Founded back in 1870, the Croydon Natural History & Scientific Society (CNHSS) explores our borough’s history, geology, archaeology, flora and fauna, by hosting talks, walks, and more.

I had encountered the society a couple of times over the years – I went on an excellent orchid walk on Kenley Common (yes, orchids), and also attended an interesting talk on the fire of Croydon Minster, both pre-Covid. 

However I wasn’t a member, and the society wasn’t particularly active on social media so I didn’t really hear what they were up to, until last year that is, when a neighbour (who happens to be a CNHSS lifetime member) introduced me to the society’s president Carole Roberts. Carole and I first spoke when I was wearing my official work ‘graphic designer’ hat, as the Society was looking to add a Croydon Green Spaces directory to their website. When we chatted we realised the task was more than adding this very useful section to their site, and it turned into a project where we refreshed the society’s look and feel, to help with their plans to broaden their communications, and widen their membership.

When I started working with Carole, the CNHSS symbol was based on a bronze disc from the 5th-6th century – an artefact that was originally found back in 1893 in a Saxon cemetery in Edridge Road, Croydon. We definitely didn’t want to get rid of the society’s historical symbol, and in fact it became the catalyst for the whole look and feel, as the society now has other symbols to represent their areas of study, from a jug found in Norwood (C. 1250 AD) for archeology, to a Surrey Iron Railway wheel for industrial history. 

Since working with CNHSS I realise the society is woven into the cultural fabric of Croydon: last Autumn they were involved in the Walnut Fair at Pollocks Toy Museum; earlier this month they kicked off Croydon’s cultural calendar, with an extremely well attended talk from Croydonopolis author Will Noble. CNHSS members and (indeed) non-members from far and wide queued to pack into the large hall at East Croydon United Reformed Church, to hear Will’s entertaining journey through Croydon’s history.

I catch up with Carole again, this time with my Croydonist hat on, for her to tell us a bit more about the society.

Croydonist: Why should Croydonist readers consider membership to CNHSS?

Carole: We are a non-political Croydon society with interests in many aspects of local life – local history, geology, archaeology, industrial history, ecology, birds and insects. Our events get you thinking. We have such interesting speakers and many of us with one particular interest find we learn much from talks on another. The live talks also give a chance to meet with others with an enquiring mind. Although events are also open to non members for a discretionary donation, membership helps us keep the society going.

Croydonist: You have recently updated your website with a new style – why was that?

Carole: Our former website was created in 2014 and has served us very well. However the internet has moved on so we felt it time for a refresh. We also wanted to add in the Green Spaces pages which would not have been easy to do on our former website.

Croydonist: Why was it important to add a green spaces directory to the new site?

Carole: It’s something we have wanted to do for some time. We hope that as a long-standing society (founded in 1870) that has almost equally as long been interested in conservation we can give another perspective on our green spaces. You will find a personal observation of each one together with our own photographs. In time we hope to add some of the nature records from our past publications. 

Croydonist: You have retained some Zoom events – why?

Carole: Like many other societies we turned to Zoom talks during Covid, and it enabled our more distant members to hear those talks which is something we don’t want to lose. We continue to experiment with the mix of live and Zoom talks – currently between January and mid-March we have only Zoom or live Saturday afternoon talks so that members don’t have to come out on a winter’s evening.

Thank you to Carole for chatting with me. This April is CNHSS’s 155th anniversary. Check out their programme of upcoming events here, and why not consider a membership…

First and last image, courtesy of CNHSS (full image notes here), Will Noble talk by Laurie Ayres, and orchids by the Croyodnist.

Posted by Julia