Speaker and Open evenings – all are welcome to attend. The first visit is free and after that there is a charge of £2 for non-members, payable on the night. Open evenings are for everyone to get together over tea/coffee and chat about events, share information (perhaps some old photographs), and discuss matter of interest to the Group. Meetings are held at St Joseph’s Church Hall, Devizes Road Wroughton, SN4 0RZ from 7.30 to 9pm.
Programme of events
2024
Oct 3rd Speaker – John Fell “History of the Royal Mail since 1516 & The History of the Post Box”
After 22 years working for Royal Mail, John has spent his retirement collecting and restoring old post boxes (some of which he’ll bring along with him) and has been described as a “Post Box Historian”. Many of you will remember him from our open day in October when he exhibited his BSA Bantam vintage motor bike.
Oct 17th Open Meeting
Oct 31st Speaker – David Lewis “On the Square – Bootmakers and Masons”
David Lewis from Rodbourne History Group will present his talk on the history of the changes and owners of properties in and around the Market Square in Old Town, Swindon.
Nov 14th Open Meeting
Nov 28th Speaker – Ken Ivie “Berlin – The Siamese City”
A brief history of modern Germany and in particular the capitol city Berlin. The presentation concentrates on the creation of the German state from the 1870s covering the Great War, the Weimar Republic, the rise of Nazism, WW2 and the Berlin Airlift. The main focus is on the Cold War the erection of the Berlin Wall and the effect on the inhabitants of the divided city.
Dec 05th Christmas Party with the British Legion at Wroughton Club
Dec 12th Christmas Crimble
2025
January 9th Post Christmas Meal – TBA
January 23rd Speaker – John Clarke “Aqueducts of the Roman Empire”
John and his wife have travelled extensively in Europe and the Mediterranean countries and have a terrific admiration for the beauty and majesty of the Roman Aqueducts they have seen, from the 3-tiered one in France to the 80 mile long one in Tunisia. Rome was supplied by 14 aqueduct systems supplying 300,000,000 gallons of water per day at its peak.
February 6th Open Meeting
February 20th Speaker – Helen Rayner “Are you sitting comfortably?”
The Science Museum’s collection includes a surprising variety of chairs. This talk introduces some of them and the stories they can tell us about the discovery of the first coronavirus, the early days of air travel, how to control a robot arm in space and more.
Helen, one of our HG members, is a Collections Access Facilitator at the Science and Innovation Park.
March 6th Open Meeting
March 20th Speaker – Captain Alan Smith “Rex Warneford VC”
Rex was the first person to down a German airship (Zeppelin) in WW1 for which he was awarded an immediate VC and a Legion d’Honneur. His whole flight was dramatic and interesting but sadly he died some two weeks later. The Warneford family have local connections in Highworth and Rex’s adventures are duly commemorated in the Warneford crypt of Highworth parish church.
April 3rd Open Meeting – AGM
April 17th Speaker – Dr.Christopher ‘Chris’ Scott “The Wives of Henry VIII or Henry’s Six”
Dr.Chris Scott, Historian and Battle Field Guide, makes a welcome return to WHG with his new talk on Henry VIII’s wives, or to quote the musical “Six”
May 1st Open Meeting
May 15th Speaker– Bill King “The Nuffield Organisation’s Contribution to the War Effort in WW2”
This talk covers the role and diverse activities of the various companies which made up this major British engineering organisation, producing everything from nuts and bolts to tanks and complete aircraft. A truly massive contribution to our industrial output leading to final victory.
May 29th Open Meeting
Saturday June 7th WHG Outing – to be arranged – save the date
June 12th Speaker – Clare Randall – Cotswold Archaeology “On the Edge, Above the Vale”
On the edge, above the Vale. Iron Age and Roman settlement, farming and burial at the Collection Management Facility, Science and Innovation Park, Wroughton, Swindon
June 26th Open Meeting
July 10th Speaker – Jon Ratcliffe “Selling Swindon”
Buy One Get One Free! 33 per cent Extra! New and Improved!
Advertising a bar of chocolate or bottle of bleach is one thing, but how do you sell a whole town? Join local professional photographer, Jon Ratcliffe, in an explore of the attention-grabbing, headline-making and billboard-filling ads through time that have sold the town of reinvention, Swindon, to countless families, companies and investors. Selling Swindon – Available now!
July 24th Open Meeting
Summer Break
Sept 4th Speaker – Jonathan Holt “Wiltshire Follies”
“Who on earth built that?” Jonathan will talk about the many and various forms of follies in our area and the stories behind them, a fascinating subject.
Sept 18th Open Meeting
Oct 2nd Speaker – Susan Barrett “H.H. The Gaffa and Chips”
Susan is a member of Wroughton History Group, her talk will be a short history of the Barrett family and the Wagon Works which used to be in Moormead Road.
Oct 16th Open Meeting
Oct 30th Speaker – Andy Binks “The Man with a Stick”
This talk was first compiled by Andy, Chair of The Swindon Society, in 2011 after 22 folders of photos were deposited with Local Studies at Central Library. These were all taken in the 1950s for the revision of Ordnance Survey maps. Each photo had a board with a date and the exact map location upon it, and “the man with a stick” pointing to a very specific location with his pointer. This important collection captures long-gone buildings and landmarks around Swindon.
Nov 13th Open Meeting
Nov 27th Speaker – James Holden “Civic Pride – The Public Buildings of Wiltshire Towns”
An 1850s police station in fine late-Georgian style, an exuberant 1880s town hall, a 1905 public library in miniature Scots Baronial, a 1930s council office of pure geometric design: these are just a few of the over 300 public buildings in Wiltshire towns. Author James Holden returns to talk about his new book in the Wiltshire Buildings Records Series.
Dec 11th Christmas Crimble