2020
| 22/01/2020 | Backstage at the Northcott & Ghost The Musical | / visit |
| 12/02/2020 | A miscellany of little known facts about Exeter’s Churches | / talk by Martin Horrell |
| 12/03/2020 | Guided Tour of Bill Douglas Museum | / visit |
| 08/04/2020 | Thomas Gregory – The Lifesaver of Exeter | / talk by Michael Parrott (cancelled) |
| 24/07/2020 | Northcott Theatre Archives | / talk by Caroline Walter (cancelled) |
| 13/08/2020 | Weather & War (audience limited to 25 due to Covid) | / talk by Nicola Gale |
| 10/09/2020 | Guided tour visiting some of the glorious sculptures in the University grounds | / walk |
Guided tour visiting some of the glorious sculptures in the University grounds
on Thursday, 10 September 2020
The beautiful Streatham Campus hosts 39 sculptures, mostly in the open. The variety of the many sculptures is quite amazing and they are all situated in the University's beautiful grounds. This walk was mainly on the level and we met at the bus stop in Queen's Drive. Sadly, we had no coffee break (due to current covid rules) and the walk took approximately two hours.
Weather and War
with Nicola Gale on Thursday, 13 August 2020
"Fine day, but cold and dull" - even on the day of Armistice, November 11, 1918, Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig recognised the importance of the weather in his dairies. But at the start of the First World War the British generals, under the leadership of Sir John French, were a little less willing to involve the Meteorological Office in the conflict. That was until April 1915 when the first gas attacks were launched.
This talk is about how Meteorology came from the sidelines to play a vital role in military planning during the First World War, especially in gas and air operations, and how it went on to influence strategic decision-making down the years.
Thomas Gregory, Lifesaver
with Michael Parrott on Thursday, 9 April 2020
This illustrated talk was about an amazing father and son, both called Thomas Gregory, who saved over 500 people from drowning. We will also learn how Thomas, the father, helped prevent a massive iceflow from destroying the Exe Bridge.
During the late 19th and early 20th century the Gregory family was well known in Exeter, especially near the Quay and the river where they lived. Thomas Gregory worked at the Quayside as a boatman and over 35 years he amazingly saved over 400 people who had fallen into the water. His son, also named Thomas, followed in his father's footsteps and likewise saved many Exonians from drowning.
Michael Parrott, the Chair of the Friends of Higher Cemetery, has researched the life of Thomas, and is delighted to provide the script of this talk on a very interesting and not very well known Exonian.
A guided tour behind the scenes at the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
on Wednesday, 12 March 2020
Exploring the development of pre-cinema visual culture up to 1910 and celebrating cinema from 1910 to the present. We were shown artefacts covering all aspects of cinema and pre-cinema and covered the history of the moving image over the last 400 years!
A Miscellany of Little Known Facts about Churches
with Martin Horrell on Thursday, 13 February 2020
Our AGM lasted about 20 minutes and was immediately followed by this fascinating talk by Martin Horrell, with over 100 photos many from local churches. Martin started with the Ogham script brought in by Celtic monks in the fifth century,and went on to explain and show us Celtic and Saxon styles of building and Saxon crosses as well as Norman Beakheads (see pic) and peculiar animals taken from Bestiaries.
Also included were Apotropaic Symbols and evil spirits, mermaids, poppy heads and Funerary Helms and many others.
Northcott Theatre Backstage Tour and Show
on Wednesday, 22 January, 2020
We had a great event on 22 January – an all-day visit to the Northcott Theatre. There were guided tours backstage in the morning together with talks about the history of the theatre and of the University. An excellent lunch was followed by "Ghost The Musical" at 2.30. Lots more information It was a great day!
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