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Page contents
Special events
Waylaid by Beauty: the poems of Edna St Vincent Millay
- Wednesday 4 October, from 2pm to 3pm. Hersham Library will open specially for the event only. Doors will open at 1.30pm.
Join us for the latest in our popular Tea with events at Hersham Library with a very special event for National Poetry Day featuring actress and writer Carol Royle alongside, poet and writer, Phil Bowen.
An afternoon of prose and poetry with Actress Carol Royle & Poet and Writer Philip Bowen featuring the poems of Edna St Vincent Millay.
Carol and Philip will read a selection of Edna St Vincent's poetry over afternoon tea. A perfect afternoon's entertainment to welcome the season of Autumn.
Thomas Hardy said that America had two great attractions: the skyscraper and the poetry of Edna St Vincent Millay. Born in Maine in 1892, she was encouraged by her mother to explore the worlds of music, theatre and poetry. In 1913 her poem 'Renascence' brought her to the attention of a patron, allowing her to attend Vassar College, before moving to Greenwich Village in 1917, where she became the most famous poet of the Jazz Age. Hers was the voice of the 'New Woman' speaking with frankness about love and feelings, combined with an old fashioned reverence for poetic beauty. A consummate sound artist, whether in free verse or in her favoured form the sonnet, her poems are always accessible. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer prize for poetry , the first woman to receive it, before settling at Steepletop in Austerlitz, New York, where she died in October 1950.
Carol Royle is an established film, television and theatre actress. Carol's first appearance was in TV favourite 'The Cedar Tree' and she went on to star in 'Oxbridge Blues' and 'Ladies in Charge' 'Blackeyes' 'Heartbeat' and 'The Professionals'. Carol is perhaps still best remembered for her role as Jenny in three series of ' Life Without George'. Carol's recent credits include 'Casualty' and her moving role as Lady Ursula in the BBC TV series 'Father Brown'.
Phil Bowen is a poet, performer, biographer and playwright who has worked in over 600 schools in England and Wales as a poet-in-education since 1994. His biography of the Mersey Poets, A Gallery to Play To was republished by Liverpool University Press also in 2008. His collection for children 'Cuckoo Rock' was adapted as a musical and performed at Sterts Theatre in Cornwall in 2013. His plays include A Handful of Rain, (an imagined meeting between Bob Dylan and Dylan Thomas), and 'Anything But Love', an adaptation of the writings of Dorothy Parker and the lyrics of Dorothy Fields. Recent work includes 'Orange Blind' - poems about the Scottish Colourists and 'Love Somehow', a film about Caitlin Thomas. His long poem 'All the Stuff ' has recently been curated by The Poetry Archive.
We expect this event to sell out so please consider purchasing your ticket early.
Tea and light refreshments will be served by the Friends of Hersham Library.
Booking necessary: Tickets are limited to 30 and Cost £4 each.
Book for an afternoon of prose and poetry with Actress Carol Royle & Poet and Writer Philip Bowen
A limited number of tickets will be available direct from the library helpdesk.
This is a Friends of Hersham Library event in association with Surrey County Libraries.
Tea with author Neil Clark and actress Rachel Fielding
- Wednesday 11 October, from 2pm to 3pm. Hersham Library will open specially for the event only. Doors open at 1.30pm, The event starts promptly at 2pm.
Join us for a very special afternoon with Neil Clark who will be talking about his biography of crime writer Edgar Wallace, 'Edgar Wallace: The man who created King Kong', which is being republished by the History Press.
Neil will be talking about Edgar Wallace and his life and work alongside actress Rachel Fielding who will be reading extracts from the biography. Copies of the book will be available for purchase from Neil who will sign books at the end of the event.
Neil Clark is a journalist and writer and regularly contributes articles to the Daily Express as well as The Spectator. His previous books include 'Champion Jump Horse Racing Jockeys' and 'A Lost Childhood'
Rachel Fielding is an established film, television and theatre actress and she is perhaps best known for her role as Francesca in 'This Life' Rachel has also appeared in 'The Ruth Rendell Mysteries' 'Kingdom' and 'New Tricks' and is currently filming a documentary 'Stopped'
Refreshments will be served by the Friends of Hersham Library.
There will be some limited car parking at Hersham Library. Hersham Railway station is a ten minute walk from the library with a frequent service from London Waterloo and Clapham Junction.
Booking necessary: please purchase a ticket for each person attending, tickets cost £5.
Book online or if unable to book online, please book in the library.
Book for Tea with Neil Clark and Rachel Fielding at Hersham Library
My Neighbour Roald Dahl: an Afternoon with author Andrzej Potocki
- Wednesday 18 October 2pm
A ndrzej lived near Roald Dahl in Great Missenden, regularly meeting him over a period of 20 years and grew to know the celebrated author well during this time. A ndrzej, has written a delightful short memoir about Roald Dahl and his memories of Great Missenden and has written 'My Neighbour Roald Dahl ' which is published by Maple Publishers in 2023.
Tickets are £3.50 each and can be booked online.
Book for My neighbour Roald Dahl at Hersham library
Tea with crime fiction writer Nick Triplow
- Wednesday 22 November, from 2pm to 3pm. Hersham Library will open specially for the event only. Doors will open at 1.30pm.
Join us as we celebrate the latest in our popular crime fiction events in the company of one of our most exciting crime novelists : Nick Triplow.
Nick will be talking about his latest crime novel 'Never Walk Away' which features DS Mark Lomax and is published by No Exit Press/Bedford Square Press.
London 2006. A senior civil servant dies in suspicious circumstances. A sensitive file indicates he might a whistle-blower. To investigate, the authorities need someone used to treading the dirty line between policing and intelligence. DS Mark (Max) Lomax is a former Special Demonstration Squad officer, a Special Branch unit dedicated to infiltrating political and extremist groups. It's work he thinks he's left far behind. But following a botched stakeout, Max is called back into his old world of half-truths and conflicting agendas. As he digs into the death of the civil servant, Max is obstructed at every turn, forcing him to turn to the people he once betrayed for help. With political reputations on the line, the case becomes less about uncovering the truth… than burying it for good.
Nick is well known as a broadcaster and has presented several documentaries on BBC Radio 4 as well as being the co-founder of the Hull Noir Crime Fiction Festival.
Nick will be reading extracts from his latest novel and copies of the book will be available for purchase, cash only.
Tea and light refreshments will be served by the Friends of Hersham Library.
Tickets are limited to 30 and cost £4 each.
10 tickets will be available in advance from the library desk for customers who prefer to purchase their tickets in cash.
Book online for Tea with crime fiction writer Nick Triplow at Hersham library
We expect this event to sell out so please consider purchasing your ticket early.
This is a Friends of Hersham Library event in association with Surrey County Libraries.
Some car parking is available at Hersham Library and adjacent streets. Hersham Library is about ten minutes walk away from Hersham Railway Station.
Pebble rhymetime and storytime
Pebble rhymetime
- Every Tuesday at 10.30am
Places must be booked in advance via the library desk.
Find out more about Pebble rhymetimes in Surrey libraries.
Storytime
- Every Tuesday 4pm
No need to book, just turn up.
Find out more about storytime in Surrey libraries.
Reading groups
Hersham library reading group
- Selected Tuesdays from 2.30pm. Please ask in the library for more details.
Find out more about reading groups in Surrey libraries.
Other events
Scrabble group
Meets every Friday at 2pm. All Equipment provided. No need to book, just turn up.
Digital Buddy
There is currently no Digital Buddy service at Hersham. Please see our Digital Buddy page for more information and to find out which libraries currently offer a Digital Buddy service.