Letters to the editor: Let's make Farnham a walking hub

With the return of an outdoor pursuits shop to Farnham, Mountain Warehouse, is it not time to promote the town’s position as the starting point for the North Downs Way?

This 153-mile trail through wonderful countryside ends in Dover and should be one of the premier trails in the country, but when even its own website fails to show Farnham on its trail map some better marketing is required.

A start or end point requires accommodation, shops to get walking gear and provisions and somewhere to get trail maps. Perhaps even a pop-up coffee mobile at the start.

If we are to rejuvenate our town centre after the disastrous road and pavement “improvements”, then better marketing of this great asset would be one way.

John Beer

Red Lion Lane

Farnham

I recently sat in a shady corner of the Central car park at the Farnham Farmers’ Market, looking towards South Street, with a delightful view of the trees and church spire and thought how lucky we are to have such a lovely rural looking setting in the centre of town.

Some stall holders told me Farnham Town Council is thinking of moving the market to Brightwells because of falling footfall.

That seemed odd as I am aware that if you don’t get there early enough it is difficult to get a parking space, although it is only a short walk to the Waggon Yard car park.

What a shame it would be to put the market where there is less convenient parking for stall holders and the public and in a less attractive setting.

I do hope Farnham Town Council will ditch that idea and pursue ideas like more advertising and replacing stalls that disappear, like the fish stall. That is sadly missed.

Lesley Grant Haworth

Seale Lane

Seale

A heading in the Farnham Herald read ‘End of an era as council gets on its feet for Farnham town clerk’.

The article concerned the last full council meeting in which town clerk Iain Lynch would be formally involved, and it highlighted the plaudits he rightfully received.

Iain Lynch has been a revelation as town clerk during his 15-year tenure. Vidal Sassoon once said: “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Iain has a reputation for working incredibly hard for the town and he’s certainly made a difference, thus enhancing the quality of life for residents.

The article announced he would be staying to assist the smooth handover to new town clerk Lisa O’Sullivan, who takes over next month. We wish her well.

So Iain’s not heading off into the sunset yet, but I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of Farnham Sports Council - and I’m sure many of the organisations in the town - to say thank you and well done.

David Gill

Chairman, Farnham Sports Council

Glorney Mead

Farnham

A search is under way to trace the family of a Swanmore man who served during the First World War and whose grave is to receive a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone more than a century after his death.

I am the war memorial custodian for St Barnabas Church in Swanmore. As part of research into the village’s roll of honour and the men commemorated on our war memorial, I discovered the story of Private Thomas John Whiting, of the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment.

Thomas was born in Bournemouth in 1889 but lived in Swanmore, where he worked as a gardener alongside his father.

Following his father’s death in 1907, Thomas joined the Army. When the First World War began, Thomas served with the Hampshire Regiment.

During the early stages he was exposed to gas, captured and spent several years as a prisoner of war.

He was released through a prisoner exchange in 1918 and returned to England. But he never fully recovered from the effects of the gas, developed tuberculosis and died in 1919, aged around 30.

Thomas was brought back to Swanmore and buried at St Barnabas Church with full military honours. But for more than 100 years his grave has remained without a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.

Although records confirm Thomas was buried in the churchyard, the precise location of his grave has been lost.

I contacted the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and provided my evidence. The commission has agreed to provide a headstone to commemorate Thomas.

This will give us the opportunity to mark Thomas’s service properly, tell his story and remember him as a member of the Swanmore community.

We are looking for his family. Thomas had an older brother, William Henry Whiting, who died in the Petersfield area in 1950.

William was married to Ruth Alice and they had four children. I have traced some relatives to the Petersfield area but have been unable to contact any descendants.

I hope someone reading this article may recognise the family name or know someone who can help.

I would particularly like to hear from anyone connected to William Henry Whiting, his wife Ruth Alice, or their descendants.

The intention is to invite members of Thomas’s family to a memorial service for him and the dedication of his Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone at St Barnabas.

This is about more than genealogy. Thomas left Swanmore a young man, served his country, endured captivity and returned home carrying the consequences of his wartime experiences. He died shortly afterwards and was laid to rest in the village where he lived and worked.

After more than a century we can now remember him properly and, if possible, welcome members of his family to Swanmore for that remembrance.

If you believe you are connected to the Whiting family, or have information which could help trace Thomas’s relatives, please email me at [email protected]

Any information, however small it may seem, could help us find the family we are looking for.

Gary McCulloch

Swanmore