Directory of Previous Talks

I suppose it all depends who you believe – Pam Ayres or Trevor Wragg. To quote my favourite female poet’s odd ode: “I am a dry stone waller, all day I dry stone wall. Of all appalling callings, dry stone walling’s worst of all.” I can’t for a minute imagine Trevor Wragg voicing those sentiments. … Read more

Tony was there ringside to see the sparring and the blows. He recalled a period of political history as he described his days in the House of Commons whilst serving as a Conservative MP for Stockport from June 1983 to April 1992 when he lost his seat to Labour. There is no doubt this was … Read more

David showed us some nice holiday slides, but they needed context and an accompanying map to show us the location of the places visited. Nor was there any mention of the Rohingya troubles. I have therefore consulted the excellent DK Eyewitness Travel book on Myanmar to fill in some gaps, and particularly to correct some … Read more

These days John Stubbs is a volunteer with Hardwick Hall; before retiring he was much involved with special needs children. To give a background to the building of the hall, he gave a description of Bess of Hardwick’s life. In 1522 Bess was born to John and Elizabeth Hardwick, who lived in a modest manor … Read more

David, a regular speaker at our Probus, is an Elizabethan Historian, a nationally known speaker and Chair of The Friends of Sheffield Manor Lodge. He became a guide at Manor Lodge in 2004, at which time he could find only a single chapter to read about Mary Queen of Scots and her 19 years of … Read more

Vivienne is an independent antiques valuer and auctioneer, based in Great Longstone, near Bakewell, Derbyshire. This means that she is not tied to one auction house and will put client’s goods in the best auction for its genre ensuring that the optimum price is obtained. A lot of her work is for clients who are … Read more