Category: History Group

For the benefit of any new members who might like to come to our group we meet  at Central Methodist Church at 2pm to about 4pm.  The price to come to the meetings is £2 which covers the cost of the room, a speaker and refreshments.  Thank you very much to the kitchen helpers as it is a really important job you do providing drinks and biscuits during the meeting.

At the last meeting we had Robin Hood who came to speak to us dressed in his greenwood clothing.  It was a shame he didn’t want to use the microphone, but I don’t suppose he would have had one in the forest anyway, it was a problem for members who couldn’t hear him very well. Robin had done loads of research about life and times and it did show. He did also bring items round to show us and we were allowed to touch them. His clothes, and equipment were all natural fabrics (animal skin) and mostly made by himself.

Stephen Walker is coming to talk to us on the 12th February about ‘Moving on – A study of migration of millworkers to Darley Abbey’.  It could also read from the river Leen to the river Derwent.    

Also at that meeting, Kathy and Sandra are hoping to take your names and money for the visit to the Holocaust Centre at a cost of £17.50 on 6th April.

The following month we will be back to our usual 3rd Wednesday in the month.

Just in case there are any new members interested in joining our group, we meet at the Central Methodist Church on Baker Street, opposite the Market Place.  There is a small car park behind the church. The time is 2pm to 4pm.  

The next meeting is the 8th January a week before our usual date  due to changing dates for other meetings.  The speaker is Tony Rotherham who is going to tell us about Robin Hood – Fact or Fiction – which sounds very intriguing.  If you have friends who are not online please explain to them.  

A quick note about money as from this first meeting in 2025 we need to start paying £2 again. Does everything have to go up – in this case the answer is ‘yes’?

A short reminder that our meeting in February has changed as well to the 12th February for the same reasons as before.

Bye for now, I’ll see you on the 8th January,

Maureen

The group always meets at Central Methodist Church on Baker Street from 2pm to 4pm.  The next meeting (Note the different date) is on Wednesday 8th January which is the second Wednesday of the month.  The change is necessary due to other meetings having to change dates as well.  The speaker is Tony Robinson who is to tell us about ‘Robin Hood – Fact or Fiction’.  It sounds very intriguing.  I wonder what you believe – do you think he will change your mind either way?  

Last month, November, our speaker was Bob Massey explaining about ‘The Gunpowder Plot.  There was so much more information, researched by Bob, along with short videos and screen shots which were included in the presentation making it very unusual. I bet searches of the rooms below Parliament were increased from then onwards.

Christmas greetings to all members.  

Maureen

Last month our trip was to Derby to visit the Museum and Art Gallery.  I think everyone enjoyed the trip because everything worked out well.  The new coach firm, Vallances, superb, the driver very helpful, even the traffic seemed to co-operate.  

I wonder what was your favourite part of the building or the room you liked best?  There were several things I will remember particularly, the Egypt exhibition, the room of Joseph Wrights paintings and that amazing log boat.  

Our November meeting is at Central Methodist Church on 20th November at 2pm when the speaker is Bob Massey.  His topic is Remember, Remember the 5th of November Gunpowder, Treason and Plot and Guy Fawkes.  Bob has been to talk to us before on several occasions and is a very good speaker.

If you remember we are having to change a couple of dates next year which means the January meeting date is  January 8th and February 12th .  The second Wednesdays in the month.  Sue, Kathy and I are trying to get this settled which will enable us to get new flyers ready for the November meeting.

It was so unfortunate that Robert Mee, the booked speaker for the group contracted Covid. It meant that the talk about History on the Erewash Valley trail didn’t happen. We had looked forward to seeing Robert again – however I have already asked him to come another time.

There was not enough time to ask anyone else. What did happen then I hear you ask? I guess like a lot of historians I have accrued a lot of history based books – so – I brought a pile and read out to the members snippets of interesting items. I will note a couple of them for you.

From ‘The Butcher, The Baker, the Candlestick Maker’ by Roger Hutchinson (it is about census returns) comes details of Charlotte Bronte who lived at Parsonage House, Haworth with her 74 year old father. In 1851 Charlotte had already been outed as the author of Jane Eyre and Shirley but in the return, she had no occupation listed. Judith Flanders wrote the book ‘The Victorian House’ and wrote of Beatrix Potter (writer of Peter Rabbit) who had gone on holiday to Torquay. Beatrix noted “I sniffed my bedroom on arrival and for a few hours felt a certain grim satisfaction when my forebodings were maintained. It is possible to have too much natural history in a bed”. She said she did not undress but had to lay on the bed and it was uncomfortable to sleep with Keatings (bug) powder in her hair. A few members borrowed books for home reading.

Our next meeting is a visit to Derby, meet on Ogle Street at 11am on 16th October. There is time for Lunch then meet at the museum at 1.30pm; we leave Derby at 4pm.