2024/2025 PROGRAMME

Lectures start at 11am with tea and coffee available from around 10:15 am

3 October 2024
PLAYED IN LONDON – CHARTING THE HERITAGE OF A CITY AT PLAY –Simon Inglis

7 November 2024
CALIPHS AND CHRISTIANS – ART AND HISTORY IN ANDALUCIA –Gail Turner

5 December 2024
THE HOLIDAY SEASON: FOOD AND FEASTING IN ART – Sarah Ciacci

2025

9 January 2025
RE-IMAGING THE NATION: 19^TH CENTURY DANISH LANDSCAPES – James Vaux

6 February 2025
GARDENING AS A FINE ART – Timothy Walker

6 March 2025
DRESS CODE – TEN ICONIC DRESSES IN ART – Alexandra Epps

DAY OF SPECIAL INTEREST
10 March 2025
The Golden Road to Samarkand, Carpet to Khiva, Savisky and the Secret Hoard of Avante Garde Art – Chris Aslan

3 April 2025
ART TRANSPORTED: HOW DID IT GET HERE FROM WHERE IT WAS MADE? WHO OWNED IT BEFORE? – Chantal Brotherton-Radcliffe

8 May 2025
A history of British Coins: the treasure we used to keep in our pockets – Matthew Denney

5 June 2025
THE OBSESSION FOR SPANISH ART IN BRITAIN – Isabelle Kent
The AGM precedes this lecture at 10.00 a.m.

3 July 2025
STUBBS 1724 – 1806 THE ENGLISH LEONARDO – CHRISTOPHER GARIBALDI

Note that the first lectures in the new season 2025 -2026 are:

2 October 2025
THE ‘GOLDEN AGE’ OF BRITISH COMEDY – Tyler Butterworth

6 November 2025
DEATH BY WALLPAPER: COLOURFUL STORIES OF CHEMICAL PIGMENTS AND DYES – Lynne Gibson

THE PAULINE PLAYER DAY OF SPECIAL INTEREST
10 November 2025 – WILDE ABOUT OSCAR: FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS (& INFAMOUS) 1854-1900 – Simon Whitehouse

4 December 2025
THE ART OR TRICKERY: HOW MAGICIANS ARE SEEN IN PAINTINGS, PRINTS AND CARTOONS – Ian Keable

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London’s great drivers have always been finance and culture.  But while the arts are celebrated in the capital, physical culture is often overlooked.  In this lecture, Simon traces London’s sporting culture back to the 12th century, taking in manuscripts in the British Library, records of jousting at the College of Arms, and the obscure game of Pall Mall, from which the current thoroughfare takes its name.

Much of this story concerns the battle for open space, an issue for the Finsbury Archers of the 17th century no less than campaigners for playing fields in the 20th century East End slums.  Other themes include the story of the German Gymnasium, boathouses on the Thames and the mania for lidos in the 1930s.

Although focusing on London, several elements of this lecture (such as the Olympics, Lord’s, Wimbledon and the University Boat Race) will be of interest to audiences elsewhere.

Writer and historian Simon Inglis specialises in the architecture and heritage of sport and recreation.  From 2004-22 he edited the Played in Britain series for English Heritage.  He currently acts as an Ambassador for the Historic Pools of Britain.  

Although sport and recreation might seem an unlikely subject for The Arts Society, non-sporty types need have no fear.  Simon’s themes are architecture, design, heritage and popular culture.  

Since gaining a history degree at University College London, he has freelanced for various publications, been a regular contributor to radio and television, has edited numerous technical guidelines on stadium design and safety, has travelled and lectured extensively, and written a number of books.

Two were shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year, while another, on British football grounds, was chosen by journalist Frank Keating as the best sports book of the 20th century.  One highpoint in his work for English Heritage was the listing of a 1970’s skatepark in Essex, a world first that made the 10 o’clock News.

Members and guests are invited to the Cheese and Wine Party after the lecture.

If you think of St Pancras International or New York Grand Central you imagine long romantic journeys. You know they are special places promising excitement and adventure. But there are dozens of other glorious stations in the UK and abroad. We will take a journey around some of the most evocative and splendid stations in the world. We will look not only at the magnificence of the architecture and the brilliant engineering but will discover numerous artworks within the stations and examine many depictions of stations in art – like Claude Monet’s Gare St Lazare or William Powell Frith’s Paddington. It may sound a bit anoraky, but it’s definitely not. It’s lavish, colourful and fun.

Ian Swankie

Ian Swankie is a Londoner with a contagious enthusiasm for art and architecture. He is an official guide at Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Guildhall Art Gallery and St Paul’s Cathedral. He is also a freelance London tour guide. Since 2012 he has led a popular weekly independent art lecture group in his hometown of Richmond in West London. He is an accredited lecturer for The Arts Society, and a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Art Scholars, one of the City Livery Companies.

St Pancras, London

As a result of the General Election being held on 4th July, our lecture scheduled for that day, has had to be moved as Wickham Bishops Village Hall will be required for voting. Instead, the July lecture will be held the following Thursday – the 11th.

The new topic will be:

GREAT RAILWAY STATIONS – evoking the spirit of romance and
adventure by Ian Swankie

If you think of St Pancras International or New York Grand Central you imagine long
romantic journeys. You know they are special places promising excitement and
adventure. But there are dozens of other glorious stations in the UK and abroad.

We will take a journey around some of the most evocative and splendid stations in the
world. We will look not only at the magnificence of the architecture and the brilliant
engineering but will discover numerous artworks within the stations and examine
many depictions of stations in art – like Claude Monet’s Gare St Lazare or William
Powell Frith’s Paddington.

It may sound a bit anoraky, but it’s definitely not. It’s lavish, colourful and fun.

Caravaggio was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life.  During the final years of his life he moved between Naples, Malta and Sicily until his death. There are many unanswered questions about this genius and his life. There is no grave, nor any record of his death.

My talk is a very personal account of how Caravaggio came into my life.  This journey embraces the story of this extraordinary talented painter and his work, and epitomises the ability of Art to inspire others.

I am not an art historian.  However, I am a Master of Education (Birmingham University), who was inspired to pursue an interest in Caravaggio, completely by chance, following a visit to Dublin in 1995.  Extensive research and travelling throughout Europe to see his paintings in situ, has created a lecture which combines my personal experiences with a detailed account of his life and his paintings. 

Taking four aspects of Elizabeth court culture, Alison’s lecture explores the richness of sixteenth-century royal and aristocratic life, bringing it alive through the poetry, plays, presents and portraits of the time.

We will get to know the key figures who made up the court of Elizabeth I, their idea of fashion, what they did for entertainment and how they wished to be remembered.

Shakespeare, Robert Dudley and the Queen herself are just some of the people we will meet in this colourful and memorable exploration of life five hundred years ago.

Dr Alison Barker taught History and Art History at further and higher education for 18 years before her current role as a Frontline Support Assistant at the University of Essex, Albert Sloman Library.

She speaks widely to diverse groups on many historical and art historical topics, and has led guided tours at the British Museum and the National Gallery.

Alison wrote her PhD thesis on the depiction of Saint George in art and has published work on his image in both England and Italy. cHer forthcoming book, The Dissemination of Saint George in Early Modern Art will be published by Routledge in 2025.

The Arts Society Blackwater is to stage another of its Open Art Competition later this year.

Members are invited to submit their works of art on 7 November – in any form they wish – for judging by visiting lecturer Gail Turner, who will be giving a talk on the diversity of Spanish culture. 

Members are asked to bring their submissions to Wickham Bishops Village Hall from 9:30 am on the day so they can be put on display.  The creator of the winning work will be announced at the end of the lecture.  

Lecturer Gail Turner who will judge the Open Art competition on 7 November

Italy and the Islamic World by Dr Antonia Gatward Cevizli

at Little Baddow Memorial Hall, Chelmsford CM8 4TA

Almost everyone has played Monopoly at some time in their life.  It is one of the world’s most popular and enduring board games.  But how well do you really know it?  Roger’s talk starts with the original Landlord’s Game of 1903 and its evolution into the game as we know it today. 

Based on the classic 1936 London version we then take a photographic journey around the  locations of the Monopoly board. 

Expect some surprises as we explore the relationships between the various properties, look at the ones that don’t actually exist, and uncover the story behind the game we all know so well – or do we?

Roger is a keen and accomplished photographer who has gained Distinctions from the Royal Photographic Society and is currently the President of the Surrey Photographic Association.  

His artistic taste is predominantly 20th century and he is particularly interested in the visual aspects of art. He has studied the evolution of photography from its earliest days in the early 1800s to becoming a major art form in the late 20th and now 21st centuries.  

An experienced public speaker, his talks are all richly illustrated with both his own and images from some of the leading photographers in history.

                                          Roger Mendham