The History Group always welcomes all U3A members. Our usual meeting place which is Central Methodist Church should be fully open, including kitchen, for our next indoor meeting on December 15th. In the meantime on November 17th we have a visit to Richard lll & Leicester Cathedral. Leave Hucknall 10.30am. Leave Leicester 4pm. Return Hucknall 5.30pm (ish). I searched back through the records and found the History Group visited Richard lll in 2015 – 6 years ago. We had quite a few disappointed members who have not made it on to the coach for the visit this year but if enough members would like to go maybe another tour could take place in a couple of years. Let me know.
A full list of meeting dates for the group with details of speakers and visits is available below and copies can be picked up at meetings.
The visit to Sharpes Pottery and the Magic Attic was really interesting despite a close call with Morrison’s supermarket. The Magic Attic reminded me a little of the storage areas of Nottinghamshire Archives office. Thank goodness the volunteers are being so professional in looking after all their archive material, especially the local newspapers, for the benefit of family and local historians.
A lot of Hucknall people must have connections with the area since so many miners families came over from Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Staffordshire when local collieries opened. There were other similarities with Hucknall due to the mining industry and subsidence. I am sure members would like to thank all the people there helping who volunteered on a day when they are not usually ‘working’. Incidentally Hucknall newspapers, which are on microfiche, can be viewed at Hucknall Library and they include those printed before the Dispatch began in 1903. The newspaper archive for the whole country is now held at Boston Spa in Yorkshire – could you fancy a visit?
Bye for now, Maureen
MEETING DATES 2021
Meeting dates: 3rd Wednesday of the month – for this year only we include December.
Usual venue for indoor meetings: Central Methodist Church.
Time: 2pm prompt.
November 17th 2021 Visit to Richard lll & Leicester Cathedral. Leave Hucknall 10.30am. Leave Leicester 4pm. Return Hucknall 5.30pm (ish)
December 15th 2021 Friends of Bennerley Viaduct. (Kieran Lee) Coming to talk about this historic monument past and future.
MEETING DATES 2022
January 19th 2022 We hoped John Tedstone would come to tell us about the U3A High Street project but he has been called for jury service. It does depend on him being needed on the day but there is also a members Hucknall High Street project.
February 16th 2022 Malcolm Darroch is coming to talk about ‘When the Balloon went up’. (He says it is a fascinating story.)
March 16th 2022 Peter Godley from the Nottingham Historical & Archaeology Society is coming to tell us about ‘Archaeology in Nottingham’. Images, maps, etc on slides and artefacts from some of the digs will be on show.
April 20th 2022 Visit to Cromford mill. We will have a guided tour of the buildings. Plus the Arkwright Experience. Leave Hucknall 12noon. Leave Cromford 4.30. Arrive Hucknall 5.30 (ish) Cost £16.
May 18th 2022 Stephen Flinders is coming to tell us about ‘My Kind of Paris’. He says it is: What you may or may not know about Paris and what Paris has to do with Nottingham born dancer Dorothy Frettingham.
June 15th 2022 Much delayed visit to Doddington Hall & Gardens. Leave Hucknall 9.30 am Leave Doddington 4.00pm. Return Hucknall 5.30 (ish) Cost £20 Price cut to the bone.
No meeting July or August – Holidays
September 21st 2022 Denis Hill is coming to talk about Victorian Housing Conditions which is a century or so before most of the bureaucracy and health and safety rules came into being. It would cover the lifetimes of our great grandparents.
October 19th 2022 Visit to Derby Museum and Art Gallery. We will have a talk about Joseph Wright of Derby (Famous artist) then a self guided tour of the museum. Leave Hucknall 1pm. Leave Derby 5pm. Arrive Hucknall 5.45 (ish) Cost £10
November 16th 2022 Trevor Lee is coming to talk to us. He usually provides us with mind pictures of entertainers; sometimes even their voices. Lots of reminiscing at this meeting.