News

2025 May and June Summer Visits Bookings

Bookings are coming in for both the May and June Visits,  but we there is room on the coach for more.  

Wednesday 21st May Thackray Medical Museum and Royal Armouries, Leeds

Tuesday 10th June  Richard III Centre and Cathedral, Leicester

To request a booking form, book or for more details: Email  NthNottsNTAssoc@gmail.com

2025 Summer Visits - Dates and Properties

Wednesday 21st May Thackray Medical Museum and Royal Armouries, Leeds

Tuesday 10th June  Richard III Centre and Cathedral, Leicester

Thursday 10th July  Easton Walled Garden and Belton House (National Trust), Grantham

Wednesday 20th August  Nunnington Hall (NT) and Stillingfleet Lodge Garden & Nursery, near York

Thursday 25th September  Lyme Park (NT), Stockport (change)

Bookings are open to Members and their Friends

We are always looking for suggestions for future visits, please email  to nthnottsntassoc@gmail.com

March

David Skillen gave his final talk to the Association on Pilots 'n Petticoats - Women Masters of the Sky. This was a wide ranging and enthralling talk from anearly balloon flight in the 1784, Elisabeth Thible who took to the skies in 1794, to Kathryn Wright the younger sister of Wilbur and Orville via legends such as Amelia Earhart and Amy Johnson, the WW2 ATS pilots of who ferried every kind of aircraft and the aircrew of the Russian bomber squadron, captains and aircrew of moder airliners to astronauts such as Sally Ride.

February

Graham Woodward showed us his wonderful pictures of the Canals.  He described how and why the Canals were built.  The Navvies (Navigators) worked extremely hard and were very well paid. They were originally built to carry coal and other cargoes and people were added.  He described an explosion of a broken barrel in cargo of gun powder which killed both workmen and two children who were fishing; it lifted the canal-side warehouse into the air before it collapsed in pieces.

January

Ian Morgan took us on a journey up the the various routes old Great North Road through Nottinghamshire the.  He showed us the evidence of the road and buildings that can still be seen today, and told us tales through the ages.

December

Maggie Watkin gave us an enthralling talk on the Scandalous Duchess - Katherine Swynford who was the lover and later wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster.

Katherine married Sir Hugh Swynford and lived at his estate at  Kettlethorpe in Lincolnshire; they had several children. She became a member of the court as governess to Duke John and Duchess Blanche’s children.  

She became John of Gaunt’s lover after both Blanche and Sir Hugh had died; they later married.  

Katherine had children with John of Gaunt; their descendants included Richard III and Henry VII

November

Mike Ogden gave us a fascinating talk on the Palace by a River, the Palace of Westminster.  He spoke on the history of the palace which was originally built in 11th century and was the residence of the King until 1512 when the royal apartments were destroyed by fire, but the remaining buildings continued as the home of Parliament had met since 13th century. A second larger fire in 1834 destroyed the majority of the palace.  

The new palace was designed by Charles Barry in the Gothic style buildings we know today. Building started in 1840 and took 30 years.

October

The first talk of the new season was Barbara Beard on the Sinking of the Empress of Ireland, a passenger liner en route to Liverpool from Quebec two years after the sinking of the Titanic, that has been somewhat lost to history. However, more passengers died on the Empress than the Titanic and it was Canada’s greatest peace time maritime disaster.

Barbara focused on the ship, the disputed reasons for the sinking after a collision in thick fog in the St Lawrence River and the passengers and crew who either survived or died, including those from a Salvation Army band on route to an interna"onal congress in London.

The new membership year starts 1st October,

September

Our final visit was on Thursday  12th September to Shugborough Hall (NT), a Georgian Mansion belonging to the Lichfield family with extensive grounds, formal gardens and shops and cafes.

We were lucky with the weather, and were dropped off near the hall. The Lichfield Apartments were very interesting with many photographs and camera paraphernalia. Lord Lichfield entertained many famous people including his cousin Princess Margaret.  The bookshop did a roaring trade.

Members should have received the Programme Card and Membership Renewal forms.

August

We had lovely warm weather for our visit to Yorkshire Air Museum (YAM) and Breezy Knees Garden is on Tuesday 13th August. There was a lot of easy walking looking at the aircraft and memorabilia with extra information from the very knowledgeable guides at YAM, and then round the colourful and extensive Breezy Knees Gardens.

Many of us will want to to return to YAM for a more detailed visit, and to Breezy Knees at a different time of year to see how the garden changes through the seasons.

July

We had an wonderful visit to  Belvoir Castle on Wednesday 24th July. The guides were very knowledgeable and we learnt a lot about castle, the family and the artefacts.

June 24

We had an enjoyable visit to the National Trust Wimpole Estate. The weather was good, the journey, although long, was straight forward. The House , Walled Garden were very interesting and well worth the effort.  

May 24

Visits

4/07/24  Wednesday              Belvoir Castle

13/08/24   Tuesday                  Yorkshire Air Museum and Breezy Knees Garden

12/09/24   Thursday                Shugborough Estate (National Trust)

We have confirmed our speakers for the 2024 -25 Programme of Talks,  

We had an excellent  visit with 47 members and friends to Quarry Bank, it was a lovely sunny day to explore the gardens, Mill and tour the Apprentice House..

April 24

Julian Ellis gave an very interesting talk on the Framework Knitters Museum and the history of framework knitting. He talked about the start of the luddites who were protecting the time-served craftsmen from cheap manufacturing.

He left us wanting to visit the museum in Ruddington, to learn more.

March 24

AGM and Visit Invitations.

Members should have received the Notice of the AGM and the Invitations to Quarry Bank in May and Wimpole in June.

If they haven’t received them please contact  Jacky Walsh (nthnottsntassoc@gmail.com)

Patsy Rayner gave us a ‘local’s eye view’ of every day life in Japan from work & employment, to education, housing family life and the role of women, to entertainment and relaxation

Wimpole date corrected in Programme to 19/06/24

February 24

SUMMER VISITS 24

The Events Sub-committee are organising the five monthly summer visits

08/05/24  Wednesday           Quarry Bank (National Trust)

19/06/24   Wednesday           Wimpole (National Trust)

24/07/24  Wednesday            Belvoir Castle

13/08/24   Tuesday                  Yorkshire Air Museum and Breezy Knees Garden

12/09/24   Thursday                Shugborough Estate (National Trust)

Booking Forms for May and July visits are sent to MEMBERS, they will be available for collection at the March Talk

Please ensure that you have paid your 23/24 Membership  

Kathryn Cooper showed her amazing photographs on Collective Behaviour that she had built from her videos of murmurations of starlings.  Kathryn demonstrated that was was continuing of several 19c photographers who had developed cameras to  photograph the movement of animals and people.  Kathryn spends many hours building her images and it was possible to identify the paths of predators flying into a murmuration.

A few days after the meeting it was announced that Kathryn’s work had been shortlisted in the Sony World Photography Awards for Professional Wildlife & Nature category; Kathryn says that it is a privilege to represent the region on an international stage.

January 24

The January talk was Medieval Pilgrimage by Tony Perkins who told about people who used to go on pilgrimages; where and why they went and the methods they used to reach their Holy destination?

December 23

In his talk Beyond the Blue Horizon, Mike Ogden showed us the life of early passenger flight where flights lasted days rather than hours  The passengers were the rich and famous.

Initial flights started in open cockpit planes with just one passenger through converted bombers, seaplanes to more modern and luxurious cabins; overnight stops were in luxurious hotels where passengers dressed for dinner.

November 23

Barbara Beard’s talk on Tom Crean, A Forgotten Antarctic Explorer, was a enjoyable and informative talk on one of the most experienced an tough polar explorers who had been three early expeditions with Captain Scott and Ernest Shackleton.

October 23

We enjoyed a very informative and well researched talk by Mark Dawson on Food and Drink in Tudor and Stuart Nottinghamshire.  Mark described how the food changed in the different areas of the county and exotic foods arrived from boats sailing up the Trent.

The monthly meetings are on the third Wednesday (except December) evenings, they start at 7:30pm at The Crossing Church & Centre, Newcastle Street, Worksop, S80 2AT.

September 23

Little Moreton Hall & Biddulph Grange Gardens (NT)

An enjoyable day at two interesting National Trust properties.; we were fortunate to have a sunny day.

August 23

2024 Programme of Visits cannot be completed.  We have a shortlist of possible Summer Visits but the Association needs some members to volunteer to coordinate one or more of them and to join the Events Sub-committee.

If you can help please email the Association nthnottsntassoc@gmail.com for information.

Birmingham: Coach Tour and Birmingham Botanic Gardens

July 23

Skipton - Castle and Canal Trip

We had an enjoyable and successful visit to Skipton. The weather forecast was very poor with lots of rain, however the rain stopped as we arrived in Skipton and only fell when we were on the canal trip, and on the journey home.

After an excellent coffee, we had a very informative guided tour of the castle followed by an opportunity for lunch and some browsing before our a one hour trip on Cobbydale with Skipton Boats, when we learnt a lot about the history of the mills and canal.  

June 23

Members should have received their Invitations for the July, August and September visits.

Please book early to ensure your place(s), before the visits are opened up to volunteers and non-members.

Whitby & Trip on North Yorkshire Railway 

We had a lovely warm and sunny day for our visit to Whitby, after a good journey.  We all explored the town in our own way, many having fish and chips for lunch at one of the many restaurants. No-one ventured up the steps to Whitby. Whitby Abbey.

The RNLI had just taken delivery of it’s new £2 million Shannon class lifeboat which we could vie at a distance.  

We all gathered at the station for the North Yorkshire Railway railways steam driven train to Pickering.  The train arrived with two engines, Repton at the front  and Eric Treacy at the rear; after many photographs and letting off of steam, we boarded our we reserved coach near the front of the train.  After two stops, due to the hot weather, we had to change to a diesel engine for the journey over the moors.  We arrived at Pickering on time and a short wander round the station and Pickering, many pausing for an ice cream, before boarding the coach for the journey home.  A very enjoyable day out

May23

We had an enjoyable day visiting Doddington Hall & International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC). After coffee on arrival we split into three groups and had a private hour and a half’s tour with some of the most knowledgeable volunteer guides we have ever met; they took us through the story of the Doddington’s owners, linking it to the portraits and contents. of the different rooms. After the tour we wandered round the gardens with beds of irises, and wider the estate before having lunch.

After lunch we travelled the short distance to the IBCC for a tour of the memorials for the 55000 aircrew; and the heard the story of some of them, and then wandered round the exhibitions.  Some members placed a poopy by the name of their relative.  We were fortunate that the weather was much sunnier than forecast.  A good day out which we all enjoyed.

April 23

Kathy Powis on the Mary Rose - One moment in time

Kathy Powis gave us the history of the raising of the Mary Rose from the Solent in 1982, its conservation and restoration in the new state-of-the-art museum surrounded by 19,000 artefacts in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Kathy described the story of Henry VIII's flagship from her construction in 1510, active service fighting the French, the sinking in 1545 to the dramatic raising from the Solent in 1982.  

The short AGM highlighted that members were returning after covid, and the need for members to volunteer to join the Committee especially to help the sub-group organise next years visits.

March 23

Dr Ann Featherstone on A Brief History of Pantomime

Ann Featherstone’s introduced us to John Rich, a flamboyant Harlequin, who had crowds flocking to see his performances; he was so successful that he was able to build Covent Garden Theatre.

In order to compete with Rich, Garrick employed the elder Grimaldi and his son. Ann described and illustrated how pantomime developed around celebrities of the day, with pantomime dames including Arthur Askey to Ian McKellen, to today‘s family shows.  

February 23

Andrew Beard on A History of the Derwent Dams

Andrew Beard gave us a wide ranging talk on the development of the Derwent Dams from the original ideas for the reservoirs to provide water for a number of cities, to what was finally built. The work required the building of a village that no longer exists, to house the workforce, a mansion which still exists, for the office for the managers and draughtsmen and a railway from the quarry to the dams.

Clumber Park Tree Planting & Bench

On Thursday 9th February a number of committee members met Matthew Watson, Area Ranger, near Hardwick Village, to  plant two oak trees that the Association had donated to Clumber Park.  The trees were bare rooted and about 10 years old.  The Association have also presented a bench which will be placed nearby on the opposite side of the path.

The trees in a glade north of the war memorial,

January 23

Janice Bradley MBE on the Beavers at Idle Valley

Janice Bradley of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, lead the team that re-introduced Beavers to the Idle Valley Nature Reserve near Retford. The Beavers came from the Tay and live in a large secure fenced enclosure.  On release they immediately started having an impact on the scrub and trees, creating more open water.  There was a family with two kits and a single male and female.  Surprisingly the beavers have already had kits and the team were in the process of catching them to check health and identify their sex. This was a most interesting talk generated lots for questions.

December 22

Adrian Gray on East Cost Mainline Disasters - last minute Change of Speaker due to illness

Adrian Gray is an expert railway historian and the author of the book 'East Coast Main Line Disasters. Adrian presents illustrated and entertaining talk looks at the history of the railway between King's Cross and Edinburgh with a focus on how safety has been improved following accidents over the years. The talk covers the full geographical range and describes a mix of accidents from the 1850s to the early 2000s.

November 22

We had a very interesting talk ‘Gretna Girls & the Devil's Porridge about the secret Explosives Factory built near Gretna Green at the start of WW1 by David Skillen. The factory had to be built when early in the war, the army were running out of shells.

October 22

The winter talks started on Wednesday 19th October with an enjoyable talk by Maureen Taylor dressed in period costume as Lady Mary, presented the life of an Elizabethan lady, a visitor from the 16th C.  

September 22

We had a most interesting visit to the restored quarter of a mile long Ropewalk situated at the side of the side of Barton Haven at Barton on Humber and we wandered around the house and out buildings Burton Constable learning of its history from the knowledgeable room guides.

Members should have received their 2022-23 Programme and Membership Renewal Forms. The Membership year started 1st October.

August 22

We had an interesting and informative visit to Hull.  Paul Schofield took us on a fascinating guided tour in the coach of the old City Tour which we later explored on foot. After lunch at the old Seaman’s Mission which is now a pub, we had a couple of hours to explore the old city which included the the Minster, the fish trail, blue plaques, old docks, statues and many many pubs (only from the outside).  We were fortunate that it was fine when we were walking round and only drizzled when we were in the coach or in the Mission.

July 22

We had a very interesting visit to the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley; the weather was sunny and all enjoyed looking back in time.

June 22

We had and enjoyable visit to Nottingham Castle and a walking tour round the historic centre of Nottingham

May 22

We had and enjoyable visit to Wentworth Woodhouse and Wentworth Castle

April 22

The short AGM highlighted the need for members to volunteer to join the Committee especially to help the sub-group organise next years talks and visits, without more help we may not have a full programme.

Bolsover Castle by Ian Morgan

Ian Morgan gave an entertaining and fascinating talk into the history of the site of Bolsover Castle and the development of the Castle and the fortunes of the many owners over the centuries.  We learnt about the puzzles created by the artwork in the Pleasure Palace and whose portraits appeared in them..

March 22

The Portland-Druce Exhumation Case by The Susan Deal

Susan Deal gave us a fascinating insight into William John Cavendish Scott Bentinck 5th Duke of Portland, eccentric and reclusive bachelor and Thomas Charles Druce, proprietor of the Baker Street Bazaar; were they one and the same man as they looked very similar and  were never seen at the same time.  This lead to a major scandal in the late 19th century when Druce’s descendants claimed that they were related to  Duke of Portland and so should have an inheritance from the Portland. estate.

February 22

Fairtrade Tea by James Pogson of Northern Tea Merchants of Chesterfield

James Pogson of Northern Tea Merchants of Chesterfield gave us an insight into Tea Growing with the many people involved from pickers and gardeners, through processing of rolling, fermenting, to grading and sacking ready for shipping. He brought it right up to date with the current problems with increased costs and delays of shipping containers into Chesterfield. He played a new video on the Tea History Collection including memorabilia and new plaques around London made by the London Tea History Association

January 22

My Life in Music by Dr Martin Ellerby

Dr Martin Ellerby presented his life as a composer from his education in Worksop when he recorded on cassette his composition being played by two of his school music teachers for his application to music college, as composer in residence for military bands, and composing test pieces for Brass Band Competitions. He played a number of recordings of his works.

December 21

Victorian Music Hall Michael Whysall

Michael Whysall gave us fascinating talk and occasionally breaking into song, into the development of the Music Halls in and around Nottingham, from its working class origins of entertainment in the many pubs to retain the drinkers to the more sophisticated acts which then attracted the middle classes

We will be joining Mike on a walking tour in Nottingham on our visit in June.

November 21

Secrets Mysteries and Curiosities of Nottinghamshire

Chris Weir gave an entertaining talk on the many mysteries of Nottinghamshire including the stone statue of a man holding an umbrella above a shop in Nottingham and all the skeletons that started appearing – the archeologists took them away – but where are they now?

October 21

Artistry in Stone, Wood & Bronze by Frank Tory & Sons, of Sheffield (architectural & monumental sculptors in wood, stone & bronze)

Dr. Sylvia Dunkley spoke about work in stone and wood carved by the Frank Tory and his twin sons in Sheffield. Her many illustrations of the beautiful and intricate carvings done by them encouraged us all to always look up at the many old buildings in Sheffield including the Memorial Hall and several churches, and other towns and cities. The modest shop fronts at ground level often have beautifully decorated upper storeys, many of the carvings relating to the various trades and businesses for which that particular town or city is known.

The Association have made donations totalling £2500 to local National Trust Properties
£400 to The Workhouse for two benches
£600 to Mr Straw's House towards the Glasshouse restoration
£1000 to Clumber Park for the Border Hedging Hoops
£500 to Clumber Park for two oak trees

September 21

On Friday 17th September our members enjoyed a trip to Derby and visited the new Museum of Making situated in the refurbished Silk Mill which was recently funded by the National Lottery Heritage fund and several other charitable trusts and foundations and the industrial history of Derby was well displayed. Major exhibits and information about Rolls Royce and the early Railway were fascinating with many exhibits shown but with work still in progress to catalogue them all.  Some members visited the nearby Cathedral, the home of the tomb of Bess of Hardwick.  

In the afternoon we visited Kedleston Hall where the main state rooms were open and amazing as always along with the beautiful grounds and we were blessed with good weather and were able to have refreshments outside.  We were lucky to see the famous Peacock Dress which had just gone on display.