September 15th
Graham Walker again stepped in to fill a vacant slot in our programme. He entertained us for a rousing 40 minutes with Music from the Land of Songs. Graham spent a lot of time in Wales during one of his jobs and explained that he had a love of the country and its music. His first video offering was a taster for things to come – Max Boyce at the 1999 World Cup leading the Welsh rugby fans in a magnificent rendition of “Hymns and Arias”. Harry Secombe gave us “How Great Thou Art” and there followed a collection of videos covering many styles of music. We enjoyed some wonderful talent and two standout performances were by Katherine Jenkins and Mary Hopkin, both with beautiful diction, a contrast to many of today’s so called singers. Graham finished as he started with Max Boyce, this time singing “The Glory that was Rome”
Graham Walker again stepped in to fill a vacant slot in our programme. He entertained us for a rousing 40 minutes with Music from the Land of Songs. Graham spent a lot of time in Wales during one of his jobs and explained that he had a love of the country and its music. His first video offering was a taster for things to come – Max Boyce at the 1999 World Cup leading the Welsh rugby fans in a magnificent rendition of “Hymns and Arias”. Harry Secombe gave us “How Great Thou Art” and there followed a collection of videos covering many styles of music. We enjoyed some wonderful talent and two standout performances were by Katherine Jenkins and Mary Hopkin, both with beautiful diction, a contrast to many of today’s so called singers. Graham finished as he started with Max Boyce, this time singing “The Glory that was Rome”
September 1st
John started by telling us he was going to raise our spirits by exercising our ‘chuckle muscles’. His talk entitled Going to Blazes certainly did this. John had been a fireman since joining the service in 1963 at the age of 18 and retired in 2000. He worked in several brigades and rose to become Chief Fire Officer for Wiltshire. During his time as a fireman he encountered many different reactions to emergencies and told us of some of the more humorous ones. He mentioned the hydraulic cutters introduced to improve rescue in motor accidents. They were manufactured by a company called Hurst and firemen called the equipment a ‘hurst’. When rescuing one motorist he had a panic when he thought the firemen were calling for the hearse. He mentioned the rescue of animals including a giraffe at Longleat which could not stand up and the removal of a horse from a swimming pool of a very cold day. He had to get into the freezing pool to attach the lifting harness, for this he was awarded an RSPCA merit certificate. John spoke without notes or images but his stories were colourful and certainly lifted our spirits.
John started by telling us he was going to raise our spirits by exercising our ‘chuckle muscles’. His talk entitled Going to Blazes certainly did this. John had been a fireman since joining the service in 1963 at the age of 18 and retired in 2000. He worked in several brigades and rose to become Chief Fire Officer for Wiltshire. During his time as a fireman he encountered many different reactions to emergencies and told us of some of the more humorous ones. He mentioned the hydraulic cutters introduced to improve rescue in motor accidents. They were manufactured by a company called Hurst and firemen called the equipment a ‘hurst’. When rescuing one motorist he had a panic when he thought the firemen were calling for the hearse. He mentioned the rescue of animals including a giraffe at Longleat which could not stand up and the removal of a horse from a swimming pool of a very cold day. He had to get into the freezing pool to attach the lifting harness, for this he was awarded an RSPCA merit certificate. John spoke without notes or images but his stories were colourful and certainly lifted our spirits.
August 18th
Peter Lamb gave a very interesting illustrated talk on the History of Lighting. He covered the development of the electric light from the early arc lamps of 1808 to the lamps of today – the LED. Humphrey Davey, who had spent some time in Bristol, did many of the early experiments at the Royal Institution in London, assisted by Michael Faraday. Although Davey did much of the work on gases, Faraday worked on the generator in 1831 and developments of the dynamo and the electric motor. The battery was also developed at this early time, with experiments taking place in France, Germany, Italy and the USA. The early lamps in the centre of Bristol were of the carbon rod system which was switched on daily until midnight when they were switched off, the two-rod system lasting for about 16 hours. They were a high maintenance AC and DC system, restricted to a small area. In 1881 William Siemens formed the Godalming 1st Public Electrical Generating Station, and gas-filled lamps were developed by Joseph Swan in the UK and Edison in the US as early carbonised fibre filament lamps. By 1881 the Savoy Theatre was lit by the system and Lord Armstrong, who supported Swan, electrified his house in the North of England. Osram used a metal filament as an improvement and by 1897 Walter Nerst developed a filament that glowed. Halogen lamps were beginning to be developed. Further developments were Mercury Vapour lamps by 1906 and by 1926 Compton had developed Sodium lamps, but fluorescent lighting can be traced back to Edison in 1896. The Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) came in 1976, a very efficient system. The modern Light Emitting Diode (LED) came in various colours in 1968, and from work at the University of Illinois, a system which contained no gas but producing white light was developed. The LED works on a DC system, so contains up to 18 parts which convert AC to DC. The race is now on to produce an LED which works from AC directly, with no conversion. The development of lighting continues.
Peter Lamb gave a very interesting illustrated talk on the History of Lighting. He covered the development of the electric light from the early arc lamps of 1808 to the lamps of today – the LED. Humphrey Davey, who had spent some time in Bristol, did many of the early experiments at the Royal Institution in London, assisted by Michael Faraday. Although Davey did much of the work on gases, Faraday worked on the generator in 1831 and developments of the dynamo and the electric motor. The battery was also developed at this early time, with experiments taking place in France, Germany, Italy and the USA. The early lamps in the centre of Bristol were of the carbon rod system which was switched on daily until midnight when they were switched off, the two-rod system lasting for about 16 hours. They were a high maintenance AC and DC system, restricted to a small area. In 1881 William Siemens formed the Godalming 1st Public Electrical Generating Station, and gas-filled lamps were developed by Joseph Swan in the UK and Edison in the US as early carbonised fibre filament lamps. By 1881 the Savoy Theatre was lit by the system and Lord Armstrong, who supported Swan, electrified his house in the North of England. Osram used a metal filament as an improvement and by 1897 Walter Nerst developed a filament that glowed. Halogen lamps were beginning to be developed. Further developments were Mercury Vapour lamps by 1906 and by 1926 Compton had developed Sodium lamps, but fluorescent lighting can be traced back to Edison in 1896. The Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) came in 1976, a very efficient system. The modern Light Emitting Diode (LED) came in various colours in 1968, and from work at the University of Illinois, a system which contained no gas but producing white light was developed. The LED works on a DC system, so contains up to 18 parts which convert AC to DC. The race is now on to produce an LED which works from AC directly, with no conversion. The development of lighting continues.
August 4th
Cyril Routledge entertained us with an interesting illustrated talk on Signs of the Times. He opened with the ‘City & County of Bristol’ concrete signs situated on the boundaries of Bristol, pointing out that the County of Bristol came from a charter granted by Edward III in 1373 – a rare honour. Different signs for ‘School’ were shown and warning signs for horses, sheep, frogs or toads and deer were illustrated. Many of the early advertising signs brought back memories – many different ‘Coleman’s Mustard’, ‘Fry’s Chocolates’ and ‘Veno’s Cough Medicine’ signs were remembered by many in the audience. Cyril pointed out that railway premises and heritage railways were a good hunting ground for interesting signs. As well as the usual advertising signs, guides to ‘Ladies & Gentlemen’ and railway company signs, he illustrated a warning sign to deter trespassing on the railway, the penalty being 40 shillings or, failing payment, a month in gaol. A mileage post from the Great Western Railway was shown, with the quarter miles shown by strokes. Some newspaper signs were shown, namely ‘The People’, The Western Gazette’ and the now defunct ‘News of the World’ and some of the very interesting ones were the hand signs showing fingers pointing in the direction of a particular village or town. To add to the international flavour a German sign to a hospital – ‘Krankenhaus’ – was also included. A fascinating talk which highlighted many of the day-to-day sights of both modern and old signs over the years, which are often ignored, but nevertheless brought back many memories. It emphasised how important signs are in giving information and warnings to drivers, pedestrians and the general public.
Cyril Routledge entertained us with an interesting illustrated talk on Signs of the Times. He opened with the ‘City & County of Bristol’ concrete signs situated on the boundaries of Bristol, pointing out that the County of Bristol came from a charter granted by Edward III in 1373 – a rare honour. Different signs for ‘School’ were shown and warning signs for horses, sheep, frogs or toads and deer were illustrated. Many of the early advertising signs brought back memories – many different ‘Coleman’s Mustard’, ‘Fry’s Chocolates’ and ‘Veno’s Cough Medicine’ signs were remembered by many in the audience. Cyril pointed out that railway premises and heritage railways were a good hunting ground for interesting signs. As well as the usual advertising signs, guides to ‘Ladies & Gentlemen’ and railway company signs, he illustrated a warning sign to deter trespassing on the railway, the penalty being 40 shillings or, failing payment, a month in gaol. A mileage post from the Great Western Railway was shown, with the quarter miles shown by strokes. Some newspaper signs were shown, namely ‘The People’, The Western Gazette’ and the now defunct ‘News of the World’ and some of the very interesting ones were the hand signs showing fingers pointing in the direction of a particular village or town. To add to the international flavour a German sign to a hospital – ‘Krankenhaus’ – was also included. A fascinating talk which highlighted many of the day-to-day sights of both modern and old signs over the years, which are often ignored, but nevertheless brought back many memories. It emphasised how important signs are in giving information and warnings to drivers, pedestrians and the general public.
July 21st
Jenny Noakes came to us to tell us about the Bath City Pastors. She started by saying a bit about her background as a nurse, married to a doctor. The Bath City Pastors started in 2008 and are volunteers from churches in and around Bath based at the Manvers Street Baptist Church. The Pastors have permission from the police and city council and undertake training before deployment. They come from many different walks of life but share a Christian faith. They patrol the centre of Bath each Friday and Saturday nights in teams of four from a total of 40 volunteers. Jenny explained the way they worked with radio contact and two way exchange of information to the Police and Bath City Marshals. The Pastors offer help, care and listening to mainly young people who can get intoxicated or drugged during their revels. They carry a rucksack with essential items to help including water, blankets, cereal bars and wet wipes. She mentioned two special items carried: Flip-flops, as many young girls take off their shoes when they start to hurt and there is always glass about, plus lollipops - useful to shut people up! Jenny spoke fluently without notes or visuals and told us many stories of her adventures as a Pastor; she clearly loves the activity.
Jenny Noakes came to us to tell us about the Bath City Pastors. She started by saying a bit about her background as a nurse, married to a doctor. The Bath City Pastors started in 2008 and are volunteers from churches in and around Bath based at the Manvers Street Baptist Church. The Pastors have permission from the police and city council and undertake training before deployment. They come from many different walks of life but share a Christian faith. They patrol the centre of Bath each Friday and Saturday nights in teams of four from a total of 40 volunteers. Jenny explained the way they worked with radio contact and two way exchange of information to the Police and Bath City Marshals. The Pastors offer help, care and listening to mainly young people who can get intoxicated or drugged during their revels. They carry a rucksack with essential items to help including water, blankets, cereal bars and wet wipes. She mentioned two special items carried: Flip-flops, as many young girls take off their shoes when they start to hurt and there is always glass about, plus lollipops - useful to shut people up! Jenny spoke fluently without notes or visuals and told us many stories of her adventures as a Pastor; she clearly loves the activity.
July 7th
At 10.05 our booked speaker rang to say she had a family problem and could not come to us. What to do? Wally stepped in with an impromptu talk about bees. He has been keeping bees for six years but is still learning. He covered the life cycle of a bee and how and why a new queen is made. Queens are made by the bees when either the old queen is failing or if the hive is too crowded and the bees decide to split and make a new family somewhere else. The bees select a newly laid egg and feed it special ‘Queen Jelly’ which then produces a new Queen. The virgin Queen bee goes on a mating flight and is mated with about 12- 15 drones (male bees) this mating gives her enough sperm to sustain the laying of fertilised eggs for the rest of her life, about three years. At peak times in the summer she can lay 2,000 eggs a day. Many other facts were presented to the listeners and a lively question session followed. Wally admitted the talk was ‘off the cuff’ and unstructured, he apologised but was pleased with the quality of the questions asked.
At 10.05 our booked speaker rang to say she had a family problem and could not come to us. What to do? Wally stepped in with an impromptu talk about bees. He has been keeping bees for six years but is still learning. He covered the life cycle of a bee and how and why a new queen is made. Queens are made by the bees when either the old queen is failing or if the hive is too crowded and the bees decide to split and make a new family somewhere else. The bees select a newly laid egg and feed it special ‘Queen Jelly’ which then produces a new Queen. The virgin Queen bee goes on a mating flight and is mated with about 12- 15 drones (male bees) this mating gives her enough sperm to sustain the laying of fertilised eggs for the rest of her life, about three years. At peak times in the summer she can lay 2,000 eggs a day. Many other facts were presented to the listeners and a lively question session followed. Wally admitted the talk was ‘off the cuff’ and unstructured, he apologised but was pleased with the quality of the questions asked.
June 30th
We were wonderfully entertained by Tim Lewis and Sheila Furneau who told the tale of the Wind in the Willows in a unique fashion. Tim started by telling us some of the history of the author Kenneth Grahame. Born in 1859 he became a successful man working for the Bank of England. He married at the age of 40 and had one son, Alastair, who was born blind in one eye and plagued by health problems throughout a short life. In 1908 Grahame took early retirement and moved with his wife and son to an old farmhouse in Berkshire where he used the bedtime stories he had told Alastair as a basis for the manuscript of The Wind in the Willows first published in 1908. Tim did not just read sections of the book but has rewritten the story and put his words to familiar songs which he sung, accompanies on the keyboard by Sheila. The story was illustrated by delightful drawing of Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger in action. A very suitable talk for Ladies Day.
We were wonderfully entertained by Tim Lewis and Sheila Furneau who told the tale of the Wind in the Willows in a unique fashion. Tim started by telling us some of the history of the author Kenneth Grahame. Born in 1859 he became a successful man working for the Bank of England. He married at the age of 40 and had one son, Alastair, who was born blind in one eye and plagued by health problems throughout a short life. In 1908 Grahame took early retirement and moved with his wife and son to an old farmhouse in Berkshire where he used the bedtime stories he had told Alastair as a basis for the manuscript of The Wind in the Willows first published in 1908. Tim did not just read sections of the book but has rewritten the story and put his words to familiar songs which he sung, accompanies on the keyboard by Sheila. The story was illustrated by delightful drawing of Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger in action. A very suitable talk for Ladies Day.
June 16th
Speaker Garry Bressington has been involved in the Royal National Lifeboat Institution for over 30 years and his knowledge and enthusiasm reflected this. He started by impressing us that the RNLI is a charity and not government controlled relying on donations and legacies to cover running costs. The RNLI was founded in 1824 when Sir William Hillary decided that there was a need for a coordinated system to rescue mariners using purpose built boats. It was called the Shipwreck Society in those early days but changed the name to RNLI in 1854. Early lifeboat men were predominantly fishermen but now the majority are healthy civilian volunteers. They now have specially designed lifeboats ranging from inshore inflatable 3 man crafts to 56 foot rigid, self-righting craft with a crew of 6. There are 238 stations around the coast and rivers with a total of 445 lifeboats. Over 5,500 volunteers including 600 ladies handle the craft. In 1989 the pleasure steamer the Marchioness sank on the River Thames with 51 deaths and as a result the RNLI started an inland rescue service using specially designed boats that are water jet driven with open backs to facilitate retrieving drowning persons. In 2002 a new service was trialled with beach lifeguards manning potentially dangerous beaches. It was so successful that there are now over 1,500 lifeguards covering 250 beaches.
Speaker Garry Bressington has been involved in the Royal National Lifeboat Institution for over 30 years and his knowledge and enthusiasm reflected this. He started by impressing us that the RNLI is a charity and not government controlled relying on donations and legacies to cover running costs. The RNLI was founded in 1824 when Sir William Hillary decided that there was a need for a coordinated system to rescue mariners using purpose built boats. It was called the Shipwreck Society in those early days but changed the name to RNLI in 1854. Early lifeboat men were predominantly fishermen but now the majority are healthy civilian volunteers. They now have specially designed lifeboats ranging from inshore inflatable 3 man crafts to 56 foot rigid, self-righting craft with a crew of 6. There are 238 stations around the coast and rivers with a total of 445 lifeboats. Over 5,500 volunteers including 600 ladies handle the craft. In 1989 the pleasure steamer the Marchioness sank on the River Thames with 51 deaths and as a result the RNLI started an inland rescue service using specially designed boats that are water jet driven with open backs to facilitate retrieving drowning persons. In 2002 a new service was trialled with beach lifeguards manning potentially dangerous beaches. It was so successful that there are now over 1,500 lifeguards covering 250 beaches.
June 2nd - Visit to Winterbourne Medieval Barn
May 19th
Our planned speaker had called off due to illness but member Phil Scull was able to more than adequately fill the spot. Phil joined the police aged 26 and spent over 30 years serving the public. He kept all his work in his pocket book and eventually wrote a book entitled “Recollections of a Proper Copper”, published by his son. He started by describing his uniform and equipment including his truncheon, which he said he never drew in anger during his service. One day a postman reported a possible bomb in a parcel, he took it to the station where the bomb disposal squad was called in. His sergeant was not pleased when it turned out to be a Hornby clockwork motor. One time he was called when a lad stole a gas meter coin box. He caught up with him but the lad threw the money at him and ran away. Phil tracked him down to a local toilet; one stall was occupied so he knocked the door down only to be embarrassed by the occupant who was a man with a turban. Phil is obviously a natural story teller who kept us amused.
Our planned speaker had called off due to illness but member Phil Scull was able to more than adequately fill the spot. Phil joined the police aged 26 and spent over 30 years serving the public. He kept all his work in his pocket book and eventually wrote a book entitled “Recollections of a Proper Copper”, published by his son. He started by describing his uniform and equipment including his truncheon, which he said he never drew in anger during his service. One day a postman reported a possible bomb in a parcel, he took it to the station where the bomb disposal squad was called in. His sergeant was not pleased when it turned out to be a Hornby clockwork motor. One time he was called when a lad stole a gas meter coin box. He caught up with him but the lad threw the money at him and ran away. Phil tracked him down to a local toilet; one stall was occupied so he knocked the door down only to be embarrassed by the occupant who was a man with a turban. Phil is obviously a natural story teller who kept us amused.
May 5th
We were pleased to welcome Mike Britton back to show us pictures and videos from the "Swinging Sixties". He covered a lot of ground from the depression when 67.000 jobs were lost during the restructuring of industry, to fashion and music. It was a time of protest; Anti-immigration demonstrations and the Londonderry riots in Ireland which eventually led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The Vietnam War in which 60,000 Americans died. It was not all dreadful news. Fashion was a big thing in the 60’s: Carnaby Street ruled and dictated the length of ladies skirts. Lady Chatterley’s Lover was the subject of watershed obscenity trial and sold 200,000 copies on the first day of publication in the UK. We were delighted to be able to relive advertisements for long forgotten food and drinks, it was the time of the introduction of sliced white bread and pull tags on tine. Mike finished with a selection of videos from old TV shows, comedy classics and panel games. A wonderfully nostalgic hour.
We were pleased to welcome Mike Britton back to show us pictures and videos from the "Swinging Sixties". He covered a lot of ground from the depression when 67.000 jobs were lost during the restructuring of industry, to fashion and music. It was a time of protest; Anti-immigration demonstrations and the Londonderry riots in Ireland which eventually led to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The Vietnam War in which 60,000 Americans died. It was not all dreadful news. Fashion was a big thing in the 60’s: Carnaby Street ruled and dictated the length of ladies skirts. Lady Chatterley’s Lover was the subject of watershed obscenity trial and sold 200,000 copies on the first day of publication in the UK. We were delighted to be able to relive advertisements for long forgotten food and drinks, it was the time of the introduction of sliced white bread and pull tags on tine. Mike finished with a selection of videos from old TV shows, comedy classics and panel games. A wonderfully nostalgic hour.
April 7th
Mike Britton is a frequent and welcome visitor to our group and he stepped in at short notice to replace a speaker who was taken ill. His subject was “Secret Societies" (Fraternal Societies and Friendly Societies); a wide ranging talk on a complicated subject. He started by explaining how the medieval guilds came into being to protect crafts and ensure proper training and apprenticeships were managed. Fraternal Societies tend to get membership by invitation where like-minded people gather, they collected money for charitable purposes and support its members when needed. Friendly Societies on the other hand usually have a foundation of membership support, based on mutual savings, pensions and funding of the members in difficult times. Both society types were predominantly Christian based and only men were involved in the early days. The Fraternal Societies all tend to have a similar style of structure with three stages of membership with complicated rituals and regalia to make the members aware of the ‘special’ nature of membership. Many of the Fraternal Societies were formed in the 1700s but membership in most is declining now. Friendly Societies seem to have survived better with many, again founded in the 1700s, still in existence as mutual benefit companies with large capital funds. We heard of many organisations including Oddfellows, the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, the Ku Klux Klan, the Orange Order and the Masons, a well-illustrated and fascinating talk.
Mike Britton is a frequent and welcome visitor to our group and he stepped in at short notice to replace a speaker who was taken ill. His subject was “Secret Societies" (Fraternal Societies and Friendly Societies); a wide ranging talk on a complicated subject. He started by explaining how the medieval guilds came into being to protect crafts and ensure proper training and apprenticeships were managed. Fraternal Societies tend to get membership by invitation where like-minded people gather, they collected money for charitable purposes and support its members when needed. Friendly Societies on the other hand usually have a foundation of membership support, based on mutual savings, pensions and funding of the members in difficult times. Both society types were predominantly Christian based and only men were involved in the early days. The Fraternal Societies all tend to have a similar style of structure with three stages of membership with complicated rituals and regalia to make the members aware of the ‘special’ nature of membership. Many of the Fraternal Societies were formed in the 1700s but membership in most is declining now. Friendly Societies seem to have survived better with many, again founded in the 1700s, still in existence as mutual benefit companies with large capital funds. We heard of many organisations including Oddfellows, the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, the Ku Klux Klan, the Orange Order and the Masons, a well-illustrated and fascinating talk.
March 31st
An interesting illustrated talk entitled 'Life Before Tea Bags' was given by Elizabeth Rhodes. It was really a history lesson of life for rich and poor through the reigns of Victoria, Edward VII, George V, George VI and Elizabeth II, a period from 1889 to 1953, although the tea bag was first used in 1905, but obviously not in the numbers in use later. She started with examples of Leisure Centres in the early years where tea was drunk by the well-off population, there being over 200 such centres in London alone. Later came the Twinnings tea and coffee shops, and tea became a commodity drunk by the population as a whole. The Boer Wars, WWI and WW2 were covered and the ways in which they had an effect on social mobility. Women came from largely working in service to working in munitions factories, buses and other services, which led to later demands for the vote and equal pay. Also covered were the General Strike, the effects of radio and television and other social changes all illustrated by photos of the rich, the poor, kings and queens and photographs of her own family over the years. A thoroughly interesting talk.
An interesting illustrated talk entitled 'Life Before Tea Bags' was given by Elizabeth Rhodes. It was really a history lesson of life for rich and poor through the reigns of Victoria, Edward VII, George V, George VI and Elizabeth II, a period from 1889 to 1953, although the tea bag was first used in 1905, but obviously not in the numbers in use later. She started with examples of Leisure Centres in the early years where tea was drunk by the well-off population, there being over 200 such centres in London alone. Later came the Twinnings tea and coffee shops, and tea became a commodity drunk by the population as a whole. The Boer Wars, WWI and WW2 were covered and the ways in which they had an effect on social mobility. Women came from largely working in service to working in munitions factories, buses and other services, which led to later demands for the vote and equal pay. Also covered were the General Strike, the effects of radio and television and other social changes all illustrated by photos of the rich, the poor, kings and queens and photographs of her own family over the years. A thoroughly interesting talk.
March 17th
A life on the ocean wave was our enjoyment when Cyril Routley gave his talk entitled Life On Board the SS Great Britain. He started with a short history of the building and use of the ship from the launch in 1843 to the return to Bristol in 1970. Cyril has made a study of the diaries books and letters of passengers who sailed on the SS Great Britain to Australia. They tell a fascinating story. One of the main impressions of the talk was the great difference of experiences between the classes of passengers. Those in first class enjoyed spacious accommodation and fine dining. Steerage passengers did not enjoy the journey! The ship had a line on deck to separate the classes. First class had about 100 ft of deck space for 70 passengers and the other 500 passengers has 300 ft. What made the talk so interesting was the ‘personalisation’ of the stories with passenger names and details linked to the events described. The captain arranged religious services on board and any travelling minister was offered an upgrade in class in return for holding the services. On one voyage there were 5 nuns on board and they visited 300 Irish labourers to offer comfort and services. Towards the end of each voyage the captain had all crew were ‘hands on deck’ for a great clean-up of the vessel to ensure it presented as fine a spectacle as possible to the spectators. Cyril’s talk and images gave us a fine impression of life on board the SS Great Britain.
A life on the ocean wave was our enjoyment when Cyril Routley gave his talk entitled Life On Board the SS Great Britain. He started with a short history of the building and use of the ship from the launch in 1843 to the return to Bristol in 1970. Cyril has made a study of the diaries books and letters of passengers who sailed on the SS Great Britain to Australia. They tell a fascinating story. One of the main impressions of the talk was the great difference of experiences between the classes of passengers. Those in first class enjoyed spacious accommodation and fine dining. Steerage passengers did not enjoy the journey! The ship had a line on deck to separate the classes. First class had about 100 ft of deck space for 70 passengers and the other 500 passengers has 300 ft. What made the talk so interesting was the ‘personalisation’ of the stories with passenger names and details linked to the events described. The captain arranged religious services on board and any travelling minister was offered an upgrade in class in return for holding the services. On one voyage there were 5 nuns on board and they visited 300 Irish labourers to offer comfort and services. Towards the end of each voyage the captain had all crew were ‘hands on deck’ for a great clean-up of the vessel to ensure it presented as fine a spectacle as possible to the spectators. Cyril’s talk and images gave us a fine impression of life on board the SS Great Britain.
March 3rd
Our speaker Sue Parsons was a most persuasive speaker when telling us about the Winterbourne Medieval Barn. She started by explaining why the barn was so important. Most medieval barns were built by churches and monasteries to collect and store grain collected as tithes but Winterbourne is believed to be the only surviving example of a medieval barn of this size that was built and used by the lord of the manor, Sir Thomas de Bradeston, rather than by the church. It was built in 1342 and used as an agricultural facility until the 1990’s but it was in a very poor state. In 1997 it was purchased by the local authority and a new roof installed. Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust was formed and in 2016 obtained a Heritage Lottery Grant of £1.8 million. Since then major refurbishment has taken place and it is now a flourishing local community centre with many activities and events. Clearly the barn is an enthusiasm for Sue and she ‘sold’ it to us well with an invitation to visit the web site at www.winterbournebarn.org.uk to see what is on offer.
Our speaker Sue Parsons was a most persuasive speaker when telling us about the Winterbourne Medieval Barn. She started by explaining why the barn was so important. Most medieval barns were built by churches and monasteries to collect and store grain collected as tithes but Winterbourne is believed to be the only surviving example of a medieval barn of this size that was built and used by the lord of the manor, Sir Thomas de Bradeston, rather than by the church. It was built in 1342 and used as an agricultural facility until the 1990’s but it was in a very poor state. In 1997 it was purchased by the local authority and a new roof installed. Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust was formed and in 2016 obtained a Heritage Lottery Grant of £1.8 million. Since then major refurbishment has taken place and it is now a flourishing local community centre with many activities and events. Clearly the barn is an enthusiasm for Sue and she ‘sold’ it to us well with an invitation to visit the web site at www.winterbournebarn.org.uk to see what is on offer.
Feb 17th
Jo Richardson is a “Space Detective”. She started a company called ‘Space Detectives’ in 2013 and spends most of her time in schools encouraging and educating children in the mysteries of space. Her talk was entitled Our Place in Space. She did not treat us as children but still managed to instil a wonder in the vastness of space. An enthusiastic speaker with a detailed knowledge of her subject she kept us enthralled during her talk. It covered the subject from the beginnings of planets and galaxies to an explanation of the relative size and position of the earth in our solar system. The history of astronomy was covered from the earliest examination of the moon by telescope to the recent launching of the James Webb space telescope and the information it is hoped it will provide.
Jo Richardson is a “Space Detective”. She started a company called ‘Space Detectives’ in 2013 and spends most of her time in schools encouraging and educating children in the mysteries of space. Her talk was entitled Our Place in Space. She did not treat us as children but still managed to instil a wonder in the vastness of space. An enthusiastic speaker with a detailed knowledge of her subject she kept us enthralled during her talk. It covered the subject from the beginnings of planets and galaxies to an explanation of the relative size and position of the earth in our solar system. The history of astronomy was covered from the earliest examination of the moon by telescope to the recent launching of the James Webb space telescope and the information it is hoped it will provide.
Feb 3rd
David Hardwick suffered a speaker's worst nightmare when his equipment failed to upload his PowerPoint presentation. However we have never seen such a magnificent recovery. His original talk was to have been "60 years of change in the Bristol Coalfields". Without illustrations he proceeded to give us a masterly talk on Coal, Stone and Gold Mining through the ages. His command of the subject ranged from Bristol coalfields, geology, the development of the Newton engine, the life of Handel Cossham and how religion and mining worked together. David is a member of the South Gloucester Mine Research Group and his enthusiasm and knowledge were a pleasure to see and hear.
David Hardwick suffered a speaker's worst nightmare when his equipment failed to upload his PowerPoint presentation. However we have never seen such a magnificent recovery. His original talk was to have been "60 years of change in the Bristol Coalfields". Without illustrations he proceeded to give us a masterly talk on Coal, Stone and Gold Mining through the ages. His command of the subject ranged from Bristol coalfields, geology, the development of the Newton engine, the life of Handel Cossham and how religion and mining worked together. David is a member of the South Gloucester Mine Research Group and his enthusiasm and knowledge were a pleasure to see and hear.
Jan 20th
Gary Gowens told us in great detail the story of how the Roman Navy supported and allowed the Roman empire to expand into Britain and stay there for over 400 years. His command of the subject was impressive and he was able to answer many questions without referring to notes.
Gary Gowens told us in great detail the story of how the Roman Navy supported and allowed the Roman empire to expand into Britain and stay there for over 400 years. His command of the subject was impressive and he was able to answer many questions without referring to notes.
During the one brief relaxation of the Covid restrictions we were able to fit in one social event...
Cream Tea at Little Nannies Cafe - June 17th 2021
We have been holding a weekly Virtual meeting on Zoom since April 2020
Here are screen shots taken from some of them
Cream Tea at Little Nannies Cafe - August 27th
click to cycle show
Picnic in Page Park August 19th 2020
Christmas Lunch at Chippng Sodbury Golf Club
A visit from Bristol Zoo volunteers
Past President Peter Blackmore installing President Eric Arnold on October 17th 2019
Visit to Kings Weston House - August 29th 2019
Guided by the owner Norman Routledge
Click 'Play' to see slide show
Guided by the owner Norman Routledge
Click 'Play' to see slide show
May 30th - Ladies Day
Bristol Docks with the Kingswood Y's Men's Club
Click 'Play' to see the slide show
Bristol Docks with the Kingswood Y's Men's Club
Click 'Play' to see the slide show
We enjoyed a trip to London with the Kingswood Y's Men's Club
Visiting the Royal Mail underground 'Mail Rail' and then a flight on the Emerite's cable car over the Thames at Greenwich
Click 'Play' to see the slide show
Visiting the Royal Mail underground 'Mail Rail' and then a flight on the Emerite's cable car over the Thames at Greenwich
Click 'Play' to see the slide show
Visit to Cardiff March 2nd
November 29th visit to Oakham Treasures
Click on the image to scroll through the pictures full size.
Click on the image to scroll through the pictures full size.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening
Click to see full image
Click to see full image
The Insallation Lunch at BAWA - Friday October 26th
Annual General Meeting October 18th 2018
Examining items from John Bates's collection on June 21st
Visit to Almondsbury Garden Centre - May 31st
Pictures from the Bath College Lunch May 15th 2018
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Click on an image to see full size
Pictures from the Spring Lunch April 13th 2018
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Click on an image to see full size
Visit to Aerospace Bristol - March 22nd 2018
Click 'Play' to see slide show
Click 'Play' to see slide show
President Peter Blackmore welcomes new member John Morris
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Click on an image to see full size
Visit to Almondsbury Garden Centre - December 7th
Visit to Avon Valley Railway for Lunch - August 31st
Lunch at the Grove Restaurant, Weston Super Mare College -May 19th
Talk by the Almondsbury Garden Centre - March 30th
Click Play to see the slide show
Click Play to see the slide show
Visit to the Royal Mint at Llantrisant - February 15th
