Welcome to The Upwey Society
Join our community - Drop Diane a line and she will contact you regarding membership
History
The Upwey Society was first proposed in 1973 and formally established in February 1974 as a village amenity society focused on conserving and enhancing the character of Upwey. Its aim was to support community engagement and safeguard local heritage.
Old School Village Hall Campaign:
One of its earliest major activities was centred on the old Victorian village school, built in 1847. The school was closed in the mid-1970s due to low pupil numbers, and there was concern it might be sold and lost as a community asset.
The Society organised meetings, exhibitions and fundraising and worked with the local church and community to preserve the building for village use.
A legal review revealed that the diocese’s title included a “reversion clause” — meaning if the building ceased as a school it would revert to the heirs of the original donor. With help from local research, they found Mr. Hugh Gould in California, a descendant of the original donor.
In late 1978, Mr Gould generously donated the old school building to the village, and, after legal work, the property was transferred to the newly formed Upwey Old School Village Hall Trust in 1981.
Committee members and villagers such as Donald Beaton (first Society chairman), Derek Biggs and others played significant roles in these efforts.
Result:
The old school — now Upwey Old School Village Hall — became a thriving community centre for classes, clubs, exhibitions, social events and meetings, largely thanks to the Society’s efforts
Community Newsletters:
The Society has published regular newsletters (spring and autumn editions) distributed to every household. These document village news, society activities, historical essays, conservation topics, local achievements, and reflections on village life.
The two pages above are from the 2011 newsletter.
Archived newsletters
Newsletter AUTUMN 2024 Newsletter Spring 2024 Newsletter Autumn 2023 Newsletter Spring 2023 Newsletter Autumn 2022 Newsletter Spring 2022 Newsletter Autumn 2019 Spring 2019 Newsletter Autumn 2018 Newsletter June 2018 Newsletter
Other Archived Documents
2014 Autumn – Open Gardens, Upwey barbecue, Triathlon report, What’s in your garden? Upwey newsletter autumn 2014
2014 Summer – Upwey & the First World War, 50 years a Farmer, The Railway Boy, The year so far in Pictures.Upwey Society Newsletter Summer 2014
2014 Spring – 40th Anniversary AGM celebration, A life in Stone, Harry Foot’s 7th Birthday Farm PartyUpwey Newsletter Spring 2014, Upwey Society AGM 2014
2013 Autumn – Zoe & Team GB win Gold, RoW BOATS on Ridgeway, Chairman’s Secret Obsession
2013 Summer – Ten Tors Triumph, Upwey Girls’ Medals, Laurence talks Welldressing
2013 AGM – Agenda and 2012 Minutes
2013 Spring – Baking Birds Brave Floods, Wabey House history, Talking Point, Traffic Issues
2012 Autumn – Jubilee Street Party, the July deluge, Upwey Olympic Ambassadors
2012 Summer – Well Dressing – Olympic sailing theme, St. Laurence Spring Fair
2011 Summer – Relief Road opens, Royal Wedding garden party, Morris Dancing – Upwey and history