About this Event
Thursday Morning Talks
12 September - 19 December 2024
10.30 - 12 midday
Northampton Museum & Art Gallery
Thursday 12 September
The Ship of Dreams
Speaker: Steve Dimmer
375 miles south of Newfoundland, two and a half miles beneath the Atlantic Ocean lies the wreck of the most famous ship ever, RMS Titanic. This talk will examine its journey through conception, manufacture, triumphant launch and catastrophic maiden voyage, showing the many mistakes that were made and the lessons that were learned too late.
Thursday 26 September
Alan Turing and the Real Imitation Game
Speaker: Michael Kushner
During WW2 at Bletchley Park, he broke the most complex German Enigma ciphers. Post-war he worked on many new scientific innovations at Manchester University. This real-life story of an amazing mathematician and codebreaker, who had the foresight of computers and the benefits and dangers of Artificial Intelligence. This scientific hero was prosecuted over his sexuality and treated callously by British Justice.
Thursday 10 October
Ikebana, living with flowers
Speaker: Laura Malpas
Discover the long history of flower arrangement in Japan, from when it was an occupation of men, monks and samurai and its evolution into the important and respected cultural practice seen throughout Japan today. The talk is illustrated with images from historic woodcut prints and photos of modern arrangements in Japan.
This session also includes some basic principles of modern Ikebana, with a 'how to' demonstration of a simple style using seasonal flowers and branches.
Thursday 24 October
Silverstone – The village and the circuit
Speaker: Gerald Lovell
The story of a village dominated over centuries by the forestry and the wood trade with its 22 woodyards; yet having a parallel history of a Benedictine Abbey, a royal hunting lodge, a WW2 Wellington Bomber Training Station that was transformed into a motor racing circuit, the birthplace of Formula One and home of British Motor Racing.
Thursday 7 November
The wonderful world of the pipe organ
Speaker: Paul Hale
Ever wondered how long pipe organs have been around or how they work? All will be revealed by Paul Hale, one of the UK’s leading organ specialists.
Thursday 21 November
All the King's Horses and all the King's Men
Speaker: Keith Baldwin
In this talk Keith will share with us lots of little-known detail about His Majesty’s Household Cavalry. Delivered in a light-hearted way it is guaranteed to entertain as well as to inform.
Thursday 5 December
No way home – The making of a memoir
Speaker: Lis Ainsworth
Intimate diaries of separation and survival in 1945 Germany; the physical and emotional journeys, made separately by two sisters and their serendipitous family reunion. With themes of faith, philosophy and continuance, forced from their destroyed childhood home as girls, they became women in a new world order, their lives forever changed.
Thursday 19 December
A Christmas Talk of Magic gone wrong, with magic show
Speaker: John Constantine
This is an illustrated talk on magicians past and present where the act has gone fatally wrong. There's also, by total contrast, an entertaining magic show featuring nothing dangerous at all - just pure sleight of hand, misdirection and mind reading!
Single Ticket £3.50 (+ Eventbrite booking fee).
Includes tea/coffee and biscuits
Booking recommended - these events are popular. We allocate a small number of tickets to purchase from the museum direct. If Eventbrite is showing as sold out try calling the museum direct on 01604 526322 during our opening hours Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 5pm and Sundays 12-5pm
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, 4-6 Guildhall Road, Northampton, United Kingdom
GBP 4.50
