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Ack1993

Page history last edited by PBworks 15 years, 11 months ago

Yateley 1878 - the May Fayre Exhibition 1993

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The three months' preparation for the May Fayre exhibition were, with hindsight, The Society's major history activity for 1993. We began with the notion of researching one year in the life of 19th century Yateley. We knew from Parish records that 1878 was the year of St Peter's church major Victorian restoration, whilst the Diary of John Mills (from 1876 to 1880) could fill in numerous details of events and people in the parish. The Ordnance Survey map of 1871 could provide us with a clear topographical picture of the village, and the Trade Directories and 1881 Census returns would give shorthand information about the inhabitants and their lifestyle.

 

So in January 1993 some dozen members met to discuss our 'spotlit' year and agree possible topics for investigation. We agreed to meet every three weeks to report progress on our chosen tasks. By mid-February the sections of the exhibiton had emerged from the mass of possibilities and personal inclination. There was excitement for us all in the rediscovery of Yateley 115 years ago. The Society archives could provide photographs of buildings, views and people, and the Hampshire Record Office, Winchester, the Museum of English Rural Life, Reading and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Collection yielded up more treasures. The 1865 - 1946 Log Books of Yateley National School were so rich with information about the school and the community that three display boards would be needed for that topic alone. The 1871 OS map quickly became the centrepiece of another large section which identified houses and families, buildings and views, mostly illustrated either with photographs from the turn of the century or watercolour paintings made in the late 1880's. A section on The Heath had some especially attractive watercolours to illustrate its charms, while quotes from the Parish Magazine, newly launched in 1878, revealed the variety of plant, bird and animal life which could be observed.

 

A section on Population delved beneath the statistics of the 1881 Census to disclose the makeup of Yateley Tithing's population of 1,133 (which then included Hawley and Cove) and the fact that less than half of the residents had been born in Yateley. So in 1878 'immigration' was as common a factor as in the 1990's. The Travel section examined both road and rail transport, with meticulous line drawings showing the conflicting images of this era of transportation revolution. Church and Chapel looked at the important restoration programme in St Peter's church, and the flourishing baptist congregation at Cricket Hill, whilst Shops and Occupations, Mainly Social and Miscellania attempted to convey glimpses of individuals, their occupations, social life, clothing and amusements.

 

The generous donation of professional photographic printing by one member enabled the display to be illustrated almost throughout by half-plate photographs. Together with word-processed captions and enlarged high quality photocopies, these gave the exhibition a professional appearance and good legibility. We expected the public to browse here and there in the exhibition and were gratified when large numbers of them read the display from beginning to end.

 

After the calm start to the project the last three weeks were frenzied. Material had to be refined and compressed, illustrations supplied, layouts devised and captions produced and mounted. Finally, and vitally, the marquee had to be erected and the boards assembled and fitted into the actual space. Without the generous help

of everyone concerned the display could not have been created in the form in which it finally appeared.

 

Now there remain carefully labelled bags within a larger bag which contain the essence of the exercise. What should happen now is that the work begun for a finite purpose, May Day, should either be filled out some more to become a possible publication, or the many tantalizing threads lying within it should be pursued for their

own sake, for enjoyment, for the fun of discovering more about mid-Victorian Yateley, that "pleasant village and large parish" Kelly's Directory 1880.

 

Exhibition team: Irene Draper, Norma Dowling, Helen Edwards, John Herman, Tony and Mary Hocking, Geoff Hoare, Michael Holroyd, Richard Johnston, Valerie and David Kerslake, Sydney Loader, Roy Maryon, Jean McIlwaine, Ron and Stephanie Pattenden, Agnes Stephenson, Elizabeth and John Tipton.

 

Back to 1993 Exhibition


 

(c) The Yateley Society 2008

Page Exhib.1993.2

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