Mick Taylor is a volunteer at the Wandle museum and has undertaken many talks. He will speak to us about mills on the River Wandle. With around 50 mills and a number of different industries, the talk covers 400 years of history. Date: 20th February 2025 Time: 8pm Venue: St Mary’s Barnes […]
Gilly King is a retired archivist for Roehampton University, and she will be talking to us about the history of Whitelands College which later became Roehampton Institute of Higher Education. Her talks have been described a “a rich story of historical insights and a few anecdotes charged with energy.” Date: 25th January 2025 Time: 2.30pm […]
Dr Caroline Shenton will give us an account of the day parliament burned down, and explain the ramifications of the event on British Society. Her book on this topic won the Political Book of the Year Award in 2013 and Mary Beard called it ‘microhistory at its absolute best’ while Dan Jones considered it ‘glorious’. She […]
Peter Williams will talk to us about Lord Desborough, an outstanding sportsman and a driving force behind the 1908 Olympic Games. He also served as the chairman of the Thames Conservancy. Date: 12th December 2024 Time: 8pm (Christmas drinks and nibbles served from 7.30pm). Venue: St Mary’s Barnes […]
Chris Ransted will talk to us about lesser-known events and personalities relating to the early years of Explosive Ordnance Disposal. He will give a comprehensive account of the Home Guard’s role, auxiliary Bomb Disposal Units and details of conscientious objector involvement with unexploded bombs. Date: 21st November 2024 Time: 8pm Venue: St Mary’s Barnes […]
Doug Kirby will talk to us about his great uncle who lived in Finsbury Park and joined a London Battalion in WW1, spending time in the army camp in Richmond Park. A mix of local history, family history and military history about The Great War. Date: 17th October 2024 Time: 8pm Venue: St Mary’s Parish […]
The talk will cover the origins of the Kit Kat Club, its members and their political and literary associations. Ophelia Field is a historical biographer, a freelance writer and a tutor for MA students. She is author of The Favourite and The Kit Kat Club. Date: 19th September 2024 Time: 8pm Venue: St Mary’s Barnes […]
Sarah will wear a beautiful costume and talk about all the naughty bits of history you would probably not have learnt about at school! She will discuss royal mistresses, prostitution, SDTs and the methods used to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Warning, this talk is not for the prude, it is fun but rude! Lecture Date: Thursday […]
Read More… from Secrets, Scandal and Salacious Gossip of the Royal Court, 1660 to 1830
“The Richmond Murderess” is the story of Kate Webster. In this talk Vicky McGrath, Learning Officer at the Museum of Richmond, will take a closer look at an infamous crime from Victorian Richmond. As well as exploring the story of the murder and trial, the talk will also explore how Victorian attitudes and morals meant […]
When Queen Charlotte died at Kew Palace in 1818, the Royal Kitchens were locked and used for storage for the next two centuries. A restoraton project was completed in 2011 and Lee Prosser will explain how the kitchens were brought back to life, and what they can tell us about the food and drink at […]
Read More… from The 18th century royal kitchens at Kew; a story of architecture, food and etiquette
