Banstead Village

Gordon Colman at Nork House
The Banstead Image Library
Gordon Colman at Nork House

This picture was taken at Nork House, but I do not know when. Probably between 1907 and 1924. The man in the top hat is Gordon Colman. I do not know who is being escorted by Gordon, and I do not know what event is being photographed. Perhaps someone has an idea. This picture was in Murray Dalziel's scrapbook when he died in 1942.

Response from LNW; fascinating photo and completely new to us at BHRG. We will need to do a bit of research.
Picture added on 31 July 2014 at 00:46
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Nork House
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Banstead History
Comments:
This photograph shows a fete held at Nork House, in 1908, in aid of the building of St Mary's Church. Most of Banstead society was there, running stalls or taking part in the entertainments.

Gordon Colman is escorting the Duchess of Albany, with the Surrey Yeomanry (in which Gordon was an officer) providing a guard of honour. The Duchess's carriage had earlier driven through Banstead High Street, with the schoolchildren lining up to watch her pass.

There were concerts, speeches, sports and stalls, children dancing around the maypole, a traditional English fair, a gypsy encampment (run by the society ladies and their daughters) in which you could have your fortune told or be entertained with songs and music. In the evening, there was dancing on the lawn, under electric light (the lampposts are shown in the photo), which must have been a real novelty in those days.

This photograph was taken by David Knights-Whittome, of Sutton and Epsom, or one of his assistants, and features in the Banstead's Past On Glass exhibition in the gallery at Sutton Library. Entry is free and it runs from Saturday 9th November 2019 until Friday 29th November.

Banstead History Research Group
Added by James Crouch on 02 November 2019
What an extraordinary event, all in aid of a church building fund. And just imagine children today lining up in the street to see a duchess ride by... improbable, to say the least!
Added by Peter Denton on 04 November 2019
Is that Queen Victoria?

No! Duchess of Albany.
Added by Aaron Richard Anthony Lea on 22 April 2020
What's also interesting to me is the man on the left, who appears to be holding a camera or similar 'photographic apparatus'.
Added by Peter Denton on 23 April 2020
My Great Grandmother Elsie Wingrove and her step mother Eleanor Wingrove of Buff House were at this event and were in charge of the Pet stall!
Added by Helen Averley on 19 September 2020
The Times Thursday 16 July 1908 page 13

The Duchess of Albany yesterday opened a fete and gala held at Nork Park, Banstead, the residence of Mrs Frederick Colman, on behalf of the erection of a new church at Burgh Heath, a village which forms part of the parish of Banstead. The church is estimated to cost about £5,000 of which sum £4,100 has already been obtained or promised. Mrs Colman and her two sons have between them subscribed £2,000.

The Duchess of Albany, who had an escort of a detachment of the Surrey Imperial Yeomanry, drove through the street of Banstead, decorated in honour of the occasion, to Nork Park. Her Royal Highness who was presented with a bouquet by Miss Vivienne Benson, a niece of Mrs Colman, was thanked for performing the opening ceremony of the motion of Mr F. Gordon Colman, seconded by Colonel the Honourable Henry Cubitt (Lord Lieutenant of Surrey).

The Duchess subsequently witnessed maypole and Morris dances performed by children attending the Banstead and Burgh Heath schools. The fete was unfortunately much spoilt by rain.

Added by Chris Watkins on 18 March 2022
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Nork

Land transfer from Lord Egmont to Frederick ColmanThe editor takes his leaveBanstead Residential School Holiday to Sandown IOWNork Park Junior School (Now Warren Mead Junior)From Beechholme to HarrodsFlorence Dalziel Benson sister to  Helen Colman Nork County Primary  1966Nork Community Association Express Dairy Morden123 Nork Way - construction123 Nork way - Tennis