History Past
Our Past Meetings
2015-16:
At our first meeting on 16-10-2015 several topics were suggested. Local History was suggested as a possible theme for future meetings with perhaps a guided walk round Gravesend
At our meeting on 20-11-15 the theme was Queen Victoria and her family. We talked about Victoria's early life, her relationships with her children and the role of the monarchy. We then had a discussion on Victorian society in general, both the good and bad aspects- progress and poverty.
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Our Jan-16 meeting was devoted to The Russian Front. One of our members David Burkitt who has a particular interest in this topic gave a very informative and interesting talk on the subject
The Feb-16 meeting was about local history with contributions from various members on Rosherville Gardens, Gravesend Canal and the River Thames.
The Mar-16 meeting continued with local history focussing on famous people. We discussed General Gordon, General Wolfe, Charles Dickens and Robert Pocock.
In Apr-16 we did a walk round Gravesend with a local guide Sandra, taking in St George's Church and the story of Pocahontas and the importance of the town as a riverside port from medieval times to the 19th century.
Our May meeting on 20-05-16 was another walk, this time a gentle stroll of about 2.5 miles along the Gravesend Canal to Higham.
On 17-06-16 we discussed female reformers such as Octavia Hill who not only was a co-founder of the National Trust but was involved in housing for the working classes, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson who was the first woman to qualify as a doctor and Alice Vickery who became the first female pharmacist.
2016-17:
Our planning meeting for new and existing members was held on 21-Oct-16. There were several ideas for future meetings on the theme of "Makers of History " that is people who have changed the way we live or think. Topics included scientists, engineers, politicians and industrial philanthropists
At our meeting on 18th Nov-16 the topic was scientists and there were contributions from members on Galileo, James Clark Maxwell, Faraday, Darwin and Rosalind Franklin who worked with Crick and Watson on DNA. We then had a discussion on the role of women in science & how their contribution has often been ignored and their research side-lined.
There was no December meeting with so many people busy just before Christmas.
Our Jan-17 meeting was about industrial philanthropists. There were only a few of us at the meeting but we discussed several people - Robert Owen and the New Lanark Mill, William Lever and Port Sunlight, Joseph Rowntree of York and his reports on poverty. John Rylands who endowed the library at Manchester University. They were all far ahead of their time with their ideas on the causes of poverty and social justice. Our next meeting in February will be on great engineers such as Brunel, Brindley. Telford, Bazalgette.
Our Feb-17 meeting covered engineers such as Smeaton, Brunel & Bazalgette and also women engineers such as Hedy Lamarr - yes she was a Hollywood actress as well. In the next meeting we will be discussing theatre -the Restoration theatre of Charles 11, Shakespeare and Burbage, Handel and the opera, Victorian music halls have all been suggested as topics.
The Mar-17 meeting was about the theatre. There were contributions on Shakespeare and Burbage, Henslowe, Victorian Music Hall, Restoration Theatre and Ellen Terry's daughter.
Our next meeting on 21-04-17: The Pocahontas walk with Christoph Bull was unfortunately cancelled. We had a meeting as usual in Gravesend Library & discussed the history of art galleries & museums.
The May-17 meeting on medicine tackled Jenner & smallpox, John Snow & cholera, Veterinary medicine, Nobel prize winners for medicine including Alexander Fleming, & Cicely Saunders who founded the first Hospice.
Our meeting on 16-06-17 focussed on naval history.
Jul & Aug-17: No meetings.
2017-18:
Sept-17: Planning Meeting at Carole Dickenson's house. We have until now used Gravesend Library Community Room but at our last session we talked about meeting in each others house as we were such a small group. New group member Carole kindly agreed to host the first meeting. We decided to concentrate on a decade of the twentieth century for the next few meetings, starting with 1900-1910 for the next meeting on 20th October.
At our meeting on 20th October we covered various topics during the period 1900-1910. There were contributions from members on Edward V11,Suffragettes, Social Reform, Old Age Pensions, Politics, Boy Scouts, London Olympics and Thomas Hardy.
On Friday 17th November we covered the period 190-1920. Topics included role of women, air raids, remembrance, the imperial war graves commission, Bloomsbury set and modernism in art and music. We decided to cancel our meeting on 15th December as everyone is usually very busy in the run up to Christmas and I will be away. Our next meeting will therefore be on Friday 19th January at David and June's house when we will be discussing the 1920s.
On January 19th we met at David and June's house for another interesting and informative meeting. There were contributions from members on radio communications, the BBC and films, the financial crisis in Germany, the Wall street Crash, the General Strike, Elections and an overview of the period. Our next meeting will be on February 16th at Heather's house when we will be discussing the 30s.
At our meeting on 16th February we discussed the Jarrow March, Oswald Mosley, Technology, the Monarchy, Spanish civil War, London Suburbs and an overview of the 1930s. Our next meeting on 16th March will be about 1939-1945.
I could not make the meeting on 16th March which covered the war years but it sounds as though it was a good meeting ending up with everyone singing WW2 songs!
Our meeting on 20th April covered the post war years. There were contributions from the group on prefabs, New Towns, India, the NHS, 1944 Education Act, 1945 Election, Mass Observation and the 1947 winter. Another very interesting and informative meeting -and we were able to sit outside enjoying the lovely weather!
Our meeting on Friday 18th May dealt with subjects on India, New Towns, the 1945 election, 1944 Education Act, Mass Observation and the winter 0f 1947.
Our last meeting for this session was on June 15th when we tackled the 1960s. We talked about art in the 60s, the Torrey Canyon oil spill, Beatles concerts, medical advances, the Profumo affair and spying.
There will not be any meetings in July or August due to other commitments but we are looking forward to starting again in September when we hope to welcome any new members.
2018-19:
There was no meeting in September as several members were away.
Our first (Oct) meeting at my house covered the period from 1700-1725. We talked about transport, George 1, the death of Louis XIV, Sarah Churchill, the South Sea Bubble and the 1715 rebellion.