Conference: The Victorians
In 2025, Berkshire Family History Society celebrates its 50th birthday in a number of ways, the most important of which is this celebratory conference. Members and non-members are all warmly welcomed to this special event.
This one-day conference will span social and family history over the sixty-three years of the reign of Queen Victoria. Topics include Victorian records in The National Archives, factory work, death and the Victorians, crime and punishment, The Great Exhibition of 1851 and the Victorian soldier.
The line-up of speakers is headed up by historian, author and TV presenter Professor Kate Williams. Together, they represent a wide range of expertise from the media and academia. Attendees may choose from a varied programme of talk and advice sessions and there will also be time to browse exhibition stands in the display area.Â
The Programme
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10.00 – 10.15 |
Welcome |
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10.15 – 11.00 |
KEYNOTE SPEAKER Professor Kate Williams The Victorians: Superspeed history? From Jane Austen’s time to the twentieth century |
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11.15 – 12.00 |
Jessamy Carlson: A Guide to Using Victorian Sources at The National Archives as a Family Historian |
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Doug Irvine The Great Exhibition of 1851 and the Crystal Palace |
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12.00 – 14.00 |
Lunch and Stands/Advice Desks in the Fair area |
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14.00 – 14.45 |
Simon Wenham Crime and Punishment in Victorian England |
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Richard Marks Rivets, Cotton and Clay: The Story of the Victorian Factory Worker |
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15.00 – 15.45 |
Adrian Mackinder Death and the Victorians |
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David Chilton The Victorian Soldier |
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15.45 – 16.15 |
Tea & Coffee and cutting the anniversary cake |
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16.15 – 16.30 |
Close |
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How to Book
The conference and associated programme of visits are open to all.
The ticket price includes lunch in the restaurant, refreshments throughout the day, access to your chosen talks and to the Fair.Â
Conference attendance costs £55 for members and £65 for non-members, however book on or before 31st March, and you are eligible for an early bird discount reducing the price to £50 for members and £60 for non-members.Â
Pre-booking is required.
Your Booking Confirmation email will contain a link to a page where you select your choice of talks from the parallel programmes and advise of any access, dietary or other additional needs.Â
Find out more at https://berksfhs.org/50th-anniversary-conference/
Image: 19th century Holborn, Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons website
Scroll down to book.
Date
- Sat 07 Jun 2025
Time
- 10:00 - 16:30
Tickets
- £65.00
Location
- Wokefield Estate, Goodboys Lane, Mortimer, Reading, RG7 3AE
Organiser
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The Centre - Berkshire FHS
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Email
booking@berksfhs.org.uk -
Website
https://berksfhs.org/branches/
Speakers
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Dr Richard MarksIndustrial, Military and Railway HistorianRichard is a published historian based in Berkshire who specialises in industrial, military, and railway history and also the history of science. His current areas of research are industrial development in the Victorian period, the development of the railway and canal systems in Britain in the mid to late 19th Century and the history of British Rail. He has a PhD in economic history. Richard’s books on British Rail Engineering and the Wantage Tramway Company were both both published by Pen and Sword in 2024.
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Dr Simon WenhamHistorian, Tutor and AuthorDr Simon Wenham is a member of the part-time tutor panel of Oxford University’s Continuing Education Department where he teaches courses on the Victorian period. His doctoral research at the University of Oxford was on the history of Salter Bros Ltd, which led to his book Pleasure Boating on the Thames: a History of Salter Bros 1858 – Present Day (published in 2014 and updated in 2017). He is also the author of Hobbs of Henley: a History (published in 2020).
Simon is a regular speaker on historical topics and has also written a range of academic and popular-level articles. He is a regular contributor to Radio Oxford and has done interviews for a number of television documentaries (shown on Channel 4, Channel 5 and TBN), as well as providing advice for books and programmes on a variety of subjects.
His current research interests include the social history of Victorian Britain, the river Thames, the city of Oxford and the development of leisure.
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Dr Jessamy CarlsonHead of the Community & Transport Team, in the Collections Expertise & Engagement department at The National ArchivesJessamy is an archivist, and a historian with over 25 years of research experience. She is currently working on the re-cataloguing the records of pre-1939 military nurses, and on the history of the Home Office Research Unit, alongside other projects. Recently, she led public engagement for the release of the 1921 Census in 2022. She has worked at The National Archives since 2008.
She has a degree in Medieval Studies, a Masters degree in Archive Administration, and a PhD in Sociology. Her fellowships include that of the Royal Society of Arts.
Jessamy is interested in 20th-century British social welfare history, especially in the juvenile courts and the associated systems and institutions. She also works extensively on family and local history, and welcomes enquiries from anyone working on key sources for these areas of research.
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Adrian MackinderWriter, Comedian and PerformerAdrian is a writer, comedian and performer. He studied theology at Bristol University and Victorian Culture at Birkbeck College, and has been writing professionally for 25 years. His latest book Death and the Victorians: A Dark Fascination (2024) explores a period in history when the search for the truth about death was matched only by the imagination and invention used to find it.
He currently lives in Copenhagen with his Danish wife and kids, where he struggles with being an Englishman abroad.
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David ChiltonFormer Curator of The Wardrobe, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regimental MuseumDavid is a Newbury lad, who had a 40 year career in the Army, in infantry and then logistics. On early retirement, he became the manager and curator of The Wardrobe Berkshire & Wiltshire Regimental Museum in Salisbury for the next 9 years. He is now a front desk volunteer as well as responsible for creating and maintaining the 500 plus publications for Wiltshire FHS.
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Doug IrvineRetired Chartered EngineerDoug Irvine is a chartered engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He has worked for both consulting engineers and contractors on a wide range of civil engineering and building projects and since retiring has taken an interest in the engineering and social history of the 19th Century.
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Professor Kate WilliamsHistorian and BroadcasterProfessor Kate Williams is a historian and broadcaster. A specialist in modern history, royal and constitutional affairs, she’s Professor of Modern History at Reading University.
She was the co-presenter of BBC Two’s Restoration Home and has presented and contributed to many historical shows on TV, including her BBC Two Young Victoria. Other notable credits include co-presenting two series of Inside Versailles, and presenting The Stuarts for UKTV and Netflix.
Kate is the in house historical analyst for CNN – providing expert commentary for news and events such as the D-day anniversary and the commemoration of the Holocaust atrocities. She has worked with BBC politics and BBC events on a number of broadcasts, including the anniversary outbreak of World War I with Sophie Raworth and the 70th anniversary coverage of VE Day.
Kate’s books include biographies of Josephine Bonaparte, being made into a major TV series, and Emma Hamilton, being made into a film. She is also an experienced lecturer and speaker.