Michael Clarke

For many members whose formative years were in the 1940s and 1950s when Britain was still at the forefront of technological developments, today’s presentation offered a fascinating cocktail of patriotic nostalgia mixed with anticipation of the future.  Our speaker ‘cast off’ by outlining the 100-year old history of speed on water and setting the scene … Read more

With the European Referendum only 14 weeks away (June 23) it is hard to think of a more timely subject or a better qualified and distinguished speaker in all matters European than our own MP. Before being invited to enlighten us on this most complex and far reaching of subjects our Chairman introduced us to … Read more

As a Senior Coroner, our speaker this week, Christopher Dorries, was well qualified to examine the trial of Dr Crippen. In a fascinating presentation we were invited, like a jury, to consider the evidence for a case that for over one hundred years had become more legend than fact. Henry Harvey Crippen was born in … Read more

It didn’t need the shipping forecast to make us realise we were set fair for another interesting session. Our own Dickon Wilkinson (Captain RN Retired) cast off by introducing our speakers from the Royal Navy Presentation Team Portsmouth namely: Commander Colin Williams, Marine Connor O’Bride and Leading Seaman James Staples who interspersed their contributions with … Read more

Our Speaker this week was a local GP who shared his experience of the Ebola crisis which was dominating the headlines only a year ago. Dr Charles Heatley has practiced Medicine for 22 years.  He received his initial medical training at Glasgow University, including a year of studying tropical medicine.  It was this background knowledge … Read more

If you like mystery stories –dark nights, isolated houses, dodgy characters- and  having your imagination tickled, this story had the lot. One of our members, Michael Rose, kept us spellbound as he outlined the plot set in 1889 in a time and place of which we knew little. On the 30th of January that fateful … Read more