heritage volunteers

Heritage Volunteers may be asked to help conserve or catalogue books, manuscripts, archives and maps, conserve or clean textiles or metalwork, or act as guides or stewards in museums, historic houses or gardens. Appropriate training is given by professionals. Volunteers help with conservation and preservation of our heritage in non-specialist but vital ways by caring for collections and recording documents.

The Arts Society is delighted to have been working in partnership with the National Trust at Polesden Lacey and Hatchlands. Heritage Volunteers from Societies throughout East Surrey Area, including The Arts Society Ashtead, have been working on a costume project at Polesden since January 2009. The volunteers have been reproducing period costumes for staff and volunteers to wear at themed events and these have been shown to excellent effect at the special Edwardian Days in the House.

In early 2018 volunteers from The Arts Society working at Polesden Lacey completed from photographs replica dresses worn by the then princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. The late Queen Mother had honeymooned at Polesden in 1923 and throughout the ownership of the last private owner, Mrs Margaret Greville, royalty from several nations were frequent visitors. The dresses have been made in various sizes for young visitors to try on.

A reproduction made by the volunteers of a day dress belonging to Mrs Greville is often on display in the House. The design was copied from a photograph of her taken in 1900. This dress alone – pictured below – took some 2000 hours of skilled work to complete.