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Talks 2025

Date	Talk Title	Speaker
Nov 27	Concorde – First to Last	Peter Gibbs
Oct 30	Oxfordshire’s Military Heritage in 50 objects	Henry Spilberg
Sep 25	The Story of The Cotswolds: Wool, Warfare, Recession, Return	Sean Callery
Jun 26	Visit to St Mary’s, Shifford with a talk on Shifford’s History	Andrew Long & Russell LaForte
May 25	Local Probate Inventories	In House with Andrew Long
Apr 25	AGM & The Peculiar History of Fishponds and Fishing in Oxfordshire	Stephen Wass
Mar 25	Artists in Wonderland – The Pre-Raphaelites in Oxford	Mark Davies
Feb 25	The Oxford to Fairford Railway	Trevor Jackson

Talks 2024

Nov 24	Crime and Punishment in Victorian Britain	Simon Wenham
Oct 24	World War II Rationing and Cooking for Victory	Karen & Brett Wiles
Sep 24	Pole Lathe demonstration	David Knight
Jul 24	Ascott Martyrs	Carol Anderson
Jun 24	Trench Humour in the First World War	Stephen Barker
Apr 24	AGM & The Roman invasions, occupations & colonisation of Britain	Bill King
Mar 24	Ernest Shackleton’s Epic Adventure	Russell La Forte
Feb 24	Parish History	Simon Townley

Talks 2023

Nov 23	Food of the Gods – Adventures in Chocolate	Melanie King
Oct 23	Dry Stone Walling	Russell La Forte
Sep 23	Bird Watching	Barry Hudson
Jul 23	The Village Wheelwright	Andrew Long
Jun 23	Lives of Local Medieval Saints	Marie-Loiuise Kerr
Apr 23	AGM & Cosciencious Objectors in WWI	Susan Smith
Mar 23	Food of the Gods – Adventures in Chocolate	Melanie King
Feb 23	600 years of Morris Dancing	Michael Heaney

Talks 2022

Nov 22	Local place names. A hands-on in-house session	In house
Oct 22	Apples! The Myth and Mystery of England’s Favourite Fruit	Tim Healey
Sep 22	The Impact of the First World War on Oxford’s women’s lives	Katherine Bradley
Jul 22	1066 Oxfordshire’s part in the Norman Conquest	Julie Ann Godson
Jun 22	A Family History evening	David Barber
May 22	Antiques Roadshow	Daryl Hazel
May 22	The Poppy	Bill King
Apr 22	Aston 150 years ago	In house
Apr 22	AGM & Archie Johnson readings	in house
Feb 22	The Guilds	Julian Sayers
Jan 22	Supper and Social – quiz	In house

Talks 2021/20

Nov 21	Pub names	Andrew Long
Oct 21	My RAF service during the Gulf War	Trevor Jackson
Sep 21	Social Evening & review of group’s 25 years & object quiz	In house
Feb 20	Daisy’s Story	John Caldicott

Talks 2019

Nov 19	A 17th Century Christmas	Tim Healey
Oct 19	Early Oxford	Maria Ruiz
Sep 19	Dunkirk’s Little Ships	Paul Bennett
Jul 19	The Lost Villages of Oxfordshire	Dr Muriel Pilkington
May 19	The Water Gypsy	Julie Ann Godson
Apr 19	AGM; DVD ‘1999 A Year in the Parish’
Mar 19	Masquerade – The History of the Mask	Christine Farmer
Feb 19	Papists at the Manor – The Yates and Throckmortons of Buckland & Lyford in the Vale of the White Horse	Tony Hadland
Jan 19	Supper and Social; Evacuation Play	In house

Talks 2018

Nov 18	Glen Miller – The Magic and Mystery	Bill King
Oct 18	Poverty, Pestilence and Public Health in Victorian Britain	Simon Wenham
Sep 18	The Remarkable Story of our National Chair – The Windsor	Stewart Lindford
Jul 18	The Foundling Hospital – The UK’s first childen’s charity	John Caldicott
Jun 18	Visit to Claywell Farm – The Hidden Village	Sarah Richards
May 18	Women Soldiers – women who joined the army as men in the 18th/19th centuries	Dan Allen
Apr 18	AGM & Corner House, Cote	Donna Thynne
Mar 18	James Sadler of Oxford- The first English Aeronaut	Mark Davies
Feb 18	The Falklands	Russell LaForte

Talks 2017

Nov 17	The Tudor Warship, The Mary Rose’	Colin Fox
Oct 17	Chatsworth and the Cavendish Family	Dr Gillian White
Sep 17	Beer, Sausages and Marmalade	Liz Wooley
Jul 17	Biscuits and Bandages -History of Blood Donation	Duncan Brown
May 17	An Anecdotal History of Oxford University	Alastair Lack
Apr 17	AGM & Back Lane and West End	Andrew Long and Martin Bowley
Mar 17	Tunnel Vision, History of the Underground	Chris Caddy
Feb 17	Local Stagecoaches and Highwaymen	Martin Way
Jan 17	Supper and Social; Oxfordshire Flag; Village quiz	In house

Talks 2016

Nov 16	The Witney Aerodrome Site, WWI onwards	Stanley Jenkins
Oct 16	40 Years of Bomb Disposal	Ian Jones
Sep 16	A Spencer Love Affair	Allan Ledger
Jul 16	The Anglo-Saxon Burials at Chimney – 10am at Chimney	Sally Crawford
Jul 16	Chedworth Roman Villa (talk)	Nick Humphries
May 16	Members’ Meeting
Apr 16	AGM; Another look at Aston Square	Andrew Long and Martin Bowley
Mar 16	Lives of Women in Victorian Times	Jane Stubbs
Feb 16	William Morris	Gena Chadwick
Jan 16	Supper and Social; The Organ Grinder	John Hunt

Talks 2015

Nov 15	The Post Office	John Rogers
Oct 15	Covert Catholics of the Bampton Area	Tony Hadland
Sep 15	Chapels also Evolve	Graham Kirby
Jul 15	Life in a Medieval Monastic Cloister	Gregory Stores
May 15	Droving Through the South Midlands	Bruce Smith
Feb 15	Metal Detecting – held in the church	Daniel Spencer
Jan 15	Supper and Social; A Musical Evening	Three Pressed Men

Talks 2014

Nov 14	William Gill – Victorian Explorer and Spy	Tony Hadland
Oct 14	WWI and War Graves	Ron Curtis
Sep 14	Bradwell Grove – A Wartime Airfield	Liz Harfield
Jun 14	Castles in the Air	Nick Brazil
Apr 14	AGM The Hidden Meaning of Nursery Rhymes	Moira Byast
Apr 14	AGM and North Street and Cote Road	Andrew Long & Martin Bowley
Mar 14	The Battle of Cropredy Bridge	Stephen Baker
Mar 14	Taste the Past	Moira Byast
Feb 14	Vikings	Martin Way

Talks 2013

Nov 13	Folk music / Morris Dancing	The Three Pressed Men
Oct 13	Stonesfield Slate	Alan Cobb
Sep 13	Wantage Tramway	Laurence Waters
Jul 13	Bell Ringing	Roger Barnes
May 13	Salters of Oxford	Simon Wenham
Apr 13	Quaker Clockmakers	Tim Marshall
Mar 13	Chimney In-House Talk	Andrew Long and Martin Bowley
Feb 13	You can’t Judge a Book by its Title	Roger Barnes

Talks 2012

Nov 12	The Ridgeway	Russell Cherry
Oct 12	Grandma flew Spitfires	Richard Poad
Sep 12	Emigration from Oxfordshire in the 19th Century	Shaun Morley
Jul 12	The History of Bampton Church	Rev David Lloyd
May 12	Lodging Houses	Liz Woolley
Feb 12	Old Musical Instruments	Robert Longstaff

Talks 2011

Nov 11	Oxfordshire Family Societies	Shaun Morley
Oct 11	Ducklington	Roger Barnes
Sep 11	WWII at Coleshill	Liza Dribble
Jul 11	Chimney Meadows	Andy Fairbairn
May 11	18th Century Cooking	Jane McDonald
Mar 11	Christopher Kempster – Stone Mason	Chris Walker
Feb 11	Wesley Barrell	Isobell Barrell

Talks 2010

Nov 10	Transport Revolution in Oxfordshire	Mark Goss
Sep 10	Barley, Beer and Barrels	Martin Way
Jul 10	Medieval Craftsmen	Tim Porter
May 10	Petticoats and Partletts	Barbara Allison
Apr 10	Tudor Easter	Martin Sirot-Smith
Mar 10	Child Labour in 19th Century Oxfordshire	Liz Woolley
Feb 10	The Bicycle	Bill King
Jan 10	The Manufacture of Stained Glass Windows	Keith Petchell

Talks 2009

Nov 09	The Levellers at Burford	Muriel Pilkington
Oct 09	The Green Man	Tim Healey
Sep 09	Oxfordshire and the Great Exhibition	Muriel Pilkington
Jun 09	History and Archaeology of the Radcot Crossing	Martin Way
Apr 09	Members’ bring and show; bring and talk; quiz	In house
Mar 09	The History of Bees	Ian Gourlay
Feb 09	Stranger Aspects of Oxford History	Brian Lowe

Talks 2008

Nov 08	Historical Dances of the 17th Century	The Vale Island Dancers
Oct 08	The Black Death	Mark Goss
Sep 08	The History of Thatching	In house
May 08	Sex, Drink and Death in the 17th Century	Tim Healey
Apr 08	A look at the Archives’	In House
Mar 08	The Geology of the Aston area	Guy Salkeld
Feb 08	Oxford Castle	Mark Davies
Jan 08	A Look at Local Place Names	In house

Talks 2007

Nov 07	Morris Dancing	Ray Borritt
Oct 07	Salt	Murial Pilkington
Sep 07	St James Church	John Ordish
Jun 07	Antiques Unwrapped	Christine Whild
May 07	Pole Lathe Turning and Bodging	Bob Field
Apr 07	Faringdon Manor, Abbey and Castle	Graham Soffe
Mar 07	Daily Life in Tudor Times	Martin Sirot-Smith
Feb 07	Oxfordshire Saints and Martyrs	Tim Porter

Talks 2006

Nov 06	Eynsham Abbey	Alan Hardy
Oct 06	Witney Union Workhouse	Dr Jane Cavell
Jul 06	Morris Dancing	Ducklington Morris
May 06	The Development of Witney	Simon Townley
Apr 06	Aston Training School and Laundry	In house
Mar 06	The Odd Word	F Robertson
Feb 06	The Shipton on Cherwell Railway Accident	Linda Haynes

Talks 2005

Nov 05	The Battle of Radcot	Dr John Turner
Oct 05	The Mitford Sisters	Muriel Pilkington
Sep 05	Decline and Fall of Wychwood Forest	Charles Tyzack
May 05	Archers at Agincourt	Martin Way
Mar 05	Early Photography and the Local Historian	Dr John Wilson
Feb 05	The Upper Thames Patrol	Bill King

Talks 2004

Nov 04	The Witney Woollen Industry	Charles Gott
Oct 04	Memories of Village Schools	Gordon Ottewell
Sep 04	Family Life in the 19th Century	Dorothy Calcutt
May 04	Kelmscott and William Morris	Dorothy Wise
Apr 04	Palaeontology	Linda Haynes
Mar 04	Music in the West Gallery	Tim Porter
Feb 04	Farming in the 19th Century	Dr John Wilson
Jan 04	Members’ Supper and Social & The Basque Children	Natalia Benjamin

Talks 2003

Nov 03	Village Hand Tools before the age of Plastic	M Hallam
May 03	Some Dos and Don’ts of Antiquing	Michael Bull
Apr 03	A Look at Aston Square	In house
Mar 03	A Walk along the Evenlode on slides	Gordon Ottewell
Feb 03	Writing and Publishing your Parish History	Angela Spencer-Harper

Talks 2002

Nov 02	A History of Canals	Martin Way
Oct 02	The Traditions of Harvest	Christine Whild
May 02	Saving the Past	Dr John Wilson
Apr 02	Hands-on project with Tithe Map	In house
Mar 02	The WRVS Story	Rowena Howse
Feb 02	The Thames From Earliest Times	Dr Mark Robinson

Talks 2001

Nov 01	Cotswold Manors and Manor Houses	Anthea Jones
Oct 01	Victorian Crafts and Pastimes	Christine Whild
Sep 01	Medieval Churches – Raising the Roof	Howard Gatling
Mar 01	Home Front	Martin Way
Feb 01	Discovering your House History	Julia Melvin

Talks 2000

Nov 00	Locks and Wiers on the River Thames	Steve Capel-Davies
Oct 00	Witney Woollen Industry	R Martin
May 00	Aston Probate Records	In House
Apr 00	Church Bells	Brian White
Feb 00	Introducing William	Dorothy Wise

Talks 1999

Nov 99	The Aston Wheelwrights	Andrew Long
Sep 99	Civil War	David Eddershaw
Mar 99	Metal Detecting	Pete Butler
Feb 99	Local Archaeology	Chris Merrick

Talks 1998

Nov 98	Family History Research	Marc Hiles
Oct 98	Benefit Societies	Chris Walker
Sep 98	Nuneham Courtney	Dr G Howat
Apr 98	The Open Field and its Enclosure	David Eddershaw
Mar 98	The Aston Enclosure Map – hands on	Graham Sparrowhawk
Feb 98	Roman Britain	Martin Way
Jan 98	Bampton Mummers Play	Bampton Mummers

Talks 1997

Nov 97	Making a Village Trail	In house
Oct 97	A History of Aston	Simon Townley
May 97	Alfred the Great	Tim Porter
Apr 97	Flora Thompson and Lark Rise	David Eddershaw
Mar 97	Antiques Road-show with valuations	Peter Cresswell
Feb 97	Local Stagecoaches and Highwaymen	Martin Way

Talks 1996

Nov 96	Oxfordshire Sinners and Villains	Carl Boardman
Oct 96	Oxfordshire Seasonal Customs	Christine Bloxham
Apr 96	The Witney Railway	Stanley Jenkins
Mar 96	The White Horse Project	David Miles
Feb 96	Cotswold Shepherds and Sheep	Martin Way
Jan 96	Looking at 1891	In house

Talks 1995

Nov 95	The History of Witney	Charles Gott
Oct 95	Traditional Song in Oxfordshire	Bill and Heather Long
Sep 95	Going to School in Victorian Oxfordshire	David Eddershaw
Mar 95	Disappearing Villages	J Bond

Talks 1994

Nov 94	Local Churches	Graham Sparrowhawk
Apr 94	Village History Exhibition – April 16th
Jan 94	20th January first meeting