One of the most exciting things about reopening our Museum is finding links between our artefacts and archives that may appeal to a wider audience.

Julie Goodcliffe (Curator of Textiles) discovered a connection between Ockley and Alec Guinness.

She writes...

I'm researching the WWII incident map.  Apart from it's historical value I'm also interested in it as a textile artefact. Added to this I have found an incident whilst reading Alec Guinness' book   Blessings in Disguise.

Around 1940 Alec Guinness lived near Ockley, in a tiny bungalow belonging to Mr & Mrs Deuchar of Standon Farm.  In the book he recalled not only the living conditions but also "...one day, when I was machine gunned by a hedge-hopping Luftwaffe fighter while innocently bicycling to Ockley station.  I fell in a ditch with shock. I got up, unscathed, but outraged and ready for anything."

He also recalled living for a few weeks, in 1939, with his parents-in-law, Michel & Chattie Salaman.  This was also near Ockley at Ruckmans farm house, which he described as a long standing haven for refugees.  He noted that some of the guests would search the woods for suspected spies or German parachutists.

If you think you'd like to get involved with looking through our Archives and artefacts for small pieces of Dorking history - mail Nicole for more details.

Quote from Blessings in Disguise by kind permission of Penguin Books.