St Mary's Street Shops - Wallingford
Programme
If you would like to suggest a speaker, please complete this form and send to the Programme Secretary : [email protected]
Note: Red links will take you to the speakers website.
Note: Red links will take you to the speakers website.
4th June 2025 Simon Keable-Elliott
'Utterly Immoral: Robert Keable and his scandalous novel'
Robert Keable was a Chaplain in WW1 who, after the war, wrote a novel called "Simon Called Peter", which shone a light on life behind the front lines during the war. The central story centred on an affair between a chaplain and a nurse. The book was considered to be so "utterly immoral" by F Scott Fitzgerald, that he mocked it in The Great Gatsby. It became a huge international bestseller and despite being banned in parts of America, it went on to spawn a Broadway play and the sequel became a Hollywood movie. The author's life was truly extraordinary. As a child he was an evangelical preacher. He won a scholarship to Cambridge, became a priest, worked in Zanzibar as a missionary and wrote devotional books. He left the church after a year as a teacher and an affair with a lorry driver; fled to live in Tahiti and 'married' a Tahitian princess.
Simon Keable-Elliott has written a biography of his remarkable grandfather, Robert.
'Utterly Immoral: Robert Keable and his scandalous novel'
Robert Keable was a Chaplain in WW1 who, after the war, wrote a novel called "Simon Called Peter", which shone a light on life behind the front lines during the war. The central story centred on an affair between a chaplain and a nurse. The book was considered to be so "utterly immoral" by F Scott Fitzgerald, that he mocked it in The Great Gatsby. It became a huge international bestseller and despite being banned in parts of America, it went on to spawn a Broadway play and the sequel became a Hollywood movie. The author's life was truly extraordinary. As a child he was an evangelical preacher. He won a scholarship to Cambridge, became a priest, worked in Zanzibar as a missionary and wrote devotional books. He left the church after a year as a teacher and an affair with a lorry driver; fled to live in Tahiti and 'married' a Tahitian princess.
Simon Keable-Elliott has written a biography of his remarkable grandfather, Robert.
2nd July 2025 Carol Anderson
'The Ascott Martyrs: the women who went ‘over the hills to glory’
For a short time in the early 1870s, the village of Ascott-under-Wychwood achieved national fame, perhaps even notoriety, when 16 women (two with their babies) were jailed for supporting men striking in an attempt to force their employers to improve their meagre wages.
The women’s story sheds light on the conditions for agricultural labourers, who at that time made up the bulk of the rural population, and the early history of agricultural trade unionism in Oxfordshire. The extensive press coverage of the events of 1873 also reveals much about the everyday lives of these women whose actions presented such a startling contrast to the popular idea of passive, submissive, apolitical, Victorian womanhood.
Carol is Chair of The Ascott Martyrs Educational Trust
'The Ascott Martyrs: the women who went ‘over the hills to glory’
For a short time in the early 1870s, the village of Ascott-under-Wychwood achieved national fame, perhaps even notoriety, when 16 women (two with their babies) were jailed for supporting men striking in an attempt to force their employers to improve their meagre wages.
The women’s story sheds light on the conditions for agricultural labourers, who at that time made up the bulk of the rural population, and the early history of agricultural trade unionism in Oxfordshire. The extensive press coverage of the events of 1873 also reveals much about the everyday lives of these women whose actions presented such a startling contrast to the popular idea of passive, submissive, apolitical, Victorian womanhood.
Carol is Chair of The Ascott Martyrs Educational Trust
6th August 2025 Ann and John Ford
'Morris Minors in the media'
This presentation will be informative, light-hearted and often amusing, but definitely NOT all about engines and gearboxes. And look out for some 1950s and 1960s touches!
John Ford ably assisted by his wife Ann, ran a successful business hiring out their collection of Morris Minors (and some other classic cars) to film, TV and publishing companies spanning the period 1990-2015. Ann’s presentation, supported with a comprehensive photographic display and other memorabilia, includes personal recollections of major films and TV sitcoms. The cars were frequently used as ‘props’ in magazine advertising.
Eventually, they diversified to weddings, and some of them were very unusual indeed. They sometimes transported VIPs such as Members of Parliament and pop stars to charity events.
Questions and audience participation to view the display is encouraged at the end of the presentation.
'Morris Minors in the media'
This presentation will be informative, light-hearted and often amusing, but definitely NOT all about engines and gearboxes. And look out for some 1950s and 1960s touches!
John Ford ably assisted by his wife Ann, ran a successful business hiring out their collection of Morris Minors (and some other classic cars) to film, TV and publishing companies spanning the period 1990-2015. Ann’s presentation, supported with a comprehensive photographic display and other memorabilia, includes personal recollections of major films and TV sitcoms. The cars were frequently used as ‘props’ in magazine advertising.
Eventually, they diversified to weddings, and some of them were very unusual indeed. They sometimes transported VIPs such as Members of Parliament and pop stars to charity events.
Questions and audience participation to view the display is encouraged at the end of the presentation.
3rd September 2025 Dr Katherine Bradley
'Creative Women - the history of women involved in the Arts and Crafts Movement in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds'
The Arts and Crafts movement flourished from the 1880s until the 1930s. In Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds this was mainly through William Morris and his wife and three daughters and Charles Ashbee and his wife. Many talented and creative women contributed to the arts and crafts, ranging from printing, bookbinding, weaving, embroidery, and design. This talk will focus on some of these women such as May Morris; the bookbinder Katharine Adams, the textile designers Phyllis Baron and Dorothy Larcher and the illustrator, stained glass designer and embroiderer, Mary J. Newill.'
Katherine has long been fascinated by women’s history. She gives talks on various aspects of 19th and 20th century women’s history linked to Oxfordshire. She taught history and social sciences at the Open University and history at Oxford Brookes. She was a co-founder of the annual Oxford International Women’s Festival.
'Creative Women - the history of women involved in the Arts and Crafts Movement in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds'
The Arts and Crafts movement flourished from the 1880s until the 1930s. In Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds this was mainly through William Morris and his wife and three daughters and Charles Ashbee and his wife. Many talented and creative women contributed to the arts and crafts, ranging from printing, bookbinding, weaving, embroidery, and design. This talk will focus on some of these women such as May Morris; the bookbinder Katharine Adams, the textile designers Phyllis Baron and Dorothy Larcher and the illustrator, stained glass designer and embroiderer, Mary J. Newill.'
Katherine has long been fascinated by women’s history. She gives talks on various aspects of 19th and 20th century women’s history linked to Oxfordshire. She taught history and social sciences at the Open University and history at Oxford Brookes. She was a co-founder of the annual Oxford International Women’s Festival.
1st October 2025 Anna Dillon and Jonathon Davidson
'Downland'
Downland is a recently published book of paintings and poems by artist Anna Dillon and writer Jonathan Davidson. They have each known the Berkshire Downs for most of their lives, and the book is a creative guidebook to the most popular stretch of the Ridgeway National Trail, including where it descends to cross the Thames at Streatley.
Using projections of some of her stunning paintings, Anna will talk about her work as a painter based in Aston Tirrold while Jonathan will talk about why the Downs are so inspiring to writers as well as painters. Copies of Downland will be available for sale following the presentation.
'Downland'
Downland is a recently published book of paintings and poems by artist Anna Dillon and writer Jonathan Davidson. They have each known the Berkshire Downs for most of their lives, and the book is a creative guidebook to the most popular stretch of the Ridgeway National Trail, including where it descends to cross the Thames at Streatley.
Using projections of some of her stunning paintings, Anna will talk about her work as a painter based in Aston Tirrold while Jonathan will talk about why the Downs are so inspiring to writers as well as painters. Copies of Downland will be available for sale following the presentation.
5th November 2025 Philip Chamberlain
'Farming today and tomorrow – how to achieve sustainability'
Crowmarsh Battle Farms Ltd, Benson is one of Wallingford’s most notable neighbours, currently farming about 3500 acres around our area, some of which is owned and some contract-farmed for other landowners. Philip Chamberlain is Chairman of the company and the third generation of the family who have been farming here since 1894. The farm is now managed by his two sons and the fourth generation have recently entered the family business. The farm has been a LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) Demonstration Farm since 1996.
The farm is an all-arable enterprise, growing wheat, barley, oil seed rape, beans and poppies, underpinned by sound crop rotations and a determined habitat creation scheme. Farming has evolved dramatically in recent years and the farm has pioneered use of satellite-guidance, soil and crop mapping to help fine tune management decisions.
Philip will talk about the risks and challenges of farming in a changing world and how farming is responding to the latest threats.
'Farming today and tomorrow – how to achieve sustainability'
Crowmarsh Battle Farms Ltd, Benson is one of Wallingford’s most notable neighbours, currently farming about 3500 acres around our area, some of which is owned and some contract-farmed for other landowners. Philip Chamberlain is Chairman of the company and the third generation of the family who have been farming here since 1894. The farm is now managed by his two sons and the fourth generation have recently entered the family business. The farm has been a LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) Demonstration Farm since 1996.
The farm is an all-arable enterprise, growing wheat, barley, oil seed rape, beans and poppies, underpinned by sound crop rotations and a determined habitat creation scheme. Farming has evolved dramatically in recent years and the farm has pioneered use of satellite-guidance, soil and crop mapping to help fine tune management decisions.
Philip will talk about the risks and challenges of farming in a changing world and how farming is responding to the latest threats.