Past Events

PAST GUEST SPEAKERS

2001
August (pre-formation public meeting) – “Compton Castle” – NT Volunteer
September (Inaugural meeting) – “The Gilbert Family & Compton Castle” – Geoffrey Gilbert.
December – “50 Years of Farming” – Frank Palk.

2002
March – “Elizabeth Goudge” (biography) – Sylvia Gower (author)
June – Golden Jubilee Exhibition.

2003
March – “Life in South Devon, film by SW Film & TC Archive plus BBC film “bungalow development” plus restored film of Coronation pageant at Compton Castle.
June – “My Time at Marldon School”, talk & slides – Peter Fillan (former Head).
September – “History of Marldon Parish Church” – Helen Neil (Churchwarden).
December – “Cockington” – John Risdon.

2004
March – “Old Preston” – Tony Moss (Paignton Preservation Society)
June – film by SW Film & TV Archive, plus display of D Day Exhibition from Berry Pomeroy Church.
September – “Torre Abbey” – talk by Les Retallick (Curator).
December – “Memories of Marldon” – talk by Gordon Moore (Member).

2005
March – “Steam Railways in S. Devon”, talk & slides by Peter Gray.
June – “Torquay Potteries”, talk, slides and display – Rosemary Firch
September – “Memories of Marldon”- talk by Roy Underhill (Member).
December – “40 years a Policeman” – talk by Harry Colclough.

2006
March – “Dartmoor/South Hams”, talk, slides & music – Desmond Gahan.
June – “Occombe Farm” – talk by Dominic Acland (director). Held at Occombe Farm.
September – “History of Totnes” – talk by Kristen Saunders (Curator).
December – “Ghosts of Torre Abbey” – talk by Les Retallick (Curator).

2007
March – “History of Kingskerswell” – talk by Gerald Quinn.
June – “Tracks, Turnpikes & Toll Houses” – talk & slides by Michael Vyner.
September – “Eccentrics of the Area” – talk by Ian Handford (Torbay Civic Society).
December – “Stage Door Johnnies” (Concert).

2008
March – “More Steam Railway in S. Devon” – talk by Peter Gray
June – “Torbay Chalet Hotel” – talk by Bob Hooper
September – “The Four Season & the River Dart – talk by Desmond Gahan
December – “Devon Historical & Hysterical” – entertainment by Margaret Duffy

2009
March – “The Devon & Dorset Jurassic Coast” – talk by Tony Burgess
June – “History of the Torbay Lifeboats” – talk by Alan Salsbury
September – “Curious Devon” – Mike Perriam
December – Christmas Social Evening – Margaret Duffy

2010
March – “History of Devon General Omnibus Co.” – talk by Leslie Folkard
June – “Kents Cavern” – talk by Alan Salsbury
September – “Green Lanes of Devon” – talk by Valerie Belsey
December – Christmas Social Evening – Maggie Duffey. (cancelled – illness).

2011
March – “History of Stover Canal” – talk & slides by Roger Harding (Stover Canal Trust)
June – “The Lost Heritage of Devon” – talk by Todd Gray
September – “The City of Exeter Through the Ages from Roman Times” – talk by Tony Burgess (official Exeter Guide)
December – Christmas Social – showing of DVD of Church & Presentations.

2012
March – “The Old Saltway Trail” – talk by Colin Vosper
June – “Paignton Zoo” – illustrated talk by the Zoo Team
September – “Devon’s 50 Best Churches” – talk by Todd Gray
December – “Quirky Norway Winters” – humorous talk by Jane Davey.

2013
March – “Totnes Image Bank & Rural Archive” – illustrated talk
June – “Old Paignton” – slides & quiz by Ted Wolvet (cancelled – non appearance)
September – “The Story of Marldon” – launch of the Group’s DVD
December – Christmas Social – Maggie Duffy.

2014
March – “Old Paignton” – slides & quiz by Ted Wolvet
June – “The Tower of London” – illustrated talk by John Keohane (former Chief Yeoman Warder)
September – “Garden Birdwatch” – Talk & slides by Martin Overy (British Trust for Ornithology)
December – Christmas Social Evening – Maggie Duffy.

2015
March – “The Art of the Devon Garden” – illustrated talk by Todd Gray
June – “Curious Dartmoor” – slides& talk by Paul Rendell
September – “Brixham RNLI Lifeboat” – talk by Arthur Curnow (former Coxswain)
December – Christmas Social – “A Christmas Themed Presentation” – Adrienne Hesketh – (piano recital).

2016
March – “Devon’s Railway Heritage” – Slides & talk by Robert Hesketh
June – “Princetown and its Prison” – Illustated talk by Paul Rendell
September – “What really happened on Exercise Tiger, 28th April 1944 at Slapton Sands” – Illustrated talk by Robbie Robinson
December – Christmas Social Evening – “Songs, Fun & Frolics” – Maggie Duffy.

2017
March – “Kents Cavern and the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark” – Slides & talk by Nick Powe, 5th generation custodian
June – “Maritime Shortcuts” – (a history of canals in the South West) slides & animation by – Colin Vosper
September – “Hairy Hands, Devils and Black Dogs” – illustrated talk by Paul Rendell
December – Christmas Social Evening – “Christmas Capers”- Maggie Duffy

2018
March – “Marldon & Elizabethan Insults in Devon” – Slides & talk by Dr Todd Gray
June –  “Warhorse” – Slides & talk on the making of the film by Paul Rendell
September – “Policing the Peninsula” – illustrated & humorous talk by former Police Officer Simon Dell
December – “Captain & Mrs Jones” – illustrated talk based on his book by Chris Robillard

2019
March – “Smuggling in Devon: The Truth Behind the Fiction” – illustrated talk by Robert Hesketh
June – “William Prince of Orange & His 1688 Glorious Revolution In South Devon” illustrated talk by Phil Badcott
September (AGM) – “Nature In The Garden” – informative & illustrated talk by Paul Rendell
06th December -“Was It Really Christmas?” – illustrated & amusing account of Christmas preparations ‘down under’ by Angela White

2020
 06th March – “Walking the Zambezi” – talk and illustrations by David Lemon  CANCELLED — due to COVID-19 and closure of Village Hall due to lockdown — re-arranged 10th June 2022
12th June –  “Belgian Refugees in Devon during WWI” – illustrated talk by Ciaran Stoker
CANCELLED — due to COVID-19 and closure of Village Hall due to lockdown
11th September (AGM) – “The Fair Arm Of The Law” – illustrated and humorous talk by former Police Officer Simon Dell
CANCELLED — due to COVID-19 and closure of Village Hall due to lockdown — re-arranged 09th September 2022
04th December – “Snowdrops, Christianity and St Raphael’s Victorian School” – illustrated talk by Hexworthy Church Warden Tony Parker
CANCELLED — due to COVID-19 and closure of Village Hall due to lockdown — re–arranged 02nd December 2022

2021
05th March – “Weirdest Buildings of the West Country” – illustrated talk by Robert Hesketh CANCELLED — due to COVID-19 and closure of Village Hall due to lockdown
11th June – “Folklore of bygone Devon – anecdotes from the nineteenth century” – A light hearted look at the folklore of Devon, an illustrated and humorous talk by Phil Badcott CANCELLED — due to COVID-19 and closure of Village Hall due to lockdown
10th September (AGM) – “The Devon ballad that conquered the world: Uncle Tom Cobley & All” – a humorous an informative talk + songs (by Keith) by Dr Todd Gray

03rd December – “Snowdrops, Christianity and St Raphael’s Victorian School” – illustrated talk by Hexworthy Church Warden Tony Parker

2022
04th March – “Shipwrecks in Torbay” – illustrated talk by Nick Pannell
10th June –  “Walking the Zambezi”- talk and illustrations by David Lemon
07th Sept (AGM) – “Lost Landscapes Recreated” – talk and illustrations by Debbie Flack
02nd December – “Christmas on Dartmoor” –  informative & illustrated talk by Paul Rendell

2023
03rd March – “Weirdest Buildings of the West Country” – illustrated talk by Robert Hesketh