Speaker: Simon Wenham Simon looks at the changes in the use of the river Thames above London over the past 150 years and why its popularity for recreational boating grew dramatically and then declined. Simon is a member of the part-time tutor panel of Oxford University’s Continuing Education Department, where he teaches courses on the Victorian […]

Speaker: Liz Woolley Over the centuries, brewing in Oxford became big business. Liz’s talk examines how and why Oxford’s brewing trade flourished.  Liz is a local historian specialising in aspects of Oxford and Oxfordshire, with a particular interest in the city’s ‘town’ as opposed to ‘gown’. Visitors are very welcome to attend our meetings (suggested donation […]

Speaker: Paul Booth Paul describes the 2007-2018 excavation project at nearby Dorchester and discusses the significance of its findings. Paul Booth is a former senior project manager at Oxford Archaeology and was one of the directors of the joint Oxford University Institute of Archaeology/Oxford Archaeology excavation project at Dorchester-on-Thames from 2008 to 2018. Visitors are […]

Speaker: Richard Dudding Richard’s talk draws on his research for his new book about Wick Hall and the Dockar Drysdale family, which at one time owned almost all the land and cottages in Radley. More about the book and how to buy a copy Richard is the archivist for both Wick Hall and for the […]

Speaker: Steven Gunn In his talk, Steven looks at everyday life in these two counties in Tudor times using examples of fatal accidents people had at home, work and play. Steven Gunn is a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, and Professor of Early Modern History at Oxford University.  His talk draws on findings from an […]