Celebrating our Visitors and our Visits
Highlights of this season pivot round special visitors. Dr Helen Castor, presenter of History programmes on BBC television and radio, gave a special lecture in memory of Julia Walsh who had revitalised this branch. ‘She-Wolves Revisited: Queens and Power in Medieval and Tudor England’ was a fascinating survey of the vulnerability of each of these royal women, from Matilda, daughter of Henry 1 to Elizabeth 1, and their individual determination to either gain or keep royal authority. This commemorative lecture was a ‘star addition’ to our published programme. Held on Saturday midday 1st December, we met at the University in the Canham Turner Building, and were able to welcome some of Julia’s friends as well as our members.
Support from the University History department has been crucial over many years: not only the help from various Presidents, but from many departmental staff. Dr.Tracy Borman, when speaking to us in February on Henry V111, paid tribute to the University history department for being so supportive during her BA and PhD research studies. We benefited from her excellent lecture on the significant men who shaped Henry throughout his life. Over 50 people attended. The sales of her books testified to the enthusiastic reception for this lecture.
This Association has fewer than 40 national members and approximately 20 local members, who pay £10 annually, so this is a small branch. We aim to provide a range of lectures, with opportunities for questions, on a variety of topics. These book titles reflect this range!
Dr Lee Karen Stow, speaking in October, showed us in her presentation on ‘Women, War and Peace’ how today photography is a documentary tool. Her research on significant roles played by women 20th century conflicts, initially as nurses, munitions workers and later in military and civil resistance, and as survivors and activists was highlighted in the photographs. Her most recent research project, ‘Hidden: Cold War Women’ is displayed underground at the Holmpton Bunker
Visual evidence was the centre of Professor James Booth’s presentation with his coin collection for the life and reign of ‘Julian the Philosopher’, who as Emperor in the 4th century rejected Christianity as the official religion. This was the joint meeting with the Classical Association in January. We were privileged to see many of the coins from James Booth’s collection, and appreciated their significance in assessing Julian’s distinctive role, and the grounds for arguing that he cannot be categorised simply as ‘The Apostate’.
Dr. Lydia Wilson, researcher at the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict, Oxford with previous studies in Arabic philosophy, brought us into this decade of the 21st century with ‘Conflict in the Middle East: Causes, Consequences and Resolution’. From her own field work she explained how ISIS built up the new Caliphate with its army of dedicated followers after capturing the city of Mosul. Motivation and belief in new found Islamist identities drove the recruits- a point which governments did not understand. The facts that the Syrian army were responsible for 95% of the civilian deaths, that the Gulf States fund the most extremist groups, and that Russian and Iranian power has built up in the region makes most Western reporting and government responses inadequate. However, the Kurdish PKK troops did defeat ISIS, and the White Helmets are rescuing civilians. We need to question sources of information today as rigorously as we approach documents from earlier centuries. Lydia is writing a book on ISIS- which is likely to be highly recommended.
The last lecture in the 2018-19 season is Dr Martin Arnold’s challenging study on ‘Dragon-Women and Patriarchal Paranoia: Lilith, Lamia and Melusine’ This looks like a study of how women have been seen in many cultures as linked to dragons as symbols of evil, and to be feared. You will be anxious to know what lay behind these fears. And I don’t think you will forget them!
Our visit for 2018 was to Howden in mid May. It is a fascinating market town with history in every street. Indeed we found that the length of the first air ship built in Britain, with Wallis Barnes as one of the engineers, is measured out along the street by the Minster. How this church was partially ruined, the land belonging to the Bishop of Durham in the Middle Ages, and the largest horse fair in Europe 200 years ago, all made Howden’s history very unusual. Vivien Feetham had arranged that Howden Civic Society gave talks and led a guided walk. The group of 20 had an excellent tour.
Details of our visit to Malton on Saturday 18th May make this another very interesting opportunity. We hope you will join us.
The branch is immensely grateful that we have been able to meet that the Danish Church for over 25 years. We have appreciated the friendly atmosphere which has made discussion easy, and few places known to us unfailingly provide such good coffee and tea with delicious biscuits. This year arrangements at the Danish Church will change, and after mid summer there will not be a Pastor here. We are very grateful to Arne, the current Pastor, and all his predecessors, and other friends and helpers whom we have met here.
Information about next season’s meeting will be sent out. Meetings arranged so far
3rd October- Professor Tony Badger – Martin Luther King and the struggle for Civil Rights in the USA.
21st November- Professor Malcolm Chase- Peterloo and its impact in Yorkshire
Further plans are being made, and we would be glad to hear ideas for this from members. We would also like to know whether HA members would prefer to meet on Tuesday evenings or Thursdays in 2020, and we ask you to fill in the comment sheet.
Sylvia Usher, Secretary. April 2019