Talks are held on the last Friday afternoon of the month in January, February, March, September, October and November at the Methodist Church Hall, Station Approach, Solihull starting at 2.00pm.
Admission is £4.00 for Solihull Centre Members and £5.50 for visitors or guests of members including tea or coffee in the interval.
Parking is limited at the hall, but three hours free parking is available at Tudor Grange Leisure Centre - a valid ticket must be displayed.
Friday 27 January 2023
Beer, Bets and Bull Bating
Mary Bodfish
Our forebears revelled in bull baiting, cock fighting, boxing matches and abominable drunkenness, especially in the Black Country. The boozy bloody amusements of the working classes rose and fell – and something of them remains today.
Mary’s talk is fully illustrated. She is a founder member of the Smethwick Local History Society and has taught local history research and palaeography for the University of Birmingham’s School of Continuing Studies.
Friday 24 February 2023
Archives at Baddesley Clinton - an update
Olivia Barnwell
Today we will welcome Olivia Barnwell, NT Collections and House Manager at Packwood and Baddesley Clinton, to give us an update regarding archives at Baddesley Clinton.
Some of the archives found in attics at Baddesley are in the process of being documented by volunteers. Some of the documents found date back to the seventeenth century. Contents and letters are on subjects as diverse as marriage licenses and the Boston Tea Party.
Friday 31 March 202
A Man of Many Words
Sue Bray
Dr Samuel Johnson was an English writer who was arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history.
Dr Johnson was born in Lichfield, where there is a most interesting birthplace museum and bookshop. One of his most famous achievements was his ‘A Dictionary of the English Language’.in 1755.
Sue Bray is from the Birthplace Museum and will speak about his life and achievements.
Friday 29 September 2023
The Divine Beauty Project – an Update
Jane McArdle
The Divine Beauty project is the project for the restoration of the windows at Birmingham Cathedral. The Cathedral has four wonderful Pre-Raphaelite stained-glass windows by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris. The windows are some of the most exceptional in the world. We have previously had a talk from Jane regarding the Divine Beauty Project and we have also visited the Cathedral as a group. Now four years later Jane will give us an update on the progress of the project.
October 2023
Gardening for Wildlife
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
Check back here soon for further details!
November 2023
Local Railways before Beeching
Philip Jarvis
Check back here soon for further details!