2011 Lecture Programme

Lectures are held at The Memorial Hall, Rother College, North Street, Midhurst, and start at 7.00pm, (except in April when the AGM at 6.45pm precedes the lecture).  Afterwards, members have the opportunity to meet the speaker and socialise over a glass of wine. 

An entry charge of £2 (non-members £4) contributes to the hall and audio/visual hire.

PLEASE PUT THESE DATES IN YOUR DIARY

January           No lecture

22 February   ‘Behind the Scenes at the National Gallery’
(Tuesday)       The National Gallery in London houses one of the
                        greatest collections of European painting in the world. 
                        In her talk, Sara Berry invites you to join her in taking a
                        look behind the public face of this wonderful gallery.

22 March        ‘My Unlikely Career’
(Tuesday)       David Battie’s face is familiar to us all – not
                        only from his regular appearances on The
                        Antiques Roadshow, but also from the
                        numerous other radio and television
                        programmes he makes.  This is a light-hearted
                        account of how he, quite by accident, ended up
                        as a director of Sotheby’s and on the Antiques
                        Roadshow.  

21 April          AGM at 6.45pm; lecture at 7.00pm
(Thursday)     ‘Easebourne Priory versus Midhurst Town’  
                        Bridget Howard, our very own local
                        historian joins us again, by popular demand.
                        This time her talk will tell us about fascinating
                        new research into the religious life of our
                        community in the Middle Ages. 

26 May           ‘Talk on the Wild Side’
(Thursday)     Graham Cornick has been working with
                        wildlife since 1978 and has run Hydestyle
                        Resident Animal Hospital in Godalming for
                        many years.  In his talk Graham outlines the
                        different species, discusses the problems
                        involved in looking after injured, orphaned or
                        sick animals and stresses the importance of
                        wildlife, including birds, in Britain.

23 June           ‘Saxons in Sussex’
(Thursday)     Again by popular demand, Chris Howkins
                        returns for another of his highly entertaining
                        talks.  This time he tells us what we would see
                        if we were able to walk around Midhurst in the
                        Early Saxon period of the 5th/6th centuries.
 
14 July            ‘Handel – A Great Life’
(Thursday)     George Frederic Handel is known to everyone
                        as the composer of the oratorio ‘Messiah’ but
                        there is much more to this brilliant man.  Roger
                        Sydenham will talk about Handel’s early years
                        In Germany, and his exciting career in Italy and
                        London until his death.  (This talk will be
                        illustrated with music.)

August              No lecture                  

22 September  ‘Bee-keeping in Sussex’
(Thursday)       Daisy Day’s fascination for creepy crawlies
                          led her to have a bee hive at the bottom of
                          her garden.  Four years on, she is vice
                          -chairman of the Wisborough Green
                          Beekeepers Association and has 25 hives!
                          Find out more about these fascinating and
                          endangered creatures, and, if you are inspired
                          to make your own honey, Daisy will tell us the
                          highs and lows of living with bees.
                           
20 October     ‘Making English Cheeses’
(Thursday       Like so many of us, Rosemary Horton has had
                         a lifelong enthusiasm for cheese.  After a career
                         teaching students to make cheese, she has
                         provided lectures on cheese-making for the
                         National Dairy Council for many years and
                         now lectures on the subject all over the country.
                         An added attraction will be the samples she will
                         be bringing with her!

10 November   ‘The Lost Soldier’
(Thursday)      On the eve of Remembrance Day Mike
                         Oakland will tell us the amazing story of his
                         search to find the personal background,
                         military history, and burial of each of the 33
                         names on Lurgashall’s War Memorial – but one
                         eluded him.  This fascinating story of his
                         research to find the missing man gives an
                         insight into bravery, modesty and loyalty. 

                        Meetings secretary:  Mrs Val Mullany (Tel: 817618)