talks programme
5 june to 4 September 2024
Wednesday 5 June
John Davidson
Impact of the railways on Exeter - A Festival of Steam.
To introduce the 2024 Festival of Steam at Exeter’s Heritage Harbour on the weekend of 8/9 June, John will show how the arrival of the railways and steam engines changed Exeter. The talk will also explain the important links between Exeter’s Canal Basin, steam power and coal.
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Wednesday 12 June
Lawrence Sail
Devon Delights.
Local poet Lawrence Sail, who has lived in Devon for nearly three-quarters of his life, celebrates the influence on his work of the county’s coast and landscapes. Lawrence has published thirteen collections of poems, most recently Guises (Bloodaxe Books, 2020), two books of essays and two memoirs. He has also edited a number of anthologies, including First and Poems: Poems for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and Light Unlocked: Poems for Christmas.
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Wednesday 19 June
John Sheaves
Food Security, Food Miles and the role ofTaste of the West
John Sheaves is the CEO of Taste of the West which promotes and supports fantastic local food and drink from the South West of England. His talk will look at issues of food security and the problem of food miles, and why it is important to promote and develop local sources of food and drink.
The talk by Dr Martin Grossel on Andrea Angel originally scheduled for this date has unfortunately had to be postponed due to illness
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Wednesday 26 June
Dr Catherine Ross
‘Sorcery to Supercomputers’ - the origins of forecasting and the history of the office.
The Met Office has been providing weather forecasts for the country for over 150 years. Catherine will show how the Met Office evolved from providing a service to shipping through its key role in two world wars and on to the advancements made with the introduction of very powerful computers. Catherine completed her PhD in Ancient History at Durham, qualified as an Archivist and worked for the Museum of Military Medicine. She joined the Met Office in 2012 first as the Archivist and latterly as the Library and Archive Manager.
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Wednesday 3 July
Philip Badcott
The March of William of Orange through Devon.
Author and Historian Phil Badcott will tell the exciting story of William of Orange’s march through Devon with 15,000 soldiers after he landed at Brixham on November 5, 1688. He will show how Exeter played a key role in this very significant historic event.
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Wednesday 10 July
Helen Hume
From Red Rose to Redcoat.
Exeter Redcoat guide Helen Hulme will tell the fascinating and often amusing story of her rugby playing journey, from early days in Exeter to becoming a Red Rose.
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Wednesday 17 July
David Oates
The Man who moved Two Windmills - Jordan Ison, an Extraordinary Village Carpenter.
David will tell the fascinating story of Jordan Ison, an innovative and gifted village carpenter who dismantled, moved and reassembled two historic two windmills as well as building gun carriages and a wooden carriage.
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Wednesday 24 July
John Ellis
The Stover Canal - 1790 to today's restoration.
The Stover Canal connects the Teign Valley to the sea. It played a very important role exporting products from the ball clay industry and granite building stones. It was linked to Haytor Quarries by a granite tramway. The canal is currently being restored and sections can be visited on walks.
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Wednesday 31 July
Adrienne Hesketh
Devon Composers. Devon based musician and composer Adrienne Hesketh will give a talk featuring various composers from Devon and their music, with some live musical interludes.
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Wednesday 7 August
Di Hatchett
The role and importance of guide dogs for the blind and partially sighted.
Di is Co-ordinator, Exeter and District Fundraising Group, and will talk about the selection, training and work of dogs for the blind. She will be accompanied by Suzanne Bailey, with her working Guide Dog Alice, and Emily, a Guide dog Puppy in training, Emily. She will bring along some Guide Dogs’ information leaflets for those who wish to know more.
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Wednesday 14 August
No meeting
Summer holiday break
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Wednesday 21 August
No meeting
Summer holiday break
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Wednesday 28 August
No meeting
Summer holiday break
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Wednesday 4 September
John Davidson
Who really discovered the North Pole?
The story of the race to reach the South Pole in 1911 is well known but the search for the North Pole started back in the 1700s and continued for over 150 years. This talk will look at the many attempts, by land, sea, and air to be the first person to stand at the top of the World.
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