Joy Horn brings some anecdotes of 100 years ago
What was happening in Cranleigh in November 1915?
The Great War was grinding on, with news coming regularly of young men killed and wounded. It was announced that ‘Oaklands’ in Knowle Lane would shortly be opened as a hospital for convalescent soldiers,to be run by the Voluntary Aid Detachment of the Red Cross, thanks to the generosity of Sir George Bonham of Knowle who owned the house.
In the Village, the War was increasingly affecting all aspects of life. The organist of the parish church had enlisted in the Army Service Corps, so at Harvest Festival it was possible to sing only the simplest chants and hymns. The women of the Liberal Association had been busy with their knitting needles, and in November they sent their third parcel to the Front. It consisted of 12 pairs of knitted socks and 3 pairs of knitted slippers. Presumably every little helped.
Hardly any cricket matches had been played in the summer, or were likely to be arranged for next year, so the Cranleigh Cricket Club asked the Parish Council for its rent for the cricket ground on the Common to be reduced from £3 a year to one shilling (5 pence) for the duration of the War. Amazingly, the Parish Council agreed!
