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Past Exhibitions

The museum opened in September 2000 being one of the millennium projects for Chobham.

The first exhibition was mainly made up of items that were given and lent to us by Chobham residents and Surrey Heath Museum. Since that time we have accumulated our own collection and have also displayed collections loaned from various sources. Since September 2000 we have organised the following events and assembled the following displays:

  • Our first Christmas display depicted a Victorian Christmas.
  • The older houses of Chobham.
  • The centenary of the Chobham Agricultural and Horticultural Society.
  • Santa’s workshop.
  • The Chobham Home Guard.
  • The Chobham Rockets – the bicycle speedway teams.
  • The Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen.
  • The 150th anniversary of the great camp on Chobham common in 1853. Probably the greatest event in the history of Chobham.
  • A talk on “The Great Camp” in Chobham Village Hall.
  • The restaging of the play “The Camp at Chobham” in Chobham Village Hall which had run for over 300 performances at The Adelphi theatre in London in 1853.
  • A “Great Camp” walk on Chobham common.
  • A flower display in the church hall for the Chobham Festival relating to the 1853 camp.
  • A set of coronation robes worn by the family of a local lord at the coronations in 1911, 1937and 1953.
  • In September 1953 on the third anniversary of the opening of the museum, a pageant depicted Queen Victoria riding side-saddle down Chobham High Street accompanied by her troops.
  • A collection of milk bottles which displayed advertisements from the 1950’s and 1960’s.
  • Travel – photographs of early forms of transport including the airship the R101 flying over Chobham.
  • The 60th anniversary of D-day.
  • Chobham Cricket Club.
  • “Items from the Deep.” A selection of items recovered by a local diver from local rivers and ponds – swords, a dagger, a pistol, spoons, spectacles, pots etc. Some lost by accident some perhaps thrown away to destroy the evidence.
  • Westcroft Park.
  • Shoes – leather, china, canvas, low heels, very high heels.
  • Typewriters and early word processors.
  • Flexlands School.
  • VE-day and VJ-day.
  • “Floral Glories”. The story of local nurseries.
  • A celebration of the life of Nelson and the 100th anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar. This was followed by a fifth anniversary pageant on Benham’s Corner.
  • Royal Ascot.
  • The 80th Birthday of Her Majesty the Queen.
  • Vintage toys loaned by Chobham residents.
  • Chobham and District Angling Club.
  • Music and Musical Instruments. This display coincided with the Chobham Music Festival.
  • Chobham’s Famous People. Research on 22 well known people who had lived in Chobham.
  • A Book of Remembrance in memory those who lost their lives in the two world wars. This was prepared by the Chobham Cadet Force.
  • William Baigent 1791-1859 Property Owner and Money Lender.
  • Chobham High Street – the last 100 years.
  • Chobham Schools.

We have arranged for children from local organisations to visit all displays that we feel would be of interest to them.

We have participated in the Chobham Carnival every year and have had walking entries in the parade – “The Wizard of Oz”, “Fred and Ginger”, “Carmen Miranda”, “The Soldiers from the Great Camp”, “HMS Pinafore”, “Nelson and HMS Victory”, “The Last of the Summer Wine”, “The Yellow Submarine”, “Save the Planet” and “Scooby Doo”.