Summer Show photo class — Everyday
Life in Hambledon.
We Want as many people as possible to know about our digital archive project: how We are
developing it and how they can contribute. So the September HAS meeting on Friday 25"" Will be open to all villagers and will have a local history focus. You can see full details of the meeting below.
Open Meeting, Friday 25* September
As you will read in the Local History article above this meeting is open to everyone and specially to all those villagers with photographs to share and tell us about. This will be your chance to add your wonderful photographs and memories to Hambledon's digital archive and learn about other ongoing projects helping to illuminate Hambledon's past.

Please to come to the Village Hall from 3:30 pm onwards where you will be able to offer your
pictures to be scanned and give us details about who and what they show. The session will run right through to 9:30 pm which gives everyone an opportunity to share their memories. We will
also display some of the pictures we already have but lack information about. We hope you will be able to help by giving us details about the people, places and events they show. During the last hour or so of the meeting we plan to project some of the images collected for all to see and comment on.
This will be a wonderful opportunity to gather all villagers interested in local history to help  towards building a great resource which we can develop and add to as time goes on. We look forward to seeing you there.
Caroline