Month: July 2025

TH2024 Ep05 17th Century Dissenters

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:05 — 58.7MB)

Season 2024 – Talk 05 – 17th Century Dissenters

In ‘17th Century Dissenters and the World Turned Upside Down‘ Judith Edge tells us about dissent in the 17th Century and compares the situation with today.

Religion:

It is clear what a dissenter is. In the 17th century, it is to do with religion. Baptists, Quakers and others offering new religious solutions. Others ask sceptical questions about the institution and beliefs of society, such as the Seekers, the Ranters, the Diggers and more.

Some of the groups, such as the Baptists and Quakers, survive today. Most of the others have disappeared.

Parallels with today:

In the 17th Century, particularly during the Civil War, there was a great questioning and revaluing of everything in England. Old institutions, old beliefs, old values all coming into question.

At this time religious dissent rules, with different views on religion being the driving force. Today other factors are in play with the climate activists, anti-vaxxers and others.

This is nothing new, some of our parents may have despaired at our ‘make love not war’ views 60 years ago.

Where do we fit in today:

We all have beliefs and comfort zones. Do we like the status quo or we want change and revolution? Do we keep the old traditions, or seek something new? Are our ideas conventional or radical? Do we seek a quiet life or one on the edge?

It might be worth reflecting on yourself and where you honestly see yourself

Listen to Judith tell us the full story.

About this podcast:

Unfortunately the images used in the original presentation are subject to copyright and therefore cannot be published alongside this podcast.

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 – 2025

UKRJ S2 Ep 05 Leicester to Trowell

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:47 — 16.3MB)

Leicester to Trowell –  UK Rail Journeys
Series 2 Episode 05

In ‘Leicester to Trowell’ my journey continues with the East Midlands Railway from Leicester, via Nottingham, to Trowell. This gets me back onto the original route of Thames Clyde Express.

Please click on a thumbnail to see the photographs that go with the podcast:

Loughborough:

My train passes through Loughborough with the BRUSH Falcon works next door. BRUSH is famed as a major supplier of diesel locomotives. In 1957 Hawker Siddeley buys the BRUSH group of companies. This includes BRUSH Traction.

During the 1960s they build 310 Class 47 locomotives, out of the total of 512 in the class, at the Falcon works.

East Midlands Parkway:

A relatively new station that has many green credentials. However, there is no bus service to East Midlands Airport which is only 4 miles away.

The station is next to the recently closed Ratcliffe on Soar coal fired power station; the last operating coal fired power station in Britain.

Trent:

Trent station closed on 1 January 1968, a victim of Dr. Beeching.

Situated near Long Eaton at the junction of the Midland Railway line from London to Derby and Nottingham, it didn’t serve any community, being simply an interchange.

For many years trains would stop here for people to dine and change train.  Those who didn’t want a full meal could get a lunch basket, these could be handed back at a station later in the journey.

Today the track layout is simpler than in the station’s heyday. There are still junctions allowing trains to go to Derby, London, Nottingham and Sheffield but no station.

Beeston:

Our final stop on the journey to Nottingham is Beeston station just over 3 miles from Nottingham.  Over half a million passengers use the station in 2023 / 2024.

Nottingham railway station:

I leave the train in Nottingham so that I can catch a train to Sheffield. This brings me on to the Erewash Valley Line, the original route of the Thames Clyde Express.

Nottingham station is a magnificent terracotta building; the quality of the brickwork is stunning.

The architecture at Nottingham receives 4 stars in the Simon Jenkins book Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations.

Listen to the podcast to hear about the journey from Leicester to Trowell and the story of Nottingham’s magnificent railway station.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, You Tube and others.

Music:

AKM Music licenses Steam Railway and Summer Island for use in this podcast.

TH2024 04 Mike Hawthorn

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:05 — 23.0MB)

Season 2024 – Talk 04 – Mike Hawthorn – The Farnham Flyer

In ‘Mike Hawthorn‘ Simon Barber tells us about one of his heroes, Britain’s first Formula 1 World Champion.

Early years:

Mike Hawthorn is born in Mexborough to Leslie and Winifred Hawthorn in 1929. His father moves to Farnham and buys the Tourist Trophy Garage.

Mike goes to prep school in Farnham and then to Ardingly College .

The Tourist Trophy Garage is franchised to supply and service several high performance brands, including Jaguar and Ferrari. His father races motorcycles and supports his son’s racing career until his death in a road accident in 1954.

Racing:

Mike Hawthorn first races on 2 September 1950 in his 1934 Riley Ulster Imp, and wins the 1,100 cc sports car class at the Brighton Speed Trials.

In 1952 he switches to single-seaters and wins his first race in a Formula Two Cooper-Bristol T20 at Goodwood. Further successes follow which bring him to the attention of Enzo Ferrari, who offers him a works drive.

Formula 1 and Le Mans:

He makes his Formula One debut at the 1952 Grote Prijs van Belgie at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, and finishes in fourth place. That year he has his first podium, with a third place at the RAC British Grand Prix .

In January 1955 he joins the Jaguar racing team, replacing Stirling Moss, who had left for Mercedes. He wins the 1955 les 24 Heures du Mans following an inspired drive. He sets a lap record of 4 minutes and 6.6 seconds during a three-hour duel with Fangio in the early stages.

Sadly the race is marred by the worst disaster in motor racing history. A crash kills 83 spectators and Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh.

The official inquiry into the accident rules that it is a racing incident. The death of so many spectators is blamed on inadequate safety standards.

Hawthorn rejoins Ferrari in 1957, and soon becomes friends with Peter Collins, a fellow Englishman and Ferrari team driver.

Hawthorn wins the 1958 Formula One Championship despite achieving only one win. The win is the 1958 French Grand Prix at Reims.

Retirement:

After winning the title he retires from Formula One.

He begins a series of books for children featuring not only the wholly fictional Carlotti but also himself and other drivers of the day.

A few months later he dies in a road accident.

Listen to Simon tell us the full story.

About this podcast:

Unfortunately the images used in the original presentation are subject to copyright and therefore cannot be published alongside this podcast.

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern  Group.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music,  Apple Podcasts,  Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use with this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group 2018 – 2025