Monthly Talks

Our Annual General Meeting will be followed by a talk by our eminent president, Dr John Harcup OBE, entitled ‘Jokes and Japes of Edward Elgar’.

Dr Gillian White formerly worked for the National Trust as a Curator/Collections Manager at Hardwick Hall.

The talk is entitled THE ELIZABETHAN COUNTRY HOUSE. It examines one of the most lively and creative periods of English country house building when ambitious courtiers built mansions in a uniquely English style.

Dianne Everton was a television Producer and Director.

Her talk MY LIFE IN TELEVISION is about her career and the programmes she worked on.

Will Scott is a retired Architect and Urban Planning Consultant who has spent a lifetime specialising in the conservation of historic buildings and areas.

Will will be talking about HISTORIC BUILDINGS IN WORCESTER which will include an illustrated tour of the conservation of historic buildings and areas of Worcester.

David was a Chief Petty Officer Engineer in The Royal Yacht Britannia in some of its more busy days including the USA Bicentennial in 1976, and the Silver Jubilee in 1977.

David’s much acclaimed talk is AT SEA WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY and which is an informative, entertaining, and meaningful presentation composed of a narrative supported by appropriate slides.

This months speaker is Tim Bridges who is the Conservation Advisor for the Birmingham and West Midlands Victorian Society. His talk is on VICTORIAN AND EDWARDIAN BUILDINGS OF BIRMINGHAM AND THE WEST MIDLANDS and will explore the 19^th and early 20^th century architectural heritage of industry, civic life, housing, and places of worship.

This month we welcome Max Keen. He will be talking about THE HISTORY OF DUDLEY CASTLE. This castle has been a fortress since 1087 and has seen its fair share of sieges, political derring do and royal visits.

Max is a retired teacher and is qualified in archaeology.

To complement the Civic Society outing to the Worcester Porcelain Museum in October we are having a talk given by Chris Gait on DR JOHN WALL – FOUNDER OF WORCESTER PORCELAIN. This is about the life and times of the remarkable Dr John Wall who was a physician, painter, and porcelain maker.

The talk this month is being given by James Cooper and is entitled MADE IN THE COTSWOLDS. This is primarily a look at Arts & Crafts furniture Designers/makers working in the Cotswolds – Ernest Gimson and the Barnsley Brothers etc – beginning with the design principles of Pugin, Ruslin, and Morris.

Robert Barber was originally an apprentice in the motor industry but moved into Insurance . He is giving us a talk on the HISTORY OF SUGAR AND THE KIDDERMINSTER FACTORY. This is a look at how the manufacture of sugar began 5000 years ago and its spread throughout the world including the horrors of slavery. It finishes with the Sugar Factory in Kidderminster and its campaign for building it in the late 19^th century and why it did not materialise until the 1920’s.