Events 2021
Sunday, 25th July 2021
2.15 for 2.30–4.30 p.m. £5 non-member/£4 member
Airships - ‘Pulham Pigs’
by Sheila Moss King
Pulham Pigs - the story of Royal Naval Air Station Pulham, her airships and the people who flew them.
Wednesday, 11th August 2021
7.15 for 7.30 – 9.30 p.m. £5 non-member/£4 member
IN EAST ANGLIA - BUFFALO BILL – WILD WEST HERO
Geoffrey Robinson, local historian and seasoned traveller, will tell his story
Was he for real or was he a charlatan? Where did he appear in East Anglia in 1903? How is he viewed today in the U.S.A. and what is his legacy? What connection is there between the speaker and the Old Scout?
Sunday, 29th August 2021 2.15 for 2.30 – 4.30 p.m.
Fiery Disasters in East Anglia
by Stuart Bowell
In the past. in this region. many of the buildings were timber framed and had a thatched roof. These materials meant that fire was an ever present threat. We will look at some of the major fires that took place and the methods used to tackle them. The social and economic results will be considered, including financing and rebuilding
Saturday, 11th September 2021 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Waveney Heritage, Wireless and Technology Collection
Heritage Exhibition from our Waveney Heritage Centre Archives
Open day
To formally open the first gallery of our vintage technology exhibition and our local history gallery we would like to invite all our members and friends to visit us on this date
We will be open from 11-4 p.m. and refreshments will be available
There will also be the added bonus of a small toy train and steam exhibition
We will have working phonographs and gramophones, early tape machines and of course radios from all eras of the 20th Century
Our resident amateur radio group will be demonstrating the world of amateur radio as well
Sunday, 26th September 2021
2.15 for 2.30 – 4.30 p.m. Ticket £5 /£4*p.p.
Children in Care, 1834-1929: The Lives of Destitute, Orphaned and Deserted Children
by Rosemary Steer
For centuries, there have been children who have been taken into the care of the state or charities because they were unable to live with their birth parents. Using examples from her recent book which will be on sale at the talk, she will explore the lives of some of these children - including many who were in care locally - before, during and, in some cases, after their time in care.
Wednesday 6th October 2021
7.15 for 7.30 – 9.30 p.m. Ticket £5 /£4*p.p.
BROCKDISH WINDOW TO 5TH GENERATION FARMING
by Roy Goodwin
A Century of Farming and Living in the Parishes of Brockdish, Wingfield,
Syleham and Weybread
Sunday, 24th October 2021
2.15 for 2.30 – 4.30 p.m. Ticket £5 /£4*p.p.
AN HISTORIC TOUR OF THE OF THE WAVENEY VALLEY
by Stephen Poulter
Local historian, Stephen Poulter, leads you on an unusual tour of the River Waveney using reports from travellers who visited the towns and villages along our local waterway over the past 400 years. He shares their observations on the landscapes, architecture and people along with recommendations as to the safest routes, best scenic attractions and most comfortable accommodation. Enjoy a fascinating and richly-illustrated trip incorporating both the Norfolk and Suffolk banks of the river which includes local myths, hidden gems, famous residents and lost properties.
Wednesday, 10th November 2021
7.15 for 7.30 – 9.30 p.m. Ticket £5 /£4*p.p.
The History of a Waveney Valley Farm
By Trevor Scott
The Story of Its Builders, Owners and Occupiers. Freston House and Farm, Mendham Low Road, Redenhall with Harleston, Norfolk
Before King Henry VIII’s Dissolution this area of the Waveney Valley on the north side of the river, then known as Mendham, Norfolk, was part of the estate of the Cluniac monks of Mendham Priory. In 1539 it was granted to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who then conveyed it to Sir Richard Freston. The house was built c.1590 by his son Richard and, together with its surrounding farmland, remained the property of descendants of the Freston family, occupied by tenant farmers, until 1919.
This presentation is a journey through time illustrated with historical documents and records, maps, diagrams and photographs. Freston House has been the home of the speaker and his wife since 1992.
Sunday, 21st November 2021
2.15 for 2.30-4.30 p.m. Ticket £5 /£4*p.p.
Flora Sandes - You'll Make a Lovely Sargeant
by Janette Robinson
Flora was the only western woman to enrol in a WW1 Army, as a female, and fight on the front line. Her story is remarkable - and she was brought up in Suffolk.
Friday, 10th December 2021 7.15 for 7.30 - 9.30ish { £7 p.p.}
CHRISTMAS 2021 ‘BASH’
CAROLS, SONGS, RECITATIONS, MULLED WINE & MINCE PIES
Other treats and fun - TBA nearer the date