Category: Talking History

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:42 — 18.0MB)

Season 2023 – Talk 02.1 – The Orient Express

In The Orient Express Margaret Denyer tells the story of this luxury train over the last 150 years.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Georges Nagelmackers :

Margaret starts by telling us about this Belgian civil engineer and businessman who travels to the United States where he experiences Pullman carriages and believes that there is a market for luxury trains in Europe. He founds a company in 1873 which becomes the legendary Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits.

In 1882 the first train composed completely of Wagon Lits carriages leaves Paris for Vienna.

James Allport:

We hear that he is the General Manager of the Midland Railway and invites George Pullman to Britain. They agree that Pullman will supply carriages built in his US works for use in England where a supplement will be charged.

In 1881 the first Pullman only train starts to run between London and Brighton and in 1933 it becomes the Brighton Belle.

The Orient Express gains popularity:

The early years of the 20th Century see the Orient Express start to become famous with Kings and Princes, the famous and the wealthy. The routes expand.

The First World War and after:

All services stop at the start of the war in August 1914. It ends in November 1918 with the Armistice where a Wagon Lits car is used for the ceremony in the forest at Compiègne.

Orient Express services restart but with changes to the routes. The trains can no longer travel through Germany and so the Simplon tunnel is used. The services become popular with the rich and famous again.

Listen to the podcast and hear Margaret tell the rest of the story including the decline of the service and its rebirth from the ashes.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:26 — 50.8MB)

Season 2023 – Talk 01 – The Portuguese Empire

In The Portuguese Empire Richard Thomas tells the story of Europe’s first, longest and also last Empire.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Voyages of Discovery:

Henry the Navigator is the key. He finances and sends explorers into the unknown. This is a time when perceived wisdom, or religion, believes that the earth is flat and if you go too far you fall off the end.

Some of his captains agreed, others went far into the Atlantic and found the currents that let them sail north and back home.

Brazil:

Go too far and you bump into Brazil! This leads to the Portuguese colonisation of Brazil. It also leads to the Treaty of Tordesillas where Portugal and Spain, supported by the Catholic Church, divide up the Americas.

Portugal receives Brazil and, to support it’s ambitions, becomes the largest player in the abominable Slave Trade.

Africa:

In the early days the Portuguese work with African countries such as Benin.

Later, in Angola and Mozambique there is no partnership. The indigenous inhabitants are treated as slaves, or worse. No long term investments are made leaving these countries in a poor position after their independence.

The end of Empire

Revolution in Africa leads to the repatriation of many settlers. Then there is  the surrender of Macau to China. The end of an Empire that lasted from 1415 to 1999!

Listen to the podcast and hear Richard tell the fascinating story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group and the Farnham u3a Medieval History Group.

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:14:07 — 67.9MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 20 – Robin Hood

In Robin Hood David Simpson tries to answer the question as to whether he is fact or fiction.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Who?

David tells us of a number of people who could have been the model of the legendary leader who robs the rich to give to the poor. These, either individually or as a group, may be the inspiration for the tales recounted by the Medieval balladeers.

Where?

This depends on the who because each of the people discussed above are from different parts of England. Maybe Yorkshire? Possibly the South East? Or even the South West. Sherwood Forest and Nottingham may be less likely as, apparently there has never been a Sheriff of Nottingham.

When?

Another problem is that the cast of possible players for the part of Robin inhabited different centuries. So which King? Richard I and John? Edward I, Edward II, Edward III? It all depends on the scoundrel you choose for the ‘Who‘.

The members of Robin’s backing group, The Merry Men, also influence the ‘When’ as, for example, Friars didn’t exist in the reign of Richard the Lionheart!

The story evolves:

In the early ballads there is tell of Robin as a yeoman, a few centuries later he morphs into an earl. By the time Walter Scott writes Ivanhoe the story evolves into something we, and Errol Flynn, are familiar with.

Listen to the podcast and hear David tell the fascinating story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group and the Farnham u3a Medieval History Group.

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music. Joseph McDade licences The Tavern for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:25 — 43.4MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 19 – 19th Century Colonialism – did the National Trust get it right?

In 19th Century Colonialism – did the National Trust get it right? Peter Duffy discusses how the spread of the ‘Anglo’ communities was different to previous centuries.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

His own experience:

He tells us that as a young boy, he and his brother left England to live with his Aunt in Canada because a German invasion was expected at any time.

We learn about their journey to Regina. First across the Atlantic, where they were in the charge of a family friend, followed by a train, in the charge of the guard. The train journey takes some days with Peter having happy memories of meals in the Dining Car.

In Regina:

In 1940 Regina is already a large city. It also houses the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Peter’s aunt is married to a retired Mountie.

We hear that the two brothers sang the Canadian National Anthem every morning in school with Saturday mornings reserved for the Cinema!

Rudyard Kipling:

Many people associate Rudyard Kipling with the Empire however they often forget his writings about the US and Canada. Peter tells us about the book  Captains Courageous which recounts the adventures of 15 year old Harvey Cheyne Jron and life on the Grand Banks fisheries.

He falls from a ship and is saved by a fisherman. When he finally reaches shore his parents race across the US by train to be reunited with him.

Emigration from poverty:

Peter tells us that many of the people who emigrated from the British Isles did so to escape extreme poverty. He tells us about the vast numbers who set off for a new life in the 19th Century.

Listen to the podcast and hear Peter tell the full story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not always possible to use all of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:10 — 29.5MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 18 – Tea in Literature

In Tea in Literature Sue Willson talks about the use of tea in novels over the past couple of centuries.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Morse:

Sue’s first story isn’t from a book, instead she looks at the Morse episode ‘Twilight of the Gods’. She isn’t sure whether the issue over the ‘Senior Tea’ is in the book however she notes that it gives John Gielgud a wonderful moment when he insists that it must go on.

Sue is breaking the rule that she always used when teaching – use the book not the film / television series in your answer!

Sandition:

Sue then tells us about Sandition, the unfinished novel by Jane Austen. We hear that Austen uses ‘tea parties’ to great effect and that this novel is no exception. They provide an opportunity to explore relationships, set scenes and explain issues between people.

There is the scene where two of the characters often believe themselves ill and so take many cures. At tea there are several teapots on the tray because they drink different types of tea for their different medical complaints.

Middlemarch:

Middlemarch dates from 1871, but is set in 1831/2.  The time of the Reform Act and early passenger railways.

Here a tea drinking episode shows a crucial turning point in the marriage of a doctor and his wife. There are growing debts because of her desire for a posh house and possessions whilst he is setting up his practice.

She calls for tea, and so he has to sit down and talk. He tells her that they’re seriously short of money. Her response is ‘what can I do’? She’s not prepared to economise and does not expect to suffer any inconveniences at all.

Cranford:

Towards the end of Cranford Miss Matty, one of the main characters, is impoverished due to the failure of her bank. Her friends suggest that she should sell tea to earn a little money as this is a gentile occupation. She agrees and opens a tea shop.

Sue also tells us about the ‘Mad Tea Party’ in Alice in Wonderland and the importance of taking tea in L P Harley’s ‘Go Between’ which contrasts ‘taking tea’ in the class system of 1900 Britain.

Listen to the podcast and hear Sue recount the full stories.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not always possible to use all of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:37 — 22.5MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 17 – Being Left Handed in History

In Being Left Handed in History Margaret Denyer tells us about the trials and tribulations of left handed people throughout history.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Introduction:

Margaret is a ‘leftie’ herself and that drives her interest in this topic. She tells us that it isn’t easy to identify left handed people in history because there are no indisputable records. The paintings of historical people are not always truthful.

Research shows that lefthanders make up 10% of the population but 20% of Mensa members.

People are made to write with their right hand until well into the 20th Century!

In history:

In the time of early ‘man’ research suggests a slight right handed majority with around 56% chiselling right handed.

History frowns on Left handers. Language, civilisation and beliefs give us clues. Ancient language has words for ‘Right’ but not for ‘Left’. A taboo?

‘Right’ also means correct and fair whereas ‘Left’ is sinister, unlucky, clumsy and treacherous. The ‘Right hand of the Gods’ is for healing and good whereas the left is for curses!

Medieval Europe accuses left handed people of witchcraft and consorting with the devil. Paintings of Joan of Arc show her as left handed. Are they true? In some societies left handed women might not be able to marry.

Tools and Machines:

Many tools and machines suit right handed people. In the hands of a left handed person they can be dangerous to both the user and those around them.

Education:

For many years education has a bias towards right handed people. Sometimes teachers tie a school child’s left hand to the back of the chair to force them to write with their right hand. The inkwell in the desk is also on the right making it difficult to write with the left hand.

Listen to the podcast and hear Margaret tell the full story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not always possible to use all of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:36 — 28.9MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 15 – Thomas Lipton

In Thomas Lipton we hear the second of Jo Watson’s talks with the theme ‘some inherit wealth, others create their own fortunes’. Thomas Lipton is a classic story of a ‘self made man’.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Family and early years:

The Liptons were longstanding smallholders in County Fermanagh. In the late 1840s Thomas Lipton’s parents leave Ireland because of the Great Famine of 1845. They move to Scotland and, by 1847, settle in Glasgow.

Thomas Lipton is born in a poor area of the city on 10 May 1848. His  siblings, three brothers and one sister, all die in infancy, but Thomas, the youngest, survives.

He goes to St Andrew’s Parish School close to Glasgow Green between 1853 and 1863. By the early 1860s his parents own a shop at 11 Crown Street in the Gorbals selling ham, butter and eggs. Thomas leaves school aged thirteen so that he can supplement his parents’ limited income. He finds work as a printer’s errand boy, then later as a shirt cutter.

America:

In 1864 Lipton becomes a cabin boy on a steamer sailing between Glasgow and Belfast. He purchases passage on a ship bound for the U.S.

Lipton spends five years working and travelling all over the country. He works at a tobacco plantation in Virginia, as an accountant and book-keeper at a rice plantation in South Carolina, a door-to-door salesman in New Orleans, a farmhand in New Jersey, and finally as a grocery assistant in New York.

It is in the US that he learns the power of advertising.

Building his business:

He returns to Glasgow in 1870 and initially helps his parents in their small shop in the Gorbals. In 1871 he opens his first shop — Lipton’s Market. It is very successful and he establishes a chain of grocery shops. First across Glasgow, then the rest of Scotland, until he has stores throughout Britain.

In 1880 Lipton invests in stockyards in Omaha, Nebraska and opens a large packing plant in South Omaha. He enters the tea trade in 1888, bypassing the traditional trading and wholesale distribution channels, selling teas at low prices.

Lipton visits British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1890 and, with James Taylor, develops the tea industry in the country. He establishes the Lipton tea brand which becomes a market leader in the US.

Sportsman:

He is interested in yachting and between 1899 and 1930 challenges the American holders of the America’s Cup five times. His yachts are all called Shamrock, running to Shamrock V. Sadly he is unsuccessful but is presented with a specially designed cup for ‘the best of all losers’. This helps make his tea famous in the United States.

He also sponsors a number of sports awards, many in the countries where his company operates.

Listen to the podcast and hear Jo tell the full story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not possible to use some of the images from the original talks for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:59 — 24.7MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 14 – Waldorf Astor

In Waldorf Astor we hear the first of Jo Watson’s talks with the theme ‘some inherit wealth, others create their own fortunes’. Waldorf Astor is from one of the wealthiest families in the world.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Family:

John Jacob Astor moves from Germany to America. He is a businessman, merchant, real estate mogul, and investor who makes his fortune in the fur trade and by investing in real estate, in and around New York. He is the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States.

His grandson is William Waldorf “Willy” Astor has American and British nationality. He is an attorney, politician, businessman (hotels and newspapers) and philanthropist.

He moves to Britain in 1891, becomes a British subject in 1899, becomes Baron Astor in 1916 and Viscount Astor in 1917 because of his contributions to war charities.

Waldorf Astor:

Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor, is was an American-born English politician and newspaper proprietor and  a member of the Astor family.

In 1905, while returning to Britain across the Atlantic, he meets and falls for Nancy Langhorne Shaw, a divorced mother. They have a short courtship and marry in May 1906.

Waldorf’s father gives them the Sancy diamond and the estate at Cliveden, as wedding presents. Nancy redecorates and modernises Cliveden by installing electricity.

Politics:

Nancy encourages him to go into politics. He is elected as member for the borough of Plymouth in the December 1010. The constituency is abolished in 1918 and he moves to Plymouth Sutton.

Although he is a Unionist he acts independently by supporting both the “People’s Budget” and the National Insurance Act of 1911.

The House of Lords:

In 1916 his father, William Waldorf Astor, becomes Viscount Astor. His father dies in October 1919 and Waldorf becomes the 2nd Viscount Astor even though he tries to disclaim the title.

Because he is a member of the House of Lords he has to resign his seat his seat in the House of Commons. Nancy wins the seat in the election who becomes the second woman elected to the House of Commons.

She is the first woman to take her seat in the House because Constance Markievicz is a member Sinn Féin. Nancy retains the seat until she steps down in the 1945 general election. Jo Watson tells the story of these two political ladies here.

Later life:

Waldorf turns to charitable causes, becoming a governor of the Peabody Trust and Guy’s Hospital. He is also a considerable benefactor to the city of Plymouth, and serves as its Lord Mayor from 1939 to 1944. 

Listen to the podcast and hear Jo tell the full story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not possible to use some of the images from the original talks for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:12:36 — 66.5MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 13 – The East India Company

In The East India Company Alan Freeland explains why he believes that the company was so important for Britain.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Foundation:

The company is founded in 1600, under a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth 1, to trade in the Indian Ocean area. They take this to be anywhere east of the Cape of Good Hope!

The company isn’t the first European company to trade in this area as the Dutch and Portuguese have been there for some years.

The initial charter is for 15 years giving the company a monopoly on trade with England.

Early voyages to the Indies:

Sir James Lancaster commands the first voyage in 1601 aboard the Red Dragon. In 1602, whilst in the Malacca Straits he takes the 1,200 ton Portuguese carrack Sao Thome carrying pepper and spices. This enables the voyagers to set up two ‘factories‘.

On their return to England, in 1603, they learn of Elizabeth’s death. Lancaster is knighted by  James I because of the voyage’s success. The company has profitably breached the Spanish-Portuguese duopoly and new horizons open.

Charter renewed:

James I renews the East India Company’s charter for an indefinite period in 1609, however if trade is unprofitable for three consecutive years it will be annulled.

In 1615, James I instructs Sir Thomas Roe to visit the Mughal Emperor Nur-ud-din Salim Jahangir to negotiate a commercial treaty giving the company exclusive rights in Surat and other areas.  This mission is highly successful!

The Dutch:

The company successfully expands and receives trading rights in other parts of India. The major competitors are the Dutch because they oust the Portuguese in 1640/41 to have a monopoly of the spice trade in the Straits of Malacca.

Because of the intense competition between the East India Company and the Dutch East India Company or Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, (VOC) there are the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th and 18th centuries.

In the early 17th century, the Dutch East India Company is the world’s wealthiest commercial operation giving its shareholders 40% annual dividend.

Absorbed by the British Government:

The government sees the company as a good source of tax and fee revenue. When the company falls on hard times the Government, over a number of years, takes control of the company and creates the Imperial Raj.

Listen to the podcast and hear Alan tell the full story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not possible to use some of the images from the original talks for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:27 — 53.5MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 12 – 5 Villains from History

In 5 Villains from History our five speakers explain the villany of these characters who are responsible for many deaths, often in unpleasant ways.

Warning: the details may be upsetting to some.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Vlad III:

In the first part of this talk Jenny Staple tells us about Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Impaler because of his favoured method of execution. He is also known as Vlad Dracula.

Vlad was Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476/77. He is often considered one of the most important rulers in Wallachian history and a national hero of Romania.

He is the second son of Vlad Dracul, ruler of Wallachia from 1436 to 1447. The Ottomans hold Vlad and his younger brother, Radu, as hostages to secure their father’s loyalty.

Vlad’s father and eldest brother are murdered in 1447. Vlad replaces his second cousin as Voivode in 1448 and exacts revenge on his enemies.

Che Guevara:

A hero to the poor and oppressed but a villain to big business and the US. A doctor, a terrorist or, depending on your view, a freedom fighter. An image on millions of T shirts. You choose.

Ian Wallace weaves the fascinating story of Che, his travels and his activities to foment revolution.

Idi Amin:

Michael A’Bear tells the story of Idi Amin, a man he describes as a ‘rotter’. People believe that he was born around 1925, however no none is sure of the exact date.

Michael tells us that his father abandoned the family after naming his son after himself. The young Amin grows up with his mother’s family in a farming area.

He joins the Kings African Rifles as an assistant cook in 1946 and, by 1952, becomes a Corporal. In Michael’s opinion he should have remained a Corporal!

He falsely claims to have served in Burma in the Second World War. By July 1961 he has risen to be a Lieutenant, one of Uganda’s first two commissioned officers. When Uganda becomes independent in 1962 his rise through the ranks continues.

One officer says of him ‘Idi Amin is a splendid type and a good rugby player, but virtually bone from the neck up, and needs things explained in words of one letter’.  Unfortunately he seizes power in a military coup and becomes a military dictator. Estimates of the number killed by his regime vary between 300,000 and 500,000.

Mao Zedong:

Another person where people have ‘Marmite‘ views. The China of Mao’s youth is ruled by a corrupt dynastic aristocracy and warlords and so the majority of citizens count for nothing.

In 1921 Mao becomes a founder member of the Chinese Communist Party and over the years works his way up the hierarchy. He suffers a number of rebuffs but is always proven right.

In 1934 he leads the Communists on the Long March to North West China. On 1 October 1949 Mao announces the formation of the People’s Republic of China which he leads as Chairman until 1976. Alan Freeland explains all!

James Warren Jones:

A Vicar, a supposed ‘man of God’, a person who persuades his followers to take poison in a mass murder/suicide and one who says ‘I was ready to kill by the third grade’.

Jones forms a religious cult where his followers must give up their assets and do as he instructs. He is in contact with some powerful people in the US, including Walter Mondale, J Edgar Hoover and Rosalynn Carter.

The cult moves to Jonestown in Guyana. Following a fact finding visit in 1978, Congressman Leo Ryan and four others are shot by Jonestown’s Red Brigade. The residents of Jonestown drink Flavor Aid laced with a number of sedatives and cyanide.

Listen to the podcast and hear our five speakers tell the story of these ‘5 Villains from History’. Then decide who to save!

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not possible to use some of the images from the original talks for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:13:49 — 67.6MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 11 – John Churchill – the First Duke of Marlborough

In John Churchill – the First Duke of Marlborough David Simpson explains why many believe that he was Britain’s greatest general.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Childhood:

He is the second, and surviving, son of the first Sir Winston Churchill. His father backs the Royalists in the Civil War and has to pay a large fine. The family has little money. Their mother in law takes the family in although she is a staunch Parliamentarian!

The Restoration sees Winston becoming Member of Parliament for Weymouth and John’s eldest sister, Arabella, becomes maid of honour to the Duke of York’s wife. Arabella begins an affair with James, Duke of York which results in four children.

John becomes a page to the Duke and the becomes an Ensign in the Foot Guards.

Youth:

John (allegedly) has an affair with Barbara Villiers, an ex-mistress of Charles II. It is possible that a child results from the affair but John never acknowledges this. John is getting to have powerful contacts.

Military career:

Churchill becomes a Captain in the Duke of York’s Admiralty Regiment. This is part of the British Brigade under the command of the Duke of Monmouth, an illegitimate son of Charles II.

We hear of Churchill’s part in the abdication of King James II, his famous victories,  his difficult relationships with William and Mary, Queen Anne and George I.

Britain’s greatest general:

David concludes by giving his reasons as to why he, and many other historians, rate John Churchill, the First Duke of Marlborough, as Britain’s greatest general.

Listen to the podcast and hear David Simpson tell the full story of this great General.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group. Unfortunately there is, in places, some background noise from a keep fit class in another room in Farnham Maltings.

It is not possible to use some of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 50:42 — 46.4MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 10 – The Hanseatic League

In The Hanseatic League Richard Thomas tells us the amazing story of this operation which controlled much of the trade between northern European countries from the late 13th to the late 17th Century.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Introduction:

The Northern Crusades lead to the Germans settling in and controlling the southern Baltic in the second half of the 12th Century. At this time the Holy Roman Empire is very powerful.

England, Denmark and Sweden are developing as ‘nation states’ at the same time.

Trade is badly affected in the mid 14th Century because the Black Death kills 30% of the population in northern Europe.

The Renaissance begins in Italy and spreads, because of the trading relationships, across Europe. This is a period where the Arts and Sciences flourish. From 1440 ideas circulate even faster because printing is born and paper becomes important.

It is a time of great exploration as Columbus discovers the ‘New World’ and Vasco da Gama reaches India.

The Holy Roman Empire is powerful but it has to contend with Martin Luther and free thinking.

Lubeck:

Known as the ‘Queen of the Hansa’ because Lubeck is the heart of the whole trading organisation. In 1226 it becomes a free imperial city under the Holy Roman Empire. This base for merchants develops the trade in Baltic herring and salt.

Other cities join with Lubeck through alliances and German merchants spread to Russia, England and Poland.

London:

The city becomes a major clearing house, or Kontor, when the Hansa is granted trading privileges in 1266. These exempt the Hansa from duties and taxes. The ‘Steelyard‘, their London base, is established in 1282. It is a walled enclave of about 1.3 acres with all the buildings they need for their activities. Their warehouses are on the edge of the Thames.

Nothing of the original Steelyard exists today because it burns to the ground in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Canon Street station is above the site and a nightclub, called the Steelyard, is in the railway arches under the station.

Decline:

From the 16th Century the Hansa started to decline because of many factors. These include the Ottomans taking Constantinople, the herring stocks moving from the Baltic to the North Sea and the growth of stronger ‘nation states’ wanting their own trade agreements.

Listen to the podcast and hear Richard Thomas tell the full story of this great trading organisation.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group. It is not possible to use many of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:04 — 26.6MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 09 – Inclosure

Inclosure – or in today’s spelling Enclosure – is a talk where Gillian Devine tells us about the effects of Inclosure on society. She takes the example of the Inclosure of parts of the Manor of Farnham.

What does ‘Inclosure’ mean?

Inclosure is the process where land that had previously been open to anyone became private property. It includes fencing the land, using walls and hedges to create private estates.

The ‘peasants’ farmed strips of land for centuries, Inclosure collects these together and removes the ‘peasants’ from the land.

The Board of Agriculture:

In the 1790s the Board of Agriculture sends surveyors out across the country to survey the wasteland, or common land. When they survey Frensham they do not see it as a place where you can make a living through cultivation because their report states that it is sandy soil with loamy spots.

Act of Parliament:

Inclosure requires an act of Parliament. For many years Inclosure proposals from across the country are bundled up in annual Inclosure Parliamentary business.

The owners of one third of the land proposed for enclosure are required before a proposal can be made.

Some of the land proposed  can be sold to cover the costs of the process, because of this 800m acres are offered for sale at an auction in Farnham.

The National Trust:

We are lucky that much of the land covered by the Farnham Inclosure is now owned by the National Trust and we can walk across Frensham Common and Ponds, and the Devils Punchbowl at Hindhead. Of course these commons are not common land because the National Trust owns them.

Listen to the podcast and hear Gillian Devine tell the full story the effect on the inhabitants of the Farnham Manor.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group. It is not possible to use many of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:28 — 38.0MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 08 – Farnham in the Civil War

In Farnham in the Civil War Pam Taylor tells why Farnham was of significant importance during the first English Civil War.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

At the crossing of two major roads:

The first of the roads is the North / South route running from Southampton to London via Bagshot and crossing the river at Staines.

The other is the East / West North Downs Trackway running from the Kent coast to the Wiltshire downlands via Winchester.

Because it is at the junction of two roads Farnham is a good place to station troops.

A wealthy town:

Farnham had grown wealthy on the wool trade but by the mid-1620s this trade was in decline. Because of this some were turning to growing hops and others becoming corn merchants.

Farnham Castle:

Parts of the castle are nearly 900 years old and, at the time of the Civil War, were already 500 years old!

In 1138 Henry of Blois, the Bishop of Winchester, founds the castle. For many centuries it is a residence for the Bishops of Winchester. In medieval times the diocese of Winchester is the richest in England.

In November 1642 Sir John Denham and a Royalist force take control of the castle. On 1st December a Parliamentarian force under Sir William Waller storms and takes the castle. The castle was well provisioned with 300 sheep, 100 oxen and other food along with arms and ammunition which Waller takes as well as the castle.

Later  in the war the Castle is made ‘indefensible’.

The garrison:

Troops are garrisoned in Farnham and they take part in a number of military actions in the such as the three assaults on Basing House and the Battle of Cheriton.

Listen to the podcast and hear Pam Taylor tell the full story of these actions and the effect of the war on the townsfolk of Farnham.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group. It is not possible to use many of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 42:27 — 38.9MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 07 – The Real American Indians

In The Real American Indians Alan Bridgman tells us how the Native Americans were persecuted and driven from their lands because of the greed of the white settlers in the 19th century.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Black Kettle of the Cheyenne:

A prominent leader of the southern Cheyenne during the American Indian Wars. He’s a pragmatist, believing that U.S. military power and the number of immigrants are overwhelming. In 1861 he  surrenders to the commander of Fort Lyon under the highly unfavourable Treaty of Fort Wise. He believes that he can gain protection for his people.

Black Kettle also visits Washington where he receives a large American flag from President Abraham Lincoln.

He is remembered as a peacemaker who accepts treaties with the government in order to protect his people. On November 27, 1868, he attempts to escape from the Battle of Washita River with his wife, and is shot and killed by soldiers of the 7th Cavalry.

Red Cloud of the Oglala Sioux:

From 1868 to 1909 he’s one of the most important leaders of the Oglala Lakota. He’s also one of the most capable Native American opponents facing the United States Army in the western territories, defeating the United States during Red Cloud’s War. The largest action of the war is the Fetterman Fight and because 81 US soldiers die it is the worst military defeat for US Army on the Great Plains until the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

The Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868), results in Red Cloud leading his people  to reservation life. He dies on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1909 aged 87. In old age he says ‘They made us many promises, more than I can remember. But they kept but one – They promised to take our land … and they took it’.

Nicaagat of the White River Utes:

As a boy he is an orphan, because of this a Mormon family buys him. He goes to school with white children and attends church with the family.

After a few years he runs away after a threat to whip him. He travels to Colorado and joins the White River Utes and marries a young woman from the tribe. Nicaagat becomes a leader to the younger men and scouts for General George Crook during the Sioux Wars of 1876 and 1877.

He warns Major Thomas Tipton Thornburgh that crossing the Milk Creek onto the White River Ute reservation would be seen as an invasion and an act of war. The army enters the reservation and a shooter from Nicaagat’s band shoots and kills Thornburgh.

The US forces:

Whilst many in the US forces treat the Native Americans cruelly there are exceptions, such as General George Crook, who speaks on behalf of the Ponca tribe in the case Standing Bear v Crook. In this case the judge asserts that Standing Bear has some of the rights of US Citizens.

Listen to the podcast and hear the full story from Alan Bridgman.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:24 — 53.5MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 04 – Six Inventors

In Six Inventors, six members of the Farnham u3a World History Group tell us the stories of six amazing people.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Jethro Tull:

Lorna Thomas tells us the fascinating story of Jethro Tull, an English agriculturist. He is born in 1674 in Berkshire.

Jethro trains as a lawyer although he never practices. He is famed for his work during the 18th century British Agricultural Revolution because he perfects a horse-drawn seed drill in 1701. This drill economically sows seeds in neat rows. Later he develops a horse-drawn hoe. These are adopted by many landowners and help to improve agricultural yields.

Mary Elizabeth Anderson:

Next time you are in a car on a wet day you’ll thank Mary Elizabeth Anderson because she invented the windscreen wiper. The story is fascinating and Margaret Denyer tells us about the problems she encounters trying to get someone to buy her idea.

Dame Sarah Gilbert:

Gillian Devine brings us up to date telling us about Dame Sarah Gilbert who leads the team that has developed the Oxford-Astra Zeneca Covid 19 vaccine.

We hear about how development started from work being carried out on malaria vaccines and learn about the accelerated programme to get approval for the vaccine.

Joseph Bramah:

Adrian Martin tells us about this ‘serial’ inventor who is born in April 1748 near Barnsley. We hear about his brilliance is in finding solutions to problems.

He gains patents for a wide range of different applications such as toilets, locks, beer pumps and hydraulic equipment.

Bartolomeo Cristofori:

Jacky Protheroe tells us the story of the inventor of the piano. Cristofori, born in Padua in May 1665, joins Prince Ferdinando de Medici’s team in 1688 where he takes care of the prince’s many musical instruments. Ferdinando loves, and is a patron of, music.

He also works on innovations for musical instruments and develops the first pianos. One of his first pianos is in the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

Charles Goodyear:

Jo Watson tells us about this American self taught chemist and manufacturing engineer. He is fascinated by rubber and after much trial and error develops a process to make vulcanized rubber.

Sadly he is not a good businessman and he doesn’t receive the income that you would expect and he and his family suffer many years of poverty.

The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company is named after him although there has never been any family connection.

Listen to the podcast and hear the full story about these six inventors.

Please note:

This podcast is recording from a talk given over the internet.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:28 — 48.0MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 03 – No one expects…

In the talk  No one expects… the story of three Bishops, Peter Duffy tells us about how the English Protestant Reformation affected the lives of three Bishops.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Henry VIII:

Henry grows tired of Catherine of Aragon who, after nearly 24 years of marriage, has only borne a daughter, Mary. He wants his marriage to be annulled.

The Pope refuses to annul the marriage. This leads stress! Thomas Cranmer becomes involved, as does Reginald Pole. Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, supports Henry and rules the marriage null and void. This has the effect of making Mary illegitimate.

The split with Rome leads to the formation of the Church of England.

Reginald Pole, who is a distant relative of Henry as well as being a senior Catholic Bishop, does not agree that the annulment is valid.

Edward VI:

Few religious reforms happened during the reign of Henry, however his son, Edward allows Cranmer to make major reforms. These reforms strengthen the Protestant cause and weaken the Catholic one.

Cranmer compiles the first two editions of the Book of Common Prayer, a complete liturgy for the English Church. Several Continental reformers assist him in changing the doctrine in areas such as the Eucharist, clerical celibacy, the role of images in places of worship, and the veneration of saints.

Unfortunately for Cranmer, Edward’s reign is short because he dies of tuberculosis.

Mary I:

Cranmer is still Archbishop when Mary ascends the throne. He is on borrowed time because she believes he made her illegitimate. She is a Catholic and intends to bring England back to the Catholic Church.

She marries Philip of Spain and Pole returns to England as Papal Legate. Pole becomes Archbishop of Canterbury in place of Cranmer.

Cranmer is put on trial for treason in 1553 and found guilty. He is also tried for heresy and moved to Oxford where he is burnt at the stake on 21 March 1556.

Pope Paul IV:

The Pope dislikes Catholic Humanism such as promoted by Pole. He recalls him to Rome but Mary refuses to send him. He becomes ill and dies only 12 hours after Mary on 17 November 1558.

Bartolomé de Carranza:

Our final Bishop acts as confessor to Mary, becomes Archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain. After two years the Inquisition imprison him for heresy.

Listen to the podcast and hear Peter tell the full story about the three Bishops.

Please note:

This podcast is recording from the internet.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:27 — 43.4MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 02 – Samuel Pepys

In the talk  Samuel Pepys Judith Edge tells about one of her heroes, a man who lived through many perils in his 70 years.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Perilous times:

Judith tells us about the perils that stood waiting for people in the 17th Century. In the case of Samuel Pepys there are more perils than for an ordinary person.

Childhood:

Childbirth is very dangerous in the 1630s as many mothers die giving birth or soon after. A child that survives birth may not have a long life. Pepys has 10 brothers and sisters but only three live to adulthood.

Civil War:

This is the time of the English Civil War. London is for the ‘Parliamentarians’ (Roundheads) and so fortifications are built around the city. Today few people know about them or where they are.

Illness:

For many years Pepys suffers great pain from bladder stones. This is a time when surgery is extremely dangerous. There are no anaesthetics, its before people understand the need to sterilise surgical implements, before the detailed medical knowledge and care that exists today.

To undergo a major operation means that one is in great pain and desperate because there is a great risk of a painful death. Luckily Pepys survives the operation.

Pestilence:

At this time the poor live crowded together and there is basic, at best, sanitation and because of this London is overrun with rats. In 1665 the rats bring the plague. There are regular plague outbreaks but this one is much worse than usual. Even though there is the plague, Pepys reports that this is one of the best years of her life!

The Great Fire of London:

Much of our knowledge of the Great Fire in 1666 comes from Pepys diary. He is at the heart of the action taken to stop the fire.

He is rowed down the Thames to warn the King of the danger. Later he arranges for sailors to help with the demolition of buildings to create fire breaks.

His home is safe!

Politics and plots:

In the 16th and 17th Centuries people in public life often have enemies and, because Pepys is so tolerant of others, he falls foul of the ‘Exclusionists’. They want to rid England of the chance of a Roman Catholic King and a return to Catholicism. The Earl of Shaftesbury and Titus Oates are amongst the plotters.

Prison:

A dangerous place for both evil deeds and sickness. In 1679 Pepys spends some months in the Tower of London because of trumped up charges.

Listen to the podcast and hear Judith tell the full story.

Please note:

This podcast is a recording of a talk given remotely over the internet.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:45 — 52.0MB)

Season 2022 – Talk 01 – Tea – The Cup that Cheers

In the talk  Tea – The Cup that Cheers Richard Thomas takes us through the political economy of tea over the last few hundred years.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Types of tea:

We hear that tea first came from China. Apparently there is a record of the date when it was first identified. As Richard says, this is so accurate as to be unbelievable.

Indian tea becomes popular in the 19th Century. Ceylon also starts to produce tea when Thomas Lipton invests heavily in the crop.

More recently Kenya becomes a major tea producer.

Samuel Pepys:

Pepys is a committed tea drinker even though, in 1660, it is taxed at twice the rate of coffee. He writes ‘no person enjoyed with more relish the infusion of that fragrant leaf’.

It also has Royal patronage because Catherine de Braganza marries Charles II in 1662 and becomes England’s first tea drinking Queen.

Medical benefits:

It is initially sold as a medicine. Apparently it ‘clears obstructions’, ‘good for colds’, ‘helps headaches’ and ‘strengthens the memory’! It is also suggested that it slows cognitive decline. It’s a wonder cure!

John Wesley:

For many years Wesley is a fervent tea drinker. In 1746 he gives up tea because it is ‘harmful to health, wasteful and sinful’. He saves £50 a year because he is no longer buying the highly taxed product.

After 14 years he starts drinking it again because doctors advise him to and he has a large Wedgwood teapot made.

On the other hand…..

William Cobbett, a famed son of Farnham, claims that it is ‘a destroyer of health’, an ‘enfeebler of the frame’,  ‘an engenderer of effeminacy’, ‘a debaucher of youth’  and ‘a maker of misery in old age’. He argues that beer is more nutritious and cheaper!

Listen to the podcast and hear Richard tell the full story.

Please note:

This podcast is a recording of a talk given remotely over the internet.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2022

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:15:48 — 69.4MB)

Season 2021 – Talk 20 – King Arthur – Fact or Myth?

In the talk  King Arthur – Fact or Myth? David Simpson analyses the case for King Arthur, his legend and also the evidence against him.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Battles against the Saxon invaders:

King Arthur was a legendary Celtic Briton who, according to legend, led the Celtic Britons in battles against the Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries.

The departure of the Romans left a power vacuum and a (probably) unprepared population. In this period there are many battles to contain the Saxon invasion. To this day there are questions as as to the exact locations of these battles because the early historians omitted the details.

Historia Regia Britanniae:

The popularity of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s twelfth century work Historia Regum Britanniae did much to develop interest in the legend of Arthur. There are also earlier Welsh and Breton tales and poems where Arthur appears as a great warrior. He defends Britain from both human and supernatural enemies. Others state that he is a a magical figure of folklore.

Geoffrey completed the Historia in 1138 but how much was adapted from earlier sources and how much was invented by Geoffrey is unknown.

In latter years Geoffrey’s version has often served as a starting point for later stories. These talk of Arthur as a king of Britain who defeats the Saxons. Geoffrey’s Historia gives us Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon, Merlin, Guinevere – Arthur’s wife, Excalibur, Tintagel, his final battle and  final rest in Avalon.

The facts:

The Anglo Saxons did suffer reversals in their invasion of Britain between 500 and 550. There were many battles during these years and the Battle of Badon Hill is believed to have been a decisive factor in stalling the Saxon advances. But as to where it took place and when it was is, as David describes, a matter of conjecture!

Listen to the podcast and hear David tell the full story of his research and also his heartfelt hope about Arthur.

Please note:

This podcast is a recording of a talk given remotely over the internet. In places the speech quality is variable, however I have tried to ensure that it can be understood all the way through.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History and Medieval History Groups.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History and Medieval History Groups 2018 – 2022