Surrey: Visiting Farnham Museum! (27.5.2026)

With temperatures reaching 30 degrees today – we ventured down the road to visit the Farnham Museum. The exterior (in West Street) is currently covered in scaffolding whilst undergoing extensive restoration. Much of the history of Farnham involves the enrichment of peasant-farmers who became firm representatives of the bourgeois class. This “middle-class” had risen up from the peasantry through self-enrichment – and were able to purchase the culture of the upper-classes. These former workers adopted the mannerisms, culture, and dress of their social betters (the “aristocracy”) and were even able to “purchase” an education for their children. This new bourgeoisie (the “Merchants”) were even able to stand for election in Parliament. After purchasing weapons and raising armies – the bourgeoisie eventually seized control of the means of production (following the English Civil Wars). They now comprise one of the most conservative strands in UK society – and certainly maintain this air of elitism in Farnham. A local book-dealer even tried to sell me Das Kapital Vols I, II, & III (printed in the USSR in hardback) for £100 – claiming they were “rare”.

In fact, a full set is usually four volumes and I often find them on the bottom shelves of old book-shops – usually attracting dust – as no one cares for their content. I do collect them and usually spend around £5 per copy. Imagine that – a bookseller in Farnham attempted to reduce Marx’s critique of capitalism to yet another vehicle of that capitalism! But that is the way capitalism works and is exactly how Farnham has attracted its wealth and conservativism. Florence Nightingale gets a mention – Gee trained as a Midwife at St Thomas Hospital (London) – which maintains a Museum recording the life of Florence Nightingale. Indeed, Gee is designated as a “Florence Nightingale Midwife”. Interestingly, Midwifery was once considered “Witchcraft” – and Farnham Museum has an exhibit covering Witchcraft of medicinal spells – the original (pre-Christian) Celtic science.