The Village Scrapbook 1951

A Memoir

The Village Scrapbook was compiled in 1951 for a competition open to all communities in England and Wales.  Such was the quality of the entry from Bramdean & Hinton Ampner that it achieved second place, was despatched to Buckingham Palace and in due course returned with a royal letter of congratulations from the young Queen Elizabeth.

The scrapbook project was enthusiastically led by Mrs Olivia Feilden of Bramdean House, President of the WI at that time.  Mrs Feilden had already made her mark in WI circles with a memorable speech at the Albert Hall proposing that mothers should be allowed to accompany their ill children into hospital.

Her daughter Victoria says, “I remember very well the production of the scrapbook.  It took up an immense amount of time and trouble and many members of the village community (which was relatively small at that date) were involved in its production.   They were particularly proud of the fact that the actual paper used was hand produced by the grandson of one of the villagers.

The immaculate hand-writing was done by Colonel Moseley who lived at The Gomms, and he also did the enchanting small vignettes of the local houses and events.  My mother painted the watercolours and immense time and trouble was spent in recording the local information.  There were few houses in Wood Lane in those days and someone kept a cow on his allotment on the south-east side which is where I learnt how to milk!  Times have certainly changed.”

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