Category: History Group

For the benefit of new members let me explain that for our indoor meetings the History Group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at Central Methodist Church.  It means the next one is on the 17th September starting at 2pm but please be there a little earlier.  The cost is £2 per person.  David Skillen is our speaker who is excellent at giving entertaining information of historical subjects and his topic this time is Belper in the Industrial Revolution with the talk called ‘Knitters, Nailers and Traitors’.  We have seen him before when he entertained our main U3a meeting at John Godber Centre telling us about ‘The Gretna Girls and the Devils Porridge’ so I’m looking forward to hearing about Belper.  

At this meeting members will be able to collect a flyer containing information about dates, speakers and visits for 2026.

Our next meeting is a visit to The National Justice Museum on 15th October.  I was told that they have had major changes since lockdown which means that if anyone had been before they would find a great difference for the better especially because I booked us a guided tour this time.  Travel arrangements will be making our own way by tram (alighting at Lace Market), train or Trent bus, meeting at the cross near Nottingham Contemporary building at 15 minutes to 2pm.   Myself, Kathy and Sue will start taking names for booking the visit at our main meeting at John Godber on the 10th September.

See you all soon so bye for now,

Maureen Newton

July has been an interesting month!  Members elected to visit The Flight Test Museum which was recently opened on a site off Watnall Road.  It is totally staffed by volunteers some of whom are Hucknall U3a members.  It was a good day weather wise and we filled a car park without realising there was one slightly nearer.  

We were treated to a short talk some video film and then let loose to wander round the site by ourselves, although there were volunteer helpers around to explain how things worked.  All the land on what was Rolls Royce site has been sold and it seemed strange after all the years to discover we need to call the area by a different name. The volunteers on the museum site were Am-A-Zing and we thank them all for an interesting visit.  

Next month, August, we are going to Nottingham University Museum.  Please be there by 10 minutes to 1pm for us to get settled before the talk by Dr. Pickersgill.  If you would like to go earlier there are other things to do such as exhibitions and decent cafe’s for refreshments and of course the tram stop for Nottingham University is ideal.  If you are not sure that your name is on the list please check at the main meeting at John Godber.

For the September meeting we are back inside at Central Methodist Church when David Skillen will be telling us about Belper.

TTFN Maureen Newton

Our group had a fantastic visit to Lincoln on 18th June when Vallances Coaches did us proud again.  (I have booked Vallances Coaches again for our outings next year).  The weather was very nice, warm without being scorching for us to wander around the city.  What everyone else did I’m not sure but I saw members enjoying the outdoor café culture for food and drinks whilst I decided to go to the Jail inside the castle grounds. The jail had a special room inside which was the Magna Carta parchment document dating back to 1215 and there were other charters of the forest dating back to 1217.  This made me think of King John who signed Magna Carta at Runnymede and died at Newark Castle where the group went a few years ago. How did the scribes manage to write so much so small on these documents when you consider they were writing with quill pens – and no blots of ink?  

At the next John Godber meeting I will be taking names for the visit to Nottingham University on 20th August where we will be going to the museum and have a ‘hands on’ look at some of the artifacts.  It seems that the visit to the Flight Test Museum on 16th July is full but if there is enough interest we can ask for another date.

17th September is the date for our next indoor meeting at Central Methodist Church.  David Skillen is coming to tell us about ‘Knitters, Nailors and Traitors’ which he says is about Belper in the Industrial Revolution.  David is a good speaker who did an excellent job when he came to John Godber Centre and spoke to Hucknall u3a main meeting.

Maureen Newton

The usual indoor meetings for the History Group are at Central Methodist Church at 2pm on the third Wednesday of the month.  The next one indoors is 17th September because usually I need a break during July and August.  However this year we are doing things slightly differently and trying to pull extra outings into this break time.  

Of course in June a coach load of us are off to Lincoln – will they cope I wonder?  

At the next main meeting at John Godber we will continue taking names for the special visit to Nottingham University Museum on 20th August (come to see us in the refreshment room).  

I have also been making enquiries about a visit to the Flight Test Museum in July but at this point I don’t know for certain.  I will keep you informed as soon as I can.

At our usual meeting in May David Amos came to talk to us.  This time we had ‘Industrial Annesley’.  It seemed quite strange to see striking images of the colliery headstocks in our area now when my grand children don’t even know what coal or a coal mine looks like. The image of the miner sitting looking forlorn as Annesley Colliery closed has stayed with me. It seemed strange too to realise that ‘Annesley Sheds’ were actually in Newstead!  To see again the steam trains which we all knew seemed like living, breathing engines as they huffed and puffed along to be followed by the later models and electric Robin Hood Line trains was amazing.  Thank you David.

I am working on next years programme of presentations and visits which – cross fingers – will be ready for the September meeting.

Bye for now,  Maureen

It is quite difficult to say much new about the Holocaust Centre, but I think we all enjoyed?? not the correct word I know; but I do think we enjoyed each others company.  

The visit began well with Vallances Coach and Chris the driver whom we have had many times before.  I think I will have to buy him a new joke book though.  On such a cold day the hot drink on arrival was very welcome and we drank it as we watched the introductory film. Wandering round the exhibits made us wonder how supposed human beings could do such awful things to other humans.  The talk by two younger people explaining how their grandmother or grandmother in law survived through the years of ordeal was amazing and she is still alive aged 98.  A little later the drinks and cakes at the café plus souvenir shop were well attended before our coach was homeward bound back to Hucknall.  

I felt this was an example of cruelty to some sections of people (had they heard of ethnic cleansing then?) that we should all try to ensure does not happen in the future.  Incidentally it was suggested that we go again in a couple of years to see if the building alterations are completed.  What do you think?

May 21st is the date for our next indoor meeting at Central Methodist Church, time 2pm, when David Amos is coming to give us “A Brief History of Annesley Part ll”.  I’m sure those of you who heard part one will want to know the rest of the story which he puts over so well.

Before that though on May 14th at the main u3a meeting, John Godber Centre,  Kathy and Sandra will be taking names and money for the Lincoln visit on June 18th: cost is £10.50p which is just the coach fare.  We leave Hucknall Ogle Street 10.30am – leave Lincoln 4pm.  The table for bookings will be in the refreshment area.

Bye for now

Maureen

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