Talks & meetings

October 2024

3rdEynsham – Steve Parrinder “Witchcraft”. Church Hall, Thames Street, 7:30pm.

7thSouth Stoke – Bill King “Industrial Archaeology from Your Garage, Shed and Attic”. Village Hall 7:30pm.

8thOxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) – Carl Champness “The Story of Oxford Told Through Ten Digs”. Rewley House, Oxford, 5:30pm, further information at https://oahs.org.uk/lectures.php.

8thThame – Simon Wenham “The pursuit of pleasure: Victorian and Edwardian leisure”. The Barns Centre, Church Road, 7:30pm.

9thBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Annabel Venning “To War with the Walkers”. Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e–mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

9thFlorence Park, Oxford – Anna Eavis “The city of Oxford: what the future holds”. Florence Park Community Centre, East Oxford, 7:30pm.

9thWallingford – Steve Capel-Davies “’Ways over Water, A history of Thames crossings”. St Mary-le-More Church, Market Place, 8:00pm.

9thWychwoods – Julie Godson “Our Boys 1914 – 1918”. Milton under Wychwood Village Hall, 7:30pm.

10thBanbury – Tim Reinke-Williams “Physical attractiveness and the female life-cycle in 17th-century England”. Banbury Museum, 7:30pm.

10thHornton – Matthew McCormack “A history of shoes”. Methodist Chapel, 7:30pm.

10thWootton & Dry Sandford – Simon Wenham “Living the lexicon: James Murray and the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary”. Wootton Community Centre, 7:30pm.

12thSoldiers of Oxfordshire (Woodstock) – Laurie Earl ““Where’s the Pilot?” – Women of the Air Transport Auxiliary”. Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street, Woodstock, 2:00pm, book via https://www.sofo.org.uk/product/talk-wheres-the-pilot-women-of-the-air-transport-auxilliary/

14thChipping Norton – Helen Castle “A Shepherd’s Stone: How the headstone of Great Rollright shepherd Richard Widdows sparked a local history blog”. Methodist Church Hall, West Street, 2:00pm.

14thOxfordshire Family History Society (OFHS) – Sue Gibbons “Conserving your Family Archive”. On-line talk, 8:00pm (OFHS members only).

14thRadley – Martin Buckland “A man and his shed – Herbert George Mullard and the Cowley Concrete Co, 1895 to 1976”. Church of St James the Great, 7:30pm.

15thClanfield and Bampton  – Kathy Haslam “The ladies of Kelmscott Manor”. Carter Institute, Main Street, Clanfield, 7:30pm.

15thIffley – Stephen Wass   “Digging up Stowe – archaeological investigations into one of the country’s finest landscape gardens”. Church Hall, Church Way, 7:30pm.

16thBloxham – Deborah Hayter “Lost Villages of Oxfordshire”. Jubilee Park Hall, Barley Close, 7:30pm.

16thCropredy – Stephen Barker “Trench Humour in The First World War”. Village Hall, Chapel Lane, 7:30pm.

16thHarwell – John Harrison “English style bells and the historical development of bell ringing”. Village Hall, 7:30pm.

16thLittlemore – Mark Davies “What a Liberty! Memorable moments along Oxford’s ancient boundaries”. Giles Road Community Centre, 7:30pm.

17thLongworth – Katharina Ulmschneider “The Ashmolean Tang Camel: Symbol of the Silk Road”. Southmoor Village Hall, 7:30pm.

17thSibfords – Tim Healey “The Trail of the Green Man in Oxfordshire”. Village Hall, Sibford Gower, 7:30pm.

17thWhitchurch & Goring Heath Marie-Louise Kerr “The Woman Who Would Be Queen”. Goring Heath Parish Hall, 7:30pm.

18thFinstock – Carol Anderson “Over the Hills to Glory – the story of the Ascott Martyrs”. Village Hall, 8:00pm.

21stAdderbury – Sean Callery “A Cotswold Cornucopia”. The Institute, East Adderbury, 7:30pm.

21stBicester –  Bob Hessian “Bicester Shops and Shopping”. Clifton Centre, Ashdene Road, 7:30pm.

21stGoring Gap – Katrina Cooper “The archaeology of Newbury Reinforcement (Ipsden to Bucklebury) Pipeline”. Goring Village Hall, 2:30pm.

21stKennington – Bill King “The Roman invasion, occupation, and colonisation of Britain”. Kennington Methodist Church, Upper Road, 7:45pm.

22nd – Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) – Nigel Hiscock “Oxford University’s Modern Architecture: A Critical Commentary”. Rewley House, Oxford, 5:30pm, further information at https://oahs.org.uk/lectures.php.

23rdDorchester – Wendy Morrison “Archaeology in the Chilterns: the tip of the iceberg”. 7:30pm Dorchester Abbey.

24thKirtlington & Bletchington – Stephen Barker “The British Civil Wars 1642-51 in Eight Paintings”. Village Hall, Kirtlington, 7:30pm.

25thBensington – David Solomon “The Importance of the Brook in Benson’s History”. Benson Parish Hall, 7:30pm.

28thCumnor – Mark Davies “Binsey and Medley: Treacle, cheesecakes, miracles, and nabobs”. Old School, 7:30pm.

28thMarcham – Judith Webb “Fungi of Oxfordshire’s Golden Triangle”. Marcham Centre, Barrow Close, 7:15pm.

28thOxfordshire Family History Society (OFHS) – Trevor Jackson “Oxford City Cemetery”. Exeter Hall, Kidlington, 8:00pm (and available on-line to members).

28thTackley – Sue Ashton “Tackley houses through time: Part 2 of the story of 5 Nethercote Road”. Memorial Hall, 7:30pm.

29thKidlington – Philippa Joseph “The Alhambra”. Baptist Church, 7:30pm.

31stAston – Karen & Brett Wiles “WWII Rationing and Cooking for Victory”. Fellowship Centre, Cote Road, 7:30pm.

31stBurford – David Cohen will lead group reminiscences of Burford prompted by old images, inviting the audience to share their memories. On-line, 7:30pm, further information at https://www.burfordtolsey.org/events.

November 2024

4thSouth Stoke – David Kyffin “The History of Oxford Castle”. Village Hall 7:30pm.

5thBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Brian Short “Royal Musicians Marines at War 1982”. On-line talk, 7:30pm; e–mail zoom@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

5thHenley – Ron Baxter “The Rediscovery of Reading Abbey”. Chantry House, St Mary’s Church, 7:45pm.

5th  – Hook Norton – Gillian Cane “The Mitford Sisters”. Baptist Church Hall, Netting Street, 7:30pm.

5th – Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) – Kathryn Davies “Artisan Art in Oxfordshire: Insights into Early Modern Everyday Life” (The Oxfordshire Buildings Record Lecture). Rewley House, Oxford, 5:30pm, further information at https://oahs.org.uk/lectures.php.

6th – Friends of the Oxfordshire Museum – Deborah Hayter “The Lost Villages of Oxfordshire”. The Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street, Woodstock, 7:30pm. Also available on-line; e-mail friendsoftheoxfordshiremuseum@gmail.com for further details.

7thEynsham – John Stevenson “Modern Architecture in Oxford”. Church Hall, Thames Street, 7:30pm.

11thChipping Norton – Stephen Barker “ The Battle of Cropredy Bridge and the Oxford Campaign 1644”. Methodist Church Hall, West Street, 2:00pm.

11th  – Oxfordshire Family History Society (OFHS) – Member contributions “We Shall Remember Them. On-line, 7:15pm (OFHS members only).

11thRadley – Karen Wiles “WW2 rationing and cooking for victory, a fair share for all”. Church of St James the Great, 7:30pm.

12thThame – John Lowe “Always Ready, Always Willing: The story of fires and firefighting in the city of Oxford from 879 to 1874”. The Barns Centre, Church Road, 7:30pm.

13thBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Chris Finn “First Gulf War Air Campaign”.  Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e-mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

13thWallingford – Malcolm Airs “From Berkshire to Oxfordshire – Conservation as a force for change in Wallingford”. St Mary-le-More Church, Market Place, 8:00pm.

13thWychwoods – “150 years, the Cospatrick Disaster”. Milton under Wychwood Village Hall, 7:30pm.

14thBanbury – Rowena E Archer “Love and marriage in Medieval Oxfordshire”. Banbury Museum, 7:30pm.

14thSoldiers of Oxfordshire (Woodstock) – Ingram Murray “Known Unto God – Finding Lieutenant Wordsworth”. Buscot Park, Faringdon, 6:30pm, book via https://www.sofo.org.uk/product/known-unto-god-finding-lieutenant-wordsworth/

14thWootton & Dry Sandford – Margot Metcalfe “Earthly Treasures- selected objects from the Dorchester Abby Museum Collection”. Wootton Community Centre, 7:30pm.

15thFinstock – Gillian Cane “Coleshill – the nerve centre of British resistance”. Village Hall, 8:00pm.

18thAdderbury – Brett & Karen Wiles “1940s Girl Guides”. The Institute, East Adderbury, 7:30pm.

18thBicester – Stephen Barker “Trench Humour in the First World War”. Clifton Centre, Ashdene Road, 7:30pm.

18thGoring Gap – Julian Rose “The local resource base for locals: Reclaiming our destinies”. Goring Village Hall, 2:30pm.

18thKennington – Trevor Jackson “RAF Brize Norton – over 80 years of flying operations”. Kennington Methodist Church, Upper Road, 7:45pm.

19thIffley – Frank Collingwood “The Life and Times of William Morris, later Lord Nuffield”. Church Hall, Church Way, 7:30pm.

19th – Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) – John Maddicott “John Prideaux (1578-1650), Scholar, Teacher, Builder and Oxford College Head”. Rewley House, Oxford, 5:30pm, further information at https://oahs.org.uk/lectures.php.

20thBloxham – AGM, and Keith Westcott “Time Team, Broughton’s Roman Villa and a macabre conundrum”. Jubilee Park Hall, Barley Close, 7:30pm.

20thClanfield and Bampton  – David Palfreyman “The Bampton Railway”. Carter Institute, Main Street, Clanfield, 7:30pm.

20thCropredy – Gill White “Bess of Hardwick and Hardwick Hall”. Village Hall, Chapel Lane, 7:30pm.

20thLittlemore – Timothy Walker “Oxford Botanic Garden: more than 400 years of history”. Giles Road Community Centre, 7:30pm.

20thHarwell – Jane Card “The Gunpowder Plot: who, why and a tiny local link”. Village Hall, 7:30pm.

21stLongworth – Sarah Somerville “A Guide’s Guide: working in historic houses in the 21st century”. Southmoor Village Hall, 7:30pm.

21stSibfords – A performance by the Launton Bellringers. Village Hall, Sibford Gower, 7:30pm.

21stWhitchurch & Goring Heath Jim Donahue “The Thames Valley: Past, Present, and Future – a Snapshot of British Life”. Goring Heath Paris Hall, 2:30pm.

25thCumnor – Ann Ford “William Morris and his versatile Minor vehicles”. Old School, 7:30pm.

25thMarcham – Jane Harrison “Excavations at Besselsleigh Manor”. Marcham Centre, Barrow Close, 7:15pm.

25thOxfordshire Family History Society (OFHS) – Andrew Hamilton “Meet at Dawn Unarmed”. Exeter Hall, Kidlington, 8:00pm (and available on-line to members).

25thTackley – Neil Wilson “Transport and Tackley: Travellers tales – journeying to Tackley through the ages, from medieval times to the early days of the motor car”. Memorial Hall, 7:30pm.

26thKidlington – Trevor Jackson “The Witney to Oxford Branch Line”. Baptist Church, 7:30pm.

27thFlorence Park, Oxford – Olaf Bayer “The archaeology of East Oxford”. Florence Park Community Centre, East Oxford, 7:30pm.

28thAston – Simon Wenham “Crime and Punishment in Victorian Britain”. Fellowship Centre, Cote Road, 7:30pm.

28thKirtlington & Bletchington – Mark Smith “Wilberforce” (title to be confirmed). Village Hall, Kirtlington, 7:30pm.

December 2024

3rdBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Mike Nicholas  “Rorke’s Drift” . On-line talk, 7:30pm; e–mail zoom@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

3rdHenley – Catherine Sampson “Berkshire and South Oxfordshire Churches”. Chantry House, St Mary’s Church, 7:45pm.

3rdHook Norton – Don Ratcliffe “Greed, sex and death – How Hook Norton became an ‘open village’”. Baptist Church Hall, Netting Street, 7:30pm.

3rd – Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) – Francesca Giarelli “Iron Age Occupation and a Roman Villa Complex at Grove”. Rewley House, Oxford, 5:30pm, further information at https://oahs.org.uk/lectures.php.

4th – Friends of the Oxfordshire Museum – David Meara “Street of Shame or Street of Adventure?’ St Brides’ Fleet Street and the world of the media”. The Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street, Woodstock, 7:30pm. Also available on-line; e-mail friendsoftheoxfordshiremuseum@gmail.com for further details.

5thEynsham – Stephanie Dalley “The Hanging Gardens of Babylon”. Church Hall, Thames Street, 7:30pm.

5thLongworth – Sean Callery “Christmas in the Cotswolds”. Southmoor Village Hall, 7:30pm.

6thBensington – “A Christmas Theme” (to be confirmed). Benson Parish Hall, 7:30pm.

7th – Soldiers of Oxfordshire (Woodstock) – Kim Davies “Christmas Past in 12 Objects”. Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street, Woodstock, 2:00pm, book via https://www.sofo.org.uk/whats-on/

9thChipping Norton – John Graves “The Romano-British Settlement in Chipping Norton”. Methodist Church Hall, West Street, 2:00pm.

9thOxfordshire Family History Society (OFHS) – Open evening, all welcome, registration required. On-line, 7:15pm.

10thKidlington – Peter Webber “The 150th anniversary of the Shipton-on-Cherwell Railway disaster”. Baptist Church, 7:30pm.

11thBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Guy Walters “Hunting Evil – Bringing Nazi War Criminals to Justice”.  Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e-mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

12thBanbury – Mike Heaney “The Ancient English Morris Dance”. Banbury Museum, 7:30pm.

13thFinstock – Sean Callery “Christmas in the Cotswolds”. Village Hall, 8:00pm.

16thBicester – Ian Giles “Christmas Music & Song Through the Ages”. Clifton Centre, Ashdene Road, 7:30pm.

16thGoring Gap – Edward Casswell “The Bronze Age”. Goring Village Hall, 2:30pm.

16thKennington – Sean Callery “Christmas in the Cotswolds”. Kennington Methodist Church, Upper Road, 7:45pm.

17thIffley – Tim Healey “A Victorian Christmas”. Church Hall, Church Way, 7:30pm.

18thWychwoods – Tim Healey “A Victorian Christmas”. Milton under Wychwood Village Hall, 7:30pm.

January 2025

7th  – Hook Norton – John McCormick “Chastleton House – 400 years of elegant and interesting decline”. Baptist Church Hall, Netting Street, 7:30pm.

8th – Friends of the Oxfordshire Museum – Alan Lavender “Chef to four Prime Ministers”. The Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street, Woodstock, 7:30pm. Also available on-line; e-mail friendsoftheoxfordshiremuseum@gmail.com for further details.

8thWychwoods – Jonathan Maisey and Joe Duxbury “Cotswold Quarries, Part 2”. Milton under Wychwood Village Hall, 7:30pm.

9th – Banbury – Charlotte Young “Sequestration in Oxfordshire during the Civil Wars”. Banbury Museum, 7:30pm.

9thWootton & Dry Sandford – Christina Hardyment “Alyce Chaucer: Fact and Fiction”. Wootton Community Centre, 7:30pm.

13thRadley – Richard Dudding “Radley: the thousand-year evolution of a manor”. Church of St James the Great, 7:30pm.

14th – Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) – David Clark ”’Family Jobbery’: Clough Williams-Ellis in Oxford”. Online talk, 5:30pm, further information at https://oahs.org.uk/lectures.php.

15thBloxham – Sir Tony Baldry “Prime Ministers that I have known”. Jubilee Park Hall, Barley Close, 7:30pm.

15th – British Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Mike Walsh “ Battle of Kursk”. Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e–mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

17thFinstock – Stephen Barker “Warrior Women of the English Civil War”. Village Hall, 8:00pm.

20thGoring Gap – Melvin Seaborne “Morris Dancing. What is it and where did it come from?”. Goring Village Hall, 2:30pm.

23rdKirtlington & Bletchington – Melanie King “Tricks of the Trade: Spying in the First World War”. Village Hall, Kirtlington, 2:30pm.

27thCumnor – Marie-Louise Kerr “Oxford’s pencillin: The forgotten WW2 story of the development of penicillin by scientists in Oxford. Old School, 7:30pm.

27thMarcham – “World Youth Service and Enterprise Charity”. Marcham Centre, Barrow Close, 7:15pm.

27thTackley – Charmian Knight “Frideswide of White Hill: A search for Tackley’s medieval neighbours”. Memorial Hall, 7:30pm.

28thKidlington – John Lowe “‘Always ready and willing’: the story of fires and firefighting in Oxford City”. Baptist Church, 7:30pm.

28th  – Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) – Michael Redley “Temperance in Henley before the First World War”. Online talk, 5:30pm, further information at https://oahs.org.uk/lectures.php.

February 2025

3rdSouth Stoke – Karen & Brett Wiles “The Women’s Voluntary Service”. Village Hall 7:30pm.

4thBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Taylor Downing “The Army that Never Was – D Day and the Great Deception”. On-line talk, 7:30pm; e–mail zoom@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

4thHook Norton – Deborah Hayter “Harvest rituals”. Baptist Church Hall, Netting Street, 7:30pm.

5th – Friends of the Oxfordshire Museum – Robert Hawes and Frank Collingwood “The life and achievements of Lord Nuffield”. The Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street, Woodstock, 7:30pm. Also available on-line; e-mail friendsoftheoxfordshiremuseum@gmail.com for further details.

10thChipping Norton – Jonathan Maisey & Joe Duxbarry “The History of the Windrush Stone Quarries”. Methodist Church Hall, West Street, 2:00pm.

10thRadley – Bill King “A walk along the Thames Path from Oxford to Pangbourne”. Church of St James the Great, 7:30pm.

11th – Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) – Eleanor Townsend “Parish Church Patrons: Supporting your Church and Saving your Soul in Medieval England”. Online talk, 5:30pm, further information at https://oahs.org.uk/lectures.php.

12th – British Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Sean Feast  “The RAF Pathfinders”. Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e–mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

12thWychwoods – Liz Woolley “Child Labour in 19th-Century Oxfordshire”. Milton under Wychwood Village Hall, 7:30pm.

13thBanbury – John Blair “Organization and planning in the Mercian kingdom: a context for Anglo-Saxon Banbury”. Banbury Museum, 7:30pm.

13thWootton & Dry Sandford – Sem Seaborne “Black Wantage, XIX Century Thieves, Murders and Villians”. Wootton Community Centre, 7:30pm.

17thBicester –  Tim Healey “St Giles’s Fair”. Clifton Centre, Ashdene Road, 7:30pm.

18th – Iffley – John Harris “Mutiny, Bounty and Breadfruit”. Church Hall, Church Way, 7:30pm.

19thBloxham – Members’ Night: some of our members share their historical interests. Jubilee Park Hall, Barley Close, 7:30pm.

21st  – Finstock – Stephen Wass “Secret Gardens of Oxfordshire”. Village Hall, 8:00pm.

24thCumnor – Martin Harris “My dad Francis Harris (1925-2010): Growing up in Cumnor and Farmoor”. Old School, 7:30pm.

24thMarcham – Gillian Cane “Coleshill: Nerve Centre of British Resistance”. Marcham Centre, Barrow Close, 7:15pm.

24thTackley – Liz Woolley “Felicia Skene: Prison reformer and friend to the poor in Victorian Oxford”. Memorial Hall, 7:30pm.

25thKidlington – Richard Hancock “While memory lasts: Grandfather’s wars”. Baptist Church, 7:30pm.

25th – Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) – Mark Kirby “An Unexpected Revival: Stained Glass in the Early 17th Century”. Online talk, 5:30pm, further information at https://oahs.org.uk/lectures.php.

27thAston – Trevor Jackson “The Oxford to Fairford Railway”. Fellowship Centre, Cote Road, 7:30pm.

27thFlorence Park, Oxford – Michael Stimpson “The history of the cricket professionals of Oxford”. Florence Park Community Centre, East Oxford, 7:30pm.

27thKirtlington & Bletchington – Richard O Smith “Z-A of Oxford”. Village Hall, Kirtlington, 2:30pm.

March  2025

3rdSouth Stoke – Ian Keable “The Century of Deception : Birth of the Hoax in the Eighteenth Century”. Village Hall 7:30pm.

4thBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – James Goulty “The Path to Dien Bien Phu – The French in Indo China 1945-1954”.  On-line talk, 7:30pm; e–mail zoom@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

4thHook Norton – Carol Anderson “Portraits of two 18th-century gentlemen”. Baptist Church Hall, Netting Street, 7:30pm.

5th – Friends of the Oxfordshire Museum – Trevor Jackson “Cemeteries of Oxford”. The Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street, Woodstock, 7:30pm. Also available on-line; e-mail friendsoftheoxfordshiremuseum@gmail.com for further details.

10th  – Chipping Norton – AGM followed by Neil Datson “Elsie Corbett – Pioneering Nurse and Benefactress”. Methodist Church Hall, West Street, 2:00pm.

10thRadley – Maurice East “Metropolis versus the Meadow”. Church of St James the Great, 7:30pm.

11th – Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society (OAHS) – David Miles and Simon Palmer “The Uffington White Horse: Exploring a Wonder of Britain” (The Tom Hassall Lecture). Rewley House, Oxford, 5:30pm, further information at https://oahs.org.uk/lectures.php.

12th – British Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Tim Saunders “The Peninsular War – The making of the Light Division”.  Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e–mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

12thFlorence Park, Oxford – Maurice East “‘The total pits’: the remarkable history of Headington Quarry, the village that built Oxford”. Florence Park Community Centre, East Oxford, 7:30pm.

12thWychwoods – Paul Booth “Archaeology developments in the Chipping Norton area”. Milton under Wychwood Village Hall, 7:30pm.

13thBanbury – Carol Anderson “Over the Hills to Glory: the Ascott Martyrs”. Banbury Museum, 7:30pm.

13thWootton & Dry Sandford – John Lowe “Fire and firefighting in Oxford City”. Wootton Community Centre, 7:30pm.

17thBicester – Nick Millea “The Message in the Map”. Clifton Centre, Ashdene Road, 7:30pm.

18thIffley – Marie-Louise Kerr“Romans of Oxfordshire”. Church Hall, Church Way, 7:30pm.

19thBloxham – Jeremy Holmes “Mad, bad and dangerous to know: Lord Byron and his women”. Jubilee Park Hall, Barley Close, 7:30pm.

21stFinstock – Mike Heaney “The Ancient English Morris Dance”. Village Hall, 8:00pm.

24thMarcham – Jackie Smith “A History of Christ’s Hospital, Abingdon”. Marcham Centre, Barrow Close, 7:15pm.

24thTackley – John Harwood “The history of the role of Lord Lieutenancy”. Memorial Hall, 7:30pm.

25thKidlington – Carol Anderson “‘Over the hills to glory’ – the story of the Ascott Martyrs”. Baptist Church, 7:30pm.

27thAston – Mark Davies “Artists in Wonderland: the Pre-Raphaelites in Oxford”. Fellowship Centre, Cote Road, 7:30pm.

27thKirtlington & Bletchington – Stephen Kershaw “Alexander the Great”. Village Hall, Kirtlington, 7:30pm.

31stCumnor – Ciaran Walsh “The ups and downs of Ruskin College: a history of the college”. Old School, 7:30pm.

April 2025

1stHook Norton – Marie-Louise Kerr “Two William Morris’ of Oxford”. Baptist Church Hall, Netting Street, 7:30pm.

7thSouth Stoke – Gillian Cane “A Tour of the Bodleian Library”. Village Hall 7:30pm.

9thBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Philip K Allan “Wellington’s Navy”.  Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e–mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

12thFlorence Park, Oxford – Mark Davies “The professors of rowing”. Florence Park Community Centre, East Oxford, 7:30pm.

10thBanbury – Film showing “Olive Gibbs: A Remarkable Woman”. Banbury Museum, 7:30pm.

19thWychwoods – Laurence Waters “The Chipping Norton Branch Line”. Milton under Wychwood Village Hall, 7:30pm.

4thChipping Norton – Malcolm Rogers “The Broadway Colony of Artists and Writers”. Methodist Church Hall, West Street, 2:00pm.

14thBicester –  Frank Collingwood “The Oxford Bus Museum”. Clifton Centre, Ashdene Road, 7:30pm.

14thRadley – John Leighfield “Putting Radley on the map: from Gough to Google”. Church of St James the Great, 7:30pm.

15thIffley – Elizabeth Wells “The Smiths of Iffley – glimpses of a 17th-century family”. Church Hall, Church Way, 7:30pm.

16thBloxham– Film Night: rare ‘shorts’ covering aspects of the local history of our area. Jubilee Park Hall, Barley Close, 7:30pm.

18thFinstock – Neil Huband “Local Heroes – the contribution made by and the effect upon local people of the World Wars”. Village Hall, 8:00pm.

24thAston – AGM followed by Stephen Wass “The Peculiar History of Fishponds and Fishing in Oxfordshire”. Fellowship Centre, Cote Road, 7:30  Cumnor – Martin Buckland “Canal history: The world to Wiltshire from 502BC to the present day”. Old School, 7:30pm.

28thMarcham – Paul Whitton “George Owen, Royal Physician”. Marcham Centre, Barrow Close, 7:15pm.

28thTackley – Anni Byard “Tackley: The dig at Gibralter Point”. Memorial Hall, 7:30pm.

29thKidlington – John Naylor “Knossos, myth and reality”. Baptist Church, 7:30pm.

May 2025

6thBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Rupert Hague Holmes “Operation FLAVIUS – Death on the Rock”. On-line talk, 7:30pm; e–mail zoom@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

6thHook Norton – AGM followed by Andrew Lewis “The village wheelwright”. Baptist Church Hall, Netting Street, 7:30pm.

7th – Friends of the Oxfordshire Museum – Naomi Bergmans “Conservation methods in archaeology”. The Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street, Woodstock, 7:30pm. Also available on-line; e-mail friendsoftheoxfordshiremuseum@gmail.com for further details.

12thChipping Norton – Matthew Armitage “Tooley’s Boatyard, Banbury”. Methodist Church Hall, West Street, 2:00pm.

12thRadley – Katherine Bradley “Early women professional gardeners, including the founders of Waterperry”. Church of St James the Great, 7:30pm.

14thBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Robert Lynam “Bill Slim and Burma”.  Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e–mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

14thWychwoods – AGM and “From the Archive”. Milton under Wychwood Village Hall, 7:30pm.

16thFinstock – Ben Long “History of Falconry – with flying display dependant on the weather”. Village Hall, 8:00pm.

19thBicester – Stephen Wass “Garden Archaeology – a different kind of digging”. Clifton Centre, Ashdene Road, 7:30pm.

20thIffley – Alastair Lack “Oxfordshire Country Houses”. Church Hall, Church Way, 7:30pm.

21stBloxham – Karen and Bret Wiles “World War II rationing and Cooking for Victory: a fair share for all”. Jubilee Park Hall, Barley Close, 7:30pm.

26thMarcham – Members’ Evening. Marcham Centre, Barrow Close, 7:15pm.

27thKidlington – Shaun Todd “The history and etiquettes of afternoon tea. What you may not know!”. Baptist Church, 7:30pm.

June 2025

2ndSouth Stoke – Shaun Todd “The History of Afternoon Tea and its Etiquette”. Village Hall 7:30pm.

9thRadley – Mike Evans “The Fitzharry’s Estate – from medieval knights to atomic spies”. Church of St James the Great, 7:30pm.

11th – British Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Ian Jones “Malice Aforethought – The History of the Booby Trap”. Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e–mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

16thBicester – Simon Wenham “Poverty, Pestilence & Public Health in Victorian Britain”. Clifton Centre, Ashdene Road, 7:30pm.

23rdMarcham – Peter Barker “Birds of Otmoor”. Marcham Centre, Barrow Close, 7:15pm.

24thKidlington – Bill King “WW1, part 3 and beyond”. Baptist Church, 7:30pm.

July 2025

1stBritish Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Alina Nowobilska “VE Day 1945 – Poland under the Russians”. On-line talk, 7:30pm; e–mail zoom@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

9th – British Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Tony Bray “Manna from Heaven – The Story of Air Re-Supply”.  Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e–mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

14thRadley – Mark Davies “What a liberty!”. Church of St James the Great, 7:30pm.

29thKidlington – Gillian Cane “The Miracle of Bletchley Park”. Baptist Church, 7:30pm.

September 2025

8thRadley – Simon Wenham “More than three men in a boat: the rise and fall of pleasure boating on the Thames”. Church of St James the Great, 7:30pm.

October 2025

15th – British Modern Military History Society (Woodcote) – Michael Philips “Hitler’s Gunner Generals”.  Woodcote Village Hall, 7:30pm; e–mail info@bmmhs.org or check www.bmmhs.org for more details.

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