TH2023 Ep10 The Border Reivers

Season 2023 – Talk 10 – The Border Reivers

In ‘The Border Reivers’ David Simpson tells us about these bandits who plundered the English / Scottish border counties from the 13th Century to the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Who?

Border raiders from every class in society operating in the north of England and south of Scotland. People for whom loyalty to family is much more important than to country.

The rustling of livestock their principle business. According to Bishop Leslie of Ross ‘they have a persuasion that all property is common by the law of nature; and is therefore liable to be appropriated by them in their necessity’.

Why:

In the 300 years between the end of the 13th Century and the Union of the Crowns in 1603 the border counties of Berwickshire, Roxburghshire, Dumfriesshire, Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmoreland are pretty poor and desolate.

This is not land for arable crops and so people keep cattle to provide an income and food. Neither the Scottish nor English Crowns have estates here and therefore do not have a financial interest. These lands are also far from the lawmakers of Edinburgh and London.

A dinner of spurs:

It is said that the wife of one famous Border Reiver demonstrated that her larder was empty by serving her husband his spurs on a plate instead of his dinner. The message is clear either mount up and go reiving, or go hungry.

Their legacy:

Some view the Border Reivers as loveable rogues, others compare them to the Mafia. Whatever your opinion, their legacy remains in the fortified dwellings called pele towers, their ballads and words now common in the English language such as ‘bereave’ and ‘blackmail’.

Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from David.

Unfortunately I have not been able to remove all the coughs and some external noises.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is frequently not possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple PodcastsCastbox, DeezerPodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2024

TH2023 Ep 09 Mao Zedong

Season 2023 – Talk 09 – Mao Zedong

In Mao Zedong Alan Freeland tells us about the life of Mao and Chinese Communism until his death in 1976.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Childhood:

Mao was born on 26 December 1893 and spends his childhood at Shaoshan village in Hunan. His father, once an impoverished peasant, becomes one of the wealthier farmers in the area. He is a stern disciplinarian who beats Mao, who finds that if he meekly accepts the beating it is worse than when he stands up to his father.

He finishes his primary education at the age of 13 and then, aged 14, his father makes him go through an arranged marriage to 17-year-old Luo Yixiu. Mao refuses to  recognise her as his wife and in later years bans arranged marriages.

Changsha:

In his quest to become a teacher, Mao enrolls at the Fourth Normal School of Changsha. This merges with the First Normal School of Hunan, widely seen as the best in Hunan.

Professor Yang Changji urges him to read the radical New Youth newspaper, written by his friend Chen Duxiu who is a dean at Peking University and also a supporter of Chinese nationalism.

In 1915 the popular Mao is elected secretary of the Students Society where he organises the Association for Student Self-Government and leads protests against school rules.

In April 1917 he publishes his first article in New Youth and instructs his readers to increase their physical strength to serve the revolution. At this time he is also elected to command the students’ volunteer army which defends the school from marauding soldiers.

Becoming more radical:

Mao moves to Beijing, where Yang Changji has taken a job at Peking University. Yang, who thinks that Mao is exceptionally ‘intelligent and handsome’, arranges a job for him as assistant to the university librarian, Li Dazhao. Li is a co-founder of the Chinese Communist party in 1921.

Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Andrew.

Unfortunately coughs and colds abounded at the time of this recording and I have not been able to remove all of them..

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is frequently not possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2024

TH2023 Ep07 The Glorious Revolution

Season 2023 – Talk 07 – The Glorious Revolution

In The Glorious Revolution Andrew Cole tells us about the events of 1688 and questions whether it really was a revolution.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

James II and Catholicism:

James converts to the Catholic faith in 1669 while his brother, Charles II, is on the throne. When Charles dies on 6th February 1685 he has no legitimate children and so James becomes King even though he is a Catholic.

James succeeds to the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland and has widespread support in all three countries. This is because the principles of eligibility based on divine right and birth are widely accepted by those with power.

Although people are willing to tolerate his Catholicism this doesn’t extend to other members of the Catholic religion. James tries to give preference to Catholics but Parliament resists. He then tries to rule by decree.

Monmouth:

Although Charles has no legitimate heir there are illegitimate offspring. The eldest is James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth. He co-ordinates a rebellion in England’s West Country with one in Scotland under Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyle.

The rebellion ends at the Battle of Sedgemoor with the defeat of the rebels. Monmouth, a nephew of James, is executed and many of his followers suffer at the Bloody Assizes of Judge Jeffreys. Some are executed and others are transported to the colonies.

Birth of a Catholic Heir:

James has two daughters, Mary, the wife of William of Orange and Anne. Whilst they are his heirs people are willing to tolerate his Catholicism. On 10 June 1688 James’ wife gives birth to a son, James Francis Edward, later to become the ‘Old Pretender’.

Discussions with William about taking the crown intensify. James flees.

Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Andrew.

Unfortunately because of issues during the recording of this talk there is occasional distortion although it does not stop you hearing Andrew’s words.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2024

TH2023 Ep05 Wellington

Season 2023 – Talk 05 – Wellington

In Wellington Derek Sibley tells us about a few things that we might not know about the 1st Duke of Wellington.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Early life:

Arthur Wesley (at this time this is the correct spelling) is the sixth of nine children born to Anne Wellesley, Countess of Mornington and Garret Wesley. His father has a short career in politics representing the constituency Trim in the Irish House of Commons. In 1758 he becomes 2nd Baron Mornington.

Arthur spends most of his childhood at his family’s two homes. One, Mornington House is a large house in Dublin, and the other is Dangan Castle in County Meath.

Early military career:

His military career starts in Ireland. He rapidly moves through the ranks, changing regiments on a number of occasions. He also serves as a member of Parliament in the Irish Parliament. It is in the early 1790s that he is attracted to Kitty Pakenham, to her father’s displeasure.

He is sent to join the Duke of York’s campaign in Belgium and the Netherlands. The campaign is a failure however he learns much. He later comments ‘at least I learned what not to do, and that is always a valuable lesson’.

India:

The British East India Company uses the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1798 to increase it’s rule. They fight against the Sultan of MysoreTipu Sultan. Wellington succeeds in his mission and the company gains control over this part of India.

Whilst in India Wellington is promoted to Brigadier General in July 1801.

Peninsular War:

Wellington shows his prowess as a commander fighting from Portugal, through Spain and France to Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo. You can find out more about the campaign in Portugal in Peter Duffy’s talk.

Politics, marriage and later life:

Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Derek.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2023 Ep04 Farnham Workhouse

Season 2023 – Talk 04 – Secrets of the Farnham Workhouse

In Secrets of the Farnham Workhouse Ian Wallace tells us a story that is not for the faint hearted. He reveals the workings of the Farnham Workhouse in the nineteenth century.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Good Intentions:

In the mid-19th Century Farnham is a prosperous town. Historically wealth had come from wool, then the corn market and between 1600 and the 1970s from hops and brewing.

1849 sees the arrival of the railway and in 1854 the opening of the army town, just to the north, in Aldershot. To this day Castle Street shows the historic wealth of this market town.

Farnham believes it looks after the poor. An example of this is the Andrew Windsor Almshouses dating from 1619. A new workhouse is built in 1791 to replace one in the town centre.

Report on the Farnham Workhouse:

Drs Joshua Stallard and Francis Anstey publish a report in 1867. The report criticises virtually every aspect of the workhouse. The report notes that it is:

  • Poorly ventilated with dirty walls and narrow beds.
  • Poor sanitary facilities, two towels per week for each ward and no toilet paper.
  • Only one nurse during the day, none at night.
  • No forks for the inmates to use when eating food.

According to the report, the master of the workhouse, James Sargent, could easily come from the pages of Dickens. The guardians  dismiss him after the furore following the report. According to the Daily Express he was the great, great grandfather of Jeremy Corbyn.

Health care:

Virtually nil at the time of the report. Florence Nightingale, who has local connections, and Louisa Twining are involved in moves to improve healthcare in Britain.

Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Ian.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2023 Ep03 Pets in History

Season 2023 – Talk 03 – Pets in History

In Pets in History Alan Freeland tells us a story that starts with the ‘hunter gatherers‘ and ends in the 20th Century.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Domestication:

Alan considers the effects of domestication on the previously wild animals. Dogs are good when hunting and guarding whilst cats kill the mice that eat the store of grain.

As humans move from hunting to farming the different aspects of these animals become important.

Early images:

We hear of early images of dogs in Saudi Arabia and of the statue of a cat that dates from the 14th to 13th century BCE.

By c 2300 BCE the dogs in the images look similar to many of breeds that we see today. In the same way those of cats dating from c 700 BCE would be familiar to all of us.

Pets:

We hear how the animals grow close to humans, although remembering all the time that the cat owns us, not the other way round!

Add to this a bit of Noah’s Ark, some patron saints, mystery, witchcraft, the occasional wombat and a rabbit and you have an entertaining and informative hour ahead of you!

Listen to the podcast and hear Alan tell the whole story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2023 Ep02 4 Mail Rail

Season 2023 – Talk 02.4 – Mail Rail

In Mail Rail Tim Davies tells us about a railway that had no passengers until after it closed.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

A railway with no passengers:

Deep beneath London’s choked streets there’s a six and a half mile railway. Operating for 19 hours a day from 1927 to 2003 with no drivers, no guards nor any passengers. To many it is one of the most successful railways in the world.

The Post Office Underground Railway, a solution to the transport of large volumes of mail across a foggy and congested city!

Early steps:

In 1855 the Secretary of the Post Office, one Roland Hill, submits a report for a system to transport mail in underground tubes which would be propelled by air pressure. Initially for use between the post office headquarters to another post office building in Holborn. Later a further eight other offices might be linked in. The system is workable but expensive.

In 1863, the Post Office reviews a new pneumatic railway from the Pneumatic Dispatch Company. It runs nine feet below the ground between Euston Station and Eversholt Street. Wrought iron railcars are sucked along the tube in about a minute.

Into the 20th Century:

London’s mail suffers severe delays because of traffic congestion and thick fog. In 1909 a committee forms to review the use of underground pneumatic and electric railways for moving the post. In February 1911 it recommends an electric railway with driverless trains, using the example of a railway in Chicago that moves materials into the city and waste out of the city.

Although the tunnels are complete by 1917 it takes another 10 years for the railway to start operating.

Listen to the podcast and hear Tim tell the whole story.

About this podcast:

The Postal Museum is on Phoenix Place, London, WC1X 0DA and opens from Wednesday to Sunday between 10.00 and 17.00. Learn about all things ‘postal’, ride on Mail Rail or do a tunnel walk.

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2023 T02 3 The Camel

Season 2023 – Talk 02.3 – The Camel

In The Camel Richard Thomas tells us about the importance of the ‘Ship of the Desert’ throughout history.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

The Ship of the Desert :

The camel has shipped slaves, salt and gold across the Sahara desert and shipped spices from Asia for many centuries.

The Silk Roads, which run from Central Asia to places on the eastern edge of Europe, are around 4,000 miles long. These routes joined China and Europe in trade using the Asian two humped Bactrian camels.

A camel train might have a thousand camels, walking 25 miles a day, each carrying over 300 pounds in weight with a round trip often taking over a year.

Camels:

Camels, rather than the much more elegant, but less tough horse, are useful in hot desert conditions like the Sahara, the Middle East, and the deserts of Central Asia.

94% of camels are the one hump dromedary whilst the other 6% are the Bactrian. Both  can be domesticated, but it’s the dromedary whose role in history that Richard focuses on.

They can live to 40 or 50 years and have a top speed of around 40 miles an hour. A camel can drink 200 litres of water in 3 minutes and then go without water for 10 days. Their humps aren’t like tanks with water sloshing around, they’re fatty tissue which, when it’s metabolized, releases water.

Their thick coat protects them from extreme heat and cold, their outer hair is fairly waterproof and can and is used for tents, clothing, bedding and blankets. Richard has a camel hair blanket that he brought back from Oman. It’s not very comfortable for sitting on, but it’s alright in the garden.

The finer inner hair can be used for clothing and was quite popular in the West in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Where do I find them?

Most camels operate in the desert strip across the middle of the globe. Estimates suggest there are over six million in Somalia where they’re the main form of transport, a further 3 million in Sudan and a million in Australia where they went there for use as  transport across the desert in the 19th century.

Listen to the podcast and hear Richard tell the whole story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2023 T02 2 The Railways

Season 2023 – Talk 02.2 – The Railways

In The Railways Roger Hobbs tells two stories. First he talks about the development of the railways of Britain and then he tells us about the Great Western Railway.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

The birth of the railways :

Many take 1825 as the birth date of Britain’s railways because the Stockton and Darlington carried its first passengers in September 1825. This ignores the fact that the first plateways had been in operation for many years before that.

The plateways carry goods on carts, usually pulled by horses. The cast iron L shaped ‘rails’ providing a smooth surface for the carts. The oldest continually operating railway in the world is the Middleton Railway in Leeds which dates from 1758.

The Stockton and Darlington:

This is the first railway to use steam locomotives. The engineer is George Stephenson who has experience of steam engines at the collieries at Killingworth. Stephenson recommends the use of malleable iron rails rather than cast iron ones.

The line opens on 27th September 1825 with the brand new engine Locomotion 1 built at the Stephenson works in Newcastle.

Liverpool and Manchester railway:

George Stephenson is the engineer for this railway. One of the major obstacles is Chat Moss which he finds a way to cross. His solution is still in use today!

The railway company holds the Rainhill Trials in 1829 to decide on the best locomotive provider. The winners? George and his son Robert Stevenson with the Rocket.

The Great Western Railway:

We hear of the building of the Great Western Railway and of its engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. His genius and his flaws, of Bristol Temple Meads Station, Box Tunnel and the ‘broad gauge‘.

Listen to the podcast and hear Roger tell the rest of the story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2023 T02 1 Orient Express

Season 2023 – Talk 02.1 – The Orient Express

In The Orient Express Margaret Denyer tells the story of this luxury train over the last 150 years.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Georges Nagelmackers :

Margaret starts by telling us about this Belgian civil engineer and businessman who travels to the United States where he experiences Pullman carriages and believes that there is a market for luxury trains in Europe. He founds a company in 1873 which becomes the legendary Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits.

In 1882 the first train composed completely of Wagon Lits carriages leaves Paris for Vienna.

James Allport:

We hear that he is the General Manager of the Midland Railway and invites George Pullman to Britain. They agree that Pullman will supply carriages built in his US works for use in England where a supplement will be charged.

In 1881 the first Pullman only train starts to run between London and Brighton and in 1933 it becomes the Brighton Belle.

The Orient Express gains popularity:

The early years of the 20th Century see the Orient Express start to become famous with Kings and Princes, the famous and the wealthy. The routes expand.

The First World War and after:

All services stop at the start of the war in August 1914. It ends in November 1918 with the Armistice where a Wagon Lits car is used for the ceremony in the forest at Compiègne.

Orient Express services restart but with changes to the routes. The trains can no longer travel through Germany and so the Simplon tunnel is used. The services become popular with the rich and famous again.

Listen to the podcast and hear Margaret tell the rest of the story including the decline of the service and its rebirth from the ashes.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group .

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk because of copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2023 01 The Portuguese Empire

Season 2023 – Talk 01 – The Portuguese Empire

In The Portuguese Empire Richard Thomas tells the story of Europe’s first, longest and also last Empire.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Voyages of Discovery:

Henry the Navigator is the key. He finances and sends explorers into the unknown. This is a time when perceived wisdom, or religion, believes that the earth is flat and if you go too far you fall off the end.

Some of his captains agreed, others went far into the Atlantic and found the currents that let them sail north and back home.

Brazil:

Go too far and you bump into Brazil! This leads to the Portuguese colonisation of Brazil. It also leads to the Treaty of Tordesillas where Portugal and Spain, supported by the Catholic Church, divide up the Americas.

Portugal receives Brazil and, to support it’s ambitions, becomes the largest player in the abominable Slave Trade.

Africa:

In the early days the Portuguese work with African countries such as Benin.

Later, in Angola and Mozambique there is no partnership. The indigenous inhabitants are treated as slaves, or worse. No long term investments are made leaving these countries in a poor position after their independence.

The end of Empire

Revolution in Africa leads to the repatriation of many settlers. Then there is  the surrender of Macau to China. The end of an Empire that lasted from 1415 to 1999!

Listen to the podcast and hear Richard tell the fascinating story.

About this podcast:

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

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2022 Ep20 Robin Hood

Season 2022 – Talk 20 – Robin Hood

In Robin Hood David Simpson tries to answer the question as to whether he is fact or fiction.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Who?

David tells us of a number of people who could have been the model of the legendary leader who robs the rich to give to the poor. These, either individually or as a group, may be the inspiration for the tales recounted by the Medieval balladeers.

Where?

This depends on the who because each of the people discussed above are from different parts of England. Maybe Yorkshire? Possibly the South East? Or even the South West. Sherwood Forest and Nottingham may be less likely as, apparently there has never been a Sheriff of Nottingham.

When?

Another problem is that the cast of possible players for the part of Robin inhabited different centuries. So which King? Richard I and John? Edward I, Edward II, Edward III? It all depends on the scoundrel you choose for the ‘Who‘.

The members of Robin’s backing group, The Merry Men, also influence the ‘When’ as, for example, Friars didn’t exist in the reign of Richard the Lionheart!

The story evolves:

In the early ballads there is tell of Robin as a yeoman, a few centuries later he morphs into an earl. By the time Walter Scott writes Ivanhoe the story evolves into something we, and Errol Flynn, are familiar with.

Listen to the podcast and hear David tell the fascinating story.

About this podcast:

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

It is not always possible to use all of the images presented in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music. Joseph McDade licences The Tavern for use in this podcast.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2022 Ep19 19th Century Colonialism

Season 2022 – Talk 19 – 19th Century Colonialism – did the National Trust get it right?

In 19th Century Colonialism – did the National Trust get it right? Peter Duffy discusses how the spread of the ‘Anglo’ communities was different to previous centuries.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

His own experience:

He tells us that as a young boy, he and his brother left England to live with his Aunt in Canada because a German invasion was expected at any time.

We learn about their journey to Regina. First across the Atlantic, where they were in the charge of a family friend, followed by a train, in the charge of the guard. The train journey takes some days with Peter having happy memories of meals in the Dining Car.

In Regina:

In 1940 Regina is already a large city. It also houses the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Peter’s aunt is married to a retired Mountie.

We hear that the two brothers sang the Canadian National Anthem every morning in school with Saturday mornings reserved for the Cinema!

Rudyard Kipling:

Many people associate Rudyard Kipling with the Empire however they often forget his writings about the US and Canada. Peter tells us about the book  Captains Courageous which recounts the adventures of 15 year old Harvey Cheyne Jron and life on the Grand Banks fisheries.

He falls from a ship and is saved by a fisherman. When he finally reaches shore his parents race across the US by train to be reunited with him.

Emigration from poverty:

Peter tells us that many of the people who emigrated from the British Isles did so to escape extreme poverty. He tells us about the vast numbers who set off for a new life in the 19th Century.

Listen to the podcast and hear Peter tell the full story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not always possible to use all of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2022 Ep18 Tea in Literature

Season 2022 – Talk 18 – Tea in Literature

In Tea in Literature Sue Willson talks about the use of tea in novels over the past couple of centuries.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Morse:

Sue’s first story isn’t from a book, instead she looks at the Morse episode ‘Twilight of the Gods’. She isn’t sure whether the issue over the ‘Senior Tea’ is in the book however she notes that it gives John Gielgud a wonderful moment when he insists that it must go on.

Sue is breaking the rule that she always used when teaching – use the book not the film / television series in your answer!

Sandition:

Sue then tells us about Sandition, the unfinished novel by Jane Austen. We hear that Austen uses ‘tea parties’ to great effect and that this novel is no exception. They provide an opportunity to explore relationships, set scenes and explain issues between people.

There is the scene where two of the characters often believe themselves ill and so take many cures. At tea there are several teapots on the tray because they drink different types of tea for their different medical complaints.

Middlemarch:

Middlemarch dates from 1871, but is set in 1831/2.  The time of the Reform Act and early passenger railways.

Here a tea drinking episode shows a crucial turning point in the marriage of a doctor and his wife. There are growing debts because of her desire for a posh house and possessions whilst he is setting up his practice.

She calls for tea, and so he has to sit down and talk. He tells her that they’re seriously short of money. Her response is ‘what can I do’? She’s not prepared to economise and does not expect to suffer any inconveniences at all.

Cranford:

Towards the end of Cranford Miss Matty, one of the main characters, is impoverished due to the failure of her bank. Her friends suggest that she should sell tea to earn a little money as this is a gentile occupation. She agrees and opens a tea shop.

Sue also tells us about the ‘Mad Tea Party’ in Alice in Wonderland and the importance of taking tea in L P Harley’s ‘Go Between’ which contrasts ‘taking tea’ in the class system of 1900 Britain.

Listen to the podcast and hear Sue recount the full stories.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not always possible to use all of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2022 Ep17 Left Handed in History

Season 2022 – Talk 17 – Being Left Handed in History

In Being Left Handed in History Margaret Denyer tells us about the trials and tribulations of left handed people throughout history.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Introduction:

Margaret is a ‘leftie’ herself and that drives her interest in this topic. She tells us that it isn’t easy to identify left handed people in history because there are no indisputable records. The paintings of historical people are not always truthful.

Research shows that lefthanders make up 10% of the population but 20% of Mensa members.

People are made to write with their right hand until well into the 20th Century!

In history:

In the time of early ‘man’ research suggests a slight right handed majority with around 56% chiselling right handed.

History frowns on Left handers. Language, civilisation and beliefs give us clues. Ancient language has words for ‘Right’ but not for ‘Left’. A taboo?

‘Right’ also means correct and fair whereas ‘Left’ is sinister, unlucky, clumsy and treacherous. The ‘Right hand of the Gods’ is for healing and good whereas the left is for curses!

Medieval Europe accuses left handed people of witchcraft and consorting with the devil. Paintings of Joan of Arc show her as left handed. Are they true? In some societies left handed women might not be able to marry.

Tools and Machines:

Many tools and machines suit right handed people. In the hands of a left handed person they can be dangerous to both the user and those around them.

Education:

For many years education has a bias towards right handed people. Sometimes teachers tie a school child’s left hand to the back of the chair to force them to write with their right hand. The inkwell in the desk is also on the right making it difficult to write with the left hand.

Listen to the podcast and hear Margaret tell the full story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not always possible to use all of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2022 Ep15 Thomas Lipton

Season 2022 – Talk 15 – Thomas Lipton

In Thomas Lipton we hear the second of Jo Watson’s talks with the theme ‘some inherit wealth, others create their own fortunes’. Thomas Lipton is a classic story of a ‘self made man’.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Family and early years:

The Liptons were longstanding smallholders in County Fermanagh. In the late 1840s Thomas Lipton’s parents leave Ireland because of the Great Famine of 1845. They move to Scotland and, by 1847, settle in Glasgow.

Thomas Lipton is born in a poor area of the city on 10 May 1848. His  siblings, three brothers and one sister, all die in infancy, but Thomas, the youngest, survives.

He goes to St Andrew’s Parish School close to Glasgow Green between 1853 and 1863. By the early 1860s his parents own a shop at 11 Crown Street in the Gorbals selling ham, butter and eggs. Thomas leaves school aged thirteen so that he can supplement his parents’ limited income. He finds work as a printer’s errand boy, then later as a shirt cutter.

America:

In 1864 Lipton becomes a cabin boy on a steamer sailing between Glasgow and Belfast. He purchases passage on a ship bound for the U.S.

Lipton spends five years working and travelling all over the country. He works at a tobacco plantation in Virginia, as an accountant and book-keeper at a rice plantation in South Carolina, a door-to-door salesman in New Orleans, a farmhand in New Jersey, and finally as a grocery assistant in New York.

It is in the US that he learns the power of advertising.

Building his business:

He returns to Glasgow in 1870 and initially helps his parents in their small shop in the Gorbals. In 1871 he opens his first shop — Lipton’s Market. It is very successful and he establishes a chain of grocery shops. First across Glasgow, then the rest of Scotland, until he has stores throughout Britain.

In 1880 Lipton invests in stockyards in Omaha, Nebraska and opens a large packing plant in South Omaha. He enters the tea trade in 1888, bypassing the traditional trading and wholesale distribution channels, selling teas at low prices.

Lipton visits British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1890 and, with James Taylor, develops the tea industry in the country. He establishes the Lipton tea brand which becomes a market leader in the US.

Sportsman:

He is interested in yachting and between 1899 and 1930 challenges the American holders of the America’s Cup five times. His yachts are all called Shamrock, running to Shamrock V. Sadly he is unsuccessful but is presented with a specially designed cup for ‘the best of all losers’. This helps make his tea famous in the United States.

He also sponsors a number of sports awards, many in the countries where his company operates.

Listen to the podcast and hear Jo tell the full story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not possible to use some of the images from the original talks for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2022 Ep 14 Waldorf Astor

Season 2022 – Talk 14 – Waldorf Astor

In Waldorf Astor we hear the first of Jo Watson’s talks with the theme ‘some inherit wealth, others create their own fortunes’. Waldorf Astor is from one of the wealthiest families in the world.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Family:

John Jacob Astor moves from Germany to America. He is a businessman, merchant, real estate mogul, and investor who makes his fortune in the fur trade and by investing in real estate, in and around New York. He is the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States.

His grandson is William Waldorf “Willy” Astor has American and British nationality. He is an attorney, politician, businessman (hotels and newspapers) and philanthropist.

He moves to Britain in 1891, becomes a British subject in 1899, becomes Baron Astor in 1916 and Viscount Astor in 1917 because of his contributions to war charities.

Waldorf Astor:

Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor, is was an American-born English politician and newspaper proprietor and  a member of the Astor family.

In 1905, while returning to Britain across the Atlantic, he meets and falls for Nancy Langhorne Shaw, a divorced mother. They have a short courtship and marry in May 1906.

Waldorf’s father gives them the Sancy diamond and the estate at Cliveden, as wedding presents. Nancy redecorates and modernises Cliveden by installing electricity.

Politics:

Nancy encourages him to go into politics. He is elected as member for the borough of Plymouth in the December 1010. The constituency is abolished in 1918 and he moves to Plymouth Sutton.

Although he is a Unionist he acts independently by supporting both the “People’s Budget” and the National Insurance Act of 1911.

The House of Lords:

In 1916 his father, William Waldorf Astor, becomes Viscount Astor. His father dies in October 1919 and Waldorf becomes the 2nd Viscount Astor even though he tries to disclaim the title.

Because he is a member of the House of Lords he has to resign his seat his seat in the House of Commons. Nancy wins the seat in the election who becomes the second woman elected to the House of Commons.

She is the first woman to take her seat in the House because Constance Markievicz is a member Sinn Féin. Nancy retains the seat until she steps down in the 1945 general election. Jo Watson tells the story of these two political ladies here.

Later life:

Waldorf turns to charitable causes, becoming a governor of the Peabody Trust and Guy’s Hospital. He is also a considerable benefactor to the city of Plymouth, and serves as its Lord Mayor from 1939 to 1944. 

Listen to the podcast and hear Jo tell the full story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not possible to use some of the images from the original talks for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2022 Ep13 East India Company

Season 2022 – Talk 13 – The East India Company

In The East India Company Alan Freeland explains why he believes that the company was so important for Britain.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Foundation:

The company is founded in 1600, under a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth 1, to trade in the Indian Ocean area. They take this to be anywhere east of the Cape of Good Hope!

The company isn’t the first European company to trade in this area as the Dutch and Portuguese have been there for some years.

The initial charter is for 15 years giving the company a monopoly on trade with England.

Early voyages to the Indies:

Sir James Lancaster commands the first voyage in 1601 aboard the Red Dragon. In 1602, whilst in the Malacca Straits he takes the 1,200 ton Portuguese carrack Sao Thome carrying pepper and spices. This enables the voyagers to set up two ‘factories‘.

On their return to England, in 1603, they learn of Elizabeth’s death. Lancaster is knighted by  James I because of the voyage’s success. The company has profitably breached the Spanish-Portuguese duopoly and new horizons open.

Charter renewed:

James I renews the East India Company’s charter for an indefinite period in 1609, however if trade is unprofitable for three consecutive years it will be annulled.

In 1615, James I instructs Sir Thomas Roe to visit the Mughal Emperor Nur-ud-din Salim Jahangir to negotiate a commercial treaty giving the company exclusive rights in Surat and other areas.  This mission is highly successful!

The Dutch:

The company successfully expands and receives trading rights in other parts of India. The major competitors are the Dutch because they oust the Portuguese in 1640/41 to have a monopoly of the spice trade in the Straits of Malacca.

Because of the intense competition between the East India Company and the Dutch East India Company or Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, (VOC) there are the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th and 18th centuries.

In the early 17th century, the Dutch East India Company is the world’s wealthiest commercial operation giving its shareholders 40% annual dividend.

Absorbed by the British Government:

The government sees the company as a good source of tax and fee revenue. When the company falls on hard times the Government, over a number of years, takes control of the company and creates the Imperial Raj.

Listen to the podcast and hear Alan tell the full story.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not possible to use some of the images from the original talks for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, PodchaserSpotifyStitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2022 Ep12 5 Villains from History

Season 2022 – Talk 12 – 5 Villains from History

In 5 Villains from History our five speakers explain the villany of these characters who are responsible for many deaths, often in unpleasant ways.

Warning: the details may be upsetting to some.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Vlad III:

In the first part of this talk Jenny Staple tells us about Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Impaler because of his favoured method of execution. He is also known as Vlad Dracula.

Vlad was Voivode of Wallachia three times between 1448 and his death in 1476/77. He is often considered one of the most important rulers in Wallachian history and a national hero of Romania.

He is the second son of Vlad Dracul, ruler of Wallachia from 1436 to 1447. The Ottomans hold Vlad and his younger brother, Radu, as hostages to secure their father’s loyalty.

Vlad’s father and eldest brother are murdered in 1447. Vlad replaces his second cousin as Voivode in 1448 and exacts revenge on his enemies.

Che Guevara:

A hero to the poor and oppressed but a villain to big business and the US. A doctor, a terrorist or, depending on your view, a freedom fighter. An image on millions of T shirts. You choose.

Ian Wallace weaves the fascinating story of Che, his travels and his activities to foment revolution.

Idi Amin:

Michael A’Bear tells the story of Idi Amin, a man he describes as a ‘rotter’. People believe that he was born around 1925, however no none is sure of the exact date.

Michael tells us that his father abandoned the family after naming his son after himself. The young Amin grows up with his mother’s family in a farming area.

He joins the Kings African Rifles as an assistant cook in 1946 and, by 1952, becomes a Corporal. In Michael’s opinion he should have remained a Corporal!

He falsely claims to have served in Burma in the Second World War. By July 1961 he has risen to be a Lieutenant, one of Uganda’s first two commissioned officers. When Uganda becomes independent in 1962 his rise through the ranks continues.

One officer says of him ‘Idi Amin is a splendid type and a good rugby player, but virtually bone from the neck up, and needs things explained in words of one letter’.  Unfortunately he seizes power in a military coup and becomes a military dictator. Estimates of the number killed by his regime vary between 300,000 and 500,000.

Mao Zedong:

Another person where people have ‘Marmite‘ views. The China of Mao’s youth is ruled by a corrupt dynastic aristocracy and warlords and so the majority of citizens count for nothing.

In 1921 Mao becomes a founder member of the Chinese Communist Party and over the years works his way up the hierarchy. He suffers a number of rebuffs but is always proven right.

In 1934 he leads the Communists on the Long March to North West China. On 1 October 1949 Mao announces the formation of the People’s Republic of China which he leads as Chairman until 1976. Alan Freeland explains all!

James Warren Jones:

A Vicar, a supposed ‘man of God’, a person who persuades his followers to take poison in a mass murder/suicide and one who says ‘I was ready to kill by the third grade’.

Jones forms a religious cult where his followers must give up their assets and do as he instructs. He is in contact with some powerful people in the US, including Walter Mondale, J Edgar Hoover and Rosalynn Carter.

The cult moves to Jonestown in Guyana. Following a fact finding visit in 1978, Congressman Leo Ryan and four others are shot by Jonestown’s Red Brigade. The residents of Jonestown drink Flavor Aid laced with a number of sedatives and cyanide.

Listen to the podcast and hear our five speakers tell the story of these ‘5 Villains from History’. Then decide who to save!

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group.

It is not possible to use some of the images from the original talks for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023

TH2022 Ep11 John Churchill

Season 2022 – Talk 11 – John Churchill – the First Duke of Marlborough

In John Churchill – the First Duke of Marlborough David Simpson explains why many believe that he was Britain’s greatest general.

Click a thumbnail below to view the image gallery that accompanies the talk.

Childhood:

He is the second, and surviving, son of the first Sir Winston Churchill. His father backs the Royalists in the Civil War and has to pay a large fine. The family has little money. Their mother in law takes the family in although she is a staunch Parliamentarian!

The Restoration sees Winston becoming Member of Parliament for Weymouth and John’s eldest sister, Arabella, becomes maid of honour to the Duke of York’s wife. Arabella begins an affair with James, Duke of York which results in four children.

John becomes a page to the Duke and the becomes an Ensign in the Foot Guards.

Youth:

John (allegedly) has an affair with Barbara Villiers, an ex-mistress of Charles II. It is possible that a child results from the affair but John never acknowledges this. John is getting to have powerful contacts.

Military career:

Churchill becomes a Captain in the Duke of York’s Admiralty Regiment. This is part of the British Brigade under the command of the Duke of Monmouth, an illegitimate son of Charles II.

We hear of Churchill’s part in the abdication of King James II, his famous victories,  his difficult relationships with William and Mary, Queen Anne and George I.

Britain’s greatest general:

David concludes by giving his reasons as to why he, and many other historians, rate John Churchill, the First Duke of Marlborough, as Britain’s greatest general.

Listen to the podcast and hear David Simpson tell the full story of this great General.

About this podcast:

This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History  Group. Unfortunately there is, in places, some background noise from a keep fit class in another room in Farnham Maltings.

It is not possible to use some of the images in the original talk for copyright reasons.

The Farnham u3a site is here.

You can also listen using Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox , Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher and Vurbl and others.

AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use as the theme music.

© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History Group 2018 – 2023