Christ Church, Shamley Green

March 05, 2022

Christ Church, Shamley Green

Shamley Green, Surrey

Shamely Green, Surrey is a village part of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village is situated between Wonersh and Cranleigh.

The village comprises of a public open space in the village which has a cricket green. Also, the village boasts two public houses, the Red Lion and the Bricklayers Arms. During 2013, the village featured on the Horizon episode The Secret Life of the Cat, the program established the village had a highest destiny feline within the United Kingdom.

Christ church, Shamley Green

Just outside the village is Christ Church. The church was constructed in 1863 as a chapel of ease, by 1881 it became a parish church. The church is a Grade II listed building.

The original graveyard surrounding the church became full by 1900. Additional land was given by George Cubitt, 1^st Baron Ashcombe. It is here that Harry Secombe, Tony Hart and John Selwyn Moll are buried.

John Selwyn Moll

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Moll, signed up for the Royal Engineers. Moll, born Greenwich, London during 1913, was a banker employed by Lloyds Bank, he also played rugby union 1932 to 1938 for Lloyds Bank RFC, following 1938 to 1940, playing for Blackheath. Despite not playing for his country, England, Moll, was called to play in 1936 British Lions tour of Argentina.

On the eve of the Second World War, Moll, played for the Barbarians. During the conflict he played rugby sevens for Rosslyn Park.

Whilst studying at Bedford School, Moll, was a member of Army Cadet Force. Completing school, he joined the Northumberland Hussars regiment of the Territorial Army.

1940, Moll, now a commissioned officer for the Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey), he later was ranked Captain. Whilst the regiment was training at Bury St Edmonds, for deployment for Iraq, Moll died as a result. The details of his death were not released however, it was declared as having “died of wounds received on active service”. Moll was buried at Christ church.

Norman Anthony Hart

October 1925, Norman Anthony Hart was born, Maidstone, Kent. He would professionally be known as Tony Hart.

Hart was an English artist, best remembered for his work in educated children through his role as a children’s presenter.

After his finishing his education where he attended both All Saints Margaret Street Resident Choir School and Clayesmore School, Dorset. 1942, Hart, wanted to join the Royal Air Force, however, with an eyesight deficient, resulting in not being able to fly, Hart followed his father’s footsteps, and joined the British Indian Army, where he gained an officer’s commission in the 1^st Gurkha Rifles. Following the Indian Independence of 1947, all lower-ranked British officers, were being replaced by Indian officers, resulting Hart returning to civilian life. At the outbreak of the Korean War, June 1950, Hart was re-commissioned in the Territorial Army, attached to the Royal Artillery.

Finally, being demobilised, Hart, became a professional artist, studying at Maidstone College of Art, graduated 1950. Hart became freelance artist.

Morph

1952, Hart’s break into broadcasting after his brother persuaded him to attend a party, where he met a BBC children’s television producer. Following an interview Hart became the resident artist on the Sunday Special program. Hart’s other programs included Playbox (1954-59); Tich and Quackers (1963); Vision On (1964-76); Take Hart (197-83); Hartbeat (1984-93); Artbox Bunch (1995-96) and Smart Hart (1999-2000). From 1970’s Hart was appeared alongside Morph.

Blue Peter badge

Hart also designed the ship logo used on the Blue Peter badge.

Hart married 1953, Jean Skingle. Jean died 2003. Six years later, January 2009 Hart had died.

In the older section of the churchyard, is the grave of Harold Simmonds, who aged 20 was victim of S.S. Mohegan.

S.S. Mohegan was a stream which sank off the coast of the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall, 14^th October 1898. This was her second voyage.

S.S. Mohegan

Starting out as Cleopatra, she sailed on her maiden voyage on 31^st July 1898 from London to New York. Whilst at New York, a number of defects were revealed, the water system feeding the boilers had boilers had malfunctioned and a series of serious water leaks were reported. These problems were blamed on the speed of the construction of the ship. Cleopatra returned to London under half speed. The repairs which took 14 days to carry out. The Board of Trade pronounced the ship fit to sail and duly renamed Mohegan.

Captain Richard Griffith

13^th October 1898, Mohegan, bound for New York, set sail from Tilbury Docks, under the command of Captain Richard Griffith. The ship was carrying 57 passengers and 97 crew, along with a cargo of 1,286 tons of spirts, beer and antimony. Whilst at Dover, that evening, the pilot of dropped off, and whilst here it was reported that few minor water leaks.

Sailing down the English Channel Mohegan reached her maximum speed, keeping close to the coast passing Cornwall, she took the wrong bearing. This was noticed by the crew and passengers alike, that the coast was to close and Eddystone Lightstone in the distance. Nearing the entrance of Falmouth Harbour and turned towards the Helford River and down The Lizard cost slowing down to 13 knots. Mohegan unaware of the dangers, by rockets fired the Coverack coastguard, maintained her course heading full speed towards the Manacle Rocks.

The crew were finally alerted to the dangers, the engines were stopped at 6.50 but it was a little to late. The Mohegan ran aground, embedding the rudder in the rock and ripping the hull open. At the time, dinner was being served and many of the 57 passengers were initially unaware. Below them the engine room flooded in 3 feet of water. The crew rushed to the deck. The ship plunged into the darkness and soon the passengers made their way to the deck, and attempts were made to launch the lifeboats.

There were further problems in encountered when the Mohegan listed heavily to port and then heavily to starboard. Only two lifeboats launched, one was virtually swamped and the other capsized. The ship sank with 12 minutes of hitting the rocks, with a loss of 106 lives.

Mass grave
St. Keverne churchyard

Most of the recovered bodies were buried at mass grave at St. Keverne churchyard. Howard Simmonds, who was cook on board Mohegan was buried at Christ church.

Also, board was Chief Officer, Llewellyn Couch, whose body was brought back to Swansea for burial Danygraig Cemetery. He was the brother of Drs James and K. Couch.

We can see from his death certificate that Llewellyn died due to drowning.