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.
Talks Programme Visit - Tuesday 4 June
STAUNTON HAROLD CHURCH (NT), FERRERS CENTRE and STONEYWELL (NT)
For this outing to Leicestershire, we have a double-bill of National Trust properties. After a short comfort stop, we start with a guided tour (charge included) of the imposing 17th century Staunton Harold Church. This is one of the very few churches in the care of the Trust, and is noted for its box pews and fine panelling. After a lunch break at the nearby Ferrers Centre, we drive to Stoneywell, an Arts & Crafts cottage. Passed to the National Trust in 2012, it had been designed and owned by members of just one family. This is reflected in its charming, if quirky, rooms filled with original furniture and family treasures. Built on a rocky outcrop, members may have seen the delightful gardens in the first series of BBC 1’s ‘Make it to Market’. There is also a small tearoom providing light refreshment.
Cost: £33.50
If you are interested in joining this trip, please enquire using the form on the Contacts page.
Friday 27 September
Packwood Gardens – an Update
Abby Gulliver
Packwood – a house to dream of , a garden to dream in.
Abby is the new Head Gardener at Packwood House, following on from Mick Evans. Abby will be outlining her plans and thoughts for the further development of the gardens at Packwood.
Friday 25 October
Forging Ahead – How we Made a Black Country Town
Nadia Awal
Nadia is a researcher at the Black Country Living Museum (BCLM). The BCLM is an open-air museum which tells the story of the industrialisation of the Black Country. Following a grant from the National Lottery fund, the Forging Ahead project will allow the museum to tell the story of the Black Country right up to 1968 when the Baggeridge Coal Mine closed. Nadia will be telling us how a town was created on the museum site, recreating and relocating actual historic buildings such as pubs, butchers and music shops.
Friday 29 November
Morecambe & Wise – a History
Andrew French
Andrew has visited us once already when he gave us a most interesting talk about Billy Butlin. Novembers’ talk will be about the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise. Andrew will not concentrate on the latter years of the double act, but will give more insight into their earlier years and the development of their act and relationship.