#FridayFrocks #SpringFlowers: A man’s waistcoat, c.1775–80 of fresh green silk satin with floral embroidery in tambour-work and satin stitch. This waistcoat may once have formed part of a three-piece suit.

#ThrowbackThursday The Cricketers. Row Town, 1890s Once a beer retailer & grocer. It appears in pub records in 1826, but was likely around before then as the establishment known as the Bird In Hand. See local history map for other pubs in Runnymede ( chertseymuseum.org/local-history )

#FridayFrocks #Embroidery - gown, c.1901, by a ‘Court Dressmaker’ ‘Madame Clapham’. It is hand embroidered with floral sprays in silks, metalwork, opalescent sequins, paste stones, seed pearls and glass beadwork.

#ThrowbackThursday Gothic "Chapel" Ottershaw Park 1958 Designed by James Wyatt the Chapel first appears on maps in c1806. It was originally home to the kitchen, bakehouse and pantry until 1868 when used as the laundry. Eventually building was abandoned and demolished in 1962. #localhistory #TBT

#FridayFrocks #Embroidery A man’s waistcoat of cream silk satin, c.1895 - 1905. It’s likely to have been a wedding waistcoat, with motifs that were meaningful for the wearer. These include baskets, bows and hunting horns.

#ThrowbackThursday High St Egham c.1905 Rayment’s Music Shop (L) opened at No. 54 in 1900. Premises were shared with Ruth Price selling craft materials for embroidery and needlework. 1909 Rayment moved his business across road to No. 166a & Price also moved premises, as specialist wool shop.

Celebrate #Valentine’sDay and visit our #MarriageALaMode exhibition with bridalwear from the 1780s to the 1980s. This stunning 1931 Norman Hartnell wedding gown features. Closes 05.09.2026. See chertseymuseum.org/costume-exhi...

#FridayFrocks #Embroidery - Stomacher, c.1725–35. Silver embroidered background with a flower pattern in colourful silks and gold thread. Stomachers were decorative panels worn at the front of a bodice to fill in the central gap between the two sides of a dress.

#ThrowbackThursday Burley pond #Chertsey 1906 The building visible is Burley Cottage, which still stands today on the edge of Abbeyfields & Staines Lane. Cottage & pond, which not filled in until 1960s take names from Grade II Burley Orchard built 1875 for William Anthony Herring local iron-founder

#FridayFrocks #Embroidery. A very special apron, c.1730 – 50: It is made from silk taffeta and hand embroidered in gilt metal threads and silks. Aprons were worn by women at all levels of society, but this decorative type was a fashion accessory and served no practical purpose.

#ThrowbackThursday - Thomas Watson's grocer's shop & post office corner of Church Rd/High St #Addlestone during celebrations for Relief of Mafeking May 1900 after 2,000 British soldiers were freed from sieged town during the Second Boer War.

#FridayFrocks #Flounces. Rayon evening gown, c.1946 – 1947. It has a deep flounce or peplum. A stylish piece, it perhaps owes more to the fashions of the late 1930s than to the post-war period.

#ThrowbackThursday ruins of an emergency water tank #Ottershaw Chase 1 of 3 constructed during WW2 on Ottershaw Park Estate to ensure that the military stationed on the estate had a ready supply of water in case of bombing. #localhistory #TBT

#FridayFrocks #Flounces - an evening gown, c.1940-45, of rayon, with waterfall #Flounces falling to the floor-length hemline. The style is typical of the late 1930s to early ‘40s.

#ThrowbackThursday #Woodham Hall 1905 Until early C20 was poor agricultural area. Had been part of Chertsey Abbey. Name probably from Wodeham family who were dominant in area during C12-C14. Woodham was part of the administrative parish of Chertsey until 1902. #LocalHistory #TBT

Alexandra Byrne’s costumes for the 2020 adaptation of Emma offered a beautiful interpretation of dress. They were informed by extant objects although not intended to be faithful recreations. This homage to a c1817 pink spencer was especially memorable @chertseymuseum.bsky.social #FashionHistory 🗃️🪡

#FridayFrocks – Here is another piece featuring #Flounces, or maybe #Frills. This pretty summer day dress dates to c.1868. The flounces are printed with a lace pattern – a clever touch, which gives the illusion of more costly lace.

#ThrowbackThursday The Glanty #Egham 1894 Nov 1894 Thames Valley experienced some of worst flooding in history. In 3 weeks before 17/11 peak 20cm+ rain fell - equivalent to 4 mths rain. The Great Flood, as it became known, was so spectacular & widespread that it became measure for all future floods.

#FridayFrocks #Flounces. To brighten up your January - a beautiful silk damask sack back gown and matching petticoat. The petticoat features a deep flounce at the front. The flounce does not continue around the back of the petticoat, where it would not have been seen.

#ThrowbackThursday Flemish Fields Chertsey 1965 After 1672 Massacre of St. Bartholomew, France & again in 1685 Huguenots fled to England. In #Chertsey they built cottages on strip of land behind Drill Hall Rd which became known as Flemish Fields. They were demolished late 1970s but rd bears the name

#FridayFrocks – For the next few posts we will be focusing on examples of #Flounces. We start with a lovely example of a cotton gown from c.1845 – 1850. Queen Victoria was known to have favoured this fashion for flounced skirts, which added width without excessive weight.

#FridayFrocks #SparkleAndShine: State gown once worn by HM Queen Mary. This was one of a number of similar gowns she owned, incorporating Indian brocades beautifully embellished with sumptuous beadwork and lace.

#ThrowbackThursday – Christmas presents at Princess Mary’s Village Home, #Addlestone 1928. For more information about this institution see our online exhibition buff.ly/3vnHOmL

#FridayFrocks #SparkleAndShine: Evening jacket, silk velvet, 1930s, by Mariano #Fortuny. The decoration of tendrils and leaves is stencilled in a metallic gold pigment which had been formulated specially by the designer to resist flaking and breaking.

#FridayFrocks #SparkleAndShine – A silver lamé jacket, c.1925 – 30, trimmed with marabou feathers. Though seen in eveningwear, lamé also found its way into bridalwear, as seen in this 1920s silver lamé wedding dress.

#ThrowbackThursday "Tin Church", Weybridge Rd #Addlestone 1900 Consecrated Feb 1891. Seated 250 people but became too cramped so new brick church built in 1939 next to the school in Albert Road. The site of the tin church is now used by the Church of Latter Day Saints. #LocalHistory #TBT

#FridayFrocks – #SparkleAndShine. This is a typically romantic silk tulle gown of the late 1930s. Black and white Hollywood films added glamour and interest by using glittery, shiny fabrics. These made their way into actual wardrobes as people mimicked their silver screen idols.

#ThrowbackThursday #Egham High St c. 1910 earliest ref Catherine Wheel pub on corner of High St & Hummer Rd in 1529. C18/19 was a coaching inn & 1898 reopened after a refurb. It continued until 1992, when the building remained empty for a while before finally being demolished in May 1996

#FridayFrocks #Underwear - #Corset, c.1885–95 by Y&N, made from cotton sateen with boning channels picked out in cream. In ads Y&N highlighted the comfort of their diagonal seam design. This approach was their response to a market that was beginning to understand the dangers of tight-lacing.

#ThrowbackThursday - London St #Chertsey 1900 Recognisable is the Old Town Hall, where, 60 years ago today Chertsey Museum opened its doors for the first time! In 1972 we moved from Old Town Hall into our current home & the rest, as they say, is history! Happy 60th birthday to us!

#FridayFrocks – Continuing with #Underwear, From the mid-1850s to the late 1860s, crinoline cages were widely adopted. This example is narrow in circumference, as it dates from the later 1860s when the fashionable silhouette changed.

#ThrowbackThursday post office, 64 St Jude’s Rd Englefield Green c.1934 This was the third location for Englefield Green’s post office. 1st operating Middle Hill By 1886 it was at 2 St. Jude’s Rd near Holly Tree public house before moving up the rd in 1901. Site redeveloped as Park House early 1980s

#FridayFrocks – For the next few weeks we will be focusing on some important items from our #Underwear collection. This pair of half-boned stays, c.1785 – 1788 is made from brown cotton and lined with linen, they are boned with whalebone.

#ThrowbackThursday Ottershaw C of E School 1909. 1869 Sir Edward Colebrook donated land on Guildford Rd for a school & money raised to build it. Opened 1870 & 1967 moved Fletcher Close. Old building used as a special-needs school until 1985 when land developed & now known as Colebrooke Place.

#FridayFrocks – This Sunday is the 240th wedding anniversary of Miss Jane Bailey and James Wickham Esq. They married in 1780. Our current fashion exhibition #MarriageALaMode includes Jane’s wedding outfit! Free and open until 5.09.2026.

#ThrowbackThursday - Animal Health & Vet Labs New Haw 1957. AHVLA est. 1894 in Whitehall to deal with an swine flu epidemic. Moved to Woodham Lane, 1917. 10/2014 merged with FERA & renamed Animal & Plant Health Agency, part of DEFRA. Staff carry out animal disease surveillance & diagnosis #TBT

#FridayFrocks – Since this year Friday Frocks falls on #Halloween, we thought we’d post one of our spookier garments. This black silk crêpe teagown dates to c.1895 – 1905 and would certainly have suited #MorticiaAddams!

#ThrowbackThursday - CJ Smith's 106-108 Guildford St #Chertsey 1970s In 1970s during building work C17 witch bottle unearthed at back of 108 which was White Hart Inn 1660s-1788. Inside found hair & heart-shaped piece of fabric with pins through it. Now on display #HappyHalloween #TBT #LocalHistory

#FridayFrocks - Evening gown by Jean Varon, c.1971 – 74, of #Green nylon chiffon, with rose-pink lining. Influential British designer John Bates (1935 - 2022), launched the Jean Varon label in 1960.

#ThrowbackThursday - Cold War bunker old Civic Offices #Addlestone 2009 Runnymede Borough Council had an underground bunker below their car park it consisted 2 small rooms, decontamination room & shower & escape hatch. Filled in when the office buildings were demolished in 2009. #TBT #LocalHistory

#FridayFrocks - coat, c.1939–48, by Keldore of #Green herringbone-woven wool. It has Bakelite buttons. Bright colours were a cost-effective way of adding interest to garments and boosting morale during and soon after World War 2.

Throwback Thursday – Woodlee Rehabilitation Centre, Egham, 1946 WW2 C19 mansion/estate was commandeered by Mechanisation Board of War Office before being used by Ministry of Labour & National Service. Became Egham Rehabilitation Centre, & for disabled men and women through to the 1990s #LocalHistory

#FridayFrocks – #Green printed cotton dress, c.1860. The colour comes from a man-made dye. The skirt would have been supported by a crinoline cage.

#ThrowbackThursday - the White Hart public house, #NewHaw, c1890 The White Hart pub has been in existence since the late 18th century when it was built to serve the bargemen working on the Wey Navigation. It was rebuilt in the 1860s so that it faced the road rather than the canal. #TBT #LocalHistory

#FridayFrocks – Continuing our #Green theme with a Theatre Coat, c.1912, attributed to Paul #Poiret. Seen in our exhibition ‘Celebrating Stitchcraft’, which closes Saturday 1st November. This showcases the work of talented embroidery artist Darren Ball.

#ThrowbackThursday - Bridge Rd #Chertsey c.1907 Jolly Waggoner operated between 1837 and 1907. Next door was Vine Inn. Built in the early C18th previously called Lion & Lamb, then the Lamb from 1769. 1839-1850 it was boarding school, becoming Vine Inn c.1851. The pub closed its doors in 2009. #TBT

#FridayFrocks - Here we have a striking pink and #green shot silk taffeta evening gown by Jean-Louis Scherrer, c.1985. The enormous sleeves are constructed from stiff net and decorated with petals of pink and green silk organza.

#ThrowbackThursday - Penton Hook, #Chertsey, 1909 When Penton Hook Lock completed in 1815 was furthest lock, upstream, controlled by the City of London Corporation. The weir was built later, in 1846, below the point where the Thames loops and flows into the Abbey River. #LocalHistory #TBT

#FridayFrocks – For the next few posts, we are going to concentrate on #Green items: green silk brocade shoes, c.1730. Pattens were often paired with shoes. They protected from dust and dirt.

#ThrowbackThursday – the junction of Brighton Road and Station Road, #Addlestone, c.1970 #TBT #LocalHistory