Programme
2026
23 September
The Story of Lytes Cary
David Maclean
Lytes Cary Manor is a story of two families: one family who built the manor; and the other who restored it to its former glory. The presentation looks at the house’s heritage; the background to the Lyte family; and the contribution and background to the Jenner family, the last owners before the National Trust.
28 October AGM
The first Thanksgiving
Denny Robbins
The Story of those who were to become known as The Pilgrim Fathers.
25 November
Cecil Sharpe
Collecting Folk songs
9 December
Pilgrimages
Ian Williamson and Denny Robbins
Combining one in Japan with the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. Both have similarities.
2027
27 January
‘Legacies of Slavery’
Chris Dickinson
Two hundred years ago there were growing calls to abolish slavery. When it was formally abolished in 1833, owners were financially compensated by the UK Government for their loss of ‘property’ (slaves were of course ‘property’). The re-discovery of the records of the Government’s slavery compensation payments re-wrote the history of slave ownership. Slave owners were identified throughout the UK including Somerset. Some owners were high-born, some ordinary and others surprising. Chris’ talk is about a number of local slave owners he has researched and their connections to the plantations of the Caribbean.
24 February
One of these options
Denny Robbins
1 Tintinhull Houses
2 Ilchester town/ prison
3 The Turbulent C10th & C11th when England was ruled by Saxons, Danes and Normans.
24 March
“The German Occupation of the Channel Islands in WW2”
Lt Col (Retd) James Porter (born in Guernsey)
He explores the background events leading up to the German occupation of the Channel Islands following the collapse of France. It describes the reasoning behind governmental policy decisions together with the haste and soul-searching around the evacuation of parts of the populations.
The talk covers the arrival and reception of the German forces, their everyday life in the islands, as well as the effect their presence had on the islands’ civil governance. It looks at the relationship between occupier and occupied; the rationing and privations as the war progressed; the massive fortification building programme whereby the islands were incorporated into Hitler’s ‘Atlantic Wall’, and some of the British commando raids which took place. Finally, I describe the liberation of the islands after 5 long years.
28 April
On the Parish: Life in the Victorian Workhouse.
Luke Morland
The post 1834 Union Workhouse system. This will include pre 1834 provisions including those in Tintinhull.
Events start at 7.30 pm and are held in Tintinhull Village Hall.
Doors open 7:15 pm when coffee and biscuits will be available.
Entry per meeting : Members £1, Visitors £3 including light refreshments.