Glyn Davies More than 2,000 large country houses were allowed to decay or fall apart, and many others were under threat for many years. But Wentworth Woodhouse, South Yorkshire’s most notable stately home, has managed to buck the trend despite a chequered history during which time it was owned by the related Wentworth, Rockingham and Fitzwilliam families. … Read more
Ross Cameron, Professor of Environmental Horticulture at Sheffield University, spoke to us on the implications of climate change, some aspects of which present a science fiction scenario unless the problems are addressed. Global warming is expected to bring – obviously – warmer temperatures, but also greater turbulences with occasion severe hurricanes and deep water freezing. … Read more
Our own secretary, Colin Peskett, entertained another near-capacity audience with a talk about the Peak Rail heritage railway in Derbyshire, where he is one of the many volunteers who provide essential back-up to a small full-time workforce. The original line from London to Rowsley was opened in 1849 for passenger and coal traffic, and the … Read more
Following a 37-year academic career at Sheffield University, Alan Baker was Professor of Botany (Ecology and Environmental Science) at the University of Melbourne, Australia, from 2000 until 2008. He now lives back in the UK but continues his active engagement with many research institutions around the world. It was while at Sheffield that his interest … Read more
Peter Bull is a very keen photographer and his talk was illustrated by lots of photographs of his trip to Svalbard, an island off the coast of Norway that is 400 miles from the North Pole and 1,783 miles from Sheffield It was akin to looking at a picture book of his trip. Peter started … Read more
Our American member, Prof Gerry Meininger, has a keen interest in American history, and one particular incident which has found its place in folklore through books and films since it took place in the Wild West in 1881. Violence was happening all over America. It started to develop in the 1870s with the discovery of … Read more