Lectures for the season 2024 – 2025

Wednesday 11th September 2024
Evening Lecture

Rogues, Villains and Peaky Blinders – Corinne Brazier from West Midlands Police Museum

At the end of last season, Corinne delivered an outstanding lecture on policing in Birmingham during WW2 so we were looking forward to another aspect of the West Midlands Police Museum.  She did not disappoint us. The Steelhouse Lane lockup housed a great number of mugshots before it closed in 2016 to become the museum.  Corinne has done a great deal of research and showed us some wonderful mugshots of a variety of villains and told the stories behind them.  It was the Birmingham police force which first introduced the idea of photographing the accused.  Although there was only one reference to the ‘Peaky Blinders of Small Heath’, many of the rogues were labelled such, especially by the press.  Corinne dispelled some of the myths associated with the gang featured in the TV series.  They were more likely to wear a kind of bowler hat, shaped to a point at the front and hardened.  If they had embedded razor blades into their cloth caps, they would have done more damage to themselves than to an opponent.  Corinne is an excellent speaker with a great sense of humour.  Thank you for getting our new season off to a brilliant start.

Thursday 26th September 2024
Afternoon Lecture
Is it Lunch or is it Dinner? (You Only Dine Twice)
Kate Cadman

Kate is Collections Curator at Ironbridge Gorge Museum. She told us how mealtimes and table-wares evolved. The title of the talk was changed to “You only Dine twice” but the content was much the same. Kate revealed how mealtimes and eating ceremonies have changed over the centuries, and showed how our eating habits today have been influenced by social class in the 18th and 19th centuries.  It seems that the more wealth you had the more specialised pieces of porcelain you had.  She showed us pictures of many objects and asked us to guess their purpose.  These ranged from honeypots to asparagus dishes. Kate used photographs of tableware from the Ironbridge Gorge Museum and they looked bright and clear on the new Community Centre display screen.

Wednesday 9th October 2024
Evening Lecture
   The history of Erasmus Darwin and his Garden
Barbara Bowers

Barbara gave a very informative talk about Erasmus Darwin’s own private  garden in Lichfield reflecting the new styles of gardening in the second half of the 18th century. In 1757, Darwin moved to Lichfield to try to establish a practice there. He became a highly successful physician for more than fifty years in the midlands.
The garden is composed of a number of linked but distinct areas. There is a culinary garden a ‘Medicine Chest’ garden An Apothecary’s garden and others,  each reflecting Darwin’s history and work. 
Barbara outlined his liberal philosophies and poetic writing which included much natural history. 
Erasmus Darwin House is located in Beacon Street, on the edge of the Cathedral Close, and a few minutes’ walk from the centre of Lichfield.  It is open to the public on certain days. 

Thursday 24th October 2024
Afternoon Lecture
The story of Two Crosses – the life of William Coltman VC
Tim Coltman

This was an incredible story of courage in the First World War.  Tim Coltman told the story of his grandfather, William who refused to fight because of his strong Christian beliefs, but instead performed heroics on the battlefield.  The two crosses were the Victoria cross, which he was awarded, and the one representing his faith.  He was just 5ft 4, only one inch taller than the required height to join the army, but had great strength as he went out to the front line and carried soldiers himself on his back, refusing to go with stretcher-bearers as that would put their lives at risk. William was one of the most decorated soldiers in the war and Tim’s telling of the story alongside the horrors of life in the trenches held our attention completely throughout the hour.

Wednesday 13th November 2024
Evening Lecture
The Angel in the House or the Backbone of Industry?  
The Lives of Victorian Women.
Laura Collier

Stereotypes often portray Victorian women as having ‘delicate constitutions’ of being homebound and home focused.  This talk looked at gender roles in Victorian society, at how they were formed and the impacts that they had on the lived experiences of middle and working class women across Britain.  Laura explored the lives of the women who worked in the iron, clay and mining industries from the late 18th to early 20th century in the Ironbridge Gorge. From labouring in brickyards to painting internationally renowned china.  She revealed the vital and often overlooked  contributions that women made on one of Britain’s world changing industrial landscape.

Thursday 28th November 2024
Afternoon Lecture Blood and Guts: History of the Barber Surgeons
Pat Bickford 

Pat who, gives this talk to visitors at Moseley Old Hall, warned us at the start that it was rather gruesome but luckily no one fainted.  The barber surgeon, one of the most common European medical practitioners of the Middle Ages was generally charged with caring for soldiers during and after battle. In this era, surgery was seldom conducted by physicians, but instead by barbers who, possessing razors and dexterity indispensable to their trade, were called upon for numerous tasks ranging from cutting hair to pulling teeth to amputating limbs. In an entertaining talk, Pat showed us a variety of instruments used for pulling teeth, extracting lead shot and amputating limbs.

Wednesday 11th December 2024
Evening Lecture
The National Memorial Arboretum – Peter Hardy

Most of our members have been to the National Arboretum but few would know the symbolism revealed to us this evening.  Peter delivered an excellent and important talk about the planning and creating of the site and then explained the thinking behind many of the monuments.  Trees were chosen specially to suit each memorial.  For example, oak trees were planted in the Royal Navy site because ships were originally built from oak.  Slender, light Silver Birches were chosen for the Air Force memorial.  The tone of the evening was set by Peter’s wife, Jane, reading the poem, ‘Who are these men?’.  Peter’s talk was illustrated with photos of many of the 400 memorials.

Wednesday 8th January 2025
Evening Lecture
William Morris and Edward Burne -Jones,  Brothers in Art Helen Bratt – Wyton

Helen Bratt-Wyton, Senior Collections and House Manager at Wightwick Manor, is always a welcome visitor to WNTA and contributes to our special relationship with the Manor.  Today she gave an in-depth talk on two of the most well-known figures in the ‘Arts and Crafts’ movement. Edward Burne-Jones worked with William Morris as a founding partner in Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co in the design of decorative arts.  They had a very close relationship since their college days, even though Edward said that listening to William’s poetry sent him to sleep!
Helen also outlined the future programme for a packed year of activities at Wightwick.  The Malthouse gallery will close in February and reopen with a new De Morgan display in the summer when the magnificent painting of Flora will be the centre piece. You can read about the original display in 2017, in our Archive section. This link will take you there.

Thursday 23rd January 2025
Afternoon Lecture
 To Die For?  
Killer fashions in the Staffordshire County Museum Collection
Helen Johnson

Helen presented a very interesting talk in a clear, professional manner, outlining the perils involved in mostly women’s fashion through the ages.  She started with the use of whalebone and stiffening in corsetry to squash and squeeze the waist into an unhealthy size.  It was almost impossible to bend in the corsets which were not only worn by upper-class ladies but by servants and factory workers.  It wasn’t just the wearers of clothing that suffered but also the workers who produced the garments.  Dangerous chemicals were a constant threat to workers.  Arsenic was used in gloves and other items in the 18th and 19th centuries to create bright green colours.  Helen used examples from the Staffordshire Museum Collection where she works as Community Engagement & Partnerships Officer.  Helen is an excellent speaker who kept our large audience fully engaged.

Wednesday 12th February 2025
Evening Lecture
Imagining the past: the historic reconstructions of Alan Sorrell
Mike Glasson

Alan Ernest Sorrell was an English artist and writer best remembered for his archaeological illustrations and historical reconstructions.  He produced around 70 paintings which were very atmospheric and showed great attention to detail.  Mike Glasson showed many of Sorrell’s restorations of castles, abbeys, manor houses and archaeological sites imaginatively bought to life.  We were taken on a tour of the UK from Wales through England to Scotland and through history, even back to Roman times. Mike showed extensive knowledge and provided us with historical background to the buildings. The quality of his slides was excellent.

Thursday 27th February 2025
Afternoon Lecture
  The History of Dudley Castle – Max Keen

Max Keen made his usual spectacular entrance, dressed as a Norman soldier complete with shield and a very intimidating spear.  He then proceeded to remove the head-gear and explained the purpose of the armour. Later, members were encouraged to examine the items.  Trying to lift the heavy mail was an experience, surprising everyone with its weight.  Max then took us through the history of Dudley Castle, showing how it has changed and developed under five regimes.  The talk was fast-moving and expertly delivered with Max’s trade-mark humour.  Much appreciated by our large audience, this has to be the highlight of an excellent season.

Wednesday 12th March 2025
Evening Lecture
Henry VIII and the Field of Cloth of Gold
Dr. Gillian White

This evening, we welcomed again Dr. Gillian White who talked about the meeting of Henry VIII and Francis I of France in 1520.  Although it was for diplomatic reasons, it became clear that the two kings were out to outshine each other with dazzling clothes, huge feasts, music, jousting and games. There was so much cloth of gold, an expensive fabric woven with silk and gold thread, that the site of the meeting was named after it.  Gillian explained the reason for their meeting, the extravagant celebrations themselves, and the aftermath of this magnificent yet futile event.  Some idea of the size of Henry’s following may be gathered from the fact that in one month 2,200 sheep and other meats in a similar proportion were consumed. In the fields beyond the castle, 2,800 tents were erected for less distinguished visitors. In a fascinating talk, Gillian amazed us with fact after unbelievable fact.

Thursday 27th March 2025
Afternoon Lecture
Hidcote Gardens – Lottie Allen 

On a lovely Spring day, what is better than spending time in the garden?  Lottie Allen allowed us to spend time in her garden.  We were treated to some wonderful photographs of Hidcote in bloom with magnificent colourful displays, all taken in bright sunshine.  Lottie has been head gardener for five years.  Previously she was head gardener at Tyntesfield and other properties.  Hidcote is a world-famous Arts and Crafts-inspired garden nestled in a North Cotswold hamlet, created by passionate plantsman and talented designer, Major Lawrence Johnston. In 1948 Johnston gifted Hidcote to the National Trust, becoming the first garden-only property in the Trust’s care.  Lottie told us of her jobs since leaving college.  She gained a lot of experience working in some high-profile National Trust properties.  She described some of the improvements she has made, working with a team of ten staff and around 35 volunteers.  Finally she showed us photographs of the garden throughout the year.  A lovely, colourful way to end our season.