Every week, a wide assortment of archive documents and local studies material from a variety of sources passes through our doors to join the six miles of records in our strongrooms. Behind the scenes, we work closely with the records, diligently cataloguing, cleaning, conserving and packaging them so that they can be made available to the public. It's work that we thoroughly enjoy, and everyone here has a tale to tell: whether it's the story behind a favourite book, the background to an unusual collection, or how we repaired a very fragile document.
Each month, the Surrey Heritage teams showcase their own particular "Marvel of the Month".
For UK Disability History Month, we explore the history of the care and treatment of people living with mental illness or physical and learning disabilities through the hospital records held at Surrey History Centre.
For Black History Month in October, we celebrated the contribution of nurses from West Africa and the Caribbean to psychiatric healthcare in Surrey's hospitals.
For our September Marvel of the Month, the discovery of earthworks and a burial ground revealed the existence of a major Saxon meeting place near Ashtead.
For our August Marvel of the Month, to mark the Festival of Britain's 70th anniversary, we discovered how the county's towns and villages participated in this national cultural event.
For our July Marvel of the Month, the conservation of a 16th century notebook offered us a fascinating personal insight into the life of a Surrey gentleman.
For our June Marvel of the Month, we delved into the records of a long-established Surrey furniture business that supplied the Royal Household in the 19th and 20th centuries.
For our May Marvel of the Month, we explored beautifully illustrated albums that portray a charming view of rural Surrey in the first half of the 20th century.
For our April Marvel of the Month, we learnt how the recording and organising of artefacts and paper records has ensured that the history of Oatlands Palace will be preserved for future generations.
For our March Marvel of the Month, we discovered a wealth of early wax seals in the estate papers of a prominent Surrey family.
For LGBT+ History Month in February, we explored the little-known Surrey connections of Second World War codebreaker, Alan Turing.
2020 Marvels
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2019 Marvels
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2018 Marvels
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2017 Marvels
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2016 Marvels
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2015 Marvels
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
2014 Marvels
December
November
October
September
August
- Broadwood customers and destinations
- Old cottages and farmhouses in Surrey
- Heavy losses to the 1st Queen's, 1914
July
June
- Ernest James 'Gentleman Jim' Langley (7 February 1929 – 9 December 2007)
- Celebrating Volunteers' Week
May
April
March
- White and Sons of Dorking: 80 years of auction records
- 'Perdita': the extraordinary life of author and actress Mary Robinson
February
2013 marvels
December
November
- The grand opening of County Hall, Kingston, 13 November 1893
- Farnham in the Civil War, November 1643
- Seeing the light: protection from light damage
October
September
August
- More Place, Betchworth: an 1827 nursery order
- A brief history of papermaking and paper conservation
- Charles Thomas Cracklow (1763-1826)
July
- George Sturt (1863-1927)
- 'Thumping plum puddings': the diaries of Elizabeth Davis of Gosden House, Shalford
- Bookbinding techniques
June
- Ockenden International: the remarkable story of a Surrey refugee charity
- Jean Carré and wealden glass
- Pins, clips and staples: damaging fasteners in archive collections
May
April
March
February
- Your Paintings and the Lewis Carroll connection
- The history and conservation of seals
- Henry Goulburn's letters to his daughter
January
2012 marvels
December
- Loseley Christmas and New Year gifts
- Wonderful winter weather in Surrey in 1927
- Tracings in archive collections
November
- Moor Park, Farnham
- The Queens Royal West Surreys and the Boer War
- Behind the scenes: the conservation studio
October
September
August
- The Duke of York marches on London, September 1450
- The development of iron gall ink
- Town and village guides
July