Speaker Bernard Dennis

The Canal Duke

Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater b 1736. d 1803 was a descendent of Sir Thomas Egerton (1540-1617) and through the ages inherited a vast portfolio of properties in twelve counties. This included Tatton Park & Worsley. It was at Worsley that significant coal reserves had been mined. Being aware of the increasing need for coal to power the burgeoning industry of cotton and engineering in Manchester, and the very poor transport infrastructure, the Duke set upon commissioning and financing the building of the Bridgewater canal in 1760/61. The canal system was to reduce the cost of coal dramatically and delivery could be relied upon. Because of this it is reported “canal mania swept the nation” His memorial states “He sent barges across fields the farmer formerly tilled” We welcome back Bernard again after his previously very successful talks about Sir Thomas Egerton Keeper of the Queen’s Conscience and The History of the English Longbow.

Seasonal Changes at the Dorothy Clive Garden

Kathryn Robey

Meetings will normally be held on the second Monday of the month at 7.30pm in the Schoolroom of Christleton Methodist Church

Speaker David Cummings

A new look at the English Civil War, from The Battle of Edgehill to Rowton Moor & Seige of Chester

In this talk I take a fresh look at the information we have built up about the English Civil War as it affected the village of Christleton, The Battle of Rowton Moor, and the city of Chester. We start at the Battle of Edgehill in 1642, and follow the story as it affects the country. Included are images from re enactments of battles across England including those at Beeston and Nantwich, but also include new images from the battlefield site at Naesby taken in 2019. Almost all the pictures in this presentation are taken at re enactments by the Sealed Knot and the English Civil war Society through their local organisations as at Nantwich on their Holly Holy Day commemorations each January.

Christmas Evening

Social Meal

Speaker Gavin Hunter

Talk on Wirral ' History from the Air '

Gavin Hunter is the Honorary archivist and historian to the Leverhulme Family, a local historian, lecturer and broadcaster on Wirral History. He has written and produced many films and presentations about the family, about Wirral and Liverpool. We welcome him back after his popular talks on Lady Lever & The Dockers Umbrella, the Liverpool overhead railway.

The Fantastic Plans and Flowers at Ness

Tim Baxter Head Gardener, Ness Botanic Gardens

Meetings will normally be held on the second Monday of the month at 7.30pm in the Schoolroom of Christleton Methodist Church

Speaker ** Alan Robinson **

The Air Offensive against Britain in WWII

The Blitz 1940-41. Second Blitz 1944-45

Alan a favourite speaker of the History group will give his new talk on the air offensive against Britain in the Second World War – it covers both the Blitz of 1940/41 and the Second Blitz of 1944/45 when the Germans used V1 flying bombs and V2 rockets against Britain.

A Garden for All Seasons

Gordon Baillee Head Gardener, Arley Hall

Meetings will normally be held on the second Monday of the month at 7.30pm in the Schoolroom of Christleton Methodist Church

Speaker Ken Pye

The Rise, Fall, and Renaissance of Liverpool

The Story of a World Class City

Ken Pye FRSA is Managing Director of Discover Liverpool. He has expert knowledge of the Liverpool City Region, and speaks with credibility, insight, and passion about his subject. Tonight he describes how the original tiny hamlet, on the banks of the ancient Pool, went on to be the home of the world’s first wet dock, canals, railways, and scheduled transport liners- as well as much more. He tells how the medieval town grew to become the social and commercial “crossroads of the world” during the 18th, 19th & 20th centuries, and how it took its place as the greatest port and city in the British Empire. He then explains how, after WWII Liverpool collapsed into near bankruptcy, catastrophic industrial unrest, political militancy, and total social breakdown, and a time when it was almost written off by the Government and left to die. But the story of Liverpool then becomes one of amazing rebirth, and of its triumphant success as a European Capital of Culture and a World Heritage City and Port. Liverpool is now regarded as being “the friendliest and most exciting city in Britain”

The Herbaceous Border

Jane Allison Middlewich

Meetings will normally be held on the second Monday of the month at 7.30pm in the Schoolroom of Christleton Methodist Church

Birds and Bees

Geoff Pilkington Nurturing Nature, Warrington

Meetings will normally be held on the second Monday of the month at 7.30pm in the Schoolroom of Christleton Methodist Church