Bristol U3A: Talks at Monthly Meetings

Talks at Monthly Meetings

The Monthly Meetings are open to all members as well as visitors. Coffee and biscuits are followed by a talk by an invited speaker. Please scroll down to see the varied programme of speakers for the next few months. This is an ideal opportunity to meet other members, the committee and many of the group convenors.

The meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month apart from August and December when there is no meeting. Doors open 9.45am. Coffee and tea served until 10.20am, the talk starts at 10.30am and the meeting finishes by noon.

The venue is upstairs in Broadmead Baptist Church at the bottom of Union Street BS1 3HY. It is behind Tesco and opposite Poundland and the nos. 3 and 4 bus stop. There is a lift in the building.

There is no charge, apart from 20p for refreshments. Please bring your membership card.

We would welcome occasional help with greeting new members.

If you need disabled parking, or for any other information, please click on the pigeon "send a message" link.

Dates for your Diary
October 2019
Tue Oct 15th	Meeting	Paul Barnett: The Severn Bridge Disaster Paul Barnett spoke to us about the Purton Hulks in 2017. Today's topic will be the Severn Bridge Disaster.Can you remember the accident in 1960 when two tanker barges collided with the Severn Railway Bridge, bringing a couple of spans down on to the ships, causing the cargo of petrol to ignite? The bridge was never repaired or replaced, changing the lives of those who lived either side of the bridge forever.
November 2019
Tue Nov 19th	Meeting	Liz Newman: The Brigstowe Village Band Liz is a founder member of the Brigstowe Village Band. They have modelled themselves on the village bands depicted in Thomas Hardy's novels and poems. The talk, entitled Autumn to Winter, will feature English tunes, songs, dances, and stories from the Wessex of Thomas Hardy, with the Brigstowe Village Band. www.brigstowevillageband.com
December 2019
Tue Dec 17th	Meeting	Christmas Social Morning
January 2020
Tue Jan 21st	Meeting	Elizabeth Rhodes: Life Before Tea Bags Elizabeth was an Education Officer at Bristol Museum. She delivers many historical talks which are illustrated with slides and interesting artefacts. This particular talk is a ramble through social history between about 1890 and 1950. It was a time of tremendous change especially so for women and the working man.
February 2020
Tue Feb 18th	Meeting	David Carter: Borrowing and Rivalry - the English and French Language over 1000 years David is a U3A member and has prepared this talk especially for us. English and French are the most widely used languages in the world. The most widely spoken, Chinese, is spoken by more people. Both English and French emerged in the early medieval period and David is going to tell us how the languages were used over the period and how French enjoyed enormous prestige for six centuries for both cultural and political reasons. Both languages borrowed from each other.
March 2020
Tue Mar 17th	Meeting	Ralph Jerram: Desert Island Discs Chronicling the history of Desert Island Discs from its beginning through to the current day. Desert Island Discs is both enduring and relevant and indeed comforting in casting away the biggest names of the day - in Sport, Science, Business, Politics, Showbiz and the Arts - and gives a wonderful snapshot of the decades.
April 2020
Tue Apr 21st	Meeting	Graham Short, Miniaturist Graham is considered to be one of the world’s leading exponents of micro art. He will talk to us about his work and explain how he has engraved on the sharp edge of a razor, how he has engraved The Lord’s Prayer on a pin head and how he managed his biggest challenge to date - to engrave Simon Armitage’s 51 word poem, dedicated to the fight against cancer, on to a 2cm x 1cm chemotherapy pill.
May 2020
Tue May 19th	Meeting	Dr James Taylor: Postcards This is a very entertaining and informative talk on the subject of British humour in the forgotten art of the picture postcard. One of the most gifted postcard artists was Frederick Lewin who was born in Bristol and was the son of a sea captain. Dr Taylor concentrates on the years between 1840 and 1950 and explains how some postcards entertained, uplifted, motivated and instructed their recipients.
June 2020
Tue Jun 16th	Meeting	Annual General Meeting All are more than welcome and this is an opportunity to raise issues you care about.
July 2020
Tue Jul 21st	Meeting	Dudley Thomas: My Life of Crime Dudley is a retired barrister and he will give us a very entertaining, light hearted talk about his career and some of the interesting characters he has met along the way. Dudley’s fee will go to an Ethiopian Charity.
September 2020
Tue Sep 15th	Meeting	Roger Browne: A Lifetime of Music Roger is a renowned jazz pianist, playing for nearly 25 years with Mart Rodger Manchester Jazz. He will deliver a fascinating talk about his life in the world of music. Roger will bring his own piano and has a wealth of funny stories to share.
October 2020
Tue Oct 20th	Meeting	Brian Freeland: Around the World in 80 Plays Brian has spent his whole career in the theatre. He has travelled extensively with British Council theatre companies and will tell us about his life , his travels, his adventures and the many different people he has met. This is the title of Brian’s first book.
November 2020
Tue Nov 17th	Meeting	Janet Diamond: Unearthing Egyptology Janet has lived in Cairo and has made an in depth study of Egypt. She lectures on cruise ships as well as around the UK. Her presentation will look at the early settlers and the movement of these semi-nomadic people. She will tell us about the Egyptian fabulous wealth and the deep theology, going on to the beginning of the pharaonic rule which saw the building of the pyramids.

Dates for your Diary
Meetings
Tue Oct 15th	Paul Barnett: The Severn Bridge Disaster Paul Barnett spoke to us about the Purton Hulks in 2017. Today's topic will be the Severn Bridge Disaster.Can you remember the accident in 1960 when two tanker barges collided with the Severn Railway Bridge, bringing a couple of spans down on to the ships, causing the cargo of petrol to ignite? The bridge was never repaired or replaced, changing the lives of those who lived either side of the bridge forever.
Tue Nov 19th	Liz Newman: The Brigstowe Village Band Liz is a founder member of the Brigstowe Village Band. They have modelled themselves on the village bands depicted in Thomas Hardy's novels and poems. The talk, entitled Autumn to Winter, will feature English tunes, songs, dances, and stories from the Wessex of Thomas Hardy, with the Brigstowe Village Band. www.brigstowevillageband.com
Tue Dec 17th	Christmas Social Morning
Tue Jan 21st 2020	Elizabeth Rhodes: Life Before Tea Bags Elizabeth was an Education Officer at Bristol Museum. She delivers many historical talks which are illustrated with slides and interesting artefacts. This particular talk is a ramble through social history between about 1890 and 1950. It was a time of tremendous change especially so for women and the working man.
Tue Feb 18th 2020	David Carter: Borrowing and Rivalry - the English and French Language over 1000 years David is a U3A member and has prepared this talk especially for us. English and French are the most widely used languages in the world. The most widely spoken, Chinese, is spoken by more people. Both English and French emerged in the early medieval period and David is going to tell us how the languages were used over the period and how French enjoyed enormous prestige for six centuries for both cultural and political reasons. Both languages borrowed from each other.
Tue Mar 17th 2020	Ralph Jerram: Desert Island Discs Chronicling the history of Desert Island Discs from its beginning through to the current day. Desert Island Discs is both enduring and relevant and indeed comforting in casting away the biggest names of the day - in Sport, Science, Business, Politics, Showbiz and the Arts - and gives a wonderful snapshot of the decades.
Tue Apr 21st 2020	Graham Short, Miniaturist Graham is considered to be one of the world’s leading exponents of micro art. He will talk to us about his work and explain how he has engraved on the sharp edge of a razor, how he has engraved The Lord’s Prayer on a pin head and how he managed his biggest challenge to date - to engrave Simon Armitage’s 51 word poem, dedicated to the fight against cancer, on to a 2cm x 1cm chemotherapy pill.
Tue May 19th 2020	Dr James Taylor: Postcards This is a very entertaining and informative talk on the subject of British humour in the forgotten art of the picture postcard. One of the most gifted postcard artists was Frederick Lewin who was born in Bristol and was the son of a sea captain. Dr Taylor concentrates on the years between 1840 and 1950 and explains how some postcards entertained, uplifted, motivated and instructed their recipients.
Tue Jun 16th 2020	Annual General Meeting All are more than welcome and this is an opportunity to raise issues you care about.
Tue Jul 21st 2020	Dudley Thomas: My Life of Crime Dudley is a retired barrister and he will give us a very entertaining, light hearted talk about his career and some of the interesting characters he has met along the way. Dudley’s fee will go to an Ethiopian Charity.
Tue Sep 15th 2020	Roger Browne: A Lifetime of Music Roger is a renowned jazz pianist, playing for nearly 25 years with Mart Rodger Manchester Jazz. He will deliver a fascinating talk about his life in the world of music. Roger will bring his own piano and has a wealth of funny stories to share.
Tue Oct 20th 2020	Brian Freeland: Around the World in 80 Plays Brian has spent his whole career in the theatre. He has travelled extensively with British Council theatre companies and will tell us about his life , his travels, his adventures and the many different people he has met. This is the title of Brian’s first book.
Tue Nov 17th 2020	Janet Diamond: Unearthing Egyptology Janet has lived in Cairo and has made an in depth study of Egypt. She lectures on cruise ships as well as around the UK. Her presentation will look at the early settlers and the movement of these semi-nomadic people. She will tell us about the Egyptian fabulous wealth and the deep theology, going on to the beginning of the pharaonic rule which saw the building of the pyramids.