Programme
Meetings are normally held at the Battle Memorial Hall, generally on the third Thursday of each month at 7.30 pm, but please check the programme as occasionally the venue and day may change.
Painting of a BDHS lecture in progress in the Wynne Room by Chris O’Brian © BDHS
2024-25 Season
Gypsum and the Mountfield Mine
Date: 19 Sept 2024
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
Gypsum is a mineral that has a widespread occurrence and a fascinating array of important and everyday uses. The discovery of large deposits of gypsum in the Mountfield area more than 150 years ago (a result of scientific serendipity) led to a long and continuous period of mining and processing; yet the secluded location means that few people will be familiar with the operations This talk will illustrate the background to the deposit’s discovery and outline the history of the mining through its various phases from the late 1800s to the present day.
A Lecture by David Alderton
Odo of Bayeux
Date: 17 Oct 2024
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
Odo, half-brother of William the Conqueror, is now probably best known as the assumed commissioner of the Bayeux Tapestry. He was appointed Bishop of Bayeux in 1049 but made his mark as a warrior and statesman. He funded ships for the Norman invasion of England, became Earl of Kent in 1067, and for some years was a trusted royal minister. Having fallen out with William, he was back in favour briefly after his death. For most of the rest of his life, he was in the service of Robert Curthose and died on route to the Holy Land as part of the First Crusade.
Commemoration Lecture to be given by Professor David Bates
A History of the National Gallery: a personal perspective
Date: 21 Nov 2024
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
2024 is the 200th anniversary of the founding of the National Gallery. Mary will consider the historical background to this event. She will then pick out her own selection of key events in the development of this outstanding art collection and its home in Trafalgar Square. Finally Mary will reflect on the Gallery’s current situation and suggest some thoughts for the future.
A Lecture by Dr Mary Hersov
The Frewen Family, Brickwall and a History of Dyslexia
Date: 12 Dec 2024
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
A short history of the ancient and multi-dimensional Frewen family of Northiam, their manor house at Brickwall, and of Frewen College and its place in the history of dyslexia.
A Lecture by Jeremy Field
Heritage Crime
Date: 16 Jan 2025
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
Our future generations should have the opportunity to rediscover, experience and interpret the old and the new. We are but custodians of a rich heritage and this heritage tells of our journey through the ages. But… When it falls victim to abuse it is the moral responsibility, of all of us, to protect our past and we must do this together. Together, as a group or family, we become a community. Communities watch over our heritage and likeminded communities stand together. Together we can preserve our past.
A Lecture by Daryl Holter
Hancox Home for Male Inebriates
Date: 20 Feb 2025
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
This talk is an investigation into the lives of individuals from a wide array of different backgrounds and levels of wealth. Despite their many differences, the lives of these 28 men overlapped on the 1st of April 1901, when they were patients at the Church of England Temperance Society’s Hancox Home for Male Inebriates in Whatlington. The talk will tell the story of several of these men, as well as discussing the rehabilitation of alcoholics at the turn of the 20th century.
The Richard Moore Memorial Lecture to be given by Jacob Smith
Life and Legacy of the Sultan Saladin
Date: 20 Mar 2025
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
Saladin and his followers drew together the Muslim near East to take the jihad to the Christians and capture Jerusalem. He then faced a huge crusading expedition (known as the Third Crusade), led by Richard the Lionheart: in this epic struggle, Saladin held on to the holy city. Since his death, Saladin’s exploits have attracted admiration and attention in both the Muslim world and the West. This talk reveals how a man, initially branded ‘the son of Satan’ became so esteemed in Europe and through extensive new research, will follow how his character and achievements have acted as a role model for future generations across the Near East to the present day.
A Lecture by Professor Jonathan Phillips
Henry VII and the Tudor Pretenders
Date: 10 Apr 2025
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
Despite attempts to portray Henry VII as uniting a war-torn England after 30 years of conflict, this talk looks at the myriad shadowy conspiracies which aimed to depose the Tudor usurper early in his reign, in particular Lambert Simnel, Perkin Warbeck and Edward, Earl of Warwick. Just how close did the Tudors come to overthrow before the myth of their greatness had taken hold?
A Lecture by Nathen Amin
Napoleon’s obsession – Invasion of England
Date: 15 May 2025
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
By the end of the eighteenth century the threat of a French invasion of England was a way of life. Nevertheless, it was Napoléon’s determination to succeed, where others had failed, which turned invasion into an obsession. The nation’s response greatly affected Britain’s naval strategy, resulted in a complete overhaul of the country’s volunteer forces and provoked an unprecedented building frenzy of defences and communication systems along the southern and eastern coasts of England, not least the Royal Military Canal and the chain of Martello towers. But was ‘Boney’ deadly serious about conquering France’s old enemy, and what if Napoléon had succeeded in his plan to invade England? This talk answers those questions.
The Springfield Memorial Lecture to be given by Brig. Hugh Willing
James Burton – a zealous investigator in Egypt of its antiquities
Date: 19 Jun 2025
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
James Burton had a rather more adventurous life compared with his father, James Burton and his brother, Decimus! He spent 5 years in the Eastern Desert, living with the Bedouin, having been commissioned by the Pasha to look for coal but ended up heading south and being the first person to open the tomb of the sons of Ramses II. And then there is the Greek slave girl, the menagerie….
A Lecture by Stephen Howard Gray
Women in Intelligence
Date: 17 Jul 2025
Start time: 7:30 PM
End time: 9:30 PM
In this major work, Helen Fry looks at the rich and varied work women undertook in both World Wars, as civilians and in uniform. From spies in the Belgian network to those who interpreted aerial images and even ran entire sections, she shows how crucial women were in the intelligence mission. Filled with hitherto unknown stories, new research showcases the inspirational contributions of these remarkable women.
The Robertson Memorial Lecture to be given by Dr Helen Fry
2023-24 Lecturers
David Alderton :
David Alderton is an active member of the Society’s Research Group. He has always been fascinated by early Medieval history and this interest has been enhanced by a move to the local area and engaging with Battle Abbey as an Education Volunteer. Following his retirement from lecturing, he continues as an Honorary Researcher at Royal Holloway (University of London) and his most recent publication role has been as editor of a new 6-volume Encyclopaedia of Geology.
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Professor David Bates :
David Bates, President of the Society, is a renowned historian of Britain and France from the 10th to the 13th century. He has written many books, the most recent being a radical revision of William the Conqueror and is currently working on further innovative approaches to the history of northern Europe. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Historical Research.
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Brigadier Hugh Willing :
Hugh Willing lectures on British Military and Colonial History. He has travelled widely in Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa, Arabia and the Far East both in a military and private capacity. He was a professional soldier for 36 years before retiring in 2007: he served in the Royal Green Jackets and the 2nd KEO Gurkha Rifles in many parts of the world. His final posting was in Oman as the Defence Attache at the British Embassy for 4 years.
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Stephen Howard Gray :
Stephen Howard Gray is a retired architect and historic buildings consultant. Much of his work centred on listed buildings and conservation areas in central London and his experience of the historic environment has included work on a medieval castle and royal residences, ranging from 14th century buildings to those of the 20th Century Modern Movement, including many listed at Grades 1 or 2*.
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Jeremy Field :
After a career in banking, Jeremy Field served as Bursar at Frewen College for thirteen years, being principally responsible for the school becoming co-educational and introducing a sixth form. He has conducted research into the family and the history of the house (the estate includes Grade 2* and Grade 2 properties as well as walls, gates and gardens being listed). He has also transcribed an 18th Century book of nearly 200 recipes collected by Lady Frewen, the least tempting of which (among many contenders) was for oyster sausages!
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Dr. Mary Hersov :
Mary Hersov is a freelance art historian with a great love of Renaissance art and history. She worked for 30 years at the National Gallery, eventually becoming Head of Exhibitions then Head of National Programmes. Mary has written a PhD about aspects of the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery and now has a special interest in Museum architecture.
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Jacob Smith :
Jacob was born and raised in Whatlington. As an undergraduate, he attended the University of St Andrews where he studied Medieval History with a focus on Byzantine, Armenian and Hungarian history.
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Daryl Holter :
Daryl Holter, PCSO, is the Heritage Crime Officer for the district.
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Professor Jonathan Phillips :
Jonathan Philips is Professor of Crusading History at Royal Holloway, University of London. His most recent book is ‘The Life and Legend of the Sultan Saladin’. Other titles include ‘Holy Warriors: A Modern History of the Crusades’ and ‘The Second Crusade: Extending the Frontiers of Christendom’. In 2021, he was elected President of the Society for the Study of the Crusades and the Latin East. He is also General Editor of the forthcoming ‘Cambridge History of the Crusades’ due out in 2025.
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Nathen Amin :
Nathen Amin is an author from Camarthenshire, who focuses on the 15th Century and the reign of Henry VII. In addition to his work on the Tudor pretenders, his publications include ‘Tudor Wales’, ‘York Pubs’ and the first full-length biography of the Beaufort family, ‘The House of Beaufort’. As of 2020, he is a trustee and founding member of the Henry Tudor Trust and in 2022 was elected a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
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Dr. Helen Fry :
Helen Fry is the foremost authority on the ‘secret listeners’ who worked at special eavesdropping sites operated by British Intelligence during WWII. Her groundbreaking research has shed light on one of the bugging of Hitler’s generals who were prisoners at Trent Park and thousands of PoWs at Latimer House and Wilton Park. She is the official biographer of MI6 spymaster, Colonel Thomas Joseph Kendrick and has also extensively written about the 10,000 Germans who fought for Britain during WWII.
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