Past Events

A lecture by Richard Burnip. The Edwardian era saw the golden age of postcards through the medium of one of the most photographed women of her day, the actress/dancer Gabrielle Ray. From her star -making role in "The Orchid" in 1903, through to some of the biggest hits of this era, Gabs worked alongside many of the greatest and best loved stars of early musical theatre. Postcards sold in their thousands. Richard will bring original magazines, programmes and postcards to…

For our first meeting of 2026 our speaker will be Stephen Fielding, Heritage Projects Manager for Habitats & Heritage. Stephen will present a talk on the period known as ‘The Great Stink’ which referred to the deeply polluted state of the River Thames during the summer of 1858. His talk will cover the rationale for and Joseph Bazalgette’s work in designing London’s Victorian sewers and its impact not only on the River Thames but also on the whole Thames Basin’s…

The Maharajahs and Maharanis of India were semi-independent rulers, responsible for governing territories outside the direct control of the British Empire. We look at an extensive collection of portraits and photographs of the Maharanis, depicting images and costumes which are stunning works of art. The images also portray the women as powerful, dignified and educated, giving an insight into their lives and memoirs, along with a broader view of the role they played in the British Empire. Members free, Visitors £9