B&CLHS programme 2015
19 January 2015
The Syon Abbey Herbal
an illustrated talk by John Adams of Syon Abbey Research Associates. The Abbey was founded by Henry V in February 1415; its 60 sisters and 25 brothers lived, unusually, under the rule of an Abbess. The Herbal was written by Thomas Betson, the Abbey’s last-known librarian, with 700 plant entries and 400 remedies, some lethal!
16 February 2015
The Garden of Hogarth’s House, past, present and future
an illustrated talk by Val Bott, who has researched the garden from its origin in the 1680s. She is advising on its refurbishment and has helped to develop a scheme which is the subject of an application for Lottery funding
16 March 2015
The Small Mansion at Gunnersbury Park and some of its residents
an illustrated talk by David Bush on one of the two mansions built in 1802 when Gunnersbury was sold off as development land. David Bush was recently awarded an MA in Local History from Kingston University and is a member of the committee of the Friends of Gunnersbury Park
20 April 2015
Played in Brentford & Chiswick
an illustrated talk by Simon Inglis, highlighting the rich sporting heritage of our part of London. Simon is the author of Played in London: Charting the Heritage of a City at Play, part of the English Heritage series, Played in Britain.
18 May 2015
Annual General Meeting
Following the business meeting, James Wisdom presented a short illustrated talk, How to ‘Read’ a Historic Town. It was designed to show how buildings and the landscape are historical sources as much as documents and images and provided some background preparation for the summer outing to Clare in Suffolk on 25 July.
21 September 2015
St Anne’s, Kew 1714-2014
An illustrated talk by David Blomfield, President of Richmond Local History Society and author of the tercentenary history of the church, which describes the construction and expansion of the building as well the people and events that shaped its history. Copies of the book will be available to buy on the evening of the lecture.
19 October 2015
An American President in Ealing: the evolution of a book
An illustrated talk by Paul Fitzmaurice, of the Little Ealing History Group. The Group has transcribed the diaries of John Quincy Adams who lived in Little Ealing during 1815-17. The talk will explain this ambitious project and describe Adams’ social life in Brentford, Gunnersbury and Ealing.
16 November 2015
Licensed to Sell: the Brentford Magistrates Court pub watercolours
An illustrated talk by James & Mary Marshall. When Brentford Magistrates Court closed in 2011, the 19th-century watercolours of public houses which hung there were transferred to the Hounslow Libraries Local Studies collection. Our speakers have researched the artist, the gift of the pictures to the Court and the histories of the local pubs they depict.
