Photo: Old Post Office in Yattendon Road (now known as ‘Very Bettie’)
© Google Street Maps

On Saturday 9th April 2022 at 12 noon, a Plaque to Ada Coates was unveiled by two Senior members of Horley Local History Society.

Ada Coates was a telegraphist at the Old Post Office in Yattendon Road (now known as ‘Very Bettie’) which existed in Horley in the late 1800s early 1900s.

Ada was 19 years old when she received the telegraphist message on 17th May 1900 that ‘Mafeking had been relieved’ during the Boer War, before passing it on.
Ada was born and lived in Lumley Road, Horley most of her life and died in 1961.

This is the first Plaque to be unveiled in Horley, and HLHS hope to unveil more in the near future.

Neil Munday spoke with Jean Pelham, a member of the Horley Local History Society and Cllr Samantha Marshall of Horley Town Council.