Speaker: Mike Evans Mike presents the history of this part of north Abingdon from the time of Abingdon Abbey to its links with Klaus Fuchs and other atomic spies in the post-war period when the houses were built there for the families of scientists working at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell.  Mike lives […]

Speaker: Mark Davies Mark presents dramatic and amusing incidents from five centuries of ceremonial circuits by Oxford's mayors of the city's boundaries which were mainly defined by its waterways. Although serious in intent, numerous pub stops often resulted in ‘high jinks’ and ‘irresponsible jollity’. Mark is an Oxford local historian, author, public speaker, guide, and […]

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 […]