Theme Meetings

19 Sep 

Holly Budge 

Holly Budge

Holly Budge is an extraordinary adventurer. Not only has she climbed Everest she has also sky dived over the mountain. On land she has raced 1000kms over the Mongolian Desert on semi wild horses. Discover more about her motivation and what it takes to reach these exceptional goals.

24 Oct

Laurence Anslow  

The Evolution of Charles Darwin: People and Places 

This talk focuses on the family and friends of Charles Darwin; those who were important in all aspects of his life and work. Down House was his HQ for nearly 40 years. The work he did in this environment will be a major part of this presentation. Other places of importance will also feature, including those in London and from his early years.

21 Nov

John Atkinson

Spike Milligan

(1918-2002)

Spike Milligan Irish comedian and writer, musician, poet, playwright and actor. The son of an English mother and Irish father, he was born in British India where he spent his childhood before relocating to England in 1931.

12 Dec 

pm

Andy Wood 

Christmas Entertainment

An afternoon of music, humour and drama presented by Andy and friends.

16 Jan

Andrew Morgan

H G Wells

(1886-1946)

H G Wells was an English novelist, journalist, sociologist and historian best known for such science fiction novels as The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds.

20 Feb

Andy

Wood &

Tricia

Wood

Sultan Qaboos Bin Said

Sultan of Oman from 1970 to 2020. His fifty year reign saw his country transformed from an almost medieval fiefdom to the progressive and modern state he left behind. The last of the ‘Benevolent Despots’. Truly an extraordinary person of our times

20 Mar

Jonathan Jones

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens – did Sykes and Nancy cause his death or was it Doctor Marigold?

17 Apr

Richard Thomas

Cleopatra

Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (70 BCE – 30 BCE) was an Egyptian queen, famous in history and drama as the lover of Julius Caesar and later as the wife of Mark Antony.

15 May

Pam Taylor

King Philip II of

Spain

(1527-1598)

Philip had two main periods of influence on this side of the Channel – during the reign of Mary I and again as the initiator of The Armada against England. He had a long reign as King of Spain, at a time when the Spanish Empire spanned regions of the world. So, was he a mere figurehead or did his complex character influence the shape of world politics and the fierce religious disputes of his time? Come and explore the life of a man who became, for us, one of history’s bogeymen.

19 Jun

Chris Herbert

Elizabeth of Austria

(1837-1898)