| Status: | Active, open to new members |
| Convenor: |
Andy Dixon
Tel: 07753 287 562
|
| When: | Monthly on Mondays 2:00 pm-4:00 pm 1st Monday of the month |
| Venue: | Loco Centre |
Each month we have a topic chosen by the members, and the meeting takes the form of short readings, presentations (or even memories ) by members who have done some research in advance.
These presentations can include PowerPoint slides or video content making the meeting full of interest and variety. All u3a members are welcome – contributions to the research/presentation aspect of the meeting are encouraged but by no means obligatory – all are welcome to sit in and listen.
For details of future meetings tap the Calendar button below and select History Study from the Group drop-down list.
Tap to open the History Study Group photo gallery, then swipe left or right
Recent Meetings
-
Historic Books
July 2026 Our members introduced us to a range of extracts from historic books. We started with the Domesday Book, learning of its origins and an extract regarding Gedling and Stoke Bardolph. We then moved to Egypt where a 1600 year old mummy has been discovered buried with pages from the Iliad to guide them through the afterlife. Returning to East Anglia we heard extracts from letters written in medieval times by the Paston family. Wealthy land owners, they were also prolific letter writers and there is an anthology of them. Samuel Pepys was a well-known 17th century diarist as… Read More
-
Hobbies
June 2026 We learned about historic hobbies followed by our members. Jigsaws were invented several centuries ago as a tool for teaching geography. Modern jigsaws can vary from the simple few pieces for young children to large complex puzzles with hundreds of thousands of pieces. Cigarette card collecting used to be a popular hobby. Cigarette manufacturers put stiffener cards in packets then saw an opportunity to create collectable cards covering every topic imaginable. The Second World War put a stop to production of cards but there are still collectors looking to fill gaps in their collections. Trainspotting was a popular… Read More
-
English Heritage
May 2026 We met for the first time in the Loco Centre which we felt was more suitable for a group like ours. This month we learned about various English Heritage sites. We started with an explanation of the origins of English Heritage starting from the “King’s Works” in Norman times. English Heritage was set up by the Government as a charity to administer a large range of buildings open to the public. We started at Lilleshall Abbey in Shropshire. This was an Augustinian house that voluntarily dissolved in the 16th Century. Following the Reformation, it became a private house… Read More
-
Underground Structures
April 2026 The April meeting was our last at the Richard Herrod Centre. The subject for discussion was “underground structures”. In Europe we heard about the underground city of Derinkuyu, built thousands of years ago as a refuge for up to 20,000 people in times of war. We then moved to Poland were we learned of the history and uses of salt leading to the importance of the salt mine at Weiliczka in Poland. We moved to Britain for a further three talks. In Scotland the East Weymss Caves were created by the sea but had been inhabited by the… Read More