Winter Talks: Sept - Dec 2011
14th December 2011: History Of Ringwood Brewery
7th December 2011: Wild Scotland
By Gordon Small
Otters in Mull, Dolphins in the Moray Firth, Ptarmigan, Pinkfeet, Black & Red Grouse, Scottish Crossbill, Crested Tit, Pine Marten, Red Deer, winter scenery and much more.
30th November 2011: Spike Island - The Story Of Netley Hospital
By Philip Hoare
For more than a hundred years of essential British and world history, from 1856-1966, the Royal Victoria Military Hospital at Netley, on the eastern banks of Southampton Water, ministered to the troops of the Empire.
Patronised by Queen Victoria, hated by Florence Nightingale, this vast building would witness figures from Wilfred Owen to Noel Coward, from the first female nurses in the military to the army's first psychiatric asylum.
Now demolished, Netley Hospital's memory and myths persist, wreathed in intrigue and in the disasters of war.
Prize-winning writer Philip Hoare, author of 'Spike Island', the definitive history of the site, reconstructs the history of this extraordinary building, and the lives of the people who passed through it.
23rd November 2011: Locks, Tides and - French Brie
By Don and Jacqui Wark
Five years a go my wife and I decided to take our small sail boat through the French canals, reaching the Med. via Paris and the Biscay via Bordeaux. Re-rigged, we proceeded to southern Brittany to cross our earlier track from the UK, achieving a sort of circumnavigation.
We had a medieval tapestry to find in Paris before tackling the high canals and facing the bully Rhone. With Paul Riquet we enjoyed France’s southern canals and traced the Celtic traditions and the awful events of the Cathar Heresy. A theme therefore emerged of Authors Dorothy and the Scarecrow following their own Yellow Brick Road; Dorothy to find herself and the Scarecrow to get some brains and meeting the real-life heroes and villains of this French-style Munchkin-land.
I hope that this presentation will be of interest to the coastal sailor, to the inland waterway enthusiast and to any casual and curious reader. Come along and you judge !
16th November 2011: Confessions Of A Tour Manager
By David Brace
This talk will describe, in a humorous and light hearted way, the trips David made over a 3 year period as a tour manager for Great Rail Journeys. This company provides holidays by rail to Europe and Canada and in the period 1999 to 2001 he took a total of 15 groups to Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Spain and Canada.
David will explain a few of the problems that arose and how he overcame them. The trips are holidays by rail for the general public rather than rail holidays for enthusiasts.
9th November 2011: From Tramp to Queen - The Life of Captain Treasure Jones, the Last Master of the Queen Mary
By Dick Tennant
John Treasure Jones went to sea when he was 15 and served on a small tramp steamer. During World War 2 as a Commander in the RN2 he was torpedoed in the Atlantic and mentioned twice in despatches.
During the post war years he commanded several of the famous Cunard liners.
His son-in-law Richard Tennant discovered and typed the manuscript of the Captain's autobiography.
He presents his talk with illustrations taken from 'Tramp to Queen'.
2nd November 2011: Southampton - Maritime City
By Mike Roussel
Mike Roussel has always been interested in history, especially local history and living oral history interviews, following this up with further indepth research. Living close to Southampton with its vast maritime history he wrote The Story of Southampton Docks, published in 2009 and Southampton Maritime City Ocean Liners to Cruise ships, published 2010.
26th October 2011: How Mudeford Became A Resort
By Michael Andrews
This talk is entitled "How Mudeford became a resort." It traces the history of, what was, a small fishing village through Georgian and Victorian times to the high point of the British holiday at the seaside in the 1950s and 1960s.
19th October 2011: Tales from the Banks of the River Itchen
By Jill and Tom Daniels
Jill and Tom return to explore the River Itchen. Along with the River Test the River Itchen is one of England's most famous chalk streams, flowing through the Downs and Winchester before it empties into Southampton Water.
It is an historic watercourse with its distinct people, buildings and uses.
Previously Jill and Tom descibed the developments of the aeronautical industry in Eastleigh, Hamble and the Hamble valley.
12th October 2011: African Queen
By Kevin Patience
Kevin Patience describes the background to the novel by C.S. Forrester and tells two of the strangest naval stories to come out of East Africa in the First World War.
Both sound more like a saga from the 'Boys' Own Adventure Stories' than naval operations.
He also tells of the novel's Dorset connection and of the American response to its publication.
5th October 2011: Steam Through The Years
By Alan Inder
This talk features highlights from Alans' extensive collection of slides taken between the mid-1960s and 2002, including the end of steam on the Southern Region in 1967 and the end of BR steam the following year.
Alan then turned my attention to places abroad where steam trains continued - especially France and Rhodesia/Zimbabwe - and to the Welsh narrow gauge lines.
The talk also features many heritage railways around England.
Winter Talks Overview
Written by Viv & Lyn Robins Tuesday, 02 February 2010 20:48
The club has a fine record of providing a winter programme of Wednesday evening talks. The subjects vary widely and there is something that will appeal to everyone during the season. Most speakers are recruited by their reputation and we are always delighted to be entertained by a club member. Subjects have varied from a wide range of natural history and New Forest topics to several sailing and ocean topics as well as local history, outer space, aircraft, Beaulieu Motor Museum and more.
Details of the talks are to be found on the web site, in Tell Tales and on notice boards. The club is open for supper from 6.30.pm and the talks begin at 7.45. pm. Entrance fee - £1.50. Per person. There are no talks during the summer months.
