In 1846, a patent was awarded to a new type of corn-mill - it triggered a series of court cases which ran for more than 20 years.  This talk tells the story of the invention and how the court cases provide examples of what makes an invention patentable in the UK today.

The work women of the Land Army in World War 2 is well known.  This talk tells the story of the less well-known women who volunteered in the 1940s to keep traffic flowing on Britain’s canals. However they may have referred to themselves, they were far form “idle women”.

This talk uncovers a lost industry of the Adur valley – the making of salt. Salt is something we probably all take for granted, sprinkling it on our roast potatoes or adding it to our salads. Or even, perhaps, trying to eat less of it nowadays.

Make your own way to  the Waggon Yard Car Park  GU9 7PS in time for a 10:30am start to the Farnham walking tour, guided by Richard Shenton, which will take 90-100 minutes. There will then be time for lunch to be taken individually (at your own expense). In the afternpon, you may wish to visit The Maltings or the Museum of Farnam, or further explore the streest, shops, pubs and teashops of Farnham

Speaker & subject TBC

Doors 13:30, talk starts at 14:00. Duration c90 mins including a tea & coffee break

Some short presentations by SIHG member, including: 

The world’s first underground public railway opened in 1863, running  between Paddington and Farringdon Street in London.

Chris will explain why it was necessary, how it was built, and how it expanded right across our capital city.

The First World War inspired Heath Robinson to dream up a series of increasingly outlandish and bizarre military inventions with which the opposing armies would try to outwit each other. From the kaiser’s campaigning car or a suggestion for an armoured bayonet curler, to post-war ‘unbullying’ of beef, his cartoons are a fantastically absurd take on wartime technology and home-front life.