Linda's Talk concerns the policing in Greenwich, 1696-1869, as well as the crimes committed by Greenwich Pensioners, quoting from Old Bailey records and newspaper articles. She will describe how they were committed under the influence of alcohol, and how many were suffering from insanity caused by various factors. She will conclude with the story of Dennis Collins who was charged with High Treason for throwing and hitting King William (aka Silly Billy) with a stone. Linda Cunningham recently graduated with First Class Honours in History at the University of Greenwich, and bases this talk on her final dissertation of her Degree. Linda is presently a Yeoman Guide at the Old Royal Naval College.

This talk will be about the Pagoda, Eliot Vale, and the allied history of the lost Montague House, on Park Wall, with its outbuildings on the Pagoda site. They were last considered by the Greenwich Antiquarian Society in 1977-78. Since then the Pagoda has been restored by its owners of the last 20 years: Mrs & Mrs Philip Cooper. Neil Rhind surveys the ground and previews his new booklet on the story of these important local buildings. The lecturer, Neil Rhind MBE, is the leading authority on this area. He is the author of several books, most notably, a three volume history of Blackheath

Following our (traditionally short) AGM, Anthony Cross in his Presidential Address will introduce us to an extraordinary inhabitant of nineteenth century Greenwich - the printer, publisher and antiquarian Henry Richardson, and who as a young man of twenty three in 1834 produced and published 'Greenwich: Its History, Antiquities, Improvements and Public Buildings'. As well as introducing us to the man, Anthony will give a guided tour of this learned and evocative work, using as his source Richardson's own extra-illustrated copy which is one of the gems of the Borough's collection kept at the Heritage Centre. Anthony Cross is Director of Warwick Leadlay Gallery in central Greenwich.

19th April 2012 is the millennium of the martyrdom of Ælfheah (Alphege) Archbishop of Canterbury by Danish Vikings at Greenwich. This talk will discuss the events of 1011-1012; their significance in the context of the Viking raids; the problematic accounts of Ælfheah's death; and the political afterlife of Ælfheah's cult. These last two issues relate to the sensitive issue of whether Ælfheah deserved to be called a martyr at all, a debate which involved successive Archbishops at Canterbury, including St Anselm. John Sabapathy is a lecturer in medieval history at University College London where he works on the history of Christendom and political accountability in the Middle Ages.