Upcoming Events

An equally famous Thomas in the history of railway building, Thomas Brassey was born at Buerton, Aldford, near Chester in 1805.  He was at the forefront of railway mania, building railways across the world and employing some 85,000 men at the height of his career. Our speaker, Peter Bolt, is Secretary of the Thomas Brassey Society and has been involved with the subject for over 50 years.

The return of Michael Crumplin, a retired surgeon from Wrexham hospital, is much anticipated.  In November he will be looking at what surgery was like, from both sides of the knife, from 1914 to 1918 and aren't we thankful we are living now and not then. His lectures are like no other and not to be missed.  

Jean Finney is a singer, songwriter and artist but in December she will be Joyce Grenfell for the evening - wonderful. So behave yourselves: "George, don't do that".

In January Tony Bostock, a local well-known historian, will be joining us to take a look at the life and loves of a Maid of Honour at the court of Elizabeth I.  Mary Fitton became a favourite of the Queen but was she also the Dark Lady of Shakespeare's sonnets? Join us on one of those dark January nights to find out.

Chris Green will be giving us the amazing story of the villagers of Eyam in Derbyshire, who voted to quarantine when the bubonic plague came to their village in 1665.  What happened next?  Some of the descendants of the survivors are still living in the village to this day.

Unlike those painters who use their artistic licence to great effect, those artists who painted ship portraits are renowned for a careful and accurate depiction of their subjects.  The ships' masters commissioning the work demanded a precise rendition of their chosen vessel.  Our speaker, Jonathan Aylen, explores the narratives and peculiarities behind some of these paintings.

Miss Lydia Becker was a suffragist, scientist and trailblazer from Manchester, who in the late 19th century became the national leader of the women's suffrage movement, inspiring a 14 year old Emmeline Pankhurst.  Although dying 13 years before the founding of the Suffragettes, her work helped to lay the foundations of the campaigns of the early 20th century. Joanna M Williams, an historian and author, will be revealing all.

This month we have Dr Michael Nevell, Head of Archaeology at the University of Salford, looking at the archaeology of Warburton from its prehistoric past to its 19th century buildings.    We will be taking a look at the Warburton Roman hoard, the timber framed and brick buildings of the village including the church and the post-medieval corn mill site. Perhaps after this talk you will be able to look at your own locality with new eyes.