A brief history of The Arts Society Grayshott (originally Grayshott Decorative and Fine Arts Society)
In 1984 our sister Society in Haslemere had a long waiting list and it was suggested that a new Society based on Grayshott might be created. A steering group was formed and Sheila Sheath volunteered to take the lead in setting up the new Society, then called the Grayshott Decorative and Fine Arts Society.
Sheila became our first Chairman and later President. Now in her 90s but still a member, Sheila describes how the National Decorative and Fine Arts Society, to which we were affiliated, gave her a modest grant of £50 to help, with the proviso that a trial lecture was held to establish if there was sufficient demand. She and her husband still had to put up some of their own money initially, to pay for the lecturer and hire of the village hall. Sheila recalls how she engaged the best lecturer on the national Arts Society’s panel and was delighted when over 80 people turned up. She and her colleagues then put together a full programme of monthly lectures for 1985. The Society was up and running!
Membership grew rapidly and the first outings were also held that year – a visit to the magical Huguenot House in Spitalfieds and a very special tour and candlelit dinner at the National Trust’s stately home at Uppark. Tours in the UK and Europe followed.
In 2018 we changed our name to The Arts Society Grayshott, following a national brand change to The Arts Society. This partly reflected a widening in the scope of the Society’s talks, which cover everything from archaeology to architecture, museums to music, painting to pottery, sculpture to sewing, textiles to theatre.
Timeline of the Society’s History
Here is a timeline of some of the key events in the Society’s history. As you will see, we have always been keen to celebrate milestones!
1984 Autumn – Steering Committee formed and advertise in the Grayshott Parish Magazine. 80 people come to the trial lecture (on Furniture).
1985 January – Society officially formed and Programme published – First Lecture – Ian Pickford on an Introduction to English Silver
1985 June 11 – First Society Outing – Dinner at Uppark by Candelight (before Uppark was burnt down and rebuilt!)
1986 May 20 – First Society Study Day (now called a Special Interest Day) – Worcester Porcelain
1988 September 14 – 17 – First UK tour – Norfolk
1994 December 7 – 10th Anniversary Dinner at Quinettes, Churt with return of the Society lecturer, Ian Pickford
1996 First Overseas Tour – Giverny and Bayeaux
2005 October 6 – 20th Anniversary Lunch for 96 in the Village Hall
2006 The Society held a Celebration of Talent in the Village hall. Twenty artists display paintings, photographs, lace work, embroidery, wood working, straw collages and more
2008 September 9 – The Society celebrates the 40th Anniversary of NADFAS with a display and coffee and cake in Grayshott Square. A Marianne North painting adopted in aid of the restoration of the Marianne North Gallery in Kew Gardens (a copy is in the Grayshott Village Small Hall)
2008 December – New style Annual Newsletter launched
2010 June – 25th Anniversary Garden Party hosted by David and Jenny Lee at their home in Headley
2012 May – First Quiz Night – a great success and helps the Society’s finances
2015 February – First Society Fund raising Bridge Drive
2015 July 18 – 30 Anniversary Summer Party at Shackleford
2016 December – First Christmas Lunch at Waverley Abbey House
2017 New Website launched, designed by Derek Linney
2017 September – New style Monthly Bulletin launched, using Mailchimp
2018 May – The Society celebrates NADFAS’s Golden Anniversary with a lecture on the theme of gold and a drinks reception
2018 August – The Society changes its name to The Arts Society Grayshott, following the national change
2020 March – COVID hits. The Society goes online, using Zoom and sharing with other Hants Arts Societie s to show lectures and also virtual tours to places round the world. Also a members’ arts and crafts exhibition and a Christmas quiz.
2021 July – The Society celebrates the end of lockdown with a garden party at Loseley Park
2025 July – The Society’s 40th Anniversary, marked by monthly exhibitions of members’ work, a celebration after the June lecture and a Champagne Tea at Ramster Hall, including a display about the history of the Society (see photos below).
