King’s Talks 2024

Our first year of these year round talks has been highly successful with most of our talks sold out. We will back in March 2024 with more!

With grateful thanks to our King’s Talks sponsors: Allstone, Hazlewoods, The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire’s Trust and King’s School, Gloucester.

Previous King’s Talks:

With Carlton Green, and Bernard Westcarr: Windrush 75: Welcome to Gloucester,

Both born in Jamaica they came to live in Gloucester in 1957 and 1960. They joined Gail Johnson, whose book A Long Five Years explores the lives of older Black citizens in Gloucester, most of whom came to the City from Jamaica in young adulthood, to talk about their lives and experiences in the city. Marking the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush and Black History Month, this special event was curated and chaired by Carole Francis-McGann of the St Ann Society of Gloucester.

With Del Barrett: Dorothy & Friends: Pioneering Photographer Dorothy Wilding

Did you know the first woman appointed as the Official Royal Photographer and one of the most influential figures of her age was born in Gloucester and bought her first camera on Cheltenham High Street? Del Barrett, chair and founder of Hundred Heroines, transported us back to the glamour and gossip of London’s Roaring Twenties and Hollywood’s Golden Age as she told Dorothy’s incredible story.

With Matt Cass and Paul James: Do you really know the history of Gloucester? Well think again!

Did you know that Humpty Dumpty was created in Gloucester during the English Civil War, that Gloucester Cathedral was destined for demolition, that a Gloucester poem kept Nelson Mandela’s spirits up in prison, that the Beatles played at Wetherspoons or that the vacuum cleaner was invented here? Paul James and Matt Cass revealed the City’s fascinating secret histories explored in their book 100 Facts, Myths & Legends about Gloucester.

With David Evans: Are school days really the best days of our lives?

Historian, archivist and former Deputy Head of King’s School David Evans lifted the lid on the intriguing history of Gloucester’s oldest schools and some extraordinary pupils. From Gloucester’s John Stafford Smith, who wrote the US national anthem ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’, to the 14th century schoolboys allowed a pig’s bladder to play ‘mob football’ in the streets of medieval Gloucester on Shrove Tuesday. David Evans talked about his recently published book, The Ancient Schools of Gloucester to kick off the first season of the Gloucester History Festival’s King’s Talks.

With grateful thanks to our King’s Talks sponsors: Allstone, Hazlewoods, The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire’s Trust and King’s School, Gloucester.