Diary of Events
2021 Programme
Monday, 20th September: Stephen Oliver: “St Mary’s, Adderbury: Its history and restoration”
As the architect in charge of the most recent restoration, Stephen is uniquely well-placed to talk about the history of Adderbury’s parish church.
Monday, 18th October: Cieran Walsh: “The Otmoor Riots in a broader context”
The protests of the 1830s against the enclosure of Otmoor involved up to 1000 people from the surrounding area. Our speaker will put the events in the wider context of nineteenth century agricultural protest.
Monday, 15th November: Barry Davis: “The Cawley Family of Adderbury House”
Our chairman will talk about the Cawley family from Cheshire who had cotton mills in Salford, Greater Manchester. In particular, he will refer to Hugh Cawley’s branch of the family who made their home at Adderbury Park (House) and how they contributed to the village life in the early 20th Century.
Monday, 20th December: Christmas Entertainment: Voices across Time
We’re delighted that for our Christmas entertainment this year, Adderbury-based prize-winning Youth Theatre group Voices across Time have agreed to put on a private preview of their 2021 Christmas show for members of AHA and guests. Further details nearer the time
2022 Programme
January 17th Rob Jacobs: Beatrix Havergal of Waterperry. This talk by the present-day Horticultural Manager at Waterperry will cover the life of Beatrix Havergal, the co-founder of Waterperry’s Women’s Horticultural School and her battle to get recognition for women in the gardening world.
February 21st Glenys Barlow: Claydon House: Now you see it, now you don’t. Glenys will explore the architecture of this National Trust country house and the people who lived there and will reveal why two thirds of the house disappeared twenty years after it was built!
March 21st James Hamilton: Turner in Oxfordshire: The author of the definitive biography of J.M.W.Turner will explore the role of Oxford in Turner’s travels more generally, during which he observed the landscapes and people of Britain.
April 11th AGM + Julie-Ann Godson: Toffs in Trouble: Secret love affairs, murder, blackmail, poisoning and extortion: most of us enjoy a good scandal. Julie-Anne tells tales of Oxfordshire toffs in trouble, from the Tudor period right up to the modern age.
May 16th Richard O. Smith: Oxford Eccentricity: The author, scriptwriter, novelist, columnist and stand-up comedian makes a welcome return with a factual but entertaining talk, described by TV historian Lucy Worsley as a “jam-packed jamboree of jollity”.
June 20th Sheila Alcock: Homes Fit for Heroes? A talk on the hundred-year history of council houses generally in the country and concentrating on the Oxford area.
July 18th Paul Booth: Romano-British Oxfordshire: Paul will use the experience of 30 years at Oxford Archaeology to summarise for us the abundant evidence for the Roman period in Oxfordshire with a focus on recent discoveries and ideas.
September 19th: Karen & Brett Wiles: The Women’s Voluntary Service 1938 to 1945: The talk covers why the WVS was formed, who the one million women were who joined and looks into the tasks they undertook. The talk is accompanied by a small display of original memorabilia.
October 17th: Melanie King: Can Onions Cure Earache? Melanie is an Oxford-based historian, writer and traveller and will give a fascinating insight into popular treatments of the eighteenth century, with their mix of folklore and emerging medical science.
November 21st: Keith Westcott: The Broughton Hoard and Roman Villa: Archaeologist and detectorist Keith will describe how he was led from a hoard of coins to the discovery of the site of a Roman villa and will bring us up to date on recent developments.
December 19th Christmas Entertainment : Details to be announced later