See what you missed!
This is just a taste of some of the interesting talks we have had over the past few years
Wiltshire Place Names (Dr John Chandler)
Annual Conservation and Environment Awards(Jack Konynenburg)
Friends of St Andrews/Civic Society Joint lecture – Characters of Chippenham (Jean Harvest)
Heritage Open Day – Visit to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society World Headquarters in Chippenham
The Black Death in Wiltshire (Dinah Starkey)
Wiltshire and Berkshire Canal Restoration Project (Peter Williams)
Chippenham Through Artists Eyes (Mike Stone)
Wine Tasting and Christmas reception (Paul Langham,A’Beckett’s Vineyard, Littleton Pannell)
How old is your house (Dorothy Treasure)
The Story of the Chippenham Branch of the Wilts and Berks Canal (Ray Alder)
Stonehenge – New Revelations (Mike Stone)
The Story of Cinema in Chippenham (David Reeves)
2012 Conservation and Awards Evening
Friends of St Andrew’s Heritage Talk – Film presentation on the Wilson Stained Glass & Arts & Crafts Stained Glass Movement. (Peter Cormack)
Summer Outing to Sevington School Project.
Members from Chippenham Civic Society visted the School House built at Sevington by Joseph Neeld.
http://www.sevingtonvictorianschool.co.uk/
Airfields of North Wiltshire (Bob Clark)
The Construction of the Box Tunnel and the Navvies (Dinah Starkey)
Chippenham People in War Time (Mike Stone)
Annual Christmas Event. A presentation by Charles Dickens on A Christmas Carol (at The Cause, Causeway, Chippenham).
Yatesbury Aviation by Richard Broadhead
In the Footsteps of Maud Heath by Dr Kay Taylor
2013 AGM followed by contributions from members
Kilvert’s Diary and Chippenham by Alan Brimson
2013 Conservation and Environmental Awards Evening
Friends of St Andrew’s Heritage Talk: David Powell and a panel of speakers. The Story of Education in Chippenham
An Artist and a Collector in Chippenham by Mike Stone
A Review of Recent Archaeological Work in North Wiltshire by Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger, Wiltshire County Archaeology
Chippenham Museum; Past, Present and Future by Melissa Barnett
Chippenham and the Story of Inns and Public Houses – Mike Marshman, Community Library Studies Librarian
2014 AGM followed by members evening
Carry on Coping, Diary of a Doctor in Chippenham 1942-45 – Ruth Skrine
Conservation and Awards Review of Past Winners - Jack Konynenburg
Chippenham Soldiers and World War I – Richard Broadhead
Celebrating 40 years of the Chippenham Civic Society, event at the Yelde Hall
On Two Wheels – The Fascinating Story of the Bicycle – Bill King
Government Underground Activities in Corsham – Nicholas McCamley
Christmas Antiques Quiz – Mark and Lisa Allum of the BBC Antiques Road Show
King Alfred and the origins of Chippenham – Mike Stone
Chippenham Troubles 1815 to 1830 – Andrew Skelton
2015 AGM followed by Members Evening.
Conservation and Environment Awards Evening 2015
Friends of St Andrew’s Heritage Talk: William Beckford and Wiltshire. Dr Amy Frost
Caribbean Slaves in North Wiltshire. Nigel Pocock
Wiltshire Lives: By Dee La Varedera (note this is in place of the talk by Wessex Water)
Stanley Abbey. Dr Grahame Brown
2015 Christmas Event: An Audience with Jane Austen. – Kim Hicks
Chippenham’s Architecture through Pevsners Eyes. – Julian Orbach
Music and Instruments of St Andrews’s Church. – Christopher Kent
AGM and Members Evening
Robin Tanner: A celebration – Ernest Hurd, David Powell, Mike Stone and Melissa Barnett
Saints and Sinners by Jack Koynynenburg
Friends of St Andrew’s Heritage talk: Lord Landsdowne – Our National Heritage
The Work of the Bristol Avon Rivers Trust – Ian Mock
Chippenham VADs and the World War I Red Cross Hospital – Ray Alder
Stonehenge and the Prehistory of Wiltshire – Bob Clarke
2016 Christmas Event: Bill King – The Majesty and Magic of Glenn Miller
Wiltshire Building Records: Recording the Past for the Future – Clive Hendy
Doing Time in Wiltshire; Police, Prison and Lockups – John Girvan
Mackness and Humphries: Wagon and Car Repairers in Chippenham – Mike Stone
My Chippenham: Past Present and Future – David Powell
Friends of St Andrew’s Heritage Talk: Anatomy of Collecting – Marc Allum,
Brunel and the SS Great Britain – Brunel Education Trust Speaker
Neeld Hall as World War 1 Hospital: Results of more research – Ray Alder
Celebrating the Centenary of Leonard Cheshire VC 1917-2017 – Dr Robert Owen
2017 Christmas Event: Chippenham Movie & Video Club Chippenham Past and Present in film
Bus Services in North Wiltshire and Surrounding Areas 1955 to 1985 – Geoff Hobbs
Trouble at Mill: Problems and Solutions of the Cloth Trade in North West Wilts – Stuart Burroughs.
The Golden Valley Line: Railways, Canals and Mills – John Scragg
Building Georgian Chippenham – Mike Stone
The Story of the M Shed and other Bristol Museums – Ray Barnett
A Social History of Football in Chippenham – Sandie Webb
Wales and Dolphins – Wales & Dolphin Conservation speaker – Bernard Purrier
2018 Christmas Event: Yesterday’s Childhood. – Bill King
2019 AGM
The Work of the Wiltshire Building Records – Dorothy Treasure
Daily Life in Ancient Rome – Mike Stone
Fry Family History – John Scragg
2019 Conservation and Environment Awards – Jack Konynenburg
Saving Britain’s Art Treasures – N.J. McCamley
Meadow in my garden – Paul Jupp
2019 Christmas Event – Wiltshire Follies
GWR Electrification – John Scragg
From Dish Washer to Dame, The story of Florence Hancock – Melissa Barnett
Chippenham Through Time – Mike Stone (via an on-line meeting)
Chippenham People and Places II – Mel Barnett (via an on-line meeting)
Unity and Loyalty, an update on research into Chippenham’s WWI hospital – Ray Alder (via an on-line meeting)
2020 Christmas Event – Chippeham Quiz (via an on-line meeting)
A review of the Archaeology of Chippenham with Mike Stone (via an online meeting)
The Amazon Basin – A Talk by Bernard Purrier From Whale & Dolphin Conservation
The Civic Society Past, Present & Future, led by Geoff Barrett and Mike Stone.
2021 Christmas Event – Chippenham Cinema Revisted – David Reeves
The Buildings of our Twin Towns – Part 1 – Friedberg – by John Scragg.
Empty Ocean and Empty Nets – Dr Bernard Purrier
2022 AGM – followed by a talk on ‘The History of Milk and Cheese’ by Dr Kevan Leach.
‘Wool, Cheese & Carbuncles – A Journey Through Chippenham Architecture’. – Jack Konynenburg
‘Medicinal Trees in Garden and Hedgerow’. Christina Stapley
‘Bremhill Parish Through the Ages’. Louise Ryland-Epton
2022 Annual Conservation & Environment Awards. – Jack Konynenburg
Current Research on the Parish of Hardenhuish. – Dr Rosalind Johnson
2022 Christmas Meeting – Chippenham Horrible Histories – Terry Bracher
La Fleche -John Scragg
Three Chippenham Women: Lady Coventry, Ann Colborne and Margaret Griffin – Lucy Whitfield
2023 AGM - followed by a talk on ‘Biscuits, Chocolate and Crumbs’ by Dr Kevan Leach
The Home Front in World War II – Bill King
What we used to make in Chippenham – Mike Stone
The Great Cattle Plague of 1865-67 – Dr Tony Pratt
The Lost Pubs of Chippenham – Melissa Barnett
2023 Christmas Event – The Burgesses and their Burgage Houses – Marc Alum and Scot Blum
The Orca (Killer Whale) – “The Sea Wolf”. – Bernard Purrier
2024 AGM followed by contributions from members
Chippenham to Penzance (Part 1 of a journey by rail) – John Scragg
Down the Rabbit Hole – The joys and tribulations of research – Elaine Davis
What have Foreigners ever done for us? – Jack Konynenburg
Made in Chippenham – tracing the growth of Chipppenham Markets – Mike Stone
‘King Alfred and the Origins of Chippenham.’ – Mike Stone
‘Global Climate Change and Local Climate Action’ – Dr Nick Murry
2024 Christmas Event ‘Shop till you drop- The history of retail in Chippenham Town Centre, and the future of Emery Gate’ – Jack Konyneburg
‘Iron, Stone and Steam: Brunel’s Railway Empire’. – Tim Bryan
The non-conformists chapels of Chippenham – James Holden
Chippenham to Penzance (Part 2 of a journey by rail) – John Scragg
2025 AGM followed by – ‘Celebrating 25 years of Chippenham Museum’ – Melissa Barnett
Unveiling of the Blue Plaque to King Alfred the Great, followed by ‘The Life and Times of King Alfred the Great.’ – Mike Stone,
An Introduction to the Wiltshire & Swindon Archives - Ally McConnell
2025 Conservation & Environmental Awards at St Andrew’s Church. – Jack Konynenburg
2025 Christmas Event: A Quiz entitled ‘The Three Whats’ – hosted by Mike Stone
2026
The Life and Times of King Alfred the Great (Repeat and Extended Presentation) Mike Stone
Living and Working in Tanzania 1961 to 1964 – John Scragg
The Manor of Lackham through time. – Dr Tony Pratt
Green and Pleasant Land: The influence of nature on Architecture – Jack Konynenburg
An update on the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust. – Dave Maloney
Annual Heritage lecture at St Andrew’s Church ‘The Colossal Inheritance of Joseph Neeld, MP for Chippenham’ – Julian Orbach.