The Norwich Society is pleased to present these virtual talks for you to enjoy from home.
The Historians Group is looking forward to post-pandemic times when we can begin our monthly meetings in the Library Building once again. We have decided that rather than waiting until then we are creating pre-recorded and live online talks.
All our videos can be watched on our YouTube channel here - live events will be added afterwards.
If you find our talks interesting, please like and subscribe.
By Matthew Williams
The city’s first public sewerage system opened exactly 150 years ago last August, but how were the major geological and topographical challenges overcome in building it? Did it work? Has the system been changed or extended since then?
While preparing on a book about subterranean Norwich, Matt became intrigued by the depth and size of some of Norwich’s sewers, part of a hidden underground system we completely rely on, but hardly ever think about. In this talk, he draws together fragmentary information from a multiplicity of written and visual sources, and has crossed the city looking for manhole covers, to tell the story he calls ‘Norwich’s Netherflow’.
Matt is a chartered geologist and Norwich historian with an interest in tracing continuity from past to present, and in particular in how the city functions as a physical entity – his thesis being that ‘geology drives everything’. He spent 30 years in the construction industry and now enjoys writing local books while working part-time as a professional cycle instructor.
This online talk is FREE but must be booked in advance.
Book the online talk HERE!
By Ian Smith
From the 1780s onwards campaigns against the evils of the trans Atlantic slave trade and the harsh treatment of African slaves in the West Indian colonies grew in importance nationally. Ian will explore the response in Norwich and Norfolk.
How many local people attended meetings? Or signed petitions? And did people actually stop consuming sugar and rum produced by slaves? What roles in the national campaign were played by local figures such as Joseph John Gurney, Amelia Opie and Harriet Martineau?
The anti-slavery movement broke new ground. Never before had petitioning of parliament been deployed so intensively. Never before had weapons like the boycott of goods been used. Never before had public opinion been successfully aroused over the abuse of civil rights in a distant part of the world. Ian evaluates what part Norwich and Norfolk might have played in this success.
Ian Smith is well-known to us as an erudite and fascinating speaker about 18th Century Norwich. After a career in the Diplomatic Service he enrolled at the UEA where he completed a masters degree and began a Ph.D focusing on the history of Norwich during this period. His talk this time will be on Norwich and Norfolk and the Fight against Slavery.
This is a recording of the event, which took place on April 8th, 10:30am as our first live online talk.
By Richard Matthew
A virtual tour of this important, but often overlooked and taken for granted building located in the centre of Norwich.
Richard Matthew is a former Guildhall guide, and this tour focuses on the physical history of the building in the city from the 15th Century through to the present day.
WATCH THE VIDEO
By Terry George
This talk is a voyage of discovery as Terry introduces viewers to the treasures hidden beneath our feet as we walk through the streets of Norwich.
There are in the region of 80 Undercrofts beneath the city of Norwich, Terry has managed to gain access to around 60 of them. Some are accessible to the public, for example at The Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell and Dragon Hall, but many are located underneath privately owned buildings, haven’t been visited in years and are all but forgotten.
Retirement has provided former teacher Terry George with an opportunity to explore the subjects he is passionate about. Terry’s talk follows on from an article in the Norwich Society’s Member magazine, Aspects of Norwich Autumn 2019, and was received with much enthusiasm and featured in the Eastern Daily Press. This publication can be purchased from The City Bookshop and Jarrold, see publications for details.
By Michael Blackwell
A look at the history of pantomimes in Norwich over the past three hundred years. Grab a light-stick and a bucket of pick-and-mix and enjoy the presentation!
On behalf of the Norwich Society Historians Group, Vanessa, Jo and Michael would like to wish our growing band of members a very happy Christmas season…or at least as happy as it can be in the present trying circumstances! We thought we’d give our video release for December a seasonal theme - and what better than a trip to the pantomime!
WATCH THE VIDEO
By Jonathan Hooton
Norwich has had the reputation of a pub for every day. This claim is examined and taken as a starting point for finding out where they have all gone.
The Norwich Pub Detective examines the evidence still to be found to identify former pubs in the City of Norwich and its suburbs from the blindingly obvious to the obscure and quirky. It also is an excuse to discuss many of the interesting and intriguing stories from the past that surround our former pubs.
Jonathan Hooton is a City of Norwich Tour Guide, a former Head of Geography at Notre Dame High School and has a fondness for, and plenty of experience of pubs. He has been a regular feature in the Society's event programme, and had been scheduled to deliver both a live talk and a guided tour of Norwich pubs in the 2020 summer events programme.
By Michael Blackwell
An exploration of what sorts of dramatic performances could be seen in Norwich, where these took place and the censorship theatre companies frequently had to deal with.
Michael has led on the coordination of the Society's Historians Group talks for a number of years. He has a particular interest in theatre and in this talk he shares his research on theatre in Norwich during what historians call 'The Long 18th Century', from the Restoration period in the early 17th century through to the Regency period in the early 19th century.
By John Trevelyan
A look at how to use existing maps in historical research, as well as how to create maps to illustrate research findings.
John Trevelyan is Chair of the Society's Civic Environment Committee, and presents this video as the second in our Historians Virtual Talks Series.
Accompanying notes to this video can be downloaded here.
By Vanessa Trevelyan
A tour of Norwich's bridges, comparing the bridges we see today with historic images.
Vanessa Trevelyan is a Former Chair of the Norwich Society, and presents this video as the Society's first virtual talk.
