Conservation Plaque

See the complete list.

In 1983 SIHG launched an annual conservation award. It was designed by one of our members, Tony Harcombe and consists of a plaque about a foot across which features the group's logo, name and the date. The plaque is cast in aluminium by J I Blackburn and Co who used to be based in Guildford, later in Godalming and are now in Bridport. The plaque is painted black with white lettering.

Previous awards were made for the restoration of five corn mills (Cobham, Cosford, Outwood, Haxted and Lowfield Heath [now moved to Charlwood]) and the only existing wind-powered sawmill Buckland, which also employed steam power ( more details). The latter mill was the subject of an article in Vintage Spirit, April 2009 pages 42-44. The SIHG 2004 Award Plaque is prominently displayed on page 43.
Four museums (Westcott Stationary Engines, Old Kiln Museum (the Rural Life Centre) at Tilford, Old Farm at Shere, Fire Engines at Reigate) and three for transport (Baynards Railway station, Basingstoke Canal, Old Kiln Narrow Gauge Railway) and three for buildings (Albury Pigeon House, Farnham Maltings, Chatley Heath Semaphore Tower) received plaques.
The 2006 award went to Les Bowerman for his collection of bicycles. The conservation plaque for 2007 was awarded to the Horsley Countryside Preservation Society for its work in restoring the Lovelace Bridges. Stony Dene Bridge has already benefited. See Horsley Jubilee Trail. The Charlotteville Jubilee Trust received the award in 2008 for the restoration of The Spike which was the Casual Ward of the Guildford Union Workhouse. Although just outside Surrey, the conservation work done on the Kempton Great Engines thoroughly deserved our 2009 plaque.
In 2010 the Chilworth Gunpowder Mills Group received the Award for conservation work.
The 2011 Conservation Award was presented to the Surrey Heath Archaeology and Heritage Trust in recognition of its rescue and maintenance of the former County Police Station in Bagshot.
The 2012 Award went the Rural Life Centre at Tilford for the half-size Wealden iron furnace and hammer.
The Wealden Cave and Mine Society received the 2013 Conservation Award for improvements to the visitor experience in the Reigate Tunnel ‘Caves’.
In 2014 the Abinger Hall Waterwheel and Pump, which had been restored to working order and then used to supply water for several years, received the award.
The 2015 award went to the Farnham Pottery for the renovations which have preserved the orignal structures and allowed new uses to revitalize the complex of buildings.
The thirty-fourth SIHG conservation award was presented in 2016 to Painshill Park for the preservation for use of several industrial artifacts.
The 2017 SIHG Conservation Award Plaque went to the Rural Life Centre for the project to remove and reconstruct Deek’s Frimley Green Cycle Workshop.
The Surrey Hills Society and Shere Museum jointly received the 2018 award for the Tales and Trails of the Tillingbourne project.

In 2019 the SIHG conservation award was presented to Brooklands Museum for the work they had carried out refurbishing and relocating the Bellman hanger away from the finishing straight. The hanger, which is still the home to the Wellington bomber, is laid out as an Aircraft Factory harking back to the buildings original role.
2020 saw the award given to another aircraft museum. This time the recipient was the Gatwick Aviation Museum which is virtually alongside the main Gatwick runway. The award was for a new building at the museum to improve reception, catering and class room facilities. Because of Covid both the building work and the presentation were considerably delayed.  It was not until August 2021 that the plaque was eventually able to be presented.
Our latest and possibly final plaque was awarded in September 2021 to the Weald and Downland Living Museum for their work in restoring and transporting to their site in Singleton an old ornamental dairy from Eastwick Park in Great Bookham.

• SIHG has won an Award! At the Annual Symposium of the Archaeological Research Committee of the Surrey Archaeological Society on 24 February 2007 the Margary Award for the Best Display was presented to SIHG for our exhibit on the Vale End Pumping Station, Albury, set up by Glenys Crocker.
• SIHG Has Won Again! At the Annual Symposium of the Archaeological Research Committee of the Surrey Archaeological Society on 23 February 2008 our exhibit on the Chilworth Gunpowder Mills, set up by Glenys Crocker, won 2nd Place Margary Award in the Best Display competition.
• ... and again!
  Surrey Archaeological Society - Annual Symposium 2015 - Papermaking demonstration by Alan Crocker and display by Glenys Crocker won the Margary Award for the Best Display!
• ... and again!
  Surrey Archaeological Society - Annual Symposium 2016 - Archimedean Screw Pumps, Conveyors and Turbines display with working models by Jan Spencer won the Margary Award for the Best Display!
• ... and again (almost)!
  Surrey Archaeological Society - Annual Symposium 2018 - working model of a Moroccan sakia water lifter presented by Jan Spencer was commended