Headley Archives now on a new page

Available to view

• Photocopy of the Electoral Register for qualifying date October 1957 – interesting entries include Sir Harry Brittain at Kirklands, and Sir William King-Hall at Hartfield House along The Hanger. There were 1,841 entries in total.
• Photocopy of Sir Thomas Gatehouse's rent roll list of 1774 for the manor of Headley
  Contents of this now on the website.
• Microfiches of Sir Thomas Gatehouse's survey of tithing 1552 for the manor of Headley
  Contents of this now on the website
• Microfiches of Headley Parish Registers
  Burials to 1901 now on website
• Microfiches of Frensham Parish Registers (baptisms and burials 1650-1840)
• Microfiche of Monumental Inscriptions for Thursley, Elstead and Bourne
• Microfiches of 1851 Census Index for West Surrey
• Microfiche of 1861 Census Index for Frensham and Dockenfield

Maps . . .

Index to maps held in the Archive – initially created by Muriel Sherwood.

Other material . . .

List of material deposited by Joyce Stevens in April 1999 and subsequently

• Headley Pageants: Programmes for 1951 and 1953 – poster for 1951
• The Rankine Collection in Farnham Museum: Cutting 21 Oct 1983 'One man's treasury goes on display'
• Mesolithic Research in East Hampshire-The Hampshire Greensand: Paper by W.F. Rankine from Papers & Proceedings of the Hampshire Field Club, 1953
• A Survey of Beech Hill/Arford Common: Paper & sketch map by Chris Hall, June 1988
• Bargate Quarries: Letter 2 Nov 1996 from John Ellis to The Herald
• Dr Elizabeth Wilks of Openlands: selection of letters and other material, incl. copy of article in The Herald, 21 June 1996
• Golf Clubland Characters of Blackmoor Golf Club-drawn for The Sketch by H.F. Crowther-Smith, 3 Oct 1928-includes sketches of some Headley personalities
• Trade bills: two circa 1900
• Sand Martins at Trottsford: press cuttings related to sand-winning operations, Sep 1986
• List of Chairmen & Clerks, Headley Parish Council, 1894-1994
• Benifold, an Ecumenical House of Prayer, reports 1963-1975
• Research Station's work vital to health of the woodland, by Richard Hamilton: press cutting, 6 Oct 1995; and other forestry papers
• Stained glass windows in the Holly Bush: press cuttings, Aug 1991
• The Standford Story, 1 June 1989: words & programme
• Household Amenity Site, Station Road, Bordon: papers and photographs 1987
• Payment of the Labouring Poor, 1822: copy of a poster of the time
• Royal Observer Corps observation post on Headley Church during WW2: sketch and 'Factual Memories' from a member
• The Holdaway Yew at Headley Grange: a letter from Keith Holdaway
• Moss Cottage, Lindford: letter from John Ellis to the Chairman of Lindford Parish Council 19 Oct 1988
• New Town at Standford: press cuttings of proposal Nov 1963
• Ted Collis, blacksmith: copy of press cutting 'Ornamental seat work of village blacksmith' Nov 1979
• Headley Common award of inclosure 1859: extracts made by Joyce Stevens from various documents
• Irrigation of water meadows between Arford & Bayfields farm: maps & agreement dated 1807
• Stone age implements found at Sleaford (actual artifacts)
• Plan of Bramshott Paper Mill (Passfield) from sale document of December 1907
• 1935 Headley Silver Jubilee celebrations – programme of events
• Two mugs: 1935 Silver Jubilee of George V and Queen Mary; and May 12th 1937 Coronation of George VI
• Small notice dated 27th September 1898 – "Manor of Bishops Sutton – Notice is hereby given that a Court Baron of the Lords of this Manor will be holden for the said Manor at the Anchor Inn Ropley on Tuesday the 11th day of October 1898 at 12 o’clock when and where all Persons owing suit and service to the Lords of the said manor and all Constables, Tithingmen and other Persons concerned are required to attend"
• Headley Barns Survey 1984-87 – two ring files containing completed survey sheets, photos of barns, etc
• 'The NOW to contrast with the THEN' – album of photos of Headley taken c.1993
• PhotoVerse 'Headley Song' – presented to Joyce by Jo Smith in 1991
• A display about the history of Headley Post Offices
• Ring-binder with title 'The Headley Society' – contents largely about other local societies
• Box file with miscellaneous contents, including info on: Huntington family; Clear family; Rogers' shop (sketches of inside, 1957); Susan Lushington of Kingsley; Sir Harry Brittain; handwritten notes from 'Cobbett's and Kingsley's Country' by J Alfred Eggar, 1923; Joyce's notes on Headley censuses 1841-91 and her transcription of some entries in Mr Laverty's visiting books; a set of Hampshire's Countryside Heritage booklets published 1981.

List of material deposited by Mrs M Fry in June 2000

• 1853 June 18—Excise Licence issued to Thomas Glaysher of Lower Barford to sell Tobacco [written on back: Mr Hewitt, Headley Common]
• 1863 Sept 8—Licence issued to Francis Tipper for keeping the Wheatsheaf, Headley
• 1864 Aug 3—Inventory of Mr Tipper’s goods and stock at the Wheatsheaf (handwritten on blue laid paper w/m Sawston 1862)
• 1864 Sept 6—Licence issued to Jonas Shrubb for keeping the Wheatsheaf, Headley
• 1867 July 31—Insurance policy issued to Jonas Shrubb of Lower Barford and Ellen his wife for cottage, shop, bakehouse and store
• 1876 Nov 16—Receipt to Thomas Glaysher for Head & Foot Stone for the late Mr Thomas Glaysher
• 1877 Oct 31—Inland Revenue account of succession duty for a cottage to William Glaysher on the death (13 July 1877) of his mother Mary Glaysher (and earlier the death on 9 Oct 1875 of his father Thomas Glaysher)
• 1900 Jan 22—Licence for one carriage to Mrs Ellen Shrubb of Hammer Lane, Barford
• 1900 Jan 22—Dog Licence to Mrs Ellen Shrubb of Hammer Lane, Barford
• 1900 Mar 25—Insurance policy (Law Fire Insurance Society) issued to Thomas Glaysher of Barford, Headley, gentleman, and Mrs Ellen Shrubb, grocer & baker, for dwelling house, shop, bakehouse and woodhouse
• prior 1914—photo of bread delivery by Mr Monty Mullard driving horse and four-wheel cart
• 1919 July 27—Receipt to Mrs Ellen Shrubb attached to list for WW1 memorial
• 1931 Sep 22—Income Tax assessment to Miss M Shrubb for land in Hammer Lane
• 1936 Dec 4—Tithe payment by Miss M Shrubb, Hammer Lane (with cancelled Edward VIII stamp)
• circa 1950—photo of bread delivery by Percy Young, standing by motor van with sign ‘M Shrubb, baker & grocer, Hammer Lane, Nr Hindhead’
• circa 1965—photo of bread delivery by Percy Young, standing by Morris Minor van in front of shop which has sign ‘Z. E. Young, baker & grocer’

Material deposited by Mrs Barbara Nicholson in May 2006

• File titled 'Broxhead' containing maps and correspondence associated with the confirmation of Commoners' Rights on Broxhead Common in the 1970s

Archives of Headley Theatre Club

• from foundation (1952) to the present day

Parish Magazines

• from 1872 to 1954 – see index

Scrapbooks

• local newspaper cuttings from April 1971 to the present day – see index

Miscellaneous

• A number of Pamphlets written and published by Maj. JRB Branson circa. 1939–1950s, including 'Grass for All, a new diet' and 'The Heat-Less Sun, thoughts about reality'

Pamphlets of Major JRB Branson, B.A., LL.B (1872–1952)

James RB Branson was born in India on November 9th, 1872. He graduated at Trinity College, Cambridge, taking an Honours Degree in Classics; and later an Honorary Degree in Law. He was also a keen rower.

From records in Headley [Mr Laverty's notebooks], we note that his mother lived at Wishanger Lodge and died in 1923. James bought Headley Mill Farm 1915. We are told [by Sue Allden] that in 1920 he was just along the road at Lower House Farm, Lindford – but he still used Headley Mill Farm as the address on his pamphlets published in the 1940s.

Local memories of him [by Sue Allden]: He used to eat meat, but then said to Wakeford the butcher, 'No more steak from you', and became vegetarian. Used to cycle everywhere, even up to London.

He was a local Councillor, being successively chairman of both Headley and Whitehill Parish Councils, and was known as a local benefactor. He gave the ground and money for Lindford Working Men's Club, which opened in August 1927. He says in the introduction to 'Grass for All' that he left Headley for London in 1936. He died in 1952. Branson Road in Bordon is named after him. Richard Branson, the present-day entrepreneur, is his great nephew.

We have in the Archives eleven of the following small pamphlets (the ones with titles shown in bold) written and published by James Branson in the period 1939–1950.

Our thanks to Dave Schmauch of New York, who found these pamphlets and passed them on to us.

• GRASS FOR ALL. Unorthodox views on Diet and Religion, 20pp (c.1939) - 4d
  Published by Branson's Publications at Headley Mill Farm, Bordon, Hants
• EATING FOR VICTORY. Unorthodox views on Diet, and suggestions for Wartime Economy therein - 4d
• BOOK OF RECIPES. Fifty Recipes for the use of Grass in Salads and Cooked Dishes - 6d
• THE GOLDEN DAWN. A stimulant in Blank Verse to thoughts on the essential divinity of Man - 6d
• A CALL TO YOUTH. A stimulant to Youth towards action expressive of that potential divinity - 4d
• THE NEED OF CIVILIZATION TODAY. A stimulant to the World to Creative action expressive of the divinity inherent in Man in potentiality, needing only to be brought to birth in action appropriate to divinity, 20pp (June 1940) - 4d
  Published by Branson's Publications at Headley Mill Farm, Bordon, Hants
  Address of author: 105 Westbury Court, SW4
• THE HEAT-LESS SUN. Thoughts about REALITY, 24pp (June 1940) - 4d
  Published by Branson's Publications at Headley Mill Farm, Bordon, Hants
  Address of author: 105 Westbury Court, SW4
• WHAT I MEAN BY 'GOD,' or as I prefer to say 'The Gods.' A simple man's presentation of Godhead on a rational basis - 9d
• THE PSYCHOLOGY OF RELIGION. A thoughtful Horse-Breeder's adventures into Psychology and Religion, 24pp (Aug 1940) - 6d
  Published by Branson's Publications at Headley Mill Farm, Bordon, Hants
  Address of author: 105 Westbury Court, SW4
• THE ORIGIN OF PERVERTED CHRISTIANITY, 12pp (July 1940) - 4d
  No publisher's address shown. Address of author: 105 Westbury Court, SW4
• The Goal of Life and the Purpose of Creation, 28pp (Aug 1946)
  No publisher's address shown. Address of author: 63 Balham Hill, SW12
• The Spiritualistic Basis of Orthodox Christianity, 24pp (undated)
  Branson's Publications, 63 Balham Hill, London SW12
• UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD. A Policy and a Religion and a Way of Life, 8pp (undated)
  Author's address: 53 (sic) Balham Hill, London SW12
• A CHALLENGE TO THE PRIESTHOODS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, 12pp (Oct 1947) - Author's address: 63a Balham Hill, London SW12
• THE CHALLENGE TO OUR TIMES, 8pp (undated)
  No publisher's or author's address
• WE ARE ALL 'CHILDREN OF GOD. A Personal Statement and Explanation, 4pp (Reprinted from 'Religions', the Journal for the Study of Religions, September-December, 1950. No.70)

To send additions/corrections/comments, or requests for access, please contact me.

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