Date |
Event |
Venue and
Time |
Monday |
18 November 2024 |
34th Annual General Meeting |
Memorial Hall - 7:30pm |
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New and old
members and guests welcome. |
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Followed by: Call My Bluff Style
Quiz |
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Monday |
20 January 2025 |
The History of the RNLI - Anthony
Gerrard |
Memorial Hall - 7:30pm |
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Anthony’s
presentation gives an insight into the history of the RNLI, its development
through two hundred years of service, how busy the organisation has become
and how it runs proudly as a charity with mostly volunteers. He sheds light
on how much it costs to fund RNLI activities, where the funding comes from
and the types of equipment used by RNLI teams all around the UK. And at the
role the RNLI plays in educating children in water safety both across the UK
and internationally. |
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Monday |
17 February 2025 |
A History ‘Walk’ round Faringdon - Dr Mike Wise |
Memorial Hall - 7:30pm |
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In 1681,
Thomas Baskerville described Faringdon as ‘pretty well built with some good
inns for entertainment’. The talk covers the Faringdon sponge gravels;
Faringdon’s strategic location as a crossroads and staging post; the history
of the buildings and the market, comparing contemporary and historic images;
the ownership of the manor and the role of Faringdon House in the Civil War.
But why were Crown Prince Wilhelm and a German delegation at the Bell in
1909? |
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Monday |
17 March 2025 |
‘Littlecote Roman Villa’ - Dr Hugh Pihlens |
Memorial Hall - 7:30pm |
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Littlecote
Roman Villa is one of the great treasures of Britain. It was first discovered
in the early 18th century, but it was then purposely covered over and
abandoned. 250 years later, in 1976, it was rediscovered, and a team of
archaeologists worked for 13 years to explore and restore it. More recently
it has been further renovated and improved for visitors to enjoy. Littlecote
is a very unusual villa, with a history covering the whole period of Roman
occupation. It includes one of the finest and largest mosaics in
Britain. |
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Monday |
14 April 2025 |
Queen Katherine Parr – Gloucestershire’s Queen - Mike
Bottomley |
Memorial Hall - 7:30pm |
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An
integrated live presentation of the extraordinary life of Katherine Parr the
sixth wife of Henry VIII. Using music, readings and video to recreate the
atmosphere and intrigues of the Tudor Court we tell the largely unknown story
of this incredible Queen and her journey from obscurity to the heart of
English history and on to her final resting place at Sudeley Castle.
Stepmother to two Queens, “Bloody Mary” and Elizabeth I, Queen, Queen Regent,
Wife and Lover, Katherine’s life story resonates through the ages and is a
must for all who are fascinated by our country’s dramatic history. |
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Monday |
19 May 2025 |
The Road to Peace is Paved
with Headstones - The Commonwealth War Graves Commission; its History and
Legacy - Dick Richards |
Memorial Hall - 7:30pm |
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This talk
highlights the role played by those far-sighted men and women who established
an organisation, now known as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, so that
remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice will endure in
perpetuity. We will look at the architectural and physical characteristics of
the cemeteries and memorials as well as the underlying principles that govern
their design. |
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June 2025 |
Visit TBA |
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July 2025 |
Visit TBA |
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Monday |
15 September 2025 |
Place-names and archaeology
in and around Gloucestershire - Dr Simon Draper |
Memorial Hall - 7:30pm |
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Dr Simon
Draper will explore the origins and meanings of place- and fieldnames in our
region with special links to archaeological remains, from prehistoric forts
to Roman villas and Anglo-Saxon meeting-places. Come along and learn which
names to look out for in your local landscape. |
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Monday |
20 October 2025 |
The History of Stroud - Ian
Mackintosh (or Ann Taylor) |
Memorial Hall - 7:30pm |
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In the
opinion of a Gloucestershire Archivist, Stroud, like Topsy, ‘just grew’.
Originally it was part of Bisley parish but in 1304 the Composition of Stroud
created ‘the Limitation of Stroud’ centred on what is now the church and the
marketplace. Over the centuries Stroud outgrew Bisley and became a parish in
its own right and ‘a sort of capital of the clothing villages’. This talk traces, and explains, the origins
of the town, explains the uncomplimentary meaning of the name, and talks
about some of Stroud’s past characters.know it today was rooted in Victorian
innovation. |
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Monday |
17 November 2025 |
35th Annual General Meeting |
Memorial Hall - 7:30pm |
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New and old
members and guests welcome. |
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Followed by: Cotswolds
Cornucopia – Sean Callery |
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The
Cotswolds is one of Britain’s most scenic areas where rolling green hills are
speckled with honey stone villages. There’s a story behind every scenic site,
for this area was once the heart of the English economy and its landscape is
now regarded as one of the treasures of Britain.
Take a whirlwind tour of ten famous Cotswolds villages and towns. Enjoy
their scenery and stories - plus at each stop-off, discover a quirky fact
that I guarantee will surprise you. The talk reveals how Japan connects with
a famous landmark, why a man stares into space for eternity, and some amazing
connections with sports, writers and the Houses of Parliament. |
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