Programme for 2018
Tuesday 30 January 2018 |
Short Talks
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Talk 1: Cley Then & Now by Richard Jefferson
Talk 2: The story of a summer shawl made in Norwich by Diana Cooke
These talks are open to all but are given by members |
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Tuesday 27 February 2018 |
The story of Norfolk Wools
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Roger Arguile
‘… the passage of wool from sheep to the looms of the English weaver is one of the almost totally obscure areas of the mediaeval wool trade’ according to historians. It brought wealth to England, but Norfolk wool was never of the best quality and its production is in good part a mystery. There are, however, a few clues. |
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Tuesday 27 March 2018 |
Saints and their badges: pilgrim badges from Norfolk and elsewhere
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Dr Michael Lewis
Pilgrim badges can give a unique insight into the medieval practice of pilgrimage and one great centre was the shrine of St Mary at Walsingham. These badges are now often found by metal detector users in the countryside and recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
Dr Michael Lewis is Head of the Portable Antiquities Scheme at the British Museum. He is an expert on the Bayeux Tapestry and among his books is `Saints and their Badges’. |
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Tuesday 24 April 2018 |
Scapegoat! The Avoidable Death of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse
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Dr Martin Stephen
The greatest naval defeat suffered by the Royal Navy in World War 2 was the sinking by Japanese shores-based aircraft of the new battleship Prince of Wales and the veteran battlecruiser Repulse. Widely blamed on the commander of ‘Force Z’, Admiral Sir Tom Phillips, there is overwhelming evidence that this tragedy was the cover-up of all time, stretching to implicate not just the Admiralty but also Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt. This was a last, desperate throw of the dice to save Singapore and Britain’s Far Eastern Empire — and when it all went wrong, the easiest man to blame had chosen to go down with his ship, and was not alive to defend himself.
Martin Stephen was formerly High Master of St Paul’s School and Headmaster of the Perse and Manchester Grammar Schools. He has written many books, including ‘Scapegoat! Death of Prince of Wales and Repulse’, the Henry Gresham series and Diary of a Stroke and is an authority on the poetry of the First World War. |
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Programme for 2017
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Tuesday 31 January 2017 |
An Evening of Three Short Talks
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John Darby, 16thC Local Land SurveyorDiana Cooke & Nichola Harrison
The two Speakers discovered John Darby, a 16thC Land Surveyor, through different routes. Between them, they will explore the context in which he worked and the large area which he covered.
Another Oliver legacy
John Peake
Blakeney owes an enormous debt to Professor Frank Oliver’s foresight and love of the area over a century ago. Examples from his photogaphic legacy will be shown.
Johnson Jex
Richard Jefferson
Johnson Jex of Letheringsett, ‘an inventive genius…….He lived and died a scientific anchorite’. |
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Tuesday 28 February 2017 |
A fisherman’s prized possession
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Rita Taylor
Ganseys were popular all around the North Sea and the British and Irish coasts, from the early 19th century to the middle of the 20th century; the tradition followed the routes of the fishing fleets and made its way to the small ports. The tradition lives on in Great Britain with a few Norfolk fishermen, and seems to be becoming popular as a fashion item too, judging by the number of requests to knit them. |
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Tuesday 28 March 2017 |
The parish churches of Norwich before 1400
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Prof. Sandy Heslop
The impression conveyed by nearly all the surviving parish churches in Norwich is that they late medieval (1400-1550), however the earlier configuration of more than half of them can be demonstrated. This lecture brings the evidence together and assesses it.
The two churches shown are St Mary Coslany and St Etheldreda. |
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Tuesday 25 April 2017 |
The work of the Norfolk Identification & Recording service
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Andrew Rogerson
Norfolk County Council’s finds Identification and Recording Service at Gressenhall records some 15,000 objects a year found by metal detector users and others. Norfolk produces more finds than any other part of the country and these are recorded in the national Portable Antiquities Scheme database.
The talk will give an insight into some of the fascinating discoveries that have come from Norfolk over recent years.
The pictures show a 7th-century. gold pendant with inlaid Roman mosaic glass, from Gayton near King’s Lynn. |
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Summer Break |
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Tuesday 26 September 2017 |
Laura Eke and the fisherman who painted in wool – A real Norfolk story
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Christine Humphries
The true story of a Norfolk Fisherman and his wife. I found the story while researching my family tree.
When researching my family tree, I like to take a person and research them from birth through their lives to their death and this is what happened with the talk about Laura and John. |
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Tuesday 31 October 2017 |
A Virtual Tour around Norwich’s French Borough*
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Jonathan Hooton
At the time of the Norman Conquest Anglo-Saxon Norwich only reached as far west as the Great Cockey, near to Gentlemen’s Walk. One of the major changes brought about by the Normans was to move the market place to a new site (the present one) and two create a new built up area to the west, known as the New Burgh or French Borough. This grew eventually to incorporate the three new parishes of St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft and St Giles.
This talk will concentrate largely of the history and development of a large part of this area in the parishes of St. Peter Mancroft and St Giles. We will make our way (virtually) along Bethel Street and St Giles (originally, Upper Newport and Nether Newport) as well as some interesting sorties into the alleyways and courts that lead off them.
The talk will be preceded by a short AGM.
* This is a different talk by Jonathan than the one originally advertised on William Allen, Grocer and Shipping Tycoon. |
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Tuesday 28 November 2017 |
Norfolk in WW1
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Neil Storey
Norfolk in the First World War is an illustrated lecture exploring the role and significance of the county, and its people during the years 1914-1918. The strategic importance of Norfolk in military history during that period will be examined, but the main thrust of the talk will be through a ‘social history’ approach that will focus on the profound impact of war and warfare on people on the home front in the county. Neil Storey is one of the foremost authorities on the military history of the county during the First and Second World Wars and is the author of Norfolk in the Great War and Norfolk Goes to War. |
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Tuesday 12 December 2017 |
Mardle Night: How coin finds are changing the face of Roman Britain: the evidence of hoards*
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Roger Bland
Roger has just published his book ‘Coin Hoards and Hoarding in Roman Britain AD 43-c. 498’ and has stepped in at the last minute and will base this talk on one given recently in New York.
Roger Bland was President of the British Numismatic Society from 2011 to 2016. He retired from the British Museum in 2015, where he was Keeper of the Department of Britain, Europe and Prehistory and Head of the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Before that he was curator of Roman coins at the Museum.
Please join us for Mardle night when there will various exhibits around the room plus the chance to partake in seasonal refreshments.
* Due to illness this is a change to the scheduled talk. Louise’s talk on “Cromer and the Georgian Seaside Resorts” will be given at a later date. |
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Programme for 2016
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Tuesday
26 January 2016 |
Three Short Talks
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Diana Cooke1586 – Heydon’s Heraldry
Philip West
Prestons of Holt
Photographers & Postcard Publishers
Morris Arthur
Snitterly – What’s in a Name? |
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Tuesday
23 February 2016 |
The Norfolks in WW1: Insights gleaned from letters & diaries
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Kate ThaxtonCurator, Royal Norfolk Regimental MuseumDespite censorship, the personal letters of officers and soldiers during the First World War can provide, poignant, sometimes amusing and often surprising insights into soldiering at that time. The Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum holds some particularly fine collections of letters which form the basis of this illustrated talk. |
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Tuesday
29 March 2016 |
Anglo-Saxon East Anglia: new discoveries
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Tim Pestell
Norfolk and Suffolk formerly comprised the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of East Anglia. While historical sources for this entity are few and far between, archaeological discoveries are enabling us to understand its establishment and life far better.
This talk will examine some of these recent finds and discuss what it tells us about the kingdom. In particular I shall describe the exciting hoard of goldwork discovered at Binham over the last ten years. |
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Tuesday
26 April 2016
Please note this is a change to the original programme. Susan Curran will now be speaking in our 2016-17 season of talks. |
“Not bad for a provincial museum”: the Fitzwilliam Museum, 1816-2016
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Dr Lucilla Burn
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, celebrates the 200th anniversary of its foundation in 2016.
Lucilla has been researching the development of the Museum over two centuries, using mainly contemporary sources such as letters, diaries, museum and university reports.
The story that emerges both traces the growth of the collections and reveal some of the intriguing personalities who’ve shaped the Museum, from its founder and first benefactor, Richard, 7th Viscount Fitzwilliam of Merrion, to its thirteen Directors to date, among whom MR James, of ghost-story fame, was one.
Her talk will introduce select highlights from this story. |
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Summer Break |
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Tuesday 27 September 2016 |
The True Poetry of World War 1: The Poets Time Forgot
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Dr Martin Stephen
The famous poets of the Great War represent only a minority of the poetry written by serving men and women in the war. This talk reveals some of the outstanding poetry written by largely unknown poets of the First World War, the breadth, depth and variety of which is not only extraordinary in itself, but gives a completely different outlook on the war from that which has become conventional. This is the war as experienced by those who fought in it, as distinct from those who wrote what we now think they ought to have written.
Martin Stephen was formerly High Master of St Paul’s School and Headmaster of the Perse and Manchester Grammar Schools. He has written many books, including the Henry Gresham series and Diary of a Stroke and is an authority on the poetry of the First World War. |
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Tuesday 25 October 2016 |
Money, Love & Status: a Paston Marriage
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Susan Curran
When Margery Paston (of the famous letter-writing family) announced her intention to marry her family’s land agent Richard Calle, her mother and brothers were appalled. They did everything they could to prevent the marriage, even at the cost of gossip and scandal.
They failed, and in 1469 Margery and Richard were married. But why were her family so determined? Richard was solvent, well educated and well liked; many must have shared his own opinion that he was a good match for Margery.
The Pastons, by contrast, were flat broke at the time and awash in enemies. Was it just snobbery that prompted their opposition, or were there more hidden factors in play?
Susan Curran is an author and publisher. Her illustrated history book The Marriage of Margery Paston was published in 2013.
The talk will be preceded by a short AGM. |
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Tuesday 29 November 2016 |
Why the Norfolk Dialect?
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Professor Peter Trudgill
Peter is a well known local author with a long-standing Norfolk pedigree. He is President of the Friends of Norfolk Dialect society and has a regular column in the EDP.
His latest book Dialect Matters: Respecting Vernacular Language (Cambridge University Press), is a collection of these columns. He will highlight the history of the Norfolk dialect and explain why it has such a distinctive structure. |
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Tuesday 13 December 2016 |
Christmas Mardle Night
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Prof. Tom Williamson
Rethinking Ancient Woodland: recent research on Norfolk’s woods
Tom Williamson is Professor of Landscape History at the University of East Anglia and author of many books and articles about the landscape of East Anglia, and Norfolk in particular. His most recent books are on Norfolk Gardens and Designed Landscapes (with Patsy Dallas), An Environmental History of Wildlife in England 1650 – 1950 and Rethinking Ancient Woodland (with Gerry Barnes).
Mardle night will also have various exhibits around the room plus the chance to partake in seasonal refreshments. |
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Programme for 2015
Tuesday
27 January 2015 |
Four Short Talks
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Richard JeffersonStanley Webster’s War
Will Savage
Shipwrecks and plunder
John Peake
Serendipity – a Nelson Connection
Pam Peake
18th Century Cley |
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Tuesday
24 February 2015 |
Revisiting the Asylum
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Stephen Cherry (UEA)The Norfolk Lunatic Asylum: St Andrews Hospital (1814-1998) uniquely used the same site and some buildings in providing custody, control, care, comforts and cures, but ‘the asylum’ was also about relationships between patients, their families, medical and nursing staff; daily routines and treatments; and local and external forms of authority: all involving narratives which are difficult to establish. It was also used as a ‘War Hospital’ during WW1 and as an emergency civilian hospital in WW2. As an N.H.S. hospital it was soon faced with closure but mental health care in the community proved easier to prescribe than to deliver, and arguably neither blueprints nor sufficient resources have been provided. |
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Tuesday
31 March 2015 |
Roman Treasure Finds
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Roger Bland (British Museum)An extraordinarily rich group of hoards of precious metal coins, jewellery and plate have been discovered in Britain and especially East Anglia dating from the last 50 years of the Roman rule in Britain: examples are the Hoxne, Mildenhall, Thetford and Water Newton treasures. These very rich finds have forced us to rethink the traditional view that Britain and East Anglia was something of a backwater in this period. This talk will draw on a project to study why so many hoards are known from Roman Britain to give new insights into why they were buried. |
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Tuesday
28 April 2015 |
John Hales: A Holt Doctor
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Mike MuncasterOur insight into the life of a country doctor John Hales, a prominent 19th century doctor in Holt, is through the diary kept by his wife and the books of his daughter Jane Hales. |
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Summer Break |
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September 2015 |
No Talk
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Tuesday
27 October 2015 |
Travel by Stagecoach
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Melanie Hilton (writing as Louise Allen)
Illustrated with original prints, maps and photographs the talk will provide an overview of the development of stage and mail coach services, look at the economic and social importance of the stagecoach, the experience of the travellers and the Norfolk routes including Holt, Cromer and Norwich.
Louise Allen: Stagecoach Travel. Shire Books
The talk will be preceded by a short AGM. |
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Tuesday
24 November 2015 |
Up the Creek in Wells: the 19th century development of the harbour
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Roger Arguile
The overwhelming success of Wells as a trading port in the middle of the nineteenth century was owed to the foresight of a small group of business people who were responsible for the major redevelopment of both the harbour and the town. Their actions were made possible by two local acts of parliament passed on the same day.
The town went from stagnation and bankruptcy in the 1830s to the prosperity of the 1850s. Much of their work is still visible, including the fine stone harbour.
Roger Arguile’s talk will describe the run up to the passing of these acts, the opposition to them and their effects. He has drawn his story from the hand written records of the hearings before the House of Lords which are held in their library. |
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Tuesday
15 December 2015 |
Christmas Mardle Night
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Geraldine Green (not Kate Faire as originally publicised)
Rescue Wooden Boats
Kate will be talking about the work of Rescue Wooden Boats, Stiffkey and particularly the restoration of the lifeboat Lucy Lavers and her return to Dunkirk this summer on the 75th anniversary of the evacuation from Dunkirk.
Mardle night will also have various exhibits around the room plus the chance to partake in seasonal refreshments. |
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Programme for 2014
Tuesday
28 January 2014 |
Members’ Talks
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Open to visitors and members the evening comprises three short talks from fellow members.Will Savage
Ice Houses
Ian Groves
Deserted Villages in Norfolk
Diana Cooke
A bee bole in Blakeney
Click here for notes on meeting |
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Tuesday
25 February 2014 |
Birds, Beasts and Monsters
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Margaret Forrester
A welcome return of a very popular lecturer. Margaret will be revealing beasts and monsters in medieval art. |
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Tuesday
25 March 2014 |
East Anglian Goldsmiths 1500 – 1750
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Mary Fewster
Surviving objects show how local craftsmen working in gold and silver provided church and secular objects for the wealthy. East Anglian goldsmiths (and the term includes those working in silver) provided both church and secular plate to the wealthy and heavily populated counties of East Anglia. This talk focuses on the years between 1500 and 1750, the period of most of the surviving locally-made items, and gives insights into the craftsmen and their work.
Mary has contributed an article on East Anglian silver in the book East Anglian Silver 1550-1750. |
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Tuesday
29 April 2014 |
Supplying the Beer: life on the road in 18th century Norfolk
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Margaret Bird
The lecture will focus on the hardships and dangers of work delivering to public houses on top of all the tasks in the fields, maltings and brewery.
Margaret is the author of “A local 18th century diarist Mary Hardy” a new study of working and religious life in the Blakeney area. The five volumes are based on the diaries of Mary Hardy and the author has generously presented a copy to the History Centre.
Read more about the talk…
Click here for notes on meeting |
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Summer Break |
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Tuesday
30 September 2014 |
North Norfolk through Old Photographs
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Brian HedgesDrawing on his extensive collection of photographs Brian will explore some features of local villages.A short AGM will be held before this talk. |
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Tuesday
28 October 2014 |
World War One – a North Norfolk Miscellany
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Andrew EnglandAndrew will use examples from a variety of sources, including local war memorials, to illustrate stories behind the people who fought and died. |
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Tuesday
25 November 2014 |
Services, Printing & Chocolates – a history of a local market town – Fakenham
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Mike BridgesIndustry in the country market town of Fakenham |
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Tuesday
16 December 2014 |
Mardle Night: short lecture and exhibits
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Rob ColemanStage Managing the Landscape Humphrey Repton’s work in Sheringham Park and the National Trust’s role in preserving it today.Plus exhibits on local WW1 records, sheep bridges along the coast, post boxes, Cley Headmaster’s Logbook, photographs, memorabilia, and seasonal refreshments |
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Programme for 2013
Tuesday
29 January 2013 |
Mardle Night: History in the Making
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Bernard Bishop, Graham Lubbock & Johnny Webster will reminisce about their work in the local and changing landscape. These three local stalwarts all born and bred in the area and all still managing to make their livings within the natural environment have agreed to talk about the things that have changed and those that are constant.Bernard Bishop has been Warden of the NWT reserve at Cley since his father retired from the same position in 1979. Graham Lubbock has been one of the wardens on Blakeney Point for nearly thirty years, while Johnny Webster has followed his father in harvesting the natural produce from the marine environment it should be a stimulating and informative evening.Click here for notes on meeting |
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Tuesday
26 February 2013 |
River Bure
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The subjects of the History Society meetings don’t often stray towards the Broads but for this meeting Philip will be exploring the landscape and agriculture of the upper Bure through photographs and postcards.
Philip WestClick here for notes on meeting |
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Tuesday
26 March 2013 |
Camel, Eye of a Needle and Christmas Colours
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Spike Bucklow led a major survey of Norfolk’s rood screens. He will talk about the results of this research.
Dr Spike Bucklow, Hamilton Kerr Institute, CambridgeClick here for notes on meeting |
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Tuesday
30 April 2013 |
Ancient Egypt and the Blakeney Connection
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Revealing a little known but important connection with Egyptology which arose in 1934 when the Brackley family purchased The Old Rectory in Blakeney.
Christopher Coleman, Honorary Research Fellow, UCL
Click here for notes on meeting |
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Summer break |
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Tuesday
24 September 2013 |
Cities, Cogs and Commerce
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Historically the North Sea was the super-highway for trade and people, Brian will explore the material culture of this world.NB This is the lecture Brian had hope to give last December. A short AGM will be held at the start of this meeting.
Dr Brian Ayers, Research Associate, UEA |
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Tuesday
29 October 2013 |
Recent coin finds from the Iron Age to Post Medieval period
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Dr Adrian Marsden, Shirehall Museum
Click here for notes on meeting |
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Tuesday
26 November 2013 |
Pathways to History: researching public rights of way in Norfolk
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Dr Sarah Spooner and Dr Jon Gregory of the UEA |
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Tuesday
17 December 2013 |
Mardle Night: The Yellow Caravan – a trip round Norfolk in 1912
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Juliet Webster
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Be taken back in time on a two-week horse-dawn caravan holiday round Norfolk 100 years ago in pictures and poetry by Honor Elwes and her two intrepid lady companions.
Following the talk by Juliet we have the opportunity to partake of a glass of wine or soft drink and a slice of Christmas Cake whilst taking in the exhibits placed around the hall. |
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2012
In 2012 the Society participated in some of the celebrations of the National Trust’s association with Blakeney Point. These events are marked with a 
Tuesday
31 January 2012 |
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Members Night: Three Short Lectures
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- Richard Jefferson: James Olley lived in Blakeney
- Pam Peake: Bags of Treasures
- John Peake: Drawn in StoneOpen to members and visitors alike
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Tuesday
28 February 2012 |
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200 years of Farming:
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from John Stileman 1610 to Henry Savory 1868 in Field Dalling by Michael Medlar |
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Tuesday
27 March 2012 |
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Blakeney Point in Trust:
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a review by two National Trust Regional Advisors, Stuart Warrington (Regional Wildlife & Countryside) & Angus Wainwright (Regional Archaeological) |
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Saturday
28 April 2012 |
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Our Changing Coast: Past, Present & Future:
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A review of the changes on Blakeney Point & the North Norfolk coast by an international authority who has undertaken research and published on the area.Dr Kenneth Pye (Kenneth Pye Associates)In Blakeney Village Hall at 8.00pm, doors open 7.30pm |
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Click here for notes on meeting |
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Saturday to Tuesday
18-21 August 2012 |
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Click picture to enlarge |
Tidal Lands:
an exhibition on the natural history and history of Blakeney Point, the harbour and surrounding villages.
In Blakeney Village Hall: every day 10.30am to 4.00pm.
Admission Free |
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Tuesday
25 September 2012 |
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Archaeology in Glaven Villages
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Andrew Rogerson (Norfolk Landscape Archaeology) |
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Click here for notes on meeting |
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Tuesday
30 October 2012 |
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Past-time withe goode compnaye – King Henry’s Band
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Robert Fitzgerald |
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Click here for notes on meeting |
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Tuesday
27 November 2012 |
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City Clerks or Ploughboys: c1820-1940
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the role of education Susanna Wade Martins (Research Associate, UEA) |
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Click here for notes on meeting |
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Tuesday
11 December 2012 |
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Painting the Nativity
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Margaret Forrester
4th to 16th CenturyDevelopment of the iconography
e.g. Was it a stable or a cave?
When did the magi turn into kings?
Where did the midwives come from?
Could we dispense with the ox and the ass?
Was Joseph superfluous to requirements?
Please note this is a change to the event advertised in the July newsletter. |
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Click here for notes on meeting |
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2011
Tuesday January 25th – Members’ Night: three short contributions by members.
Carole King: ‘Out and About’ – transport and leisure 1900-1950
Malcolm Paton: My Nelson Connection
Richard Jefferson: W J J Bolding & the Hamonds
Tuesday February 22nd – ‘Where We Live’: In this lecture Dr Bridges will explore the shape of the land in which we live and
the distribution of settlements in the area. Dr E M Bridges
Tuesday March 29th – Industrial Norfolk: a return of a very popular lecturer from 2010 now talking on the development and ultimate demise of industry in Norfolk from the 18th century onwards. M Fewster
Tuesday April 26th – Faden’s Norfolk: Maps are fascinating and Andrew’s recent research on Faden’s map of 1797 illuminates our understanding of the landscape. Dr MacNair has made a detailed study of Faden and the map, recently publishing a book on the subject. Dr Andrew MacNair
Tuesday September 27th – Eye in the Sky: aerial photos are used to reveal the wealth of archaeology in the Norfolk countryside and particularly North Norfolk. Dr Richard Hoggett (Coastal Heritage Officer, Gressenhall)
Tuesday October 25th – Treasure: this lecture will look at the ‘Staffordshire Hoard’ and its impact on our understanding of Anglo-Saxon England, including East Anglia. Roger Bland (Head of Department of Portable Antiquities and Treasure, British Museum)
Tuesday November 29th – Transforming a Landscape – North Norfolk 1700-1900: Jon will draw on his personal research on the heathlands and the development of agriculture in the area. Jon Gregory (Department of History, UEA)
Tuesday December 13th – Christmas Mardle: this year an innovation, an historic last performance of ‘Bert & Maude’ (alias Richard Newton & Janet Harcourt) – local Norfolk dialect and wit at its best. Plus exhibits about local villages and families.
2010
Tuesday January 26th – Members Night: an entertaining series of short talks by members.
Richard Jefferson: Thanks to Google
Pam Peake: Ralph Greenaway of Wiveton – London Grocer
Rev. Neil Batcock: Painted Medieval Churches
Tuesday February 23rd – The Herring Fishery: for many centuries herring were caught around the Norfolk coast, culminating in a major industry in Great Yarmouth in the 19th and 20th centuries: Dr M Fewster
Tuesday March 30th – Cromer Lifeboats: one of the most famous RNLI stations, Come and learn more about its history: Richard Leeds
Tuesday April 27th – Boudica: an iconic figure in the history of East Anglia. Yet what is fact or myth? Learn more from the author of two recent books on Boudica and her kingdom: Dr John Davies (Norwich Castle Museum)
Tuesday September 28th – Whirlygig: a fascinating and intriguing story from the Cold War: Fred Butcher
Tuesday October 26th – Keeping your hand in: a social history of the GP and cottage hospitals in East Anglia: Dr Steven Cherry (Reader in History, UEA)
Tuesday November 30th – Ruined and Disused Churches of Norfolk: in 1991 Neil published a seminal work on the churches of Norfolk and in this talk he will review and expand some of his ideas: Rev Neil Batcock
Tuesday December 14th – Christmas Mardle: celebrating 20 years of the BAHS with a mixture of exhibits, seasonal festivities.
2009
Tuesday January 27th – Members’ Night: three short contributions by members.
David Perryman: I don’t believe it – or do I?
John Peake: A view of Blakeney in the early 19th century
Gerald Cubitt: Saving the lives of Shipwrecked Mariners along the North Norfolk Coast
Tuesday February 24th – Norfolk Archaeology from the Air – new perspectives: from the leading exponent of the use of aerial photography in archaeology in Norfolk: Derek Edwards
Tuesday March 31st – Portraits in Tudor Norfolk: explore some of the influential families during the Tudor period through their surviving portraits David Yaxley
Tuesday April 28th – King Henry’s Band: this will be both informative and entertaining covering a wide variety of early instruments and music from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Robert FitzGerald
Tuesday September 29th – Wall Paintings in Churches: recently Matthew has been managing the restoration of an important series of wall paintings. He will draw on this experience in this lecture. Matthew Champion
Tuesday October 27th – The Civil War and Kings Lynn: this lecture will draw on personal research to explore the effects of the Civil War in some areas of Norfolk. Susan Yaxley
Tuesday November 24th – Coke of Holkham a celebration of this great Norfolk agriculturalist by his biographer. Susanna Wade Martins
Tuesday December 15th – Christmas Mardle: a mixture of exhibits about local villages and families, seasonal festivities and a short talk on rare breed animals.
2008
Tuesday January 29th – Members’ Night: four short talks by members:
Local Poetry: Janet Harcourt
Little Red Box: David Perryman
Weybourne & Kelling – contrasting villages: Brenda Worton
Importance of Family Connections: Richard Jefferson.
Tuesday February 26th – The Dutch Garden in Norfolk: using wide ranging research to understand a continental style of gardens and ultimately reconstruct one: Charlotte Crawley
Tuesday March 25th – The Bayeaux Tapestry: Margaret Forester
Tuesday April 29th – East Anglian Shipping placing the North Norfolk ports in a wider context: Mike Stammers
Saturday August 16th – Annual Summer Public Lecture – A Changing Scene: Medieval Parks and Hunting in Norfolk: Dr Rob Liddiard
Saturday August 23rd – Local History Day: An exhibition organised by the society’s History Centre to be held in St Nicholas Church Blakeney from 10am till 4pm. There will be displays on the churches of the Haven, local families and personalities, photographs, maps, news from local villages and tours of the church and graveyard.
Tuesday September 30th – 700 years of Psalter Illumination: Margaret Forester
Tuesday October 28th – Norfolk’s Wealth, Wool and Weaving: The history of weaving in Norfolk by the curator of the weaving museum on the outskirts of Worstead. Brian Morgan
Tuesday November 25th – Reaching for Heaven: A look at towers and other features of churches by an active researcher in the field. Dominic Summers (UEA)
Tuesday December 16th – Mardle Night: there will be a number of brief contributions on the theme of Reminiscences from WWII supported by exhibits and seasonal festivities.
2007
Tuesday January 30th – Members Night: a medley of short talks with something for everybody:
Travel to Walsingham: Frank Hawes
1910 Domesday Survey: Pamela Peake
Green Man: Geoff Worton
Tuesday February 27th – The Burnhams – another haven: the archaeology and development of a port and the villages: John Smallwood
Tuesday March 27th – ‘The Devil’s Fiery Dance’: Books and Newspapers in North Norfolk in the 16th century: Clive Wilkins-Jones
Tuesday April 24th – The Early History of Norwich: an archaeological survey of a fine city by the pre-eminent authority: Brian Ayers
Saturday August 18th – Summer Public Lecture – In Praise of Norfolk Market Towns: explore with the speaker the fine array of market towns in the county from Downham Market in the west, Swaffham in the south and closer to home Holt, Fakenham and Aylsham: Chris Barringer
Thursday August 23rd – ‘Open Day’ at the History Centre Blakeney: this is an opportunity to see and use some of the resources of the Centre. The Centre is situated at the rear of the Village Hall off Langham Road in Blakeney. There is ample parking space
Tuesday September 25th – Agriculture in North Norfolk revisited: a view of a changing scene through photographs; a return visit with some new pictures: Philip West
Tuesday October 30th – Admiral Cloudsley Shovell – a local man: remembering the tercentenary of the tragic death in the Scilly Isles of one of Norfolk’s great admirals from Cockthorpe; Simon Harris
Tuesday November 27th – The Rise of Holiday Architecture – Cromer: the 19th and early 20th century saw the development of the seaside holiday and the need for accommodation: Andy Boyce
Tuesday December 11th – Christmas Mardle – A Social Evening: Reminiscences by Godfrey Sayers, Exhibits on House history, 1586 Haven Map, Cley memorabilia, Blakeney shipping, WW records and more, plus mince pies and a glass of wine. Come and join us.