Above is the former HCA Office at 29 West Street taken around 1914. (Photo Credit: Jeremy Knight Horsham Museum)
The Horsham Conservative Association has been based in Gough House in Madeira Avenue since December 1989. It is believed that Gough House (originally called Madeira House) was originally built as a chapel and subsequently turned into a laundry before conversion to offices several decades ago.
Prior to that, between 1966 and 1989, we were based in offices at 45 East Street (pictured left) but had to move when the Albion Way road development around Horsham town centre was constructed and that building demolished. This was followed by a brief spell at 54 Park Street. Previously, we had offices at 2a Bishopric and, between 1911 and 1914, at 29 West Street (pictured above).
The name of our building is in honour of a previous Member of Parliament for Horsham, Colonel Charles Frederick Howard Gough MC TD, who was the MP between 1951 and 1964. Colonel Frederick Gough also served as both Chairman and then President of the Horsham Conservative Association from 1964 until the time of his death in 1977.
The previous Chairmen of the Horsham Conservative Association are listed below;
HCA Chairmen HCA Presidents
2019 to Date - Mr Adrian M Lee 2016 to Date - Mr Brad Watson OBE
2016 to 2019 - Mrs Tricia Youtan 2011 to 2016 - Mrs Betty Rodrigues OBE
2012 to 2016 - Mr Brad Watson OBE 2006 to 2011 - Mrs Pen Greenwood
2008 to 2012 - Mr Christian Mitchell 1998 to 2006 - Rt Hon Sir Peter Hordern DL PC*
2004 to 2008 - Mrs Alison Donnithorne-Tait 1993 to 1998 - Mr Roger Taylor
2001 to 2004 - Mr Roger Edworthy 1989 to 1993 - Mr David Rodrigues
1997 to 2001 - Mrs Betty Rodrigues OBE 1978 to 1989 - Mr Charles Lucas DL JP
1994 to 1997 - Mr Brad Watson OBE 1970 to 1977 - Colonel Charles F H Gough MC TD*
1991 to 1994 - Mr Peter Catchpole 1961 to 1970 - Rt Hon Lord Egremont MBE JP
1988 to 1991 - Mrs Joy Ryley 1951 to 1961 - Rt Hon Earl Winterton DL TD JP*
1985 to 1988 - Mrs Olga Rowe MBE
1982 to 1985 - Mr Roger Taylor * Denotes former Member of Parliament for Horsham
1979 to 1982 - Mr David Rodrigues
1975 to 1979 - Mrs Rosemary Cowley CBE
1973 to 1975 - Mr Anthony Windrum
1970 to 1973 - Mrs Aileen Buckle MBE
1964 to 1970 - Colonel Charles F H Gough MC TD*
1962 to 1964 - Major-General James M L Renton CB DSO OBE DL JP
1959 to 1962 - Miss Joan Quennell MBE JP
(Kind thanks to Mrs Betty Rodrigues OBE, Councillor Christian Mitchell and Mr David Clark who helped in providing some of the history recorded here).