HINT FOR WEBSITE USERS: To find out more about Forum's activities hover your cursor over the tabs above and explore the drop-down menus that then appear.
TALKS
4th September to 18 december 2024
Wednesday 4 September 2024
John Davidson
Who really discovered the North Pole?
People know about the race to reach the South Pole, but the story of those who set out to reach the North Pole spanned over 100 years and was mired in controversy. John will show the challenges of trying to reach the Pole by land, sea and air and reveal who was finally the first person to stand at the North Pole.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 11 September 2024
David McLarin
Honeybees - some pertinent facts
David is a retired chartered surveyor who after a brush with cancer decided to try organic gardening and developed a fascination with bees. His talk will look at the world of bees, focusing on our native honeybees and their lives. He will examine the threats to bees and the ways in which we can improve their habitats and survival.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 18 September 2024
Emma Laws
Peter Rabbit - the tale of The Tale
Emma will look at how the character of Peter Rabbit created by Beatrix Potter evolved into one of the best-known children’s stories, and how her experiences shaped her writing, including the time she spent in Exeter.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 25 September 2024
Lucilla Phelps
In the footsteps of Shackleton
Professional photographer Lucilla will make a welcome return to the Exeter Forum to talk about her photographic journey to the Antarctic following the route of the Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expedition. She will illustrate her talk with amazing images, recreating scenes from the original expedition.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 2 October 2024
Rebekah Pearson
Devon Land Girls – their lives and experiences
Rebekah’s talk will focus on the experiences of the Land Girls who worked on farms in the Second World War. She will draw on her research tracking down and recording the experiences of some of the 1700 Land Girls from Devon.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 9 October 2024
Jenny Bennett
The River Exe over time. Jenny’s talk will show how the River Exe has changed over time and how combining the geological evidence with archaeological and historical material has added to knowledge of the river's behaviour. Predicting future river behaviour can be assisted by an understanding of the past. Jenny worked in local government and studied for an Open University degree, leading to 20 years part time tutoring for the Open University. She returned to study as a mature student gaining a Master’s degree at Cambridge followed by a PhD at Exeter, followed by teaching, writing and involvement with local geological groups.
_____________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 16 October 2024
John Bryant
Feeding the nine billion – crops, genes and climate change
John will look at the complex issues associated with population growth as the planet approaches 9 billion inhabitants. His talk will cover the related issues of food supply, climate change and genes.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 23 October 2024
Geoff Pettinger
Sir Goldsworth Gurney – Gentleman Scientist
This talk will look at West Country inventor, engineer and gentleman scientist Sir Goldsworth Gurney and will show how he amazed the Victorians with his innovative steam powered forms of transport, and new methods for lighting and heating. A native of Devon, he built a house in Bude which used radical new construction methods that can be still seen today.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 30 October 2024
Major Robert Elliott
The modern role of the Salvation Army
As a follow up to talks on the history of the Salvation Army in Exeter, Major Robert Elliott will illustrate the roles of the Salvation Army today, and their important work in Devon and further afield.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 6 November 2024
John Ellis
They Built Silent Cities
To coincide with Remembrance week, amateur historian John’s talk will look at how the War cemeteries were created across the Western Front to commemorate the fallen. He will draw on his experiences visiting over 130 sites and tell the often forgotten story about how these important and lasting memorials were established.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 13 November 2024
Chris Wiseman
My Flying Experiences – a personal story
Chris will present a unique journey looking at the various types of different aircraft he has had the privilege to fly from aged 13 through to the present-day including stories of Air Cadet days, obtaining a Gliding licence, training with Search and Rescue helicopter units, Aerobatic Teams and various warbirds. This is a follow up to his previous talk on RAF Exeter.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 20 November 2024
Jonathan Turner
The life, times, and mysterious death of Devon sailor Captain John Jellard
Captain John Jellard left a detailed diary and Jonathan’s talk will show the exciting and sometimes terrifying world of a Devon sailor in the days of tall ships. John Jellard left Devon for Newfoundland in about 1827. He returned to Liverpool in 1845 to work for his brother-in-law Joseph Avery, wine merchant, and together they invested in a state-of-the-art barque of 500 tonnes built in Shaldon on the Teign estuary. John sailed it round the world in 1857 before dying mysteriously in New Zealand in1860.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 27 November 2024
Pete Wade
The story of the Newton Abbot Spitfire
In 1940, councils, businesses, voluntary organisations and individuals were encouraged by the Government to raise funds to build Spitfires. This “home front” initiative captured the public’s imagination and was amazingly successful. This is the story of one Spitfire, built with funds raised in Newton Abbot, and how this extraordinary fundraising came about.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 4 December 2024
Hedley Saunders
Normandy and the Waterways of Northern France by yacht
Retired dentist, RNLI fundraiser and avid sailor Hedley Saunders will take us on an aquatic journey in his 30-foot Yacht, from Devon to the waterways of Northern France in this anniversary year of D-Day. Places visited on this cruise included Pegasus Bridge with its Exeter connections, Caen, Arromanches, and Utah beach
_______________________________________________________________
Wednesday 11 December 2024
Young musicians from Exeter
A Celebration of Christmas Music and Songs
Young singers from a local school will present a programme of seasonal music.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 18 December 2024
John Davidson
Exeter at Christmastide – historical events from stir-up Sunday to Twelfth Night
John will present a selection of less familiar stories from the past 800 years of Exeter’s history, with some short musical extracts.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 25 December 2024
No meeting
Christmas break
Wednesday 1 January 2025
No meeting
Christmas break
Wednesday 8 January 2025
Exeter Forum restarts after Christmas break
John Davidson
Who really discovered the North Pole?
People know about the race to reach the South Pole, but the story of those who set out to reach the North Pole spanned over 100 years and was mired in controversy. John will show the challenges of trying to reach the Pole by land, sea and air and reveal who was finally the first person to stand at the North Pole.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 11 September 2024
David McLarin
Honeybees - some pertinent facts
David is a retired chartered surveyor who after a brush with cancer decided to try organic gardening and developed a fascination with bees. His talk will look at the world of bees, focusing on our native honeybees and their lives. He will examine the threats to bees and the ways in which we can improve their habitats and survival.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 18 September 2024
Emma Laws
Peter Rabbit - the tale of The Tale
Emma will look at how the character of Peter Rabbit created by Beatrix Potter evolved into one of the best-known children’s stories, and how her experiences shaped her writing, including the time she spent in Exeter.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 25 September 2024
Lucilla Phelps
In the footsteps of Shackleton
Professional photographer Lucilla will make a welcome return to the Exeter Forum to talk about her photographic journey to the Antarctic following the route of the Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expedition. She will illustrate her talk with amazing images, recreating scenes from the original expedition.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 2 October 2024
Rebekah Pearson
Devon Land Girls – their lives and experiences
Rebekah’s talk will focus on the experiences of the Land Girls who worked on farms in the Second World War. She will draw on her research tracking down and recording the experiences of some of the 1700 Land Girls from Devon.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 9 October 2024
Jenny Bennett
The River Exe over time. Jenny’s talk will show how the River Exe has changed over time and how combining the geological evidence with archaeological and historical material has added to knowledge of the river's behaviour. Predicting future river behaviour can be assisted by an understanding of the past. Jenny worked in local government and studied for an Open University degree, leading to 20 years part time tutoring for the Open University. She returned to study as a mature student gaining a Master’s degree at Cambridge followed by a PhD at Exeter, followed by teaching, writing and involvement with local geological groups.
_____________________________________________________________________
Wednesday 16 October 2024
John Bryant
Feeding the nine billion – crops, genes and climate change
John will look at the complex issues associated with population growth as the planet approaches 9 billion inhabitants. His talk will cover the related issues of food supply, climate change and genes.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 23 October 2024
Geoff Pettinger
Sir Goldsworth Gurney – Gentleman Scientist
This talk will look at West Country inventor, engineer and gentleman scientist Sir Goldsworth Gurney and will show how he amazed the Victorians with his innovative steam powered forms of transport, and new methods for lighting and heating. A native of Devon, he built a house in Bude which used radical new construction methods that can be still seen today.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 30 October 2024
Major Robert Elliott
The modern role of the Salvation Army
As a follow up to talks on the history of the Salvation Army in Exeter, Major Robert Elliott will illustrate the roles of the Salvation Army today, and their important work in Devon and further afield.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 6 November 2024
John Ellis
They Built Silent Cities
To coincide with Remembrance week, amateur historian John’s talk will look at how the War cemeteries were created across the Western Front to commemorate the fallen. He will draw on his experiences visiting over 130 sites and tell the often forgotten story about how these important and lasting memorials were established.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 13 November 2024
Chris Wiseman
My Flying Experiences – a personal story
Chris will present a unique journey looking at the various types of different aircraft he has had the privilege to fly from aged 13 through to the present-day including stories of Air Cadet days, obtaining a Gliding licence, training with Search and Rescue helicopter units, Aerobatic Teams and various warbirds. This is a follow up to his previous talk on RAF Exeter.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 20 November 2024
Jonathan Turner
The life, times, and mysterious death of Devon sailor Captain John Jellard
Captain John Jellard left a detailed diary and Jonathan’s talk will show the exciting and sometimes terrifying world of a Devon sailor in the days of tall ships. John Jellard left Devon for Newfoundland in about 1827. He returned to Liverpool in 1845 to work for his brother-in-law Joseph Avery, wine merchant, and together they invested in a state-of-the-art barque of 500 tonnes built in Shaldon on the Teign estuary. John sailed it round the world in 1857 before dying mysteriously in New Zealand in1860.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 27 November 2024
Pete Wade
The story of the Newton Abbot Spitfire
In 1940, councils, businesses, voluntary organisations and individuals were encouraged by the Government to raise funds to build Spitfires. This “home front” initiative captured the public’s imagination and was amazingly successful. This is the story of one Spitfire, built with funds raised in Newton Abbot, and how this extraordinary fundraising came about.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 4 December 2024
Hedley Saunders
Normandy and the Waterways of Northern France by yacht
Retired dentist, RNLI fundraiser and avid sailor Hedley Saunders will take us on an aquatic journey in his 30-foot Yacht, from Devon to the waterways of Northern France in this anniversary year of D-Day. Places visited on this cruise included Pegasus Bridge with its Exeter connections, Caen, Arromanches, and Utah beach
_______________________________________________________________
Wednesday 11 December 2024
Young musicians from Exeter
A Celebration of Christmas Music and Songs
Young singers from a local school will present a programme of seasonal music.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 18 December 2024
John Davidson
Exeter at Christmastide – historical events from stir-up Sunday to Twelfth Night
John will present a selection of less familiar stories from the past 800 years of Exeter’s history, with some short musical extracts.
__________________________________________________________
Wednesday 25 December 2024
No meeting
Christmas break
Wednesday 1 January 2025
No meeting
Christmas break
Wednesday 8 January 2025
Exeter Forum restarts after Christmas break
