Leigh & District

Women in History

Facilitator:Barbara Joyce 07516 225608
Venue & time:Kingsleigh Community Centre10.15am - 12.15pm4th Monday in month
repeated at1pm - 3pmon the same day

REPORT BACK ON MEETING HELD ON 25.03.24 AND INVITATION TO THE NEXT MEETING on 22.04.24

We would love to see you at our next meeting which is on Monday 22nd April. It is a discussion group and some of you may wish to bring information on SINGERS. This can be any female singer - from history or contemporary and from high opera to country and western.

All members are welcome and it is fine to attend as a 'one off' to see if the group suits you. No problem if it is not for you - you will not be 'chased up!' The same applies to non members, who can try the group prior to committing to joining the u3a. Room hire is £1.50 and the meeting is held at the Community Centre in the grounds of Kingsleigh Methodist Church, King Street, Leigh. The church is directly opposite the bus station. Free dedicated parking for the centre is off Cook Street, which in turn is off Railway Road. Immediate left through the metal gates after Platinum House.

We had a presentation from Chris - one of our members - in March. This looked at 'celebrity' and concluded that celebrity was not a new thing although the advent of the internet has made it more immediate. Thanks to Chris for a really interesting talk.

The calendar for the remainder of this year is below and you would be welcome to any of the meetings. No need to book.

Women in History 2023/2024
22.04.24 Singers – discussion group
27.05.24 Unsung heroines of Leigh and district - presentation
24.06.24 Women of the 1950s – discussion group
22.07.24 Comedians – discussion group
26.08.24 Divorce – presentation
23.09.24 Welsh women – discussion group
28.10.24 Aviators - presentation
25.11.24 Kennedy women and Windsor women – discussion group
23.12.24 Christmas Customs – presentation

Barbara Joyce

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REPORT BACK ON MEETING HELD ON 26.02.24. AND INVITATION TO THE NEXT MEETING on 25.03.24

Our next meeting will be held on MONDAY 25th MARCH 2024. As usual the meeting will be at 10.15 in the morning with a repeat at 1pm on the same day. Room hire is £1.50 and the meeting is held at the Community Centre in the grounds of Kingsleigh Methodist Church, King Street, Leigh. The church is directly opposite the bus station. Free dedicated parking for the centre is off Cook Street, which in turn is off Railway Road. Immediate left through the metal gates after Platinum House.

The topic is 'The Cult of Celebrity' and is a presentation by one of our members, Christine. Celebrity has always been with us and is a fascinating topic.

Please feel free to join us and the remainder of this years dates are below.

25.03.24 The cult of celebrity – presentation
22.04.24 Singers – discussion group
27.05.24 Unsung heroines of Leigh and district - presentation
24.06.24 Women of the 1950s – discussion group
22.07.24 Comedians – discussion group
26.08.24 Divorce – presentation
23.09.24 Welsh women – discussion group
28.10.24 Aviators - presentation
25.11.24 Kennedy women and Windsor women – discussion group
23.12.24 Christmas Customs – presentation

Thanks for reading this

Barbara Joyce

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REPORT BACK ON MEETING HELD ON 22.01.24 AND INVITATION TO THE NEXT MEETING on 26.02.24.

Our next meeting will be held on MONDAY 26th FEBRUARY 2024. As usual the meeting will be at 10.15 in the morning with a repeat at 1pm on the same day.

All members are welcome and it is fine to attend as a 'one off' to see if the group suits you. No problem if it is not for you - you will not be 'chased up!' The same applies to non members, who can try the group prior to committing to joining the u3a. Room hire is £1.50 and the meeting is held at the Community Centre in the grounds of Kingsleigh Methodist Church, King Street, Leigh. The church is directly opposite the bus station. Free dedicated parking for the centre is off Cook Street, which in turn is off Railway Road. Immediate left through the metal gates after Platinum House.

Our topic for February is 'Conwomen'. Confidence tricksters have been with us since time immemorable and women are often very successful at this for various reasons which will be examined in the presentation. To illustrate the way that these women operate we will look at a very recent con in the US, one in 18th Century Bristol and one in contemporary China. Please join us as it should be an entertaining and thought provoking session.

The meeting this month (January 2024) was a topic that we have decided to look at each year and is was obituaries for women who died in the year past. We had some varied and fascinating contributions. Some were well known and others unsung but all had an interesting life that is worthy of consideration.

I look forward to our meeting on the 26th February 2024 and hope to see you there

Barbara Joyce

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REPORT BACK ON MEETING HELD ON 01.01.24 AND INVITATION TO THE NEXT MEETING

We met on the first day of 2024 and it was a well attended meeting with lots of debate and a welcome escape from the festivities.

Every member or potential member is welcome to the next meeting. This will be held on 22nd JANUARY 2023 at 10.15 am and repeated at 1pm.

It is a discussion group and our topic is 'Those we have lost in 2023'. There were many deaths of famous women last year including Mary Quant, Hadyn Gwynne, Glenda Jackson, Tina Turner and more. Please bring any information you may wish to contribute. This is not compulsory of course.

We meet at our usual venue - the Community Centre at Kingsleigh Methodist Church, King Street, Leigh. The church is directly opposite the bus station. Free dedicated parking for the centre is off Cook Street which in turn is off Railway Road. Immediate left through the metal gates after Platinum House.

I have attached a calendar for the remainder of the year. You are welcome to any meeting. No need to book, just turn up and you will be very welcome.

22.01.24 Those we have lost – female deaths in 2023 – discussion group
26.02.24 Conwomen – presentation
25.03.24 The cult of celebrity – presentation
22.04.24 Singers – discussion group
27.05.24 Unsung heroines of Leigh and district - presentation
24.06.24 Women of the 1950s – discussion group
22.07.24 Comedians – discussion group
26.08.24 Divorce – presentation
23.09.24 Welsh women – discussion group
28.10.24 Aviators - presentation
25.11.24 Kennedy women and Windsor women – discussion group
23.12.24 Christmas Customs – presentation

Happy New Year
Barbara Joyce

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REPORT BACK ON MEETING HELD ON 27.11.23 AND INVITATION TO THE NEXT MEETING

Our December meeting would have fallen on the 25th so we have decided to hold a meeting the week after on the first day of 2024. So our meeting will be held on MONDAY 1st JANUARY in the afternoon only. 1pm at our usual venue - the Community Centre at Kingsleigh Methodist Church, King Street, Leigh. The church is directly opposite the bus station. Free dedicated parking for the centre is off Cook Street which in turn is off Railway Road. Immediate left through the metal gates after Platinum House. It will be another presentation - this time on men's hats, knickers for both sexes and mourning clothes in the Victorian age. An odd bag of subjects but all interesting. As it is the holiday season we are also going to confess our 'secret crush'. We all have or have had a crush on a famous person and cannot fully work out why we like him or her. These confessions give rise to lots of laughs and hopefully a good start to a new year.

The 'proper' January meeting is on 22.01.24 when we will hold a discussion group on women who have died in 2023. Hope to see you at either or both meetings. No need to book.

Meanwhile however you celebrate Christmas I hope you have an enjoyable time.

Barbara Joyce

REPORT BACK ON MEETING 23.10.23 AND INVITATION TO THE NOVEMBER 2023 MEETING

Our meeting where we discussed Scottish women was full of interesting contributions and we came away with an enhanced appreciation of the Scottish education system and the many female pioneers.

Our November meeting is the last before Christmas as the 4th Monday in December will fall on Christmas Day.

It's a light hearted presentation about 'Killer Fashion' and it looks at fashion trends that we followed in spite of them being very bad for our health. This includes men's fashion and the great thing about this presentation is the number of excellent pictures that can accompany it. All members - old, new or even just contemplative, are welcome.

The morning meeting starts at 10.15 and the afternoon repeat is at 1pm. The venue is the Community Centre at Kingsleigh Methodist Church, King Street, Leigh. The church is directly opposite the bus station. Parking for the centre is off Cook Street which in turn is off Railway Road.

Please join us - there is no need to book. Just turn up and you will be made most welcome.

Below is the calendar for next year.

27.11.23 Killer Fashion – styles we would die for – presentation
25.12.23 No meeting
22.01.24 Those we have lost – female deaths in 2023 – discussion group
26.02.24 Conwomen – presentation
25.03.24 The cult of celebrity – presentation
22.04.24 Singers – discussion group
27.05.24 Unsung heroines of Leigh and the surrounding area - presentation
24.06.24 Women of the 1950s – discussion group
22.07.24 Comedians – discussion group
26.08.24 Divorce – presentation
23.09.24 Welsh women – discussion group
28.10.24 Aviators - presentation
25.11.24 Kennedy women and Windsor women – discussion group
23.12.24 Christmas Customs – presentation

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REPORT BACK ON MEETING 25.09.23 AND INVITATION TO THE OCTOBER 2023 MEETING

We were treated to a presentation by Sue looking at female artists from the 16th to the 20th Century. This was fully illustrated, including a number of self portraits by the artists. The subject matter and technique has changed greatly over the years but the skill and creativity of these women has shone brightly through the ages. Thanks to Sue for today's session and hopefully there may be another similar presentation in the future.

Our next meeting is on MONDAY 23rd OCTOBER 2023. The morning meeting starts at 10.15 and the afternoon repeat is at 1pm. The venue is the Community Centre at Kingsleigh Methodist Church, King Street, Leigh. The church is directly opposite the bus station. Parking for the centre is off Cook Street which in turn is off Railway Road.

It is a discussion group where members are encouraged to bring some of their own research. This is not compulsory of course. The topic is a wide one which should facilitate some discussion. It is 'One Woman From Scotland'. There are many to choose from and it should be an interesting and lively session.

No need to book and non members can 'try before they buy' for 2 sessions. This means you do not need to join if the u3a is not for you but you will have to pay £1.50 for room hire. Equally existing members may want to attend as a 'one off' and that is fine. You will be made most welcome.

Barbara Joyce

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REPORT BACK ON MEETING 28.08.23 AND INVITATION TO THE SEPTEMBER 2023 MEETING

You are invited to attend our next meeting on MONDAY 25th SEPTEMBER 2023. This meeting will take the form of a presentation on female artists. It will be presented by Sue Fowler who runs our Art Appreciation group and promises to be informative and enjoyable. Please feel free to join the meeting at The Community Centre in the grounds of Kingsleigh Methodist Church on King Street, Leigh. No need to book - just arrive at 10.15 for the morning meeting or 1pm for the afternoon repeat.

Our August meeting was also a presentation. Kath Graham took us through the lives of the Burrows sisters who were born in the early and mid 1900s. They were part of a Methodist family and married either fellow Methodists or well to do industrialists. As such they are an example of Victorian social mobility where in 3 generations the family went from manual work to the upper middle class. Thanks to Kath for all her hard work in researching this fascinating family.

Barbara Joyce

REPORT BACK ON MEETING 24.07.23 AND INVITATION TO THE AUGUST 2023 MEETING

All members (including men) are invited to attend the next Women in History Meeting. This takes the form of a presentation by Kath Graham. Kath's presentations are always popular and the topic looks really interesting. Kath has researched a family from Liverpool and, in particular, the sisters of the Burrows family. They all led fascinating lives and makes us question our view of the times in which they lived.

The presentation will be of particularly relevance to anybody with an interest in history and genealogy.

The presentation is on Bank Holiday Monday 28th August 2023. The morning meeting is 10.15 and the session is repeated at 1pm. The venue is The Community Centre at Kingsleigh Methodist Church on King Street, Leigh. There is a car park which is accessed from Cook Street, immediate left after Platinum House. Parking can be tricky as the car park is used by people not entitled to park there so if you can manage to find another suitable place this may make your attendance less stressful!

The September meeting is another presentation, this time by Sue Fowler looking at Women Artists. The date for this is 25th September. No need to book - just turn up and you will be made most welcome.

Barbara Joyce

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REPORT BACK ON MEETING 26.06.03 AND INVITATION TO THE JULY MEETING

The discussion meeting about fashion designers looked at Mary Quant, Coco Chanel, Stella McCartney, Zandra Rhodes, Diane Von Furstenberg, Sandy Powell and Lady Duff Gordon.

One member brought in her original Mary Quant coat which still looks good after 50 odd years. The women we looked at were all talented. Some had the right contacts and came from privilege. However we concluded that even with these advantages success in this field still demanded hard work, resilience and a good business mind.

Our July meeting takes the form of a presentation. The 'Matilda effect' refers to a pattern in which female scientists’ accomplishments have historically been under-recognised, and credit disproportionally given to male scientists. For whatever reason this has also happened to female musicians, authors, artists and other professions. We will look at some examples and try to assess why this happens and if things are changing for the better.

All members are welcome to join us at Kingsleigh Methodist Church Community Centre on King Street, Leigh on MONDAY 24th JULY 2023. The morning meeting begins at 10.15am and is repeated at 1pm on the same day. No need to book. If you are reading this but are not yet a member you are welcome to 'try before you buy'. This means you can attend the meeting before committing to becoming a paid member. You will be charged £1.50 for the hire of the room.

Hope to see you on the 24th July

Barbara Joyce

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REPORT BACK ON MEETING 22ND MAY 2023 AND INVITATION TO THE JUNE MEETING

It was good to see the large attendance at our May meeting which was almost at pre pandemic figures in spite of the good weather that may have encouraged people to stay at home in the garden.

The topic was 'Ruth Ellis' and Brian Joyce gave a presentation on her life and the murder that resulted in her execution. Of course she could not be executed today but we also thought that some issues that were not considered in 1955 may be more pertinent in a contemporary trial. This included the abuse she suffered throughout her short life, from her father, her first husband and from the man she killed. Food for thought.

Our next meeting is on 26th June 2023 at 10.15 repeated at 1pm. This is a discussion meeting so please feel free to bring your own research. The topic is female fashion designers. We covered this subject a few years ago and it was really interesting as these women tended to lead unusual lives.

All members are welcome and non members can 'try before they buy (join)'. No need to book, just arrive for either session - morning or afternoon. The meetings take place at Kingsleigh Methodist Church Community Centre, King Street, Leigh. Room hire is £1.50.

This is a friendly, fun group where a mix of people can express their views in a safe environment. No pressure on you to bring research but a guarantee that you will leave having discovered something new about the history of women.

Future topics are below

26.06.23 Fashion Designers
24.07.23 Women did the work and men took the credit –
presentation
28.08.23 The lives of the Burrows sisters in 19th Century Liverpool -
presentation
25.09.23 Artists
23.10.23 Women and Healthcare – or the case of the wandering
womb – presentation
27.11.23 Christmas Customs – presentation
25.12.23 Christmas Day – no meeting

Barbara

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REPORT BACK ON APRIL 2023 MEETING AND INVITATION TO THE MAY MEETING

Eeh Chuck our meeting on Coronation Street women went down as well as one of Betty's 'Ot Pots. Good fun and a reminder of great actors playing unforgettable roles.

Another unforgettable woman for our May meeting. This is a presentation and the subject is Ruth Ellis - the last female to be hanged in this country. Why did she commit murder, would today's justice system be kinder to her or was she the perpetrator of a well planned execution on her lover?

Join us on MONDAY 22nd MAY at 10.15 with a repeat at 1pm. The venue is the Community Centre attached to Kingsleigh Methodist Church on King Street Leigh. The building is opposite the Leigh Bus Station and the car park is on Cook Street - immediately left past Platinum House.

Hope to see you there. No need to book - just arrive.

Barbara Joyce

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REPORT BACK ON MARCH MEETING AND INVITATION TO THE APRIL 2023 MEETING

Our next meeting will be held on 24th April 2023 at 10.15 with a repeat at 1pm. The venue is the Community Centre attached to Kingsleigh Methodist Church on King Street, Leigh. Parking for the centre is on Cook Street, off Railway Road.

The topic is 'Women of Coronation Street'. When the programme was devised in the early 60s one of the features was that it would represent the strong women that its creator, Tony Warren, knew from his Salford childhood. Many of the actresses were not well known and became forever bound up with their soap character. Who could forget Bet Lynch, Elsie Tanner, Rita Fairclough, Hilda Ogden and the like. So it should be interesting to look at both the characters and the real life actresses, as well as any other women producers, directors or script writers.

The March meeting looked at local women and selected a variety of women who were born in Greater Manchester or were associated with our area. There was a wide variety of interesting and energetic women discussed and we had a good discussion as always.

Please join us for our next meeting. Booking is not required - just turn up and give it a try!

Barbara Joyce

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February 2023 - Report on February meeting and details of our next meeting in March 2023

Disappointing attendance at our February meeting in the morning, although more full in the afternoon. The topic was cooks/chefs and we had some good information from the group. This ranged from Mrs Beeton to Fanny Craddock and Typhoid Mary to Elizabeth David. Thanks to all members for bringing your research. I do appreciate the thought and effort that goes into your choice of subject and that always makes it all interesting, informative and often amusing. Laughing is said to increase one's life - both the length and the quality - and attending the group is surely good for our mental health. Good company, an agreeable exchange of views and a chance to get away from the day to day routine.

In March we will meet at our new venue. This is the Community Centre in the grounds of Kingsleigh Methodist Church on King Street in Leigh. There is a dedicated car park which is accessed from Cook Street.

The topic is 'One Woman from Greater Manchester' which should present a lot of potential subjects. The date is MONDAY 27th March and the morning meeting starts at 10.15 with a repeat at 1pm. I will be asking if any member is due to attend an afternoon u3a group and will ensure that we finish in plenty of time to facilitate getting from Kingsleigh to the other u3a venues.

The calendar for the remainder of the year with the Monday dates can be found below. All meeting are held in the morning and repeated in the afternoon. All members are welcome and there is no need to book. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the new venue.

27.03.23 One woman from Greater Manchester
24.04.23 Women of Coronation Street
22.05 23 Ruth Ellis- presentation
26.06.23 Fashion Designers
24.07.23 Women did the work and men took the credit –
presentation
28.08.23 The lives of the Burrows sisters in 19th Century Liverpool -
presentation
25.09.23 Artists
23.10.23 Women and Healthcare – or the case of the wandering
womb – presentation
27.11.23 Christmas Customs – presentation
25.12.23 Christmas Day – no meeting

Barbara Joyce

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December 2022 - report back on our December meeting and details of our next meeting in February 2023.

There will be no meeting in January but we are back in February 2023.

The topic today (December 20th 2022) was 'those we have lost this year'. We had lots of contributions ranging from Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac fame to author Hilary Mantel. The obituaries illustrated some challenges faced by many women and how the lives of many women are changing for the better.

No meeting in January but on 21st February we will be looking at 'celebrity cooks'. From Mrs Beeton to Nigella Lawson these women have had something to teach us. We meet at The Miners Welfare at 10.30 in the morning with a repeat at 1pm. All members are welcome and there is no need to book.

The programme for the remainder of 2023 is as follows.

17.01.23 No meeting
21.02.23 Celebrity cooks
21.03.23 Women and Health Care or the case of the wandering
womb – presentation
18.04.23 Women of Coronation Street
16.05 23 The Lives of the Burrows sisters in 19th Century
Liverpool - presentation
20.06.23 Fashion Designers
18.07.23 Women did the work and men took the credit –
presentation
15.08.23 Artists
19.09.23 Ruth Ellis- presentation
17.10.23 One woman from Greater Manchester
21.11.23 Topic to be arranged -presentation
19.12.23 Christmas meeting – Christmas Customs

Happy Christmas and all the best wishes for 2023

Barbara Joyce

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November 2022 - report back on this months meeting and details of December 2022 meeting.

We had a good turn out today in spite of very heavy rain. The topic was 'Women and Work' and we discussed health visiting, munitions work, clerical work, governesses and many other professions. We concluded that our mother's generation were stars in so many ways. They not only paved the way for us to achieve better education and jobs but many of them did valuable war work.

Talking of that generation our next meeting will be a look back on women we have lost during 2022. Foremost of course being Queen Elizabeth. Other notable deaths include Kay Mellor, Hilary Mantel, Dame Deborah James, Angela Lansbury and Olivia Newton John.

The meeting will be held at The Miners on TUESDAY 20th December 2022. The morning meeting starts at 10.30 and will be repeated in the afternoon at 1pm. Please join us - if only for a break from Christmas shopping, cleaning and present wrapping.

All members are welcome and you can try the group before committing yourself to full annual membership of the Leigh and District u3a. Room hire is £1.50. No need to book.

Best wishes - Barbara Joyce

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October 2022 - report back on this month and information about the November 15th 2022 meeting.

Was it only a month ago that we were looking at our new monarch and new Prime Minister and hoping that King Charles and Liz Truss would get on OK? The news last week was that the King greeted the PM by saying 'Oh Dear, oh dear'. We live in interesting times!

One of our members - Sue - treated us at our October meeting to an excellent presentation on 'Coercion and Control'. Sue looked at some cases where the perpetrators were men and the survivors of the abuse were women. More rarely prosecuted are the cases where the survivors are men but Sue looked at 2 of these. An interesting discussion followed after both the morning and afternoon sessions and many thanks to Sue for researching and presenting the topic. As Sue said - it is interesting and (in spite of the subject) enjoyable to do this work and if anybody else would like to present a topic of your choice please let me know.

Next month we will be meeting on November 15th 2022. All members - old and new, male or female - are welcome. If you are thinking of joining you are welcome to 'try before you buy' and can attend a session before you commit to becoming a member. You will be asked to pay £1.50 room hire and we meet at the Miners Welfare on Kirby Road just off the roundabout at the end of Twist Lane. There is a large car park at the venue and we usually meet in the ballroom. There is a lift if required and the ballroom is on the first floor. I realise it is daunting to attend the first time but you will be made welcome.

The topic is 'Women at Work'. If you would like to bring some research I have a few suggestions. You could look at a specific area of work - such as working in the cotton industry, nursing, teaching or clerical work. Why did these industries attract female workers? You could look at the work your mother or grandmother did - or your own working life. We covered this topic some years ago and it provoked a lot of interest so I am hoping this will be a good session.

No need to book - just turn up on 15th November 2022 at 10.30 or 1pm when the session is repeated.

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September 2022 Meeting and notification of October topic

Our topic was photographers and politicians and we had some varied contributions. This included a look at Queen Elizabeth's relationship with her Prime Ministers and particularly her time with Margaret Thatcher which was said to be fraught. New monarch and new PM so let us hope they get on ok.

On 18th October 2022 one of our members will be giving a presentation on 'Coercion and Control'. This form of domestic abuse is now a specific offence and the majority of victims are female so it is a timely topic.

The venue is The Miners and the time is 10.30 for the morning session and 1pm for the afternoon repeat. People thinking of becoming members are welcome to attend on a 'trial' basis. Men do come to the group and are of course most welcome.

Please feel free to join us at either session and there is no need to book in advance - just turn up!

Barbara Joyce

Archive
August 2022 Meeting and notification of September 2022 topic

Another heatwave at present and this may have explained the relatively low numbers today. However the discussion was wide ranging and we looked at several aspects of motherhood and in particular about the demands placed on today's mothers.

We have decided to look at two topics next month. Female politicians was deferred from July owing to the heat warning and also female photographers which was planned for September. Please feel free to bring any research you may have.

The meeting is at 10.30 and repeated at 1pm on Tuesday 20th September 2022. No need to book - just turn up morning or afternoon.

I am currently looking for topics for next year (2023) so please feel free to let me know if there is anything you wish to cover.

Barbara Joyce

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STOP PRESS

Due to the heat warning for next week (19th July) the meeting has been cancelled. Apologies for this and back to normal next month when the topic is 'Motherhood'

July 2022 meeting

The presentation in June 2022 on the witches was well attended and most interesting. We looked at why people who were identified as witches were predominantly women and how far the fear of witchcraft was bound up in religious differences. A topic deserving further reading.

Our July 2022 meeting will be a discussion and the topic is politicians. From Margaret Thatcher to Barbara Castle and beyond there are plenty to look at. The date is Tuesday 19th July. The time is 10.30 with a repeat at 1pm. The venue is the Leigh Miners Institute and all members and people thinking of becoming members are welcome.

If you are on holiday in July just a reminder that August 16th will be a discussion on 'motherhood' - the myths, pains and pleasures!

No need to book any of the meetings - just arrive!

Barbara Joyce

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May 2022

Our June meeting will take the form of a presentation. The topic is The Pendle Witches and one of our members, Kath, will be the presenter. All members welcome and no need to book. The sessions will be held on 21st June 2022 and the meeting starts at 10.30. The presentation will be repeated at 1pm.

The May discussion group looked at female film and television directors and producers. Thanks to all members who brought some information. It was an interesting topic which generated a lot of discussion and some reminiscence about old film and TV programmes. It is good when the discussion 'meanders' and thus allows every member to have a say should they wish to do so.

Barbara

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April 2022

Low attendance today which may be due to the Easter break, the good weather or the topic! Not sure which but hopefully we will be thicker on the ground in May.

The topic today was 'female archaeologists' and many thanks to members who had brought some information to the meeting. They (the archaeologists) appear to be a tough and dauntless group. Some shocking things happened to the artefacts that they found - and many were taken away from the site to museums and damaged in the process.

Our meeting in May is on TUESDAY 17th at 10.30 repeated at 1pm. The topic is 'Film and Television Producers and Directors'. All members are welcome - with or without research - and it should be a good discussion. No need to book - just turn up for either session at The Miners.

Barbara Joyce

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March 2022

Our topic this month was the phenomenon of 'Victorian Fasting girls'. These were girls from various backgrounds and nations who attempted to live without food or even drink for periods of time. Some were hoaxers who were out to gain financially from the pretence. Some may have had a psychiatric illness. Some were defying and tricking gullible parents and others in authority. The fasting girls in this country attracted a massive amount of newspaper coverage. Most of this was not positive but gained a compulsive readership. There was an interesting discussion around causes and comparisons with today's attitudes towards anorexia and bulimia.

On April 19th 2022 at 10.30, with a repeat at 1pm, we will be looking at women archaeologists. It will be a discussion group, so members are free to bring any research they may have undertaken on the topic. However this is not compulsory and you are welcome to attend with or without prior preparation. There is lots of information available and it should be a good discussion.

No need to book and you will be made most welcome either as a brand new member, a returning member or a stalwart!

Barbara

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February 2022

Our first 'discussion meeting' for ages was a good session. Members brought various material relating to the topic of servants and it was great to have a fuller discussion than that which accompanies a presentation.

Our March meeting will be held on Tuesday 15th. All members are welcome to either session (10.30 or 1pm) and people who are considering joining the u3a can come along for a 'taster session'. Room hire is £1.50 each and we meet at the Miners Welfare. No need to book.

Brian Joyce will be delivering a presentation on 'Victorian Fasting Girls'. In the Victorian period there was a revival of the medieval phenomenon of girls and young women claiming to be able to survive without food and drink for months or even years. This happened across Europe and the USA and many of the ongoing stories were picked up by the press. The most famous British example was Sarah Jacob 'The Welsh Fasting Girl', but closer to home there was 'The Lancashire Fasting Girl' in Culcheth.

In his presentation Brian will discuss several of these young women and contemporary explanations as to why they chose this apparently self destructive path.

Topics for the remainder of this year

15.03.22 Victorian Fasting Girls – presentation
19.04.22 Archaeologists - discussion
17.05.22 Film directors and Producers - discussion
21.06.22 The Pendle Witches – presentation
19.07.22 Politicians - discussion
16.08.22 Mothers and Motherhood – discussion
20.09.22 Photographers – discussion
18.10.22 Coercion and Control – presentation
15.11.22 Women at work – discussion
20.12.22 Christmas – topic to be arranged

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January 2022

Our meeting on the 17th January (2nd Tuesday in the month) went ahead and was well attended and, as we took COVID precautions, it felt safe. So the February meeting should go ahead as planned. We are looking at domestic service and members are invited to bring a small price of research/observation. This usually takes up 10 minutes or less per contributor and some people bring relevant pictures or documents. It is not expected that all members bring information (indeed we could not manage to hear from everybody in the time we have). But all contributions are welcome and you do not have to be an experienced presenter.

However if you do want to think about the topic in advance it may be that the following suggestions may give you inspiration,

  • Perhaps your mother or a more distant ancestor was in service and you could bring information about her.
  • Was being in service represented accurately in Downton Abbey etc - or was the experience different in aristocratic homes compared to more modest placements?
  • What were the various grades of servants expected to do? Was the work of male servants different to that of females?
  • Were you an au pair - what was that like?
  • Why did domestic service die out in private homes?

I am sure you can think of many more angles and it will be interesting to find out what we come up with.

Meanwhile the presentation by Kath on the victims of Jack the Ripper was very interesting. Some of these women had been in domestic service, and the overall finding was that the women were not simply victims, but people with interesting back stories who had fallen on hard times in a society that did not offer many safety nets. The presentation provoked a lot of discussion and food for thought

The 'servants' meeting is on Tuesday 15th February at 10.30 with a repeated session at 1pm. No need to book and non members are welcome to attend to 'give it a try' before joining.

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January 2022

Dear Member and potential member

As you will be aware we had to cancel our December 2021 meeting. The omicron virus had taken hold and the advice was to only attend vital social events in order to ensure you could meet up with family and friends over Christmas.

Things are still up in the air but it is hoped that we will press ahead with our January meeting. This will be in the form of a presentation by Kath - one of our members. It takes a different view of the Jack the Ripper story, as instead of searching for the perpetrator it looks at his known victims.

The meeting will be held on TUESDAY JANUARY 18th at 10.30 repeated 1pm at the Miners. We are able to socially distance and ventilate the room and face coverings are viable when the topic is in the form of a presentation. No need to book but check this site before you attend, as, if the Government advice changes, we may have to defer the meeting.

Meanwhile Happy New Year and fingers crossed that this may be the year we learn to live with the virus.

Topics for the remainder of this year

15.03.22 Victorian Fasting Girls – presentation
19.04.22 Archaeologists - discussion
17.05.22 Film directors and Producers - discussion
21.06.22 The Pendle Witches – presentation
19.07.22 Politicians - discussion
16.08.22 Mothers and Motherhood – discussion
20.09.22 Photographers – discussion
18.10.22 Coercion and Control – presentation
15.11.22 Women at work – discussion
20.12.22 Christmas – topic to be arranged

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November 2021

A good meeting today when the topic was 'housework'. We looked at why it was women who became responsible for organising the home and providing the ability for men and adult children to pursue work outside. However as more women do work and the gender pay gap has decreased the unpaid work gap has not really reduced in the pat 40 years. We looked at possible reasons for this.

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 21st December and we will look at Christmas in the past. You are welcome to attend either morning or afternoon - 10.30 or 1pm and no need to book.

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Update on 11th October

Apologies to any member who was planning to attend on the 19th October but we have been unable to use the planned room at The Miners as it has been booked for a funeral. So our next meeting will be on the 16th November when our topic will be 'Housework'. We will look at the history of housework and why the industrial revolution resulted in this task becoming the province of women. We will look at how things may be turning round in the face of increased employment for women combined with improved earning power.

We will meet at 10.30 or 1pm. No need to book and all new members are welcome

Barbara Joyce

The October meeting will take place on Tuesday the 19th and the topic will be a presentation about the phenomenon of 'Victorian fasting girls'. There was a spate of publicised cases whereby girls claimed to have not eaten or drunk anything for long periods of time. The most famous was The Welsh fasting girl but we had a local example in Culcheth. Join us at either 10.30 or at 1pm for the repeat. No need to book and new members welcome.

The meeting on 21st September looked at Wallis Simpson and her role in the abdication of Edward VIII. The view of this event has been revised recently and it is possible to see the impossible situation presented to Mrs Simpson who was subject to all kinds of pressure by Edward VIII to marry him. An interesting topic and a well attended meeting.

Meanwhile (Covid allowing) the calendar for the next year is below. Please contact me if you would like to give a presentation on any relevant topic and I can easily change the timetable.

Women in History

18.01.22 The Canonical Five – The Ripper Victims- presentation
15.02.22 Servants - discussion
15.03.22 Victorian Fasting Girls – presentation
19.04.22 Archaeologists - discussion
17.05.22 Film directors and Producers - discussion
21.06.22 The Pendle Witches – presentation
19.07.22 Politicians - discussion
16.08.22 Motherhood – presentation
20.09.22 Photographers – discussion
18.10.22 Coercion and Control – presentation
15.11.22 Women at work – discussion
20.12.22 Christmas – topic to be arranged

Barbara Joyce

Archive

The meeting on the 17th August was very well attended and although the topic was difficult I think we all learnt a lot and perhaps understand some of the issues a little better. It is a particularly pertinent subject on a day when the Taliban have taken power in Afghanistan.

Slightly less heavy next month when we will be looking at Wallis Simpson and the role she played in the abdication crisis. I feel that it is safer to hold presentations at present until such time as we safe not to social distance. However I am hoping that in the new year we can go back to the old format of people bringing research on a topic. Although this will be interspersed with the occasional presentation.

If you would like to come to the Wallis Simpson meeting it is on TUESDAY 21st SEPTEMBER at 10.30 in the morning or repeated at 1pm on the same day. No need to book. Men welcome as are new members.

Barbara Joyce

ARCHIVE

FURTHER UPDATE ABOUT OUR MEETING ON 17th AUGUST

We have now been able to secure a room for both the morning and afternoon session. So the 10.30 morning session will be repeated at 1pm at The Miners. No need to book - just bring yourself along.

Update August 2021

STOP PRESS

As we are unable to secure the room at The Miners the meeting on Tuesday 17th August in the AFTERNOON has had to be cancelled. However the 10.30 meeting is still on so I hope members can make it to that session. Apologies for the short notice.

update July 2021

We are starting up again (unless something unexpected happens) on Tuesday 17th August 2021. The two meetings are now at 10.30 and repeated on the same day at 1pm. You can attend either session and there is no need to book. Until things settle down the meetings will take the form of presentations and the first one looks at the three schoolgirls from Bethnal Green who left home to join the Islamic State in Syria and became Jihadi Brides. Why did they decide to take this drastic step that ultimately resulted in two young girls losing their lives and the third being stripped of her British citizenship? Who was responsible for radicalising them? Why did girls who were highly intelligent and ambitious turn against the west? How did the security service handle the case?

I appreciate that many members will not want to attend meetings indoors until they have more confidence that infection numbers are decreasing and vaccinations have been taken up by all those eligible. However if you decide to come I think it will be a thought provoking session.

Barbara

Archive

Updated April 2021

The lockdown restrictions are easing slightly and fingers crossed we may have some positive news by June.

I have had positive feedback from group members concerning the Gresham on line talks entitled Evil Women. The talks are recorded so you can watch them any time you like and no need to book. There are thousands of lectures available delivered by famous academics for 'ordinary' people. Recommended if you have an hour to spare.

Hope to have some good news soon and meanwhile stay as positive as possible in these challenging times.

Barbara

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Update January 2021

Well we went from Tier 3 to full lockdown number 3 just after Christmas. So we are restricted even further.

However the vaccine is being rolled out and it appears that the time table is working well so some of our members will hopefully have received the first inoculation and many more will have been in receipt of it by the spring.

Meanwhile I did send out some information re Corsets and was delighted to send out some information by one of our members (Janet) about the history of ballroom dancing. If any member has a topic that they could send me for the future I would be grateful.

I am sure we will be able to resume our meetings at some point later this year - fingers crossed.

Barbara

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Update December 2020

From full lockdown to Tier 3 restrictions which means no face to face meetings for the foreseeable future. However, already some of our over 80 year old members have received part 1 of the Pfizer/Biontec vaccine, so it will not be long before those of us who choose to take the vaccine can meet up safely again.

Meanwhile, on what would have been our Christmas meeting, I sent out a version of the presentation that we would have been looking at. This was on knickers/pants/drawers or whatever. It drew a good response and will likely be seen again next Christmas. I did think that if we had been able to watch it in a 'real' group it would have created a lot of laughter.

I will probably send out a 'corset' presentation in January - just to make us women grateful that we are no longer obliged to wear these garments.

Meanwhile let's try to survive the COVID Christmas - who knows it may make us realise that we can celebrate in a more low key and less stressful way. Women, in particular, may benefit. Who knows? Happy Christmas and all the very best for 2021.

Barbara

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Update November 2020

In normal times we would have been preparing for our Christmas Meeting and I had planned to do a humorous(?)presentation on underwear - and in particular pants/knickers/drawers/bloomers or whatever.

I will send a version of this presentation out in the course of the month to members on e mail. Not the same I know but needs must.

I sent some information about mourning clothes a week or two ago and yesterday I was listening on the Radio to a book about the 'Unknown Warrior' and this does relate to the change in mourning which was an inevitable consequence of the loss of life in the 1914- 1918 war.

We are, of course, on full lockdown until 2nd December but the vaccine may be just around the corner hopefully.

We now have a female vice president of the US (a future topic may lurk here). Progress indeed and she looks like she will be a feisty character.

Stay safe and as cheerful as possible under these trying circumstances

Update October 2020

As we hover between being placed in Tier 3 or following the example of Wales and going for a short lockdown, the year draws on.

Our October topic was to have been 'dancers' and another quiz may encourage us to spend an hour or two looking up the answers and seeing these fantastic people in action via You Tube.

Next month - November - was to have been a presentation by Kath on females who were transported to Tasmania. Another one to save for next year.

This will end and I am hoping it will be sooner rather than later .

Barbara

Update September 2020

The rule of six is upon us and this augurs badly for U3A meetings and we have to postpone our meeting yet again.

I have sent a quiz to members which has 'Women' as the topic. If anybody reading this would like a go please contact me by e mail and I will send it.

The October topic would have been 'Dancers' so I will try to think of something interesting to send out to members.

Meanwhile I have picked up on the latest advice - it is to wear your mask, watch your distance, wash your hands. Above all I hope you are managing to stay busy and that this acts as a distraction from all the gloom.

Barbara

Update August 2020

Still no news and unless we arrange an illegal rave it doesn't seem like we can meet any time soon.

Meanwhile the topic for September would have been gender in advertising so we have been looking at ads over the internet. Some of these are shockers and we have been looking at the regulations that were recently imposed by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) to tackle the worst offenders. The ASA web site is very good and worth a look.

Any update from the Miners and I will be in touch but meanwhile I hope you can keep active and not too despondent - it will pass

Archive

Update July 2020

We still don't seem to be much closer to getting back into the Miners and holding our meetings. However things are easing up a little and hopefully we should (in the words of the Prime Minister) be over the worst by Christmas. However as the last PM to believe this was Asquith during the First World War let us all hope this state of semi lock-down doesn't carry on for another 4 years!

It would have been 'Women and Religion' had we been able to hold our July meeting. Another topic for the back burner.

No meeting planned in any case for August and the September topic was to be Gender in Advertising.

Meanwhile I hope everybody is well (or at least as well as can be expected under the circumstances). Barbara

Archive
Update June 2020

The June meeting (had we been free to move out of our social bubble) was to have been a presentation on Women in Art. It's another presentation to be stored away until we are able to meet safely.

Meanwhile I have been collecting up and sending out the short biographies from Encyclopedia Britannica on interesting women who have been born on the day or died on the day. If you would like the information direct from the horses mouth just bring up the Encyclopedia Britannica and request the daily posting. It's free and only advertises themselves and so is not oppressive. They send it daily with biographies, events that happened on the day etc. I like it and will likely still read it post lock down.

July meeting would have been 'Women in Religion' - which I think would have been interesting.

Meanwhile hope everyone is surviving and looking forward to some normality as soon as possible

Update May 2020

Oh dear - still in lockdown and I for one am tearing my hair out (not really as it will be hard enough for the hairdresser to deal with the shaggy dog look when she re-opens let alone torn out roots). We missed the March presentation which was about coercion and control in relationships. The April meeting was to be Oscar and BAFTA winners and May would have been 'Housework'. You have probably had enough of cleaning but it may have been a good topic.

Let us hope we find a safe way of meeting when the Miners re-opens and we are allowed out.

Meanwhile please keep in touch and don't forget U3A will be here when all this is over.

Barbara
UPDATE March 15th

The pandemic and the need for isolation has meant that we have had to cancel all our U3A meetings and there is no clear idea about when we can resume.

The topic which was planned for March is important and I am hoping that we can juggle the planned calendar around to ensure we have the presentation when we return following our isolation.

Can't wait to get back to normal and please don't forget about our group.

Look after yourselves and your families

Barbara

ARCHIVE

Our March meeting is on 16th March repeated on the 17th. It will take the form of a presentation and the topic is 'Coercion and Control'. The laws around domestic violence were recently added to and now include offences of control and coercion. In other words abuse is not simply physical but can also be things like preventing ones partner from going out, controlling spending, isolating a partner from their family etc. It is an important issue and one we should know about - not just for ourselves but for people who may be unwitting victims of illegal behaviour. Please join us at either session. No need to book and the presentation starts at 1pm on both days.

'Sisters' was our February topic and we had a great range of research from The Williams sisters to the Andrews sisters. Two members told us about their own relatives and provided photographs. There were two 'entertainment' acts discussed. One was the Two Headed Nightingales - conjoined twins in Victorian times and another act that consisted of 7 sisters with fantastic long hair called the Sutherland Sisters. The Bronte sisters were discussed as were the Grimke Sisters who were abolitionists in mid 19th Century USA. There was a contribution looking at 3 local women who had made good - one who married a man who was responsible for establishing the first Mosque in Liverpool. Finally there were the Mirabal 4 sisters from The Dominican Republic in the mid 20th Century who opposed the violent dictator Trujillo at some risk to themselves. A varied and fascinating selection and thanks to all members who brought some research. I hope that doing the research was enjoyable and do appreciate that presenting is not always easy but must be rewarding.

All members are encouraged to bring research - only 5 or 10 minutes is needed and you don't have to be a great public speaker.

Meeting topics for the remainder of 2020

16th/17th March - Coercion of women in partnerships (presentation)
20th/21st April Academy Award and Bafta winners
18th/19th May Housework (presentation)
15th/16th June Women in Art – (presentation)
20th/21st July Women in religion
NO MEETING August
14th/15th September Gender in advertising (presentation)
19th/20th October 2020 Women transported to Tasmania (presentation)
16th/17th November 2020 Dancers
15th/15th December 2020 Christmas meeting

Archive

Please note - no meeting in January 2020 so our next meeting will be on 17th February 2020 repeated on the 18th February 2020 at 1pm on both days. The topic will be 'sisters' so please bring your sibling based research.

Two good sessions in December with lots of nice food and some laughs at the pictures which reminded us of some of the good (and bad) things about our youth.

Wishing every one a happy Christmas and a peaceful 2020.

ARCHIVE

Just a bit of fun for our meetings on 16th December (repeated on the 17th December at 1pm). We have a lot of pictures to remind us of our younger days - such as a hula hoop - when it was a toy not a snack. It's just a chance to look back at how things used to be and to do this in good company and hopefully with some Christmas type snacks

Please note that there is no meeting in January 2020 and the next session after that will be on 17th February 2020 repeated on the 18th when the topic is 'sisters' so please bring your sibling research.

ARCHIVE

Our November meeting will take the form of a presentation. 'Strategies for dealing with unwanted pregnancies in Victorian Britain'. This presentation will examine why many thousands of pregnancies in Victorian Britain were unwanted and the choices available to women both during pregnancy and after the birth of the baby.

All members are welcome to either the Monday or Tuesday meeting. Monday 18th November 2019 repeated Tuesday 19th November. Both start at 1 pm at the Miners Institute on Kirby Road off Twist Lane. Try before you buy. Non members can give the group a try and hopefully join after trying!

Our October meeting looked at women in the 1940s and covered a lot of material. We looked at women doing munitions work and those in essential industries. Whilst women were discouraged from continuing in this type of work post war, the genie was out of the bottle and it was impossible to prevent women from undertaking occupations previously the preserve of men alone. Joan Clark - a woman working at Bletchley Park was discussed. Women in the armed services were examined - including those in Canada and the US. The 'Nightingales' were the nurses who treated wounded men being transported home from the battlefields. A spy working for the SOE and the French resistance was included in our research. The war artist Evelyn Dunbars' work was scrutinised. Women working at the Vulcan factory were examined with the help of contemporary sources. We also looked a the impact of the war on women's fashion - including utility clothing and make do and mend. Finally one member looked at her own mother and how she lived during the war.

December 16th/17th - Reminisce for Christmas - a look at some remembrances of times past and please bring some snacks and drinks

PLEASE NOTE - NO MEETING IN JANUARY 2020 - February 2020 meetings are on 17th repeated 18th February and the topic is 'Sisters'

NEXT YEAR 2020

20th repeated 21st January No Meeting in January
17th/18th February - Sisters
16th/17th March - Coercion of women in partnerships (presentation)
20th/21st April Academy Award and Bafta winners
18th/19th May Housework (presentation)
15th/16th June Women in Art – (presentation)
20th/21st July Women in religion
NO MEETING August
14th/15th September Gender in advertising (presentation)
19th/20th October 2020 Women transported to Tasmania (presentation)
16th/17th November 2020 Dancers
15th/15th December 2020 Christmas meeting
ARCHIVE

Our OCTOBER 2019 meeting will look at women in an entire decade. The decade is the 1940s. You may want to talk about your mother or grandmother and their war experiences. Or perhaps a famous politician, actress, writer, artist, scientist, model, WREN, radio star or even a spy. Please join us on MONDAY 14th OCTOBER and repeated the next day TUESDAY 15th OCTOBER.

Our September meeting looked at the Beatles and their partners. A nice way to remind ourselves of the 1960s and especially the visit by the Fab 4 to Leigh and Wigan - which a surprising number of you attended.

All welcome to attend in October - no need to book and it should be a good session

ARCHIVE

NO MEETING IN AUGUST - enjoy your summer and we will be back on September 16th (or 17th for the repeat). It's Beatles wives and girlfriends. Should be good (yeah yeah yeah).

Just a note that we have a slight change to the programme as the November 18th (repeated 19th) meeting will be a presentation. It will be about unwanted pregnancies in Victorian times.

So the programme for the remainder of this year is

September 16th/17th - Beatles WAGs
October 14th/15th - Women of the 1940s
November 18th/19th - Unwanted pregnancies in the Victorian era
December 16th/17th - Christmas meeting

Any suggestions for topics for next year or for our Christmas meeting welcome.

The July meeting was about female philanthropists and we looked at women as varied as Josephine Butler to Dolly Parton. Very interesting and we had some discussion about why Victorian women took up charity giving. Also we examined how many contemporary women who are rich in their own right want to spread their wealth.

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The July meeting will be held on MONDAY 15th and repeated on Tuesday 16th July 2019. The meetings begin at 1pm and are held at The Miners. The subject is female philanthropists. Women have long been interested in raising and donating money to charitable causes. There are many examples both contemporary and from history and I am sure we will come up with some interesting research.

Advance notice that we are having a holiday in August so no meeting but normal service will resume on September 16th and 17th with Beatles Wives and Girlfriends.

The Mistresses and Courtesans sessions were very interesting. We looked at a number of women from history and even at Carrie Symonds who is Boris Johnson's current partner. Thanks to all members who bring research. We could not function without this and I am always amazed at the variety of the findings.

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In June 2019 we will look at MISTRESSES AND COURTESANS. The meeting will take place on Monday 17th June and repeated on Tuesday 18th June. All members are welcome. There would appear to be lots of women to choose from - we are talking about the oldest profession!

There were some great contributions to the May meeting on female criminals. Thanks for bringing such an eclectic mix of research.

ARCHIVE

The May 2019 meetings will look at female criminals. Women criminals are far more rare than their male counterparts but there are lots of them nevertheless. Please bring your findings to the meetings on either MONDAY 20th May or TUESDAY 21st May. Meetings start at 1pm.

There were two most enjoyable meetings in April. Many thanks to members who brought research about women working in television. Once again the findings were varied and afforded a bit of nostalgia - Children's Hour and Muffin the Mule for example. We also looked at Mary Beard - the latest cult figure. In addition there was input on weather forecaster Lucy Martin - a women who has not allowed a disability to get in the way of her blossoming career. We learnt about Fiona Bruce, Eileen Derbyshire, Anne Diamond and many more. A good topic which may be worth another outing in the future.

I am always looking for members who would be prepared to give presentations, as a change to the usual format is refreshing. You do not have to be a ‘lecturer’ – just someone with an interest related to our subject and a passion to share your interest.

For more information please contact women@leighanddistrictu3a.org.uk.

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More Group Pages
Acoustic Guitars & Vocals Art Appreciation
Astronomy Book Reading & Armchair Critics
Coffee and Chat Creative Writing
Crime & Punishment Crime & Punishment 2
Cycling Dickens Social History
Egyptology French (Intermediate)
History of Medicine Indoor Bowls
iPads & iPhones Italian (Intermediate)
Italian Culture & Language Line Dancing
Local History Luncheon Club
Maths Mixed Crafts
Musical Instruments Needlework
Play Reading Quiz Club
Relaxation/Support Shakespeare
Singing for Fun Trips/Days Out
Ukulele Women in History
Women in History 2