MONTHLY TALKS 2018/19
These talks take place on the third Friday of the month from September to June inclusive at 7.30pm in The Steyning Centre. Parking free at the Centre during the evening. The talks are free to members and open to non-members at a cost of just £2. Tea, Coffee and Biscuits are free and are served at about 8.45pm after the talk.
Friday 21 September 2018
Riot and Respectability in a seaside town by Chris Hare
Chris is an historian with a background in media and theatre and has written a history of Worthing. He is a well known lecturer and more recently has been involved in a series of workshops to encourage people to research local folklore and songs.
Friday 19 October
Through the seasons at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew and Wakehurst Place by Sarah Oldridge
Sarah is an Adult Educational Officer at Kew and this is her third talk to us. She is an expert and lively lecturer. On this occasion she will concentrate more on Wakehurst in Sussex with its comprehensive seed bank.
Friday 16 November
Sussex on the Rocks – a geology of the County by Geoff Mead
Geoff is a lecturer in Geography at Sussex University and is well known for various courses he has run in the county. In addition he leads walks and has wonderful local knowledge.
Friday 21 December
Joint Christmas Supper with Steyning Museum (separate payment for the supper to include wine. £21.00) 7.00pm for 7.45
Three courses. During coffee time there will be a talk by Lesley Humber on ‘Care in the Community’.
2019
Friday 18 January
Preston Manor – the lifestyle and family of an Edwardian House by Jackie Marsh-Hobbs
Jackie is a regular speaker on various aspects of Brighton and Hove. She is also a specialist guide, local historian and researcher.
Friday 15th February
Pubs and Breweries of Steyning by Dr Janet Pennington
Janet is very well known to Steyning folk with he various books and themed walks. She has talked to the Society on many occasions covering a wide range of local historical issues. She was archivist at Lancing College and also for Wiston House.
Friday 15th March
Secrets of the Silk Road by Julia Simpson
Julia has just returned from exploring this ancient way. She was director of the Sussex Wildlife Trust and in retirement has become an inveterate traveller.
Come and find out about some of the least visited places of the area as well as a taste of the more famous aspects of the Silk Road in Central Asia. Places as diverse as the lake where Alexander the Great’s horse drowned, the remains of the Aral Sea, a country where men over 62 must dress in black and white and grow a beard….. and of course the great splendours of Timur.
Wednesday 17th April
Short AGM followed by Offenbach – the King of Operetta by Ian Gledhill
Ian has widespread interests including architecture, history, transport and music, especially opera and operetta. He is an actor and has appeared in pantomime = his last talk to us was on the history of pantomime.
Friday 17th May
Pitt the Younger and the Martello Towers by Geoff Hutchinson
Geoff has tremendous enthusiasm for local history, particularly for colourful characters which he often appears as them at talks.
Friday 21st June
Shepherds of the Downs – their lives and times by Ian Everest
Ian comes from a background of farm workers, his father having worked on a farm near Seaford. Initially he worked on farms before becoming a town clerk, author and historia
