Speaker: Tom Crook The talk discusses the notorious ‘Great Stink’ of summer 1858 in London, its causes and the approach adopted to combat the problem. Tom is a Senior Lecturer in Modern British History at Oxford Brookes University. Non-members welcome – a donation of £2.50 towards the meeting costs would be appreciated

Speaker: Sarah Somerville Sarah is the Visitor Services Officer at Shaw House, a Grade I listed Elizabethan manor house situated on the northern edge of Newbury and managed by West Berkshire Council as a visitor attraction and conference centre. As well as guiding tours of the house, Sarah manages events held at Shaw House and […]

Speaker: Lizzy Rowe Lizzy looks at the origins of Keble College and tells some of the fascinating stories about its early days, focusing in particular on The Light of the World, the famous painting by William Holman Hunt that hangs in its Chapel. Lizzy teaches art history and leads guided tours of Oxford city centre […]

Speaker: Liz Woolley The talk examines some of the characters involved in the city’s enormous expansion during the Victorian period including builders, architects, property developers and landlords. Fortunes were made, reputations were lost, regulations were ignored, and political careers were boosted. Liz is a local historian specialising in aspects of Oxford and Oxfordshire, with a particular interest […]