Wednesday April 10th 7.30 at Park Junior School
Dr Steven Blake – “The remarkable John Bellamy (1808-1893): the story of a Gloucestershire travelling showman”
Travelling shows were a familiar sight in 19th-century England, and in its day, one of the best known was John Bellamy’s ‘British Model Gallery’. This was a collection of cork and card models of historic buildings which toured the country in a fleet of caravans between 1836 and Bellamy’s death in 1893, when he was described as ‘the oldest showman in England’. Drawing largely on Bellamy’s unpublished memoirs and contemporary newspaper accounts, this talk traced the career of Gloucestershire-born Bellamy as he travelled the country from town to town and fair to fair. It provided an insight into an important aspect of the popular culture of Victorian England.
Wednesday March 13th 7.30 at Park Junior School
Kate Peake – “The Cotswold Way”
Kate Peake showed a series of short films
taking us on a journey along the Cotswold Way from Chipping Campden to Painswick.
Wednesday February 14th 7.30 at Park Junior School
Short talks by members
Phil Bischler – “A short history of alum, a tale of the Pope, pirates and pee!”
Cresby Brown – “Gloucestershire’s Wayside crosses”
Alex Walmsley – Saving Stonehouse Railway Station – Jack Anderson’s role.
Vicki Walker – “Frank Moore 1889-1977”
Wednesday January 10th 7.30 at Park Junior School
Kevin Ward – “Fundraising for weapons in the Stroud district in World War Two”
Kevin Ward is the Museum Development Manager at the Museum in the Park, Stroud.
In this new talk he gave an overview of the history of the Stroud district and weapons of war,
before describing some of the community fundraising activities and weapons bought by the district in World War Two.