The idea for the West Horsley Place Union Flag came about after Clare Clinton commented that it would be lovely for WHP to have its own flag for the Parade of Flags. So in the middle of April a plan was hatched by members of the GladRags Gang.

  

Anne drew out the flag to a size of 60cm x 100cm. Volunteers took Vilene shapes to cover with crazy patchwork – a new skill for many of us!  We used scraps of fabric from West Horsley Place and from our own stashes for the blues as the occupants of WHP clearly didn’t like blue!

                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

The panels all looked fantastic when they were finished and were so well coordinated. Sue washed the white water-damaged bedspread in order to find undamaged fabric to make the white sections. Anne created the centre section, part of which used red velvet from the house which was very fragile and difficult to sew.

                                                                                                                                                                            Robbi embroidered this beautiful label which has been sewn on to the back of the flag and will mean future generations can see when it was created.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               The flag was displayed at the Three Inch Fools performance of The Gunpowder Plot on 28th May and then again at the lighting of the Horsley Jubilee Beacon on 2nd June.     

                                                                                                                                                                    We were delighted to display it again as part of the Horsleys' Jubilee Pageant on 5th June, As our very own 'Queen' launched a procession of decorated cars and floats West Horsley Place to Horsley Towers.

The GladRags Gang was initially formed while making the GladRags Banner, launched in April 2022. The group is now undertaking a number of large – and smaller – projects, meeting each Tuesday afternoon. Everyone is welcome to join the Gang. Just contact Clare Clinton at [email protected].