10th December 2025
Queen Victoria, A Life in Portraits.
Doctor Gillian White is a speaker whose audiences are never disappointed by the quality and content of her presentations. This was indeed the case on her latest visit to the Centre, when it felt that we were being taken on a tour of a unique art gallery.
Dr. White referred to Victoria’s well-known story, which she would focus on through various portraits, some familiar some less so. After the depravity and excesses of the reign of George IV, there was a need for reform of the Monarchy, and Victoria ensured this took place.
At the age of 50 Victoria’s father, the Duke of Kent, married Princess Victoria of Saxe Coburg in 1818. Victoria was born on 24th May 1819. On her father’s subsequent death, she was brought up by her widowed mother. Victoria resisted her control and came to rely on her governess. Victoria became skilled at sketching and her drawing abilities developed. She was noted for her charm. On the death of her uncle, she became Queen on 20th June 1837. She wanted a fresh start and to reshape the Monarchy. Victoria’s coronation took place on 28th June 1838, and Sir George Hayter painted the formal portrait. She married Prince Albert on 10th February 1840 and Hayter was once again the artist that painted the formal portrait.
Other artist who painted portraits of Victoria included Sir David Wilkie, Edmund Thomas Parris and Sir Edwin Landseer. Not one was considered successful. However, a work by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, given by Victoria to Albert in 1843, can be described as outstanding and particularly sensuous.
The death of Albert in 1861 had a profound impact on Victoria, and this is reflected in the later portraits by such artists as Baron Heinrich Von Angela and Jean-Joseph Benjamin Constant, which also show Victoria as an imperial monarch.
The earliest known photograph of Victoria dates from 1845, showing moments of sombre reflection. She can be regarded as the first monarch of the media.
During her long life, Victoria and her family were the subject of many fine portrait painters – an impressive legacy. Victoria died on the 22nd January 1901 after a reign of 63 years and 7 months.
7th October 2025
Lady Emma Hamilton 1765-1815
At short notice, as the scheduled speaker was unable to attend on the revised date, Committee member and Newsletter editor Francis Engleheart stepped in to give a presentation on Emma Hamilton.
Emma (née Hart) was born in Ness on the Wirral peninsula, but moved to Hawarden in Flintshire, her mother’s home village, when her father died shortly after her birth. She came from a very humble background, and entered service when still young. She moved to London to join her mother, and worked at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, among other places, including supposedly the notorious Temple of Health. She became a model for Sir Joshua Reynolds. She met a range of people from elevated backgrounds, including Sir Harry Fetherstonhaugh of Uppark, now a National Trust property. Emma lived at Uppark and became pregnant, giving birth to a daughter. She left there and Charles Greville set up her and her mother in a cottage in Paddington. She sat regularly for the portrait painter George Romney, and met Sir William Hamilton, Greville’s uncle.
Emma became the mistress of Hamilton, who was the British envoy to Naples. She arrived there in 1786 aged 21. Emma had long chestnut hair, was a good singer, and was tall. In Naples she was meeting “the great and the good”. Hamilton married Emma at Marylebone in 1791, having obtained the permission of George III (necessary as he was the king’s envoy).
Nelson was in Naples in 1793, returning in 1798 after the great victory at the Battle of the Nile on 1 August. He was given a warm welcome in Naples, and Emma led the reception. A relationship developed between them, and Emma became his confidante. Hamilton was a modest man, and he didn’t protest. He was no match for Nelson, a national hero. Following rebellion in Naples, Hamilton fell out of favour and lost his job.
Nelson’s wife, Fanny, led a quiet life back home. As Nelson’s relationship with Emma developed he made provision for his wife and settled income on her. Emma gave birth to a daughter, Horatia, in January 1801. Emma had become a celebrity, and was the victim of brutal satire. Nelson went back to sea in 1801 and was victorious at the Battle of Copenhagen. When he returned home in 1802 he and Emma set up home at Merton Place.
Emma mourned Sir William Hamilton on his death, and then Nelson died of his wounds at the Battle of Trafalgar in October 1805. Despite Nelson’s request, the government did not grant a pension to Emma, who fell on hard times, and moved to Calais where she died in 1815. Recent press reports indicate that her skeleton may have been found.
Francis was thanked for his illuminating and enjoyable presentation.
9th September 2025
The National Trust in North Warwickshire
The new season of indoor meetings got underway with a presentation relating to the properties in the NT’s North Warwickshire Portfolio. It was given by Megan Hartshorne assisted by her colleague Clarissa, both part of the welcome team at the properties.
Megan, who studied for her law degree worked for a time at the Black Country Living Museum and the Birmingham Museums Trust, before moving to the NT. She described her work for the NT as ‘life changing’ and said she was very lucky to have got the job. She and Clarissa have worked together for 2 years.
Megan referred to each of the properties in the portfolio:
- Packwood House – this busy property is well known for its textiles an furniture (especially the tapestries) and its topiary. So far 108.000 visitors had been to Packwood this season (target 202.000) and new membership totalled 500 (target 930). Legacies were being promoted. Everything was going well. A successful engagement project with dog walkers was in place. The second-hand bookshop has done really well and made £29500 in its first year. The café is very popular and is a meeting place for local groups. There are plans to create a new ‘welcome centre’ to address access needs. This will be funded from legacy income and is part of the plans for growth.
- Baddesley Clinton – this moated manor house was home to the Ferrers Family for over 500 years. Priest holes can be discovered there. So far 112.500 visitors have been there this season (target 230.000) and new membership totalled 600 (target 1000). The second hand book shop is most successful and has raised £1 million since it was set up. There is an annual book fair – £12500 was raised in 3 weeks this year.
- Coughton Court – open for 6 months of the year, the home of the Throckmorton Family. The re-roofing project, costing ££3.3 million took 2 years, and has been completed. It was delayed by Covid. The family is takin back management of the property from the N.T. This will have an impact on the visiting arrangements for N.T. members.
- Chaterhouse, Coventry -this 14h century medieval manor house, formerly a monastery, is being managed by the N.T. under a 5 year lease arrangement. Volunteers have been recruited and it opened in May. This urban property, in the city centre, is proving popular. It too has a second hand book shop.
Megan and Clarissa then referred to the varied work undertaken by the different teams at the properties, using a range of skills. These were shared, and responsibilities take on. Young people were coming forward to get involved and volunteer. There was healthy was healthy competition between the teams of specialists.
The presentation underlined the vital role of volunteers in the N.T.’s work, the importance of engaging families and young people, and the amazing success of the fund raising second hand book shops.
The enthusiasm od Megan and Clarissa was inspiring and refreshing. It was hard to believe this was the first time they had given a presentation to an audience.
13th May 2025
The Occupation of the Channel Islands
Dr. Mark Baldwin was the speaker at the Centre’s May meeting. He is a civil engineer by profession, but has developed a strong interest in history, particularly aspects of World War two and the Enigma machines.
The focus of his presentation was the German occupation of the Channel Islands. In his introduction he outlined the history and geography of the islands, the largest of which in terms of size and population is Jersey. He referred to the fortified sites on the islands. For a short time Alderney was a base for the Royal Navy.
Prior to the German invasion on 1st July 1940, some 30.000 people were evacuated from the Channel Islands. Everyone on Alderney left, but no one left Sark, which had a feudal system, under the formidable leadership the Dame of Sark. The invasion of the Channel Islands was seen as a ‘trial run’ for the occupation of Britain.
Hitler ordered the creation of fortified structures as part of 7000 mile long ‘Atlantic wall’. Fritz Todt was the German Army engineer who organised the building programme to construct the defences in the Channel Islands. Massive guns, tunnels and bunkers were put in place. Slave labour, including prisoners of war and criminals was used. These workers were badly treated, and there was a concentration camp in Alderney.
D day on the 6th June 1944 was the start of the liberation of Europe, but the Channel Islands had to wait a while. The islands were blockaded after D Day, and the Germans did not sign the surrender document until 9th May 1945. Conditions on the Islands had deteriorated and Red Cross ships brought in food.
Resistance to the Germans by the Channel Islanders had serious consequences. There was some collaboration which split families, but most Islanders remained loyal as they waited for liberation.
Many of the robust structures built by The Germans are still much in evidence. Dr. Baldwin’s talk was a reminder of the endurance of the Channel Islanders. The recent event held to mark the 80th anniversary of VE day also served as a reminder of the valiant actions of ordinary men undertaking remarkable deeds in the service of our nation.
8th April 2025
Cavalier Dogs & Roundhead Rogues
Mary Bodfish made a return visit to our Centre for the April meeting. This time her presentation focused on the English Civil War.
King Charles 1 was a poor judge of character, and his financial affairs were in a mess. He wanted to bring in new forms of taxation, causing conflict with Parliament. This issue simmered for several years, and Parliament did not sit during the period 1629-1640. The situation continued to deteriorate, and the King left London and raised his standard at Nottingham in August 1642. The Royal Court moved to Oxford.
The King criss-crossed the West Midlands rallying support in Wolverhampton, Walsall and Birmingham. He stayed overnight at Aston Hall. There was a Royalist garrison at Dudley Castle and a factory in Kinver supplied arms. There were several battles including Edge Hill (1642) and Dudley (1644) where the siege ebbed and flowed. The Battle of Naseby (1645) was the turning point, being decisive for the Parliamentarians.
Queen Henrietta Maria, the King’s wife, played a prominent role in raising funds for the Royalist cause. There were heavy losses on both sides, and the population became impoverished. Lichfield Cathedral, particularly the central spire, was badly damaged in a bombardment.
Charles 1 was executed on 30th January 1649. The monarchy was restored in 1660 when Charles 11 was crowned. The civil war was a tragic and bloody period in English history
11th March 2025
“Market Towns” Their History, Function and Importance
The speaker at the Centre’s March meeting was Dr. Richard Churchley. It was the first time he had given a talk to our group. He is a musician who has developed an interest in local history. At the start of his talk he tested the knowledge of his audience with a brief quiz on the trades of some towns in Warwickshire and Worcestershire.
Market towns became the centres for surrounding villages, being closely linked with the rural economy. Agriculture relied on these towns and their markets and mills. Market crosses in town centres showed where markets were held. Town criers, who passed on news and information, opened and closed the markets. Street names indicated where certain activities took place, such as “Horsefair” where horses were sold and “The Shambles where cattle were slaughtered. Market halls developed – Tamworth has a particularly fine one -where produce could be sold indoors. Market towns were vulnerable to fires because of the thatched and half timbered buildings – Warwick suffered badly.
Dr. Churchley referred to towns which became important market towns, such as Tewkesbury, Upton-On-Severn, Alcester (where the parish church has its clock-face on the corner of the building, visible to the market), Evesham, Henley-In-Arden and Stratford-On-Avon. Some markets failed – such as Inkberrow and Alvechurch – because of competition from larger communities nearby.
Turnpike roads developed, and transport links improved. Market towns grew and specialised as trade centres – Evesham (Cloth), Stourbridge (Glass, Kidderminster (Carpets) and Worcester (Gloves).
11th February 2025
Annual General Meeting
The meeting was chaired by David Brown, President, who welcomed all present. He thanked members for their support and paid tribute to the work of the committee.
The Chairman, Chris Fonteyn, presented his 35th annual report. He stated that the year had been happy and successful, and he referred to the event which had taken place to celebrate the Centre’s 40 birthday. Fundraising had gone well, and it had been possible to make donations totalling £3500.00 to four NT properties. He reflected on the various events which had enabled these donations to be made.
Following his announcement last year that he intended to step down as Chairman he reported that a succession plan is actively being worked on, and work is in hand to secure the future of the Centre.
The Treasurer, Trevor Sidaway, presented the audited accounts, confirming that income had improved during the year and that the Centre’s financial health remains strong. It was noted that more members are paying subscriptions by bank transfer, which helps streamline our administration.
2 New committee members had been co-opted during the year and along with ongoing existing members were re-elected by a show of hands to continue their good works.
Alan Wood then gave a presentation outlining the programme of outings planned for the coming year, including the 2025 holiday, which will be based in Barnstable.
Peter Archer was presented with a gift from the Centre in recognition of his recent 90th birthday.
As the expected speaker was unable to attend, because of family commitments, the President, David Brown, took her place at short notice. He gave some reminiscences of his time with the National Trust. His family comes from Norfolk, but he was bought up in Leicestershire, He worked as an estate agent in Leicester, where he helped set up the Leicester NT Centre. He got a job with the NT at Attingham Park in 1972 where he became involved with publicity and the Regions. He was there until 1988 when he moved to the NT’s office in Tewkesbury.
He recalled:-
The N.T. shop in Shrewsbury being opened by Lucinda Lambton.
The Shropshire Centre being set up in November 1972.
Princess Alexandra’s visit to Attingham Park;
The Ideal Home Exhibition in Manchester, where National Trust created a model village of its properties.
The Queen Mother’s visit to Quarry Bank Mill and her favourite drink – Gin and Dubonet.
His work on BBC radio and TV’S Generation Game all on behalf of the NT, stimulating publicity.
Vida Worsey gave a Vote of Thanks at the conclusion of the meeting.
8th January 2025
West Midlands Safari Park-Conservation Programme
The speaker at the Centre’s January meeting was Chloe Walton-Stenson. She is a member of the education team at West Midlands Safari Park, Bewdley. She said it is the best job in the world.
Chloe said that the Safari Park, which started in 1973, has changed and developed, particularly over the past five years. Recently, the new hippo house has opened, with an indoor heated pool. The Safari Park’s mission is to connect with people and nature.
There are now four elephants, including two from Belgian zoos, living in the park. Recently a Sumatran tiger cub was born there. She is doing well. There are less than 500 of these animals in the wild. Safari lodges provide accommodation for visitors, and are proving popular.
Chloe said there are many changes going on around the world, but conservation work is seeing many positive success stories. West Midlands Safari Park is involved with several partnerships and captive breeding programmes, such as penguins in Argentina, elephants in Mali, rhinos in South Africa and Sumatra (there are only between 30 and 80 Sumatran rhinos in the wild). Local communities have also been supported.
At the Park itself there have been success stories regarding breeding programmes for red pandas and Philippines spotted deer.
Education work is an important activity at the Park. Large numbers of school groups visit every year. Animal management students at Kidderminster College are actively involved with the Park as part of their studies.
The Park has been involved with conservation work on the nearby lowland heathland. Also, it has worked with Dudley Zoo to provide bat boxes for schools in the Borough of Dudley.
Chloe impressed her audience with her enthusiasm and informative presentation – a stimulus to visit West Midlands Safari Park.