Let History's darker side enlighten you! WTHSoc June 2025 Meeting Details Date - 27 June 2025 Time - 20:00 (Doors open 19:30) Location - Weston Turville Village Hall Title - “Grave Robbers” Speaker – Steve Bacon Entrance - £2 members, £3 visitors Step into the shadows of history and uncover the fascinating—and unsettling—world of grave robbing. Join us as Steve Bacon, historian and former primary school teacher, delves into the notorious profession of resurrectionists. Through the compelling character of Nehemiah Bacon, Steve reveals how grave robbing shaped the progress of medicine, navigated the law, and challenged public morality. Discover the secrets of this lurid trade, including the cunning art of “leave no trace” and the surprising alliances with surgeons and magistrates. Learn about the hefty rewards for grave robbers and the chilling tales of those who took even darker routes, sparking outrage that forever altered the laws. Though the Anatomy Act of 1832 and pu...
Date - 29 Nov 2024 Time - 20:00 (Doors open 19:30) Location - Weston Turville Village Hall Title - “Jewellery & Silver of H.G. Murphy” Speaker – John Benjamin Entrance - £2 members, £3 visitors “ Jewellery & Silver of H.G. Murphy” John Benjamin Meeting on Friday 29 th Nov 2024 John is a regular and popular speaker at our society. His topic on this occasion is Henry George Murphy (1884-1939) was one of Britain’s most innovative Arts and Crafts and Art Deco jewellery and silver designer craftsmen of the 1920’s and 1930’s. Formerly International Director of Jewellery at Phillips Fine Art Auctioneers, John Benjamin established his own independent valuation and advisory service in 1999. A Freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company and a Freeman of the City of London, John is a Founder Liveryman and Court Assistant of The Worshipful Company of Arts Scholars. A lecturer, valuer, historian and author...
Date - 28 Nov 2025 Time - 20:00 (Doors open 19:30) Location - Weston Turville Village Hall Title - “Caversham Park” Speaker – Dr. Stephen Goss Entrance - £2 members, £3 visitors From Domesday Book to listening in for doomsday: Caversham Park’s 930 years at the centre of history First recorded in the post-Norman invasion Domesday Book, Caversham Park has played a surprisingly central role in English, British and international history for nearly a millennium. It was the seat of the so-called ‘best knight whoever lived’, who was related to the man who brought about the English conquest of Ireland. The Manor of Caversham was embroiled in the Reformation, was owned by cousins of Elizabeth I – who not only gave their name to current streets in Reading – but guarded Mary, Queen of Scots. Caversham Park both entertained the first two Stuart Kings and became a prison for Charles I. Learn about its role in the Glorious Revolution, and i...