THE grand opening of the new Frimley Green Cycle shop display at the Rural Life Centre has been hailed “a big success”. On the evening of Thursday, May 18, the new Mayor of Farnham, Mike Hodge, cut the ribbon of the new Deeks cycle shop display.

This family business was a long-standing part of the Frimley Green community. It was originally established as a blacksmith and farrier business in 1889, but as bicycles became increasingly popular, the Deeks family saw an opportunity to expand their business to include the sale and repair of bicycles and decided to build this shop and workshop in 1912.

Several years later, as the number of cars increased, the family once again saw an opportunity to expand the business to include the repair and hire of cars. In fact, Deeks Cycle Shop was the first business in the local area to sell petrol. The business ceased trading in 2002 when Victor Deeks, the last of the family to be involved in the business, retired, although he did continue to repair the odd puncture for friends and family until his death in 2007.

In 2011, nearly 100 years after the building was first erected in Frimley Green, Vic’s daughters Judith Pennell and Ann Saunders generously donated the building and its contents to the Rural Life Centre. In 2014, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Farnham Building Preservation Trust Ltd., and the Elstead Building Company, the Rural Life Centre was able to start work on moving the cycle shop premises to its new home at the museum of country life in Tilford.

After three years of hard work, the opening was attended by over 90 people despite the wet weather. The number of visitors reflects what the project has meant to so many people whether it be the people who have been involved in the project, friends and past residents of Frimley Green or members of the Deeks family who are still very much involved. Judith now comes to the museum every year to put the Christmas decorations in the shop, just as she had as a young child.

Over the past three years, visitors to the Rural Life Centre have had the opportunity to talk to the volunteers and watch the project as it developed. “We are very grateful to Vic’s daughters Judith and Ann, not only for their donation to the museum but also for their support during the whole process, to the Heritage Lottery Fund without whose support the project could not have a happened and to the volunteers whose time and commitment to the project is unparalleled.

“Norman Emblow, who managed the project, with the support of his wife Margaret and his team of volunteers, have accomplished something incredible and is a testament to their hard work and commitment.

“The Frimley Green Cycle Shop is already much loved by visitors and people involved with the museum alike. The attention to detail that has gone into the display is outstanding whether it be the smell of the workshop, the indents in the bricks from 100 years of doors opening and closing, to the hot cross bun that hangs in the workshop to bring good luck,” said Emma Midgley, director of the Rural Life Centre.

• On Thursday, August 10. Norman will be giving a talk ’From Bikes to Buicks’ as part of the series of monthly talks at the museum. Norman will be talking about the project and how it relates to the history of transport, including the invention of cycles, motorcycles and cars and their influence on society.

The talk starts at 7.30pm and tickets are available on the door.