All meetings, unless otherwise stated, are held at Wallerscote Community School at 7.30 pm on the second Tuesday of the month.

Programme 2013 - 2014

2013

10th September

Ian Doughty

Chair and Collections Manager Congleton Museum

"Congleton, a textile town"

Congleton Museum Trust was formed in 1985 by a group of local history enthusiasts. In 2002 the trust opened the museum in the former police station to display numerous items of historical interest including an Anglo Saxon log boat, a burial urn from 1500 BC, two major 17th Century coin hoards , plus more recent items.

See http://www.congletonmuseum.co.uk

8th October

Hugh Beggs

Retired schoolmaster

"Delamere, the story of a wooded ridge" 

A 200-million -year story showing how geology, glaciation, revegetation and human settlement have shaped the Forest as we know it today.

12th November

Dr. Jacqueline Campbell

Medical Historian, University of Alexandria, Egypt

"Pharmacy and cures of the Pharaohs and the Altrincham connection"

10th December - Christmas Party

Brian Halliwell

BA in Ancient History & professional speaker

"The Golden Age of comedy, Part 1"

Please note that this is a private party for members and their guests. An additional charge for food will be payable. Venue to be confirmed.

2014

14th January

Tom Hughes

Education Officer, Weaver Hall Museum

" Pilgrimage in Medieval England "

The journey to a saint’s shrine was an important part of the lives of medieval people. We will find out about a pilgrim’s preparations, his journey, the shrine and the souvenirs. The talk, which will include some Cheshire connections, is presented in Pilgrim costume and there will be a wealth of artefacts to handle.

11th February

Dr. Keith McLay

Associate Dean of Humanities and Head of History & Archaeology, Chester University

"John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough : Soldier and Politician"

Dr McLay's main research interests lie within early modern British and European history, especially the military and political history of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries including in particular early modern amphibious warfare, colonial warfare and the politics and diplomacy of the reigns of William III, Anne, and George I.

( John Churchill's career spanned all three of these monarchs )

11th March - Annual General Meeting

Michael Murphy

Former history teacher

"Crime and punishment in Dickens's London"

8th April

Glen Atkinson

 Retired engineer

"Building the "Big Ditch"

“The presentation uses original magic lantern glass slides produced by a Ship Canal photographer documenting the building of the Ship Canal from Manchester to Eastham, fully explained in an entertaining and informative manner.”

13th May

David Mitchell

Town Crier to the historic city of Chester

"The Word on the Street"

David Mitchell is the Town Crier of Chester, the only place in Britain to have retained the tradition of regular midday proclamations at a fixed place and time (Tuesday-Saturday, May-August, at noon; 10.30am on Race Days). He is the current British Champion, Best Dressed Crier and People’s Champion – awards which he won at the LCTC British Championship in Alnwick in July 2008.

http://www.chestertowncriers.com

10th June

Colin Edmonson

River Weaver historian

Colin Edmondson has been researching the history of the Weaver and the local salt industry for the last ten years, in archives all over the country,

"Salt and Subsidence"

Looking at the story of salt mining and brine pumping in the area around Northwich and the catastrophic effects of the subsidence that this caused. Lavishly illustrated!

8th July

Edward Hilditch

Chairman, Burton and Neston Local History Society

"A Cheshire Diary 1914 - 1918"

His grandfather lived in mid Cheshire and kept a diary. His previous talk to the society contained extracts from the diary and pictures of some of the events mentioned 1890-1914. This one continues with extracts from the diary written during WWI and gives an insight into life on the home front. His grandfather lived at Elworth, Sandbach and worked at Fodens