Next event
17 May (Wed), AGM Charles Rennie Mackintosh Rena Hume ZOOM
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macdonald was influential on European design movements such as Art Nouveau.
Rena Hume is a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art and as such lived and breathed in that building for years. After Art School Rena trained as a teacher and taught in Glasgow and Birmingham before moving to Chalfont St Giles in the 1960’s with her late husband and their two small daughters and soon became involved in village activities. initially as Chairman of WI through which she started a Cancer Prevention Group lecturing, mainly to women, on the importance of screening.
After her son was born Rena returned to teaching and joined the Art department at Chesham High School teaching Art and the History of Art to A level where she stayed for many happy years.
All evening meetings begin promptly at 8pm, unless otherwise stated. Arrival from 7.30pm is advised.
18 January (Wed), Metro Land to HS2 Oliver Green ZOOM
15 February (Wed), Zeppelinand the Gotha Raids in WW1 Harvey Watson
15 March (Wed), The Harry Kirby Memorial Lecture, Beacons of the Past update Dr Wendy Morrison ZOOM
19 April (Wed), Harefield Light Railway Keith Piercy
3 May (Wed), Outing, Brickyard tour – Bellingdon Brick Works 11am Bricks in buildings predating the 19th century include subtle colour shades and glazes that come from the way the kilns were fired, using wood. Henry George Matthews established the brickworks that bears his name in 1923 and the traditional techniques that he used have been passed on to his descendants who still run the works today. Henry’s Grandson Jim Matthews will lead a guided tour of one of the last remaining producers of hand made bricks.
17 May (Wed), AGM, Charles Rennie Mackintosh Rene Hume ZOOM
18 May (Thursday), Outing, History Machine Mini-Bus Tour of Historical Sites in Hillingdon Paul McGarrity Closing date 28/02/23 10am – 3.30pm Uxbridge Station forecourt Limited numbers Booking deadline 28/02/23 Join buildings archaeologist Paul McGarrity for a walking tour of Uxbridge before boarding a minibus for a tour of some of the historic buildings of Hillingdon including Manor Farm and Ruislip Motte and Bailey, Eastcote House gardens, Barra Hall, Cranford Park and Harmondsworth Barn
20 May (Sat), Hedgerley Study Day ‘Agricultural roots: Farming in Hedgerley through the ages‘
As a part of what we hope will become an annual fixture, the Hedgerley Historical Society will hold its ‘History Day’ on 20th May, 2023. Last year we gave advice to those seeking to research the history of their own homes. This year, our theme will be: “Agricultural roots: Farming in Hedgerley through the ages”.
We will meet at 11am for coffee and a talk from the very popular local historian Julian Hunt. After a light lunch, Julian will lead us in a walk around Hedgerley to discuss some of the local farms, followed by a site visit to Tara, formerly Colley Hill Farm, (transport required). We will finish at 4pm. The cost will be £10, to include refreshments and lunch.
As with most villages, agriculture has been the main source of livelihood in Hedgerley since antiquity. We know that the area was occupied during the iron age, with a fort close by on the border of the parish, and those early settlers will certainly have been farmers. We know that in mediaeval times the traditional method of open field farming was used in the area, with families allocated their own narrow strips of land. The hallmark ridge and furrow pattern which the ploughing created is still faintly visible during the winter months in the valley between Hedgerley and Gerrards Cross.
Later, several significant farms emerged in the area: among them Slade Farm, Court Farm, Metcalf Farm and Colley Hill Farm. The workers required for the farms lived in the cottages within the village. As today, much of the land in the parish was used for pasture, but we know that in Victorian times a third or so of the land was devoted to arable crops. It is likely that potatoes, turnips and beans were also grown for local consumption. Horse or oxen-drawn ploughs would of course have been employed, until the invention of the steam engine in the nineteenth century, when at first a pully system, and later tractors, very gradually took over.
Join us in May to learn more about this fascinating part of Hedgerley’s history.
6 June (Tuesday), Outing, Haddenham Museum and Village Tour 10am, Stephen Sharp Booking deadline 17/05/23 Join volunteers from Haddenham Museum to explore the Museum and a walk around this historic Buckinghamshire village
21 June (Wed), Broadway, A Cotswold village Julian Hunt
25 June (Sunday), Outing, High Wycombe Cemetery Tour Sally Scagell Free Booking required Closing date 21/06/23 “Good Mourning” A tour of the older parts of High Wycombe Cemetery covering the stories of some of Wycombe’s past families who chose to make this their last resting place. Sally Scagell has been researching the graves in High Wycombe Cemetery over the past 15 years and every headstone has a tale to tell.
12 July (Tuesday), Outing, A Summer Evening at Bekonscot Brian Newman Smith, 6pm for 6.30pm Brian will describe the development of this historic model village and show us how the models are made and maintained.
19 July (Tuesday), Outing, The Restoration of Church Gardens Harefield. Arcadia Visitor Centre. Refreshments available. Kay McHugh, 6.30pm £10 pp Limited numbers – Free but Pre-Booking required – deadline 21/06/23 Kay McHugh (Head Gardener) will describe how in the past 20 years the gardens have been transformed from dereliction to the amazing garden we see today. After the talk explore the Walled Garden and Orchard.
21 July (Friday), Mikron Theatre Company present ‘Twitchers’
Nest(le) down with Mikron in this flight through birdwatching history, feathered with birdsong and laughter.
You’ll be giggling from heron in and you won’t ‘egret coming! Tickets on sale shortly
9 August (Wed), Outing, Stratford-upon-Avon, Booking close 19 July Motts Travel £25 pp
Coach Outing Booking deadline19/07/23 An opportunity to explore a town synonymous with William Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s Birthplace allows you to visit the house where the world’s most famous playwright was born and grew up to discover more about his early years. Other Shakespeare locations include Hall’s Croft (home to William’s daughter), Shakespeare’s New Place (the last chapter in his life), Anne Hathaway’s cottage (Shakespeare’s wife) and Mary Arden’s Farm (the childhood home of Shakespeare’s mother).
There are regular public 45-minute boat trips on the River Avon, sightseeing bus trips and town and river walks.
20 September (Wed), HS2 Archeology in Bucks Doug Stukey
27 September (Wed), Outing (Self Drive), Frogmore Paper Mill, Hemel Hempstead TBA, Tour £12 Boat Trip £3.50 Bookings close 01/09/23
Paper making started at Frogmore in 1774 and commercial production ceased in 2000. Learn about the history of paper making and make your own by hand. Our visit will include a short cruise along the River Gade aboard canal boat Bryan Donkin.
11 October (Wed,) Outing, Reading Museum and Abbey Quarter Tour, Booking close 11 September, 10am – 12.30pm, £10 pp, Max 20 in each group
See Britain’s Bayeaux Tapestry and explore 200 years of Biscuit Town in Reading Museum’s Huntley & Palmer Gallery and discover Reading’s historic Abbey Quarter on a Guided Walking Tour around the grounds including Jane Austin’s schoolroom, the ruins of Reading’s Royal Abbey and the burial place of King Henry I.
18 October (Wed), History of Vogue Magazine, book published on 10.10.23 Julie Summers
28 October (Sat), Autumn Lunch and Windsor Great Park Trees Julian Hight
4 November (Sat), Outing, Parliament Tour, Bookings close TBA
Discover the inner workings of UK Parliament and immerse yourself in the fascinating history of this world famous building.
15 November (Wed), Three Princes Project Philppa Langley
18th November 2023 (Saturday) Tour of John Lewis Heritage Centre Cookham Self Drive Free Limited numbers Booking required Closing date 15th November 2023
As well as being home to the business archives of John Lewis and Waitrose the heritage centre houses over 3,000 different textile designs dating from the 1790’s to the present day. These include designs by William Morris, C F A Voysey and Lucienne day. Designs for fabric used in Royal residences and the staterooms of the RMS Titanic feature in the collection. Between 1942 and 1956 Grove Farm (now part of the Heritage Centre) housed the Odney Pottery.
20 December (Wed), The Most Sacred Airfield in WW2 Ian Griffith
2024
17 January (Wed) The Lesser Known Grand Houses of South Bucks – Mike Dewey
21 February The Bulstrode Brasses Richard Emerson
20 March The Harry Kirby Memorial Lecture Moats, Mottes and Castles : status and defence in Medieval Buckinghamshire Mike Farley FSA
17 April Railways Round the Chilterns Dr Rudi Newman
HHS 