Monthly Meetings Programme
Meetings are usually held at 2.30pm - 4.30 pm at Bridges, Drybridge House, Wonastow Road, Monmouth
However, due to the current Health and Safety regulations in place for Covid-19 the monthly meetings are currently being held via Zoom. As it is currently uncertain when we will be able to return to Bridges the meetings are only being scheduled one month in advance.
2020 - 2021 - No advance programme (please see above)
October 20 The Scudamores of Kentchurch and Holme Lacy Heather Hurley (on Zoom)
Local Historian, Heather Hurley, will introduce the background of the research and publication of her latest book ‘The Scudamores of Kentchurch and Holme Lacy’. The story follows two different branches of the Scudamores, a prominent and important family domiciled in the shadow of the Welsh borders at
Kentchurch in the Monnow valley, and at Holme Lacy in the Wye valley.
The two contrasting families reflect their own personalities and characteristics with the more liberal ‘quiet and home-keeping people’ who took little activity in national affairs at Kentchurch becoming overshadowed by the prominence of the ambitious and powerful family at Holme Lacy.
Although primarily about the Scudamores the book has been written as a local history, introducing people and places set against a background of both national and local events that occurred in Kentchurch and Holme Lacy. Heather’s talk will feature some of the stories from the past.
November 17 The Loch Ness Monster Gareth Williams (on Zoom)
The Loch Ness Monster is one of the most celebrated mysteries of the last 100 years. Is the Monster an evolutionary wild card, a hoax, a series of misidentified natural phenomena or just wishful thinking? Professor Gareth Williams has been intrigued by the story since childhood but only dared to dig into and write about the topic after retiring from a reasonably respectable career as a medical researcher. Using five exhibits from the saga of the Monster, he lays out the evidence that persuaded him to reach his own conclusion - but will it be the same as yours?
December 15 The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park Don Brown (on Zoom)
Bletchley Park was the wartime home to a unique group of individuals, including geniuses like Alan Turing, Bill Tutte and Gordon Welchman. Here the German’s ciphers were broken, shortening the war by two years or more and saving millions of lives. You will hear how this incredible organisation evolved from the codebreakers of WW1, the systems that produced ‘Ultra’ intelligence, the men and women who worked at ‘BP’, and the role of Winston Churchill. Don Brown is a Director of the London Society and a Blue Badge Guide. If you would like to join this talk please email Mike Saunders (mikesaunders.mjs@gmail.com) by 13th December and he will send out an invitation nearer the time.
January 19 Great British Eccentrics Paul Robbins
Have you ever wondered why Britain has had so many eccentrics? Great British Eccentrics & Rogues is a highly amusing talk which looks at some of the World’s great eccentrics & Rogues who just happened to be British!
Paul takes you on a light-hearted journey that looks at some of the great characters from our past like the Lord who lived in a converted fish tank, a unique singer, a UFO obsessed peer and then to more recent times and some of the great eccentrics of the last 30 years.
February 16 From Jenner to Wakefield: The long shadow of the anti-vaccination movement Gareth Williams
In 1998 a medical furore broke out when The Lancet published an article by Andrew Wakefield questioning the benefits of the MMR vaccination which was being given unquestioningly to children throughout the UK.
Coming 202 years after the first vaccination by Edward Jenner, which led to the eradication of smallpox throughout the world, this recent incident is only the latest in a long history of questioning the benefits of vaccination.
From early irrational fears born of outdated medical understanding through to the latest medical research and findings, Professor Williams traces the history of the anti-vaccination movement and its long tail, reviewing the social settings in which the fears were found and offering a balanced assessment of vaccination as we find it today.
March 16 Power to the People Roger Evans
Power to the people - but not all of them, and not just yet! The fight for our modern democracy and a fairer voting system. How Britain came close to its last revolution and the Duke of Wellington was finally beaten, but not on the battle-field. It's hard to campaign for justice without offending the unjust.
April 20 tbc
May 18 tbc
June 15 tbc
July 20 tbc
August 17 tbc
September 20 AGM
Previous programmes
However, due to the current Health and Safety regulations in place for Covid-19 the monthly meetings are currently being held via Zoom. As it is currently uncertain when we will be able to return to Bridges the meetings are only being scheduled one month in advance.
2020 - 2021 - No advance programme (please see above)
October 20 The Scudamores of Kentchurch and Holme Lacy Heather Hurley (on Zoom)
Local Historian, Heather Hurley, will introduce the background of the research and publication of her latest book ‘The Scudamores of Kentchurch and Holme Lacy’. The story follows two different branches of the Scudamores, a prominent and important family domiciled in the shadow of the Welsh borders at
Kentchurch in the Monnow valley, and at Holme Lacy in the Wye valley.
The two contrasting families reflect their own personalities and characteristics with the more liberal ‘quiet and home-keeping people’ who took little activity in national affairs at Kentchurch becoming overshadowed by the prominence of the ambitious and powerful family at Holme Lacy.
Although primarily about the Scudamores the book has been written as a local history, introducing people and places set against a background of both national and local events that occurred in Kentchurch and Holme Lacy. Heather’s talk will feature some of the stories from the past.
November 17 The Loch Ness Monster Gareth Williams (on Zoom)
The Loch Ness Monster is one of the most celebrated mysteries of the last 100 years. Is the Monster an evolutionary wild card, a hoax, a series of misidentified natural phenomena or just wishful thinking? Professor Gareth Williams has been intrigued by the story since childhood but only dared to dig into and write about the topic after retiring from a reasonably respectable career as a medical researcher. Using five exhibits from the saga of the Monster, he lays out the evidence that persuaded him to reach his own conclusion - but will it be the same as yours?
December 15 The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park Don Brown (on Zoom)
Bletchley Park was the wartime home to a unique group of individuals, including geniuses like Alan Turing, Bill Tutte and Gordon Welchman. Here the German’s ciphers were broken, shortening the war by two years or more and saving millions of lives. You will hear how this incredible organisation evolved from the codebreakers of WW1, the systems that produced ‘Ultra’ intelligence, the men and women who worked at ‘BP’, and the role of Winston Churchill. Don Brown is a Director of the London Society and a Blue Badge Guide. If you would like to join this talk please email Mike Saunders (mikesaunders.mjs@gmail.com) by 13th December and he will send out an invitation nearer the time.
January 19 Great British Eccentrics Paul Robbins
Have you ever wondered why Britain has had so many eccentrics? Great British Eccentrics & Rogues is a highly amusing talk which looks at some of the World’s great eccentrics & Rogues who just happened to be British!
Paul takes you on a light-hearted journey that looks at some of the great characters from our past like the Lord who lived in a converted fish tank, a unique singer, a UFO obsessed peer and then to more recent times and some of the great eccentrics of the last 30 years.
February 16 From Jenner to Wakefield: The long shadow of the anti-vaccination movement Gareth Williams
In 1998 a medical furore broke out when The Lancet published an article by Andrew Wakefield questioning the benefits of the MMR vaccination which was being given unquestioningly to children throughout the UK.
Coming 202 years after the first vaccination by Edward Jenner, which led to the eradication of smallpox throughout the world, this recent incident is only the latest in a long history of questioning the benefits of vaccination.
From early irrational fears born of outdated medical understanding through to the latest medical research and findings, Professor Williams traces the history of the anti-vaccination movement and its long tail, reviewing the social settings in which the fears were found and offering a balanced assessment of vaccination as we find it today.
March 16 Power to the People Roger Evans
Power to the people - but not all of them, and not just yet! The fight for our modern democracy and a fairer voting system. How Britain came close to its last revolution and the Duke of Wellington was finally beaten, but not on the battle-field. It's hard to campaign for justice without offending the unjust.
April 20 tbc
May 18 tbc
June 15 tbc
July 20 tbc
August 17 tbc
September 20 AGM
Previous programmes
2019 - 2020 Programme
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