LECTURE PROGRAMME 2011/2012

Lectures take place at Ealing Town Hall in the Liz Cantell Room. The timing of the lectures is from 7.30 pm. to 9.20 pm., with questions from about 9.05 pm. However, the November, January and February lectures will be in the afternoon 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. All lectures are free of charge to members, but there is a charge of £3 for visitors. Refreshments are usually available in the interval for a small charge.

November 15^th 2011 – Andrea Cameron “The History of Pears transparent soap”

Pears transparent soap, known throughout the world, started in a Soho barber’s shop. The growth of the company in the 19^th century led to modern advertising, where a celebrity promotes a product and works of art add to the promotion. 2.0.p.m. start

January 19^th 2012 – Hugh Granger “The Reeve’s Tale”

This talk describes the living accommodation, diet, customs, organisation and duties of the inhabitants of a typical village in 1450. It is told through the eyes of the Reeve, who liaised between the peasants and the Squire and it is based on the village of Haddenham, Bucks. It concludes with the solving of a crime within the village.

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February 8^th 2012 – Frances Hughes “Charles Dickens: A Circle of Stage Fire

Ruskin said Charles Dickens lived in “A circle of fire”. Dickens, whose bi-centenary it is in 2012, said “I was an actor and a speaker since I was a baby”. Apart from his outstanding novels, Dickens wrote seven plays and directed. He performed before Queen Victoria and gave 475 dramatised readings from his novels in the UK and USA before vast audiences. Grimaldi, Charles Mathews and Macready were amongst his heroes.

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