ARTIST Sidney Sime got to know his fellow drinkers at the New Inn at Perry Hill, Worplesdon well – so much so, he sketched them and produced caricatures of them.

Thirty-six of the pictures are now part of the collection of Sidney’s varied paintings and drawings in the Sime Gallery housed at Worplesdon Memorial Hall.

We featured a look at three of the caricatures in November, and here are another four. The subjects were researched by Stephen Cranstone, a volunteer at the gallery.

Sidney lived opposite the pub on Perry Hill (now the White Lyon, but currently closed) from 1904 until his death in 1941. The drawings were made around the late 1920s.

George Leonard Collins, born in 1879, lived at Perry Hill all his life. He worked at the village grocery store, was a part-time baker at Christmas’s bakery, and had a smallholding. He was also a stalwart of the village cricket team.

In 1916, at the age of 37, he was conscripted for military service. However, he appealed against on grounds of domestic hardship and was granted a deferment. It is not known if he did end up serving in the First World War.

During the Second World War George was an air-raid warden. But he was caught up in a crime committed by Ernest Christmas from the bakery.

The business had a petrol-driven mixing machine and received petrol coupons for it. However, it was broken and although Mr Christmas had returned some coupons, he illegally poured unused petrol into George’s car. In his defence, Mr Christmas said he did it because George told him his rheumatism was so bad he would not be able to get to work at the bakery without using the car. Mr Christmas was fined £5.

Harry Rance was born in 1869 at Great Marlow, Buckinghamshire. He married Maud Williamson in the Wokingham district and they later came to live in Worplesdon.

His name was reported in the West Surrey Times in September 1893 as playing the violin at Perry Hill Chapel’s  harvest festival. In 1902, a report in the same newspaper notes he and others gave “an entertainment” at Pirbright at which they “provided songs”. He died on 20 January 1941, and is buried at Worplesdon’s St Mary’s churchyard.

The third picture shows the man known as “Bunny” from his caricature – he has now been identified as Harold Johnson. Born in 1897, he grew up in Guildford. He enlisted in the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment in 1915 and gave his trade as “motor driver”.

It is thought he learned to drive with Guildford-based taxi and coach firm Crouch’s Coaches before the war and during it he was attached to a motor transport division driving lorries in France. Harold died on 21 January 1933.

Mystery surrounds the caricature of “Daisy” Townshend, who Sidney Sime depicted wearing a uniform. It is thought “Daisy” was a serving soldier, perhaps from Stoughton Barracks, a couple of miles from the New Inn.

Stephen found details of an Arthur Fitzhenry Townshend who served in the Queen’s Regiment, a Walter George Townshend who lived at Gravetts Lane, Worplesdon, and a Philip Henry Townsend (note no h in the surname) who is listed on the 1911 census as living on The Green, Worplesdon. But Stephen does not think any of these are the man drawn by Sidney.

Anyone with information about “Daisy” can contact the Sime Gallery via www. http://sidneysimegallery.org.uk or call Mary Broughton on 01483 233869.

If you have some memories or old pictures relating to the Woking area, call me, David Rose, on 01483 838960, or drop a line to the News & Mail.

David Rose is a local historian and writer who specialises in what he calls “the history within living memory” of people, places and events in the west Surrey area covering towns such as Woking and Guildford. He collects old photos and memorabilia relating to the area and the subject, and regularly gives illustrated local history talks to groups and societies. For enquiries and bookings please phone or email him at: [email protected]