Full Year Speaker Program 2023
Our Speakers Meeting Dates, Speakers and Topics for 2023 will be as follows:
January 4th. Roger Browne “The Great American Songbook"
Roger traces the history and music of the first half of the 20th Century. George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin etc. Melodic masterpieces and memorable lyrics.
February 1st. Eric Curless “Who Invented Venereal Disease?"
Eric will look at the evidence (or lack of evidence) of these diseases in antiquity. He will outline major events, emphasising social conditions and the prevalent moral climate of the times, as well as the laws and regulations enacted in attempts to control the problem. Please note this presentation will not contain any salacious medical details.
March 1st. Josephine Gosling “Walking Our Amazing Landscapes”
Which hill did Edward VII drive up in his Daimler? How was the Forest of Bowland named after a River? What is the Selkie Legend of Orkney? This topical talk on British Landscapes answers these questions and many more.
April 5th. Steve Williams “Four Tins”
A look at military and social history using four tins – a WW1 Christmas Tin, a tin of emergency rations issued for D- Day in WW2, a coal miner’s lunch tin and a tin of Heinz Baked Beans – all have a Lancashire connection.
May 3rd. Jean Finney “Origin of Nursery Rhymes”
Our English History – not at all pink and fluffy.
June 7th George Pilkington “Garden Birds and their Behaviour”
Discover the hidden world of your common garden birds, with an insight into their behaviour, lives, facts, myths and folklore.
July 5th Frank Vigon “The Strange Birth of British TV”
Aug 2nd Ron Hutchinson “Life in the Rear View Mirror”
Chauffeur to the aristocracy, chemical warfare instructor, advanced motorist, charity fundraiser and challenge leader. Tales from an amusing, topical raconteur.
Sept 6th Fran Sandham “A Solo Walk Across Africa”
A solo walk from Namibia’s Skeleton Coast to the Indian Ocean near Zanzibar, a 3,000-mile trek, completely alone – no backup, no support and no funding.
Oct 4th Lesley Thomas “Queen Isabella of England & She-Wolf of France”
Isabella, daughter of King Philip IV of France, married Edward II of England. A notorious femme fatal accused of adultery, murder and regicide. Named the She-Wolf of France. Was she a liberator and saviour of England or merely a humiliated wife?
Nov 1st Marianne Howell “Wigan Railways and a 19th Century Stationmaster”
This illustrated talk sketches the development of the railways in Wigan but focuses on Peter Peters. A stationmaster at Wigan North Western Station, who gave his life to the railway, and met an untimely death because of it.
Dec 6th Yvonne Taylor “My Polish Heritage”
The dramatic story of my mother Genowefa’s WW2 journey from a Polish village, via forced labour in Siberia, to the Polish Free Army in Italy, and eventually to Lancashire. The second part of the talk will describe a Polish Christmas.