Chair and Exhibitions – Kathy Atherton
Kathy is an ex-city lawyer who wrote H and I for the Oxford English Dictionary in a past life. She now writes history, and has written the Museum Guide to Dorking as well as books on the history of the Holmwoods, the Pethick-Lawrences and the fight for the vote in the Surrey Hills, the First World War in Dorking and the Dorking Mayflower travellers. She is now working on a book about Mary Neal, the Esperance Dancers and the Morris Dance Revival.
Marketing and Communications – David Burton
A Law graduate from the University of Leeds, David followed a career in marketing research and communications. A local resident for around 50 years and local business owner for 20 years, he joined the Museum team before its reopening in 2012 and is in the marketing and communications team, working with local media and producing a range of publicity materials, including our little book on The Dorking Cockerel.
Facilities Manager – Howard Etches
Howard comes to us after a long career as a project manager. He has worked all over the world, and has returned to the UK after a period of time working in Dubai.
He is currently using his expertise in Health and Safety and Risk Management to volunteer as Facilities Manager for the Museum.
Archive Manager – Susannah Horne
Currently working full-time for Surrey County Council, Susannah has volunteered at the Museum since 2010. She supervises the archive teams and looks after the library, while also acting as secretary of the Cockerel Press. Susannah has a degree in History and Archaeology and an MA in Medieval Studies and has published three works of local history. Despite being a fervent medievalist, she’s now researching the impact of the Civil War on Dorking.
Treasurer – Sue Tombs
Sue was an accountant in local government for about 35 years and has been Museum Treasurer since about 1990!
She likes nothing better than a nice spreadsheet, especially if it balances.
She is interested in local history, particularly maps and old photographs.
Cave Tour Manager – Jean Ward
After a career which spanned many roles working for a global I.T. company in business transformation, Jean took up the challenge of setting up and running the Cave Tours which have proved so popular and a significant income source for the museum. She has an honorary B.Ed degree specialising in geography and cartography, an MBA and a marketing diploma. Moving on from running Operations, Jean is now chairman of the trustee board of the Dorking Society
Curator of Artworks – Stephen Thomas 
Stephen started his working life as a Trainee with the Local Electricity Board. During this
period, he spent time in their whole area of activity from Accountancy, HR, Drawing
office, Electrical contracting, to Retail shops, Stores and Public lighting. He
progressed through the Company and held managerial posts as a Customer Service
Manager at East Kent, Maidstone, Guildford, Teddington and Croydon. During the
privatisation of the Energy Industry, he was seconded to the Electricity
Privatisation Team working with Government on the floatation of the Electricity
Supply Industry. Following this, he was appointed as Project Manager on the
largest change undertaken by the Utility. A multi-million-pound programme
re-engineering the whole of Seeboard’s Information Systems and implementing the
latest digital technologies to reduce costs and improve service. Stephen is founder and was CEO to the Literacy Charity Let’s Read Ltd for twenty plus years as well as a volunteer tutor teaching struggling children to learn to read.
He was elected Master of the Worshipful Company of Lightmongers in 2019/20 and is currently Chair of their Charitable Trust, a role he has held for the past five years.
He has had a passion for Art since childhood and is excited with the challenge of this new role.
