Meetings | History of Bath Research Group

There will be an allocation of 15 minutes at the beginning of each meeting for "notes and queries" from members. The objective is to allow members to do the following:

Give a brief discourse on an item of research that they feel could be of interest to members but which doesn't merit a full talk. The maximum length of each contribution will be 5 minutes.
Allow members to pose queries that would help them with their research and where members may be able to contribute.

The programme for 2022/2023 is shown below

2021/2022 Programme

Title: Walk: Hedgemead Park

Venue: St Swithin's Church

06-Sep-2021
06 : 00 : PM

Speaker: Nigel Pollard
Synopsis: A walk around the park guided by Nigel Pollard who is an HBRG Committee member and actively involved in work to restore the park.

Title: An Unusual War Memorial

Venue: Meeting on Zoom

13-Sep-2021
07 : 30 : PM

Speaker: Stephen Bird
Synopsis: Alongside an impressive new monument to the Bath Blitz beside the River Avon at Roseberry Road, East Twerton, is a small enigmatic memorial to two Bath men who served in the South African Brigade in the First World War. Stephen Bird came across it on a Covid-permitted walk in June 2020 and decided to investigate further.
Recording of Meeting: View or Download Recording

Title: Fonteyn in Bath

Venue: Zoom Meeting

11-Oct-2021
07:30 :PM

Speaker: Rosemary Harden
Synopsis: Dame Margot Fonteyn, prima ballerina assoluta, then at the height of her fame as Britain's leading ballerina, was one of the star turns of the 1964 Bath Festival. Dancing in a Gala Performance at the Theatre Royal, with Rudolph Nureyev, this was one of the 'must-see' events of the programme that year. But what is less well known is that Fonteyn has continued a quiet connection with the city in the 60 years since, through a generous donation of 'off-stage' clothes to the Fashion Museum. Fashion Museum Manager Rosemary Harden will share some of the stories about Dame Margot's couture wardrobe, including an ensemble associated with that night in Bath in June 1964.
Recording of Meeting: View or Download Recording

Title: The Development of the BRLSI Collections from the 18th Century Onwards

Venue: On Zoom

08-Nov-2021
07 : 30 : PM

Speaker: Liz Vincent
Recording of Meeting: View or Download Recording

Title: Old Photographs of the Cleveland Pools and Update on Restoration

Venue: Zoom Meeting

10-Jan-2022
07:30 :PM

Speaker: Sally Helvey

Title: Archway Project

Venue: World Heritage Centre, York Street - Meet in Abbeygate Street

14-Feb-2022
07:30 :PM

Speaker: Stephen Clews
Synopsis: An on-site visit to the new education centre of the Archway Project, which promises to be one of the greatest additions to Bath's cultural heritage for some considerable time.

Title: The Long Minuet

Venue: St Mary's Church Hall, Bathwick

14-Mar-2022
07:30 :PM

Speaker: Michael Rowe
Synopsis: 'A Long Minuet as Danced at Bath' is a 7 feet long satirical print which has caused amusement ever since it was published in 1787 and led to a fashion for such caricatures. What are believed to be the original drawings have surfaced and a little known copy in the Victoria Art Gallery collections attempts to name the dancers. Michael Rowe has been researching the print and believes that there are other interpretations than simply mockery of the peoples ability to dance elegantly.

Title: Walk and Talk: Limpley Stoke & Freshford

Venue: St Marys, Limpley Stoke

09-May-2022
06 : 00 : PM

Speaker: Anne Jarrett
Synopsis: We start at St Mary’s Church where there is parking and I will point out interesting facts about the Church. Outside I will use a fan to show some historical places around Limpley Stoke. We cross Church field to Park Corner for a short talk, then to the top of Rosemary Lane for another. We go along Sharpstone and the Tyning to the War Memorial to hear about one of the villagers who died in the 1914-18 war. Lastly we walk to the Old Bakery where we will have tea and biscuits and a talk about an exorcism at Dunkirk Mill.

Title: AGM followed by: Mr Prins’s Journey to Bath and the story of the Bath-Alkmaar Barrel Organ

Venue: St Mary's Bathwick Church Hall

31-May-2022
06 : 30 : PM

Speakers: Aletta Stevens & Chris Davies (Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association)
Synopsis: Our AGM will be followed by the following talk: In 1940, Dutch-Jewish refugee Eli Prins from Alkmaar arrived in Bath after a last-minute escape from the Nazis. As a member of the Air Raid Precautions during the war he met Jimmie Wills of the Rotary Club. Together they instigated the adoption of Alkmaar and a fundraising campaign to help the child victims of the Dutch Hunger Winter. This act of solidarity inspired a friendship that has lasted for more than 75 years. Aletta Stevens’s book gives a vivid reconstruction of the escape, chronicles the experience of war in both cities, and reveals how the friendship developed. Chris Davies will talk about the barrel organ that is currently on view at the Guildhall and was used to collect money for Alkmaar.

Title: Walk: Georgian Box

Venue: Selwyn Hall car park, next to the church

06-Jun-2022
06 : 00 : PM

Speaker: Alan Payne

Meetings Programme

06-March-2022 - Meetings return to our pre-pandemic venue, St Mary's Bathwick - Please see individual meetings for more information.

There will be an allocation of 15 minutes at the beginning of each meeting for "notes and queries" from members. The objective is to allow members to do the following:

The programme for 2022/2023 is shown below

2021/2022 Programme

Title: Walk: Hedgemead Park

Venue: St Swithin's Church

Speaker: Nigel Pollard

Synopsis: A walk around the park guided by Nigel Pollard who is an HBRG Committee member and actively involved in work to restore the park.

Title: An Unusual War Memorial

Venue: Meeting on Zoom

Speaker: Stephen Bird

Recording of Meeting: View or Download Recording

Title: Fonteyn in Bath

Venue: Zoom Meeting

Speaker: Rosemary Harden

Recording of Meeting: View or Download Recording

Title: The Development of the BRLSI Collections from the 18th Century Onwards

Venue: On Zoom

Speaker: Liz Vincent

Recording of Meeting: View or Download Recording

Title: Old Photographs of the Cleveland Pools and Update on Restoration

Venue: Zoom Meeting

Speaker: Sally Helvey

Title: Archway Project

Venue: World Heritage Centre, York Street - Meet in Abbeygate Street

Speaker: Stephen Clews

Synopsis: An on-site visit to the new education centre of the Archway Project, which promises to be one of the greatest additions to Bath's cultural heritage for some considerable time.

Title: The Long Minuet

Venue: St Mary's Church Hall, Bathwick

Speaker: Michael Rowe

Title: Walk and Talk: Limpley Stoke & Freshford

Venue: St Marys, Limpley Stoke

Speaker: Anne Jarrett

Title: AGM followed by: Mr Prins’s Journey to Bath and the story of the Bath-Alkmaar Barrel Organ

Venue: St Mary's Bathwick Church Hall

Speakers: Aletta Stevens & Chris Davies (Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association)

Title: Walk: Georgian Box

Venue: Selwyn Hall car park, next to the church

Speaker: Alan Payne