Taunton Deane Branch Programme


Taunton Deane Branch Programme 2023-24

 

Branch Contact: All enquiries to Mr Geoff Bisson gb@queenscollege.org.uk tel. 01823 353749

Venue: All talks start at 7.30pm on Wednesdays and take place in the Birchall Hall, Queen's College, Trull Road, Taunton, TA1 4QS unless otherwise stated. There is free car parking on site.

Associate Membership: £10 per year. Talks free to national HA members and students, visitors £3.

 

Wednesday 27 September 2023

‘Taunton Court Leet’ after the AGM Lunch

The origins and role of this ancient court as well as its present purpose will be explained.

Bill Morris, The Steward of the Court Leet

 

Wednesday 11 October 2023

‘Going to Church in Medieval England'

This lecture will explain what it was like to go to church before the Reformation, and what a worshipper would have experienced there.

Professor Nicholas Orme, Emeritus Professor, University of Exeter

 

Wednesday 8 November 2023

'The Early Years of the Nazi Party and the Munich Putsch of 1923.'

This talk for the 100th anniversary will explore the context in which the Nazi Party developed in the four years since its creation in 1919 and the circumstances which led to the attempted coup and its failure.  

Dr Nicholas Terry, University of Exeter

 

Wednesday 6 December 2023

'The real Rugby Story behind the Myths and Legends'

As we reach the thirtieth anniversary of professional rugby, this talk looks to explore the myths about the game and to see what shape the game is in today.

Angus Hamilton, formerly, Queen's College, Taunton

 

Wednesday 10 January 2024

'One Hundred Years On - Revisiting Britain's First Labour Government'

This talk revisits the first Labour government, situating it within interwar political culture, and assessing its significance in the history of the Labour Party, and British politics more generally. 

Dr James Thompson, University of Bristol

 

Wednesday 7 February 2024

'The West Country's Last Line of Defence: Taunton Stop Line'

This talk looks at the role and locations of the Taunton stop line, a 50-mile defensive ‘wall’ spanning Somerset, Devon and Dorset, created in response to the possible threat of a Nazi invasion.

Andrew Powell-Thomas, Local Historian and Author

 

Wednesday 6 March 2024

'How to be a Democrat in the Classical Greek City'

This paper will explore how being a citizen invested in popular rule was experienced, particularly outside Athens. What was particular about the Greek experience that made popular rule a real political choice?

Professor Lynette Mitchell, University of Exeter