Summer 2020

Please note that meeting are held in
ST ANDREW'S CHURCH
SEDBERGH

SEDBERGH HISTORIAN 2020

Because of problems caused by Covid-19, the publication of this year's journal has been delayed. It is now intended to post it to members along with the Newsletter in September.

If you would like a lift to an event please ring a member of the committee.  All talks will start at 7.30pm in the venue shown.  There will be an admission charge of £1 for members and £2 for non-members to cover expenses and for the refreshments provided.

For further information please contact Richard Cann, 015396 20771.

In the event of very bad weather, please phone before you set out

2020 SUMMER OUTINGS WILL BE POSTED HERE SHORTLY

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PAST PROGRAMMES
Lectures & Outings
from 2005

WEDNESDAY 18th MARCH 2020  MEETING CANCELLED
The many worlds of Adam Sedgwick
Robert Fox:  An illustrated talk examining the life and achievements of Professor Adam Sedgwick, born in Dent.

 

WEDNESDAY 4th MARCH 2020
Thorns, Ribblehead: anatomy of a deserted settlement
David Johnson:  An illustrated talk on the excavation of Thorns hamlet in Ribblesdale. The settlement was first recorded in 1189 and finally abandoned in the 1880s.  

 

WEDNESDAY 19th FEBRUARY 2020   A little of the History of our twin town Zrece in Slovenia
Graham Dalton et al:: An illustrated talk about the history of Zrece by members of the society who visited it.
 

WEDNESDAY 5th FEBRUARY 2020     Markets to supermarkets: 200 years of shopping in the North WestMike Winstanley:   An illustrated history of the various types of shops, including markets, which have appeared and disappeared over the last 200 years, illustrated with examples from the North West.   
                                                                 

WEDNESDAY 15th JANUARY 2020
Icehouses and the international trade in ice
Rob David:  An illustrated talk on the icehouses of Cumbria and the international trade in ice in the nineteenth century.  From the seventh century the wealthy had used ice houses to keep ice from the winter to the summer to preserve food.  In1980 an experiment involving the filling of a Cumbrian icehouse was carried out and will be illustrated.
 

WEDNESDAY 11th DECEMBER 2019
Some areas have stone circles, some like the Howgills do not
Tom Clare:  An illustrated talk on stone circles and their locations.

WEDNESDAY 20th NOVEMBER 2019
"Viking Longhouses in Cumbria"
Steve Dickingson: An illustrated talk centring on an excavation and survey project in Kentmere.
 

WEDNESDAY 6th NOVEMBER 2019
The RAF in Cumbria
Ian Tyler.
 

WEDNESDAY 16th OCTOBER 2019 CANCELLED Millthrop Bridge closed
Windermere’s Lake Shore Houses
Diana Matthews:  An illustrated historical selection of lake shore houses and the personalities who lived in them.

WEDNESDAY 2nd OCTOBER 2019
Discovering Lakeland Villages
Andy Lowe:  An illustrated talk on exploring some villages in the Lake District.              


Summer Trips 2019

Wednesday 22nd May  Hutton-In-The-Forest

Wednesday 5th June  Staveley Village

Thursday 20th June  Dales Countryside Museum

Friday 12th July  Raby Castle

SATURDAY 23rd MARCH 2019
Annual General Meeting  7pm for 7.30pm

WEDNESDAY 20th MARCH 2019
How water shaped Kendal
Geoff Brambles:  An illustrated talk examining the ways in which the natural behaviour of water and its human management have influenced the physical growth, urban morphology and economic development of Kendal.

WEDNESDAY 6th MARCH 2019
His sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts!. The wide-ranging roles of women
Diane Elphick:  An illustrated talk looking at the varied and changing roles of women.  The experiences of both men and women varied over time, place and according to class or income.  What evidence is there to illustrate how the experiences of women in the Dales were in line with the national context. 

WEDNESDAY 20th FEBRUARY 2019
Invasion via Garsdale, June 1487
Adrian Braddon:  An illustrated talk about a force of Yorkist royalists, German mercenaries, Irish levies and the person they had crowned King Edward VI.  Their purpose was regime change and to depose King Henry VII. The talk will seek to put this event in its wider context and to remind us of the fragility of power at that period of time

WEDNESDAY 6th FEBRUARY  2019
Cattle droving through Cumbria 1600-1900
Peter Roebuck:   An illustrated talk describing the origins and impact of cattle droving including its contribution to industrialisation, its growth during wartime and the adverse effects of cattle plague.  The reasons for its decline and ending are also covered.

WEDNESDAY 16th JANUARY 2019
The Must Farm Pile-Dwelling: Archaeological investigations of Bronze Age Fenland settlement
Iona Robinson Zeki:  An illustrated talk on the findings of the excavation of the site constructed over an ancient river. A fire resulted in the preservation of extensive architectural remains and a wide assemblage of material culture providing an exceptional opportunity to explore Bronze Age life.L

WEDNESDAY 5th DECEMBER 2018
Charity, the Poor Law and Workhouse- when all else failed
Mike Winstanley:  An illustrated talk exploring the ways in which people sought to “make ends meet” and get through hard times including the Poor Law and the increasingly dreaded workhouse.
 

WEDNESDAY 21st NOVEMBER 2018
A Railway for Sedbergh
Robert Western:  An illustrated talk on the events leading up to the provision of a railway link in Sedbergh and the subsequent history including a proposed line to Hawes.    

WEDNESDAY 7th NOVEMBER 2018
The Yards of Kendal
Trevor Hughes:  An illustrated talk on the history of the yards of Kendal, one of the most characteristic features of the town.

WEDNESDAY 17th OCTOBER 2018
Log boats to Edwardian Steamboats in the Lake District
Diana Matthews:  An illustrated talk showing a range of different craft and some of their unusual owners over the years.

WEDNESDAY 3rd OCTOBER 2018
The strange decline of the Cumbrian Statesman
Christine Craghill:  An illustrated talk on the decline of the statesmen or yeoman farmers in the nineteenth century, a phenomenon also observed in Dent by Adam Sedgwick.

FURNESS ABBEY 16th May 2018

Excellent guided tour of Furness Abbey given by Gill Jepson

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SATURDAY 24^TH MARCH 2018             Annual General Meeting  7.30pm.

The AGM will be followed by a buffet meal on a Jacob’s Join basis.

WEDNESDAY 21^ST MARCH 2018    Iron Age track to motorway: two thousand years  through the Lune Gorge

Graham Hooley:  This illustrated talk will include reference to the Roman period and recent archaeological investigations at the Low Borrowbridge fort in addition to considering the different transport routes up to the building of the M6.

WEDNESDAY 7^TH MARCH  2018        Discovering a landscape of industry

Andrew Lowe:  An illustrated talk looking at the wide range of crafts and industries that have made the Lake District a working landscape. The industrial heritage is a vital component of the attractive landscape we see today.  

WEDNESDAY 21^ST FEBRUARY 2018  St Helena: a final voyage?

                    Mike Beecroft:  An illustrated talk outlining the history of the island, its links to Britain, and the connections between Napoleon and the Doveton family from Cumbria. The talk will also review recent developments and the prospects for the future of the “Saints” and their island.  

WEDNESDAY 7^TH FEBRUARY 2018  The history of Holme Mill

Geoff Pegg:   An illustrated talk describing the history of Holme Mill from its first use as a flax mill in1790, followed by its conversion to a coconut matting factory in 1864, through to its closure as a mill in 1975.                                                                        

WEDNESDAY 17^TH JANUARY 2018      How water shaped Kendal

Geoff Brambles:  An illustrated talk examining the ways in which the natural behaviour of water and its human management have influenced the physical growth, urban morphology and economic development of Kendal

THIS MEETING CANCELLED DUE TO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS

WEDNESDAY 6^TH DECEMBER 2017  The Highland Clearances

Mike Winstanley:  An illustrated talk which will deal with the Highland Clearances of the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries. The alleged cruelty and inhumanity of the landowners have become legendary but how justified is this opinion?  This talk tries to take a dispassionate view of this tumultuous time.

FRIDAY 24^TH NOVEMBER 2017          The Annual Dinner, 7pm for 7.30pm.

WEDNESDAY 15^TH NOVEMBER 2017   Monasteries and their influence in North Lancashire and South Cumbria

Alan Crosby:  An illustrated talk on the monastic houses in this area and their distinctive local characteristics, particularly in the context of their relationship with the wider community, which might have played a part in the resilience of Catholicism after the Reformation.
 

WEDNESDAY 1^TH NOVEMBER 2017   Boskin, Skelbuse and Foddergang: traditional farm buildings in the Yorkshire Dales

Jim Brightman:  An illustrated talk drawing on new research into historical farming in the Yorkshire Dales and an overview of the past, present and possible future uses of the traditional farm buildings.  

WEDNESDAY 18^TH OCTOBER  2017      Liverpool Cowkeepers – a family history

Dave Joy:  An illustrated talk looking at the lives and times of the Liverpool Cowkeepers many of whom came from our area. The speaker’s own ancestors from Upper Wharfedale were cowkeepers.
 

WEDNESDAY 4^TH OCTOBER 2017     The Shap Stones

Jean Scott-Smith:  An illustrated talk on the once important Shap Stones showing how the ancient sites were linked and what can be seen of them today.
 

“Taking the northern waters .... with Dr Garnett"
 

Professor Robert Fox: An illustrated talk exploring the vogue for spa waters in eighteenth century England where in the north Harrogate reigned supreme.  It was there that Thomas Garnett (1766-1802), a former pupil of John Dawson in Sedbergh, made his reputation as a spa doctor before going on to national fame as a scientific lecturer.

WEDNESDAY 1^ST MARCH 2017

The Home Front, Sedbergh 1914-1918

Diane Elphick:  An illustrated talk showing how the war affected the people of Sedbergh including the role of children, fundraising events, working parties, regulations and the demands on farmers.

WEDNESDAY 15^TH FEBRUARY 2017

Dickens, charity and Cowgill

                    Jean Briggs:  An illustrated talk concerning a plea in 1853 to Charles Dickens for charitable help from Mrs Matthews, wife of the Curate of St John’s Cowgill. The talk also covers the history of Mrs Matthews and her Brazilian father who was an agent of the British Government during the period of the South American Revolution.

WEDNESDAY 1^ST FEBRUARY 2017

The enclosure of Bluecaster: why Sedbergh hated the Stricklands

Kevin Lancaster:   An illustrated talk describing how Sedbergh people successfully opposed the attempt of the Strickland family to enclose Bluecaster.

WEDNESDAY 18^TH JANUARY 2017

The Evacuation of Civilians from Burma, 1942 (Part 2)

Mike Leigh:  Almost half a million civilians escaped from Burma in 1942 in the space of six months. This illustrated talk offers glimpses into episodes from the evacuation and is a continuation from his previous talk.

FRIDAY 25^TH NOVEMBER 2016

The Annual Dinner, 7pm for 7.30pm.

WEDNESDAY 16^TH NOVEMBER 2016

Westfield War Memorial Village: a story of survival

Martin Purdy:  An illustrated talk on the village in Lancaster and its unique and ongoing story of survival – incorporating original anecdotes and material about and from the philanthropists, militarists and residents who have been central to its existence.

WEDNESDAY 2^TH NOVEMBER 2016

The geology of the Dent marble industry

William Fraser:  An illustrated talk covering the geology of the area, the location of known quarries that supplied the industry and their methods of working and transporting the stone and what remains of the factory site.

WEDNESDAY 19^TH OCTOBER 2016 

Making a grand entrance

Andrew Lowe:  An illustrated talk looking at the range of historic doorways in the Lake District, in order to help people understand the architectural detailing and dating of buildings over the last few hundred years.

WEDNESDAY 5^TH OCTOBER 2016 

The archaeology of the A66: Greta Bridge to Scotch Corner

John Zant:  An illustrated talk presenting the results of a series of archaeological investigations undertaken in 2006/7 by Oxford Archaeology North on the route of the A66.

WEDNESDAY 7^TH DECEMBER 2016

North Craven in the early mediaeval period: an archaeological perspective                     

David Johnson:  An illustrated talk which will summarise the newly-dated post Roman and pre Norman conquest sites in North Craven. It will also consider the wider implications of the excavation results and present a new hypothesis.

DALEMAIN MANSION AND HISTORIC GARDENS

Tuesday 12^th July 2-30pm

Members will enjoy four centuries of house architecture and five acres of award winning gardens. Meet in Loftus Hill Car Park at 1pm or in Dalemain Car Park at 2-20.

CONSTABLE BURTON HALL AND GARDENS

Tuesday 21st June 2016  2-30pm 

A conducted tour of the handsome Palladian villa, the extensive woodland and formal gardens. Meet in Loftus Hill Car Park at 12-30am or at 2-20pm in the car park at the Hall,

LITTLE SALKELD FLOUR MILL

Wednesday 8^th June 2016 12pm

On arrival we will have a light lunch in the café which is renowned for its delicious baking. Then we will be shown the processes involved in milling stoneground flours. Meet in Loftus Hill Car Park at 10-30am or outside the mill at 12pm

KENDAL MUSEUM

Wednesday 25^th May 2016 2pm

An introduction to the galleries which house extensive collections relating to Lake District natural history, world wildlife and the history of the Kendal region. Afterwards we will adjourn to a Kendal restaurant for an early evening meal. Meet in Loftus Hill Car Park for shared transport at 1pm or outside the Museum on Station Road Kendal at 2 pm.

SATURDAY 19^TH MARCH 2016
Annual General Meeting      7pm for 7.30pm.

The AGM will be followed by a buffet meal on a Jacob’s Join basis.
SETTLEBECK SCHOOL

WEDNESDAY 16^TH MARCH 2016
The Highland Clearances
Dr Mike Winstanley:   This illustrated talk is an exploration and reassessment of the social, economic and environmental changes occurring in the Scottish Highlands from the late 18^th to the mid 19^th century, culminating in the potato famine of the 1840s.
SETTLEBECK SCHOOL

Due to illness the above lecture was replaced by Photos of Old Dent - Graham Dalton


WEDNESDAY 2^ND MARCH 2016   Telling it Like it Was
Anthea Boulton:  Memories of Dent, Sedbergh and Garsdale from the Dent & Sedbergh Oral History Society archive.
DENT MEMORIAL HALL

WEDNESDAY 17^TH FEBRUARY 2016
Waiter, Miner, Butcher, Spy: Germans and Austrians in Cumbria during the First World War

Dr Rob David:  This illustrated talk describes what happens to Germans and Austrians who were in Britain when the war broke out.  Some were naturalised British citizens whilst others were merely working here.  The talk describes what happened to them and their families.
SEDBERGH PEOPLES HALL

WEDNESDAY 3^RD FEBRUARY 2016
Sedbergh Area in the Past

Richard Cann:   An illustrated talk showing how Sedbergh and its area have changed over the past one hundred and fifty years.
SETTLEBECK SCHOOL

WEDNESDAY 20^TH JANUARY 2016
The Evacuation of Civilians from Burma, 1942

Dr Mike Leigh:  Almost half a million civilians escaped from Burma in 1942 in the space of six months. This illustrated talk offers glimpses into episodes from the evacuation.
SETTLEBECK SCHOOL

Saturday 21st March 2015 Annual General Meeting 7pm for 7.30pm

Wednesday 18th March 2015 King Richard111: Lord of the North & the search for his grave
Dr Sandra Pendlington This illustrated talk will show how this Lord of the North (as Duke of Gloucester) dealt with Border security in the North West, the Battle of Bosworth and his subsequent burial and the search for his grave at Greyfriars Friary in Leicester.

Wednesday 4th March 2015 Westfield War Memorial Village
Peter Donnelly This illustrated talk will inform us about the vision of the famous garden designer Thomas Mawson to create a memorial village built by soldiers returning from the war.

Wednesday 18th February 2015 The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Admiral Sir John Kerr This illustrated talk will give an overview of the Commission, its responsibilities, the scale of the task and challenges it faces today.

Wednesday 4^th February 2015 Mills, Mines and more

Kevin Lancaster This illustrated talk will give an overview of the industrial heritage of Sedbergh, Garsdale and Dent , followed by a discussion of its relationship with the local economy as a whole.
Venue *MEMORIAL HALL, DENT

Wednesday 21st January 2015 Crime and Punishment in 19^th century Westmorland and Cumberland
Julie Leigh. Based on research, the talk will focus on local policing and the changes over time.

Wednesday 3^rd December 2014 Objection Overruled
David Bolton This talk is taken from David Bolton’s book ‘Objection Overruled’
Described by The Observer as ‘the classic account of conscientious objection’.

Friday November 28^th 2014 Annual Dinner at Farfield Mill 7pm for 7.30p

Wednesday 19th November 2014 Sizergh and the recent excavations
Jamie Quartermaine This illustrated talk will show how Levens Local History group and the National Trust joined forces, under a professional team from Oxford Archaeology North, to excavate a prehistoric burnt mound, an earthwork suspected as being medieval and The Great Barn in the grounds of Sizergh Castle.

Wednesday 5th November 2014 Heritage of the Hills
Judy Dunford An illustrated talk about hill farming in the Howgills during World War 2, taken from the photographs and memories of Peggy Postlethwaite who was a hill farmer during that time.

Wednesday 15th October 2014 The History of Folksong

Shelia Fletcher…A brief history of the development of folksong in England, illustrated with songs and rhymes.

Wednesday 1st October 2014 The Bronte Family
Isobel Stirk An illustrated talk telling the story of the Bronte family from Patrick, the father’s humble beginnings in Ireland, to his death eighty four years later in Haworth-with all the joys and sorrows he had to endure as he became the sole survivor of his large family.

Saturday 22^nd March  2014      Annual General Meeting       7pm for 7.30pm

Wednesday 19^th March 2014
Mike Kingsbury  ‘High Bank House, Barbon’           

Eight years of research has gone into this illustrated talk. It shows the history of this yeoman farmer’s house site and occupants from the 16^th century to the present day.

Wednesday 5^th March 2014
Jean Scott-Smith   ‘Over Shap Fell by Track, Road and Rail’

Ancient tribes, Roman legions, stage-coach ways and inns, shanty towns, the building of the railways and the M6 Motorway all used the narrow Tebay Gap. This illustrated talk will give us a broad perspective of this special routeway.

Wednesday 19^th February 2014
Anthea Boulton  ‘Treasure Trove of Memories’ 

A dip into the oral history archives for Dent, Sedbergh and Garsdale

Wednesday 5th February 2014
Andrew Lowe  ‘Lakeland Architecture through the Centuries’

This illustrated talk looks at the wide range of historic buildings in the Lake District, from Medieval times to the 20^th century

Wednesday 15^th January 2014
Jeff Cowton ‘Wordsworth in Cumbria’

An illustrated talk looking at the many connections between Wordsworth and the history, landscape and people of Cumbria

Wednesday 20^th November 2013
Bill Kitchen   ‘From Engine Cleaner to Main Line Fireman’

This talk will bring to the audience the incidents, humour and some of the characters associated with those halcyon days of steam and British Railways..           

Friday November 29^th 2013 Annual Dinner at Farfield Mill 7pm for 7.30p

Wednesday 2nd October 2013
Eric Matthews   ‘By the Sword Divided’ 

An illustrated talk about deadly political rivalry in Late Medieval Mallerstang. It will trace the development of Lammerside from the early 14^th century to its role in the Wars of the Roses.                                     

(The talk will be followed by a short AGM due to the postponement of the original one in March)

Wednesday 16^th October 2013
Raymond Whittaker  ‘Sarah Losh and Wreay Church’

An illustrated talk about this unique, extraordinary little church, full of exquisite mythological and early religious carvings and of its creator, Sarah Losh, a woman of exceptional imagination and energy.

Wednesday 6^th November 2013
Dr Raynor Shaw  ‘The Angkor Temple Complex’

This illustrated talk will give an over view of the construction and history of this monumental pre-industrial site in Cambodia between 802AD to its abandonment in 1431AD

Wednesday 26th June 2013 - Killington
Maureen Lamb will show some of Killington's historic buildings and has kindly invited us to her house for a cup of tea

Wednesday 10th July 2013 - Ingleton
John Bentley will introduce us to the history of Ingleton, focusing on the industrial heritage of the village

Wednesday 6^th March 2013
Jennifer Holt      The Diary of Thomas Fenwick Esq.

This important and previously unknown late eighteenth- century diary, has recently been edited  by our speaker, Jennifer Holt. Thomas Fenwick (neeWilson ) 1729-94 , MP for Westmorland, travelled widely and wrote extensively of his journeys through England including Sedbergh and area.

Wednesday 20^th March 2013
Dr Tony Stephens    The Cattledroving Birtwhistles of Craven and Galloway

This illustrated talk will take us through the records of three generations of a family, providing interesting insights into the droving business in the second half of the eighteenth century.

Wednesday 16^th January 2013
Judith Robinson     To Kosovo Journeys in time

A glimpse of the history and culture of the Kosovo Albanians through the experiences of the late Neil Robinson during a 1956 expedition and those of his widow and daughters in 2011, when they went to Kosovo to open an exhibition of Neil’s unique photographs.

Wednesday 6^th February 2013

Dr Elizabeth Roberts   Schools, Children and Work

The talk will explore, through oral evidence, why in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, the world of work was more important to the general public than a formal education.

Wednesday 20^th February, 2013
Maureen Lamb     Killington through the Ages

A thumbnail history of England in the tiny village of Killington. From Vikings to plague sermons to Prince Charlie’s buried treasure, the landscape of Killington still bears the footprint of England’s history if you dig deep enough

Wednesday 3^rd October 2012
Dr Sam Riches     St. George & that dragon

An illustrated talk about St. George as a Patron Saint in late Medieval England covering him as hero, martyr and myth.                                

Wednesday 17^th October 2012     
Sheena Gemmel     Kingdom of Northumbria

An illustrated talk exploring the rise of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria, the golden age of this kingdom and how it related in the distant past to present day Cumbria.

Wednesday 7^th November 2012 
Janet Niepokozycka     Packhorse Ways & Days

An illustrated talk looking at the days when four hooves ruled the roads and fell tracks by this well known author and traveller.
 

Wednesday 21^st November 2012
Annie Hamilton-Gibney  Recent Excavations

An illustrated report of the exciting recent excavations at the Roman Fort of Low Borrowbridge by Lunesdale Archaeological Society.                             
 

Friday 23^rd November 2012 
Annual Dinner 7 for 7.30pm      THORNS HALL

Wednesday 5^th December 2012
Katy Iliffe    The History of your House

We will be shown how to research the history of our own house or another of interest, using  various documents and computer programmes as resources. We will also have guidance as to where documents from the past may be stored.

Wednesday 5^th October 2012
Anthony Fitzherbert O.B.E  -  Afghanistan  

An illustrated talk of 180 years of British and other foreign involvement providing a somewhat different glimpse of that country. 
 

Wednesday 19^th October 2012
Graham Dalton  - Slides of the Dentdale in times past

A journey through the dale using slides and old photographs 
 

Wednesday 18th January 2012
Tom Clare  - Stone Circles and Burial Mounds 

A review of current knowledge and a look at some theories 
 

Wednesday 1st February 
Ian Murray  - Railway Navvies of Mallerstang

An illustrated talk about the myths and legends of the navvy period in the dale and their historical basis  
 

Wednesday 22nd February 
Janet Niepokozyeka  - Packhorse ways, Packhorse Days

An illustrated talk looking at the days when four hooves ruled the roads and fell tracks 
 

Wednesday 7th March 
Trevor Hughes  - Curiosities of Cumbrian Churches

An illustrated guided tour of the unusual, often hidden aspects in some of our Cumbrian Churches. 

 

Wednesday 21st March 
Sheena Gemmell   - The Ancient Kingdom of Northumbria

This illustrated talk will cover the rise of Northumbria, its golden age, tribal areas, trade and cultural diversity 
 

Saturday 24th March 
Annual General Meeting
Followed by a presentation and Jacob’s Join
 

SUMMER 2011

Wednesday 11^th May 2.30pm
HOLME THROUGH HISTORY

 A conducted tour of the village. Meet in Loftus Hill Car Park at 1-30pm or at the Lime Street Stores in Holme, (opposite the church), where there is parking.
 

Thursday 2^rd June
SKIPTON CASTLE and the LEEDS - LIVERPOOL CANAL

Meet outside the Castle at 2pm or in Loftus Hill Car Park at 12-30am. A guided visit to the castle will be followed by a canal trip.

Wednesday 15^th June 
AN INTRODUCTION TO TEARNSIDE

On a walk through Tearnside Mike Kinsbury will talk about aspects of its history, geology, transport, farming, archaeology and architecture. Meet in Loftus Hill Car Park at 6-15pm or at the Tearnside lay-by, just off the A65 between Kirkby Lonsdale and the M6, at 7pm.

Wednesday 6th July 6pm
BENTHAM

David Johnson will introduce members to interesting sites in High and Low Bentham. The tour will end at the church in Low Bentham which is next door to the pub! Meet in Loftus Hill Car Park at 5pm or at the Grasmere Drive Car Park in High Bentham at 6pm. It is signposted on the left hand side of Main Street as you approach from Low Bentham.  

WINTER  2011
 

Wednesday 19th January Trevor Avery
From Auschwitz to Ambleside
The story of 300 children who survived the Holocaust and who were flown to the Lake District from Prague in 1945.
SETTLEBECK HIGH SCHOOL

Wednesday 2nd  February  Ian Tyler  
Gunpowder Mills of Cumbria
An insight into the gunpowder industry of South Lakeland  - its highlights and its inevitable toll; a forgotten industry of the Lake District.
SETTLEBECK HIGH SCHOOL

Wednesday 16th February June Hall 
Every Home is a Museum  
Social history from objects, family heirlooms, everyday items, souvenirs and what they reveal, their stories and conservation.
DENTDALE MEMORIAL HALL

Wednesday 2nd March  Peter Higginbotham 
Three Centuries of the Workhouse
An illustrated history of the workhouse, especially focusing on North Yorkshire and Westmorland.
SETTLEBECK HIGH SCHOOL

Wednesday 16th March Dr Trevor Piearce
Victorian Naturalists and the heyday of natural history
Why natural history was so popular in Victorian times, who the Victorian Naturalists were and how they
pursued their interest and their legacy. A joint talk with CWT
SETTLEBECK HIGH SCHOOL

Saturday 19th March  Annual General Meeting followed by a photographic presentation
The District in Times Past by Richard Cann and Diane Elphick
and a Jacob’s Join
SETTLEBECK HIGH SCHOOL

For further information please contact the Winter Programme Secretary

Dilys Evans, 5, Palmer Hill, Sedbergh, LA10 5DD; telephone: (015396) 22505

 ________________________________________

Past Lectures & Outing
 

WINTER 2010
 

Wednesday 6^th October
Professor Mike Huggins  Sedbergh: Sport and Local Identity c1870 - 2000.
SETTLEBECK HIGH SCHOOL
 

Wednesday 20^th October
Andrew Lowe  Wrestlers, Crucks and Mullions
The illustrated talk looks at the variety of vernacular features which contribute to the distinctive character of Lake District Traditional Buildings.
DENTDALE MEMORIAL HALL
 

Wednesday 3rd  November
Sydney Richardson Conscription in the First World War
The social and economic impact of World War I conscription (1916-1918) with numerous examples from the Kirkby Stephen area.
SETTLEBECK HIGH SCHOOL
 

Wednesday 17th November
Richard Cann
Slides of Old Sedbergh and area.
SETTLEBECK HIGH SCHOOL  

Friday 26th November - Dinner 7.00pm for 7.30pm  THORNS HALL
 

Wednesday 1st December
Anthony Fitzherbert
Afghanistan - An Historical Gallop - through 170 years of British (and other) involvement
SETTLEBECK HIGH SCHOOL

WINTER 2010

Wednesday 6^th January  Richard Cann    Slides of Old Sedbergh and area
                                                                                                           

Wednesday 20^th January  The Revd. Tim Widdess, George Handley and David Bracken  
The History of Local Methodism
A history of the Methodist Church in Sedbergh and the Dales.

Wednesday 3^rd February  Professor Alison Findlay, Dr Hilary Hinds and Professor Emeritus Meg Twycross
The Journeys of George Fox  
An introduction to the Lancaster University Early Quaker Project and website.

AT DENTDALE MEMORIAL HALL:
Wednesday 17^th February Dr Michael Winstanley
The Edwardian Domesday: A Unique Source for Local History
The ‘new domesday’ of 1910-1914 was a detailed survey of every property in the country. This talk will explain the nature of the source and how it can be accessed. It will also explain what can be done with it.       

Wednesday 3^rd March Margaret Gowling 
Women in a Man’s World: 17^th Century Villagers in the Eden Valley           
How did ordinary women cope in the villages of the Upper Eden in the 17^thCentury? The sources used are all original, unpublished documents

Saturday 20^th March  Annual General Meeting  and a Jacob's Join
followed by a talk by John Mounsey on Robert Foster, a Man of Parts
 

WINTER 2009

Wednesday 7^th October  Katy Iliffe  Researching Family History
Lecture on using local, national and on-line resources to research family history

AT DENTDALE MEMORIAL HALL:
Wednesday 21^st October  Allan King 
The Lost Village of Calgarth and the  Short Brothers’ Factory at White Cross Bay
The story of Sunderland Flying Boats.

Wednesday 4^th November   Harry Wilson  The North Eastern Railway  - a Benevolent Monopoly
Outline history of the North Eastern Railway 1854-1922, the nature of its business and its impact on the North East and on the United Kingdom.

Wednesday 18^th November   June Hall   Lady Anne Clifford
The Life of Lady Anne Clifford and her journey from Skipton, where she was born, to Brougham, where she died.

Friday 27^th November  Annual dinner   Sedbergh Golf Club 7.00 for 7.30 pm.

Wednesday 2^nd December  Ivan Day   Traditional Food of the Lake Counties and North Yorkshire

Wednesday 7th January Members’ talks:

Mike Beecroft  St Helena, Napoleon and the Westmorland connection
Susan Garnett  Facts and phantoms of Upper Eden

Wednesday 21^st January  Mrs Susan Oliver The Registration Service since 1837
A brief history followed by time for questions and answers and a chance to see some old registers.

Wednesday 4^th February Trevor Hughes Old Kendal ‘Now and Then’ Part 2

Wednesday 18^th February 
Maureen Lamb is going to talk about the Local Textile Industry at the Peoples' Hall Sedbergh

AT DENTDALE MEMORIAL HALL
Wednesday 4^th March  Dr Kate Sharpe Motifs, monuments, and mountains:  the carved stones of prehistoric Cumbria                                               
A review of the current knowledge of prehistoric rock art in Cumbria,  setting it in a wider British and European context and suggesting some possible interpretations based on recent research.

                                                                                                    
Wednesday 18^th March Don McLellan  The buildings of the Yorkshire Dales National Park

Saturday 21^st March  Annual General Meeting followed by a talk by Professor Robert Fox, President of SDHS, and a Jacob’s Join

SUMMER 2009

Wednesday 27th May 2-30pm
THORNTON IN LONSDALE
Brian Parker, Churchwarden of St Oswald's will take us round the church and talk to us about the area. A cup of tea at Country Harvest afterwards. Meet in the pub car park (opposite the church) at 2-30pm or in Loftus Hill Car Park at l-45pm.

Saturday 6th June 2-30pm
RYDAL HALL GARDEN
Tom Attwood will lead a visit to this beautiful Mawson garden. Park and assemble in the grounds at 2-30 or meet in Loftus Hill Car Park at 1-30.

Wednesday 24th June 2pm
DENT FAULT WALK
Dennis Sanderson will conduct members on a walk to Heletsgale Barn. Meet at Blind Beck Bridge in Barbondale at 2pm or in Loftus Hill Car Park at 1-15.

Wednesday 8th July 2pm
EXPLORING RAVENSTONEDALE
Caroline Morris will introduce us to some of the interesting features in this attractive village. A cup of tea at the Black Swan afterwards. Park and meet on the Triangle by the village school at 2pm or at 1-30 in Loftus Hill Car Park.

2008

Joyce Scobie:  Cow keepers from the Yorkshire Dales
 

Wednesday 16th January 2008 Martha Bates:  Harriet MarHneau, Political Journalist
Bom in 1862 in Norwich of Huguenot descent, she was deaf from childhood yet became a political columnist of considerable influence in England and a prolific writer of articles and novels. She had the Knoll in Ambleside built for her retirement.

Wednesday 30th January 2008 Vickv Aspin & Steve Smith:  Howgill to Himalaya: the Sedbergh-Tibet Connection
The historical background of several Old Sedberghians who went to Tibet, one of whom was George Sherriff diplomat and plant hunter, and an account of some of his botanical discoveries. With CWLT

AT THE HERITAGE CENTRE. SEDBERGH SCHOOL
 

Wednesday 6th February 2008 Trevor Hughes:  Old Kendal
History of Kendal with slides and old photographs of the 1890s.

Wednesday 20th February 2008 Tom Clare:  King Arthur and the Lost Kingdom of Rheged
 

Wednesday 5th March  Professor David Shotter    Rome's Northern Frontier in Britain
A review of the Roman conquest ofNorth-West England to the point where it was found necessary to create frontiers in northern England; he will examine the nature and purpose of the Stanegate frontier and Hadrian's Wall

Saturday 15th March 2008 Annual General Meeting at 7.30 pm, followed by Jacob's Join refreshments

Wednesday 19th March 2008 Peter Fleming:  Coniston Coppermines
A brief history of recent exploration of the underground workings. 

Wednesday 1^st October  Dr Eleanor Straughton Common land in England and Wales: historical perspectives
A general introduction to common land and its history, with reference to case study areas in Cumbria, Yorkshire and Wales. 

AT DENTDALE MEMORIAL HALL
Wednesday 15^th October  Martin Gibson  The eighteenth century excise service with particular emphasis on the career of Richard Brunskill of Sedbergh
A general history of the excise service, its famous literary officers, its structure, pay, conditions and reputation, with particular reference to the career of Richard Brunskill, Officer of the Excise, 1794-1829.

Wednesday 5^th November   Jack Manning Ancient Fish Traps
An account of the fish traps exposed during channel movements and which proved to be very old.

Wednesday 19^th November  Dr Andrew White Kendal Carriers 
A review of the carrying trade from Kendal to the rest of England and abroad from the 17^th Century, first with packhorses, then with wagons and carts.

Friday 28^th November  Annual dinner Sedbergh Golf Club 7.00 for 7.30 pm.

Wednesday 3^rd December  David Boulton  Cromwell’s representative in Sedbergh and Dent
The life and times of Gervaise Benson who complained that 17^th Century Sedbergh had no fewer than 14 alehouses and that the Vicar was a frequenter of them all.

SUMMER OUTINGS 2008

Wednesday 30th April 2pm

KENDAL TOWN HALL

A visit to the Mayor's Parlour at Kendal Town Hall. Gwen Murfin, the present Mayor and an ex-resident of Sedbergh hopes to be present. Meet at 1-15pm in Loftus Hill Car Park or outside the Town Hall at 2pm.

Wednesday 28th May 2pm

WHITEHAVEN

A walk around this ancient port led by Ralph Lewthwaite. Meet at Loftus Hill Car Park at 12-OOpm or the South Shore Car Park in Whitehaven at 2pm.

Wednesday 18th June 6pm

KENDAL RECORD OFFICE

An introduction to the range of archives held by the Office, and an update on recent acquisitions. Meet at 5-15pm at Loftus Hill Car Park or outside County Hall at 6pm

Wednesday 9th July 2pm

MIDDLETON HALL. KILLINGTON CHURCH

A guided tour of the remains ofMiddleton Hall (by kind permission of Mr and Mrs D.Watson) followed by a visit to Killington Church. Meet at Middleton Hall at 2pm or ring One of the Programme Secretaries for a lift. Members only on this occasion.

2007