Spelthorne Museum

Spelthorne Museum Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Spelthorne Museum, History Museum, Staines Library Hub, Elmsleigh Centre, Staines.

Uncover Spelthorne’s journey from the Ice Age to today.

đź“Ť Where: Library Hub Staines-upon-Thames, 1st Floor

🗓️ Whenever the Library is open: On Wednesday, Friday & Saturday afternoons our knowledgeable volunteers are on hand to guide your exploration!

1905 Laleham - The FerryThe Laleham Ferry, located at the end of Ferry Lane in Laleham, operated from at least the 13th ...
18/06/2026

1905 Laleham - The Ferry

The Laleham Ferry, located at the end of Ferry Lane in Laleham, operated from at least the 13th century until the early 20th century.

1905 Staines Town Hall.Shown here in its early days, Staines Town Hall is a Grade II listed building located in Market S...
17/06/2026

1905 Staines Town Hall.

Shown here in its early days, Staines Town Hall is a Grade II listed building located in Market Square.

• Origins: Designed by architect John Johnson and built in 1880, it features Italian and French motifs, white brick, stone dressings, and a prominent clock tower.

• Civic Past: It served Staines Urban District Council and briefly, Spelthorne Borough Council, before civic operations were relocated to Knowle Green in 1976.

• Movie Star: The building's courtroom (known as the Debenham Room) was used for scenes in the 1982 film Gandhi.

• In later years: It housed an arts centre and then a wine bar/restaurant before residential conversion to 14 apartments.

16/06/2026

2017: A tale from our archives

The Garibaldi pub in Staines was named after Italian Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Giuseppe Garibaldi stayed in Britain during the 1860s.

He was so highly regarded that the Garibaldi biscuit was named after him.

Nottingham Forest Football Club was formed by Garibaldi supporters. The club wore red football shirts to match the shirts worn by Garibaldi’s followers.

It is said that Arsenal Football Club also adopted red shirts because Nottingham Forest donated their first kit.

Late 19th /Early 20th Century photograph of a riverside location in Spelthorne. The statue has been moved to a nearby l...
16/06/2026

Late 19th /Early 20th Century photograph of a riverside location in Spelthorne. The statue has been moved to a nearby location but the building is still there.

1913 Stanwell Fair
15/06/2026

1913 Stanwell Fair

14/06/2026

In 1997, we were contacted by someone who wanted to share the life story of Staines local Katrine Hale (née Dyos).

Katrine was born in 1905 at 10 Edgell Road (later moving to number 28).

Family Ties: She was the sister of George Dyos, owner of the Staines Steel Gate Co. in Ruskin Road.

Early Career: Leaving school at 14, she worked as a cook for Dr. Bayley in Richmond Road. When her family moved to Datchet, she cycled to work daily.

Riverside Employment: She later worked for Harry Fear JP in his double-fronted bungalow opposite St. Peter's Church.

Sunday School: Katrine attended St. Peter's Sunday School in the famous "Tin Hut" in Edgell Road, even winning prizes from Lady Clarke.

High Street History: When Woolworth first opened opposite Fairfield Avenue, Katrine and her sister Dot joined the team. Katrine rose to the rank of supervisor.

Local Bakeries: She also worked for Harris the Baker at both the Market Square shop and 125 High Street until six years after her marriage.

On the River: Her father worked at Beedell’s Boat House, operating the ferry by the Iron Bridge. He actually courted her mother while she was a linen maid at the Packhorse Hotel! Both her father and brother were champion regatta rowers.

Swan Keeping: After WWI, her father took a job with the Packhorse Boat House and worked as a groundsman for the bowling club. In the winter, he helped care for the local swans in the field behind the club on Packhorse Path.

13/06/2026

Did You Know? The Roman Floor Beneath Tilly’s Lane.

For budding archaeologists — and seasoned enthusiasts alike — here is a fascinating local “Did you know?”

In the 1800s, a Mr Tilly had a bakehouse in the yard behind his house, just off Staines High Street. Over time, the yard became known as Tilly’s Lane, and the house survived until the development of Two Rivers.

Because the ground beneath Tilly’s House had remained largely undisturbed, Archaeologists later discovered an entire Roman floor. The tesserae — the small blocks used to create the floor — were probably made from reused tile and set into a white mortar-like substance.

In its day, the Roman building appears to have been quite substantial, possibly serving as a meeting room. Over time, however, the floor had sunk into earlier rubbish pits beneath it, revealing a remarkable glimpse into Roman Staines.

Spelthorne Museum is not just a Museum. We are also part of the 'Spelthorne Museum and Spelthorne Archaeology and Local History Group', known as SALHG — an active local history and Archaeology group offering talks, research opportunities, newsletters and events for people interested in Spelthorne’s past.

To learn more, visit the Spelthorne Museum SALHG page and Wessex Archaeology’s research on Two Rivers and Tilly’s Lane, Staines.

Thames Street Staines - Johnson & Clarks Department Store.
12/06/2026

Thames Street Staines - Johnson & Clarks Department Store.

11/06/2026

Ashford Middlesex has turned up as locations in Film and TV. Our research has found that:-

Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150AD (1966):
The former Mercia House (Bendy Toys Factory) on Ashford Road was used as a key filming location.

Rosemary & Thyme (2000s TV Series):
Several scenes were filmed in and around Ashford Hospital.

A Weekend with Lulu (1961):
The historic Welsh Girls' School on Church Road featured in this comedy film.

We're searching for stills to confirm this information. If you know of any more filming locations in the area, please let us know

10/06/2026

1963 - Vernon Goslin was an esteemed local historian in the 1960s and beyond.

Spelthorne Museum is proud to be looking after the Vernon Goslin collection, his donations from a lifetime of memories.

The following is an extract from 'THE MIDDLESEX CHRONICLE' from FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22nd, 1963:

STAINES FROM B.C. 20,000 - Historian's Talk:

At Staines Round Table's fortnightly meeting at the Railway Hotel, Mr. Vernon Goslin, a well known local historian, gave an interesting talk on "The History of Staines and District." Starting at B.C. 2,000, when the Thames was probably about a mile in width around this area, Mr. Goslin suggested that the depositions and levellings which occurred during this period led to the creation of three controversial and current local problems—the Green Belt, gravel winning and the presence of London Airport.

Mr. Goslin pointed out that Staines furnished a unique example of the three legacies of the Roman occupation of Britain—the Bridge, the Road and the Rule of Land. The Bridge gave its name to "Ad Pontes"—the Roman place-name for Staines; the Roman Road from Silchester to Colchester is, in part, the modern A.30 highway.

Mr. Goslin speculated on what might have been the heritage of Staines had William the Conqueror attained his expressed wish to site a castle there instead of Windsor. Might there have been a Royal Borough of Staines or even the Royal House of Staines, with Windsor merely a terminus on the Southern Region?

The speaker gave many fascinating and amusing glimpse of Staines through the centuries. He reminded the audience of the old railway station in Staines High Street by the present Iron Bridge; the Staines steeplechase course with its grandstand where Sidney Road is now sited; and the former British School in Thames Street which became the town's first cinema.

Address

Staines Library Hub, Elmsleigh Centre
Staines
TW184QB

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 7pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+441784461804

Website

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