Prof. Richard Fortey FRS

March 2025: It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our Patron, Professor Richard Fortey FRS.
Professor Fortey was a world renowned palaeontologist, an Emeritus Researcher based in the Natural History Museum in London and past President of the Geological Society. He was made FRS in 1997 and was given numerous academic awards around the world. He wrote several books and appeared on many TV programmes. Professor Fortey came to Haslemere in 2007 to unveil the Blue Plaque commemorating Sir Archibald Geikie OM, FRS and attended a celebratory function at the Museum.

The Right Honourable
The Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone PC DL

Baroness Bottomley had a distinguished career as the MP for SW Surrey [which included Haslemere] for many years. In that time she held Cabinet posts including Minister of Health. She was ennobled in 2005 adopting the title of Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone. She has always had a great interest in the Museum and has been a frequent visitor with her children and grand-children. She lives locally in Milford.

Roger Dellar ROI, RI, DS

Local artist and art teacher who has won many awards nationally and internationally for his work which he executes in a variety of media. He frequently exhibits paintings at the Museum where he often tutors the Art Society (of which he is Honorary President). His studio is off the Hindhead Road in Haslemere.

Sir Vernon Ellis

Sir Vernon Ellis is Chairman of the British Council, having previously worked at Accenture for 40 years where he was International Chairman. He is very involved in the arts, particularly music, and is President of English National Opera, having previously been Chairman for seven years.

Sir Vernon was knighted in 2011 for his services to music and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Music and was awarded a Hon D Litt (London) by Goldsmiths College and a Hon Fellowship of Trinity Laban. He is a member of the Philanthropy Review, a task force formed in 2011 to make recommendations for increasing levels of giving and makes frequent speeches on this topic as well as on arts infrastructure and funding. He has a home in Haslemere.

Loyd Grossman CBE, FSA

Well known on TV where he appears often. He has a wide range of interests but has had a lifelong enthusiasm for museums and has held a number of positions related to them e.g. Chairman of Liverpool Museum. In his capacity as Chairman of "The Campaign for Museums", which he founded, he visited the Museum several years ago and was most complimentary and supportive.

The Right Honourable Sir Jeremy Hunt MP

MP for South West Surrey and former Secretary of State for Health. Visits the Museum whenever he has the opportunity. He was educated at Charterhouse, Godalming and at Oxford and lives locally at Farnham. He is a proficient Japanese speaker.

Philip Jackson CVO DL

World famous and award winning sculptor with an outstanding international reputation. Amongst his more famous works are the Queen Mother Memorial in the Mall, an equestrian statue of the Queen at Windsor and one of Bobby Moore at Wembley Stadium . A few years ago he held an exhibition in the Museum garden that was widely acclaimed. He was made a CVO in 2009. His studio is at Midhurst.

Sir Rob Margetts CBE, FREng, FIChemE

A Chemical Engineer by training, he joined ICI in 1969 as a process design engineer, then being successively promoted to its Main Board in 1992 and becoming Vice Chairman from 1998 for two years., He has been non-executive Chairman of Legal and General Group, The BOC Group and English China Clays and a non-executive director of many other listed and private companies.

Currently, he is Chairman of Ordnance Survey Limited, and Deputy Chairman or a non-executive director of a number of other companies. He is member of the Council of the Chemical Industries Association [CIA], a Director of the Foundation for Science and Technology and a member of the Court of the University of Surrey. He has held numerous Government, public and private roles, mainly with chemical and engineering bodies. He is a Fellow of The Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Chemical Engineers and the UK member of the World Chemical Engineering Council. He was awarded a CBE in 1996, and received a Knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2006.

Sir Andrew Motion FRSL

Perhaps best known as the Poet Laureate from 1999 to 2009 when he was knighted, Sir Andrew is also a novelist and autobiographer. He visited Haslemere during the Tennyson Festival of 2009 and delighted the audience at the Festival Dinner with his comments, reading and reminiscences. He has won many awards for his poetry.
Photograph by Andrew Olmos