Programme

The Autumn Programme is as follows:

22 SEPTEMBER: Anthony Cross, The Reetful Hair. Anthony Cross, current President of Greenwich Historical Society will deliver his long-delayed Address: His subject is the story of Amelia Radcliffe, the self-styled Countess of Derwentwater, who for over twenty years in the mid to late nineteenth century pursued her claim to be the rightful heir of what were then the vast acreage of the Northern Estates of Greenwich Hospital. It is a good yarn full of twists and turns and bears all the hallmarks of real drama. Amelia was a colourful character, to say the least, and a particularly prickly thorn in the side of all manner of authority. But was she the genuine article, a bone-fide countess? And did her claim hold water? Or was she just a canny chancer, a fantasist and very ingenious con woman? Come along, find out and ponder the possibilities.

27 OCTOBER: David Rooney, About Time. If you want to know the time, ask a creative, experienced, and award-winning freelance writer and curator specializing in everything that ticks. David was until 2018 Keeper of Technologies & Engineering at the Science Museum, London, and before that Curator of Timekeeping at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. He is also a director of the Antiquarian Horological Society and helps run the Clockmakers’ Museum, the oldest of its type in the world. 

David’s subject is his latest publication, ‘About Time – A History of Civilization in Twelve Clocks’. In his talk, he will introduce us to twelve clocks, dating from ancient times to the present day, and will describe how they influenced and continue to shape our world. Aside from telling the time, they have helped us to assert authority, navigate, build empires – and even brought us to the brink of destruction. And all in just one hour. Precisely.

Signed copies of ‘About Time’ will be available for sale on the evening.

24 NOVEMBER: Murray Andrews, Medieval Coins from Greenwich. Dr Andrews is an internationally recognised authority in British numismatics, with nearly a decade of experience working with tens of thousands of coins from archaeological sites and museum collections. He will share with us some of his expertise in coinage, with a particular emphasis on those found, or otherwise belonging to Greenwich.  

Meetings are held on the 4th Wednesday the following months: January, February, March, April, (occasionally in May) … September, October and November.

Our meetings, unless otherwise advertised, are held at James Wolfe School, Royal Hill Campus, Greenwich SE10 8RZ. Doors open at 7.15. Meetings commence at 7.30 and conclude at 9.00pm. We welcome non-members, from whom we invite a donation of £3 for each meeting.

The venue is well served by public transport. Bus routes 177, 180, 199 and 386 run along Greenwich High Road (at the bottom of Royal Hill). Bus routes 129, 188 and 286 serve nearby Greenwich town centre, and Greenwich Mainline Railway Station and Greenwich DLR are a short walk away.

There is free car parking after 6.30pm in the Burney Street car park (behind Greenwich Picturehouse).

Membership of GHS is open to anyone with an interest in the history of Greenwich. Annual Subscription runs from 1 January to 31 December: Individual: £15 or £18 for two persons at the same address.

If you require any further details, please contact Horatio Blood,
Hon. Secretary, GREENWICH HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

36, Greenwich Market, Greenwich, London SE10 9HZ
Email: info@warwickleadlay.com (stating GHS as the subject, please).