Join us as we follow the life of Fanny Ann Vickers—later Annie Copperthwaite—beginning with her birth in the Newbury Workhouse, and tracing her journey through hardship, resilience, and survival in Victorian England via Henley and Reading.

The talk brings to life familiar Newbury locations, including the family’s shop in Bartholomew Street, daughter Ellen’s birth nearby, and the everyday world of work and community that shaped the town in the mid-nineteenth century. A central figure in the narrative is Job Haines, a well-known and popular corn porter in Newbury between the 1850s and 1870s, whose presence anchors the story in local history.

Blending Stephen’s meticulous research with his vivid storytelling, Lady Hawk offers an intimate portrait of ordinary lives lived with extraordinary strength. A talk which will resonate with family historians and anyone interested in Newbury’s social history.

This talk is free to members of Berkshire Family History Society but we request a donation of £5 from non-members.

If you can, could you book via the booking link below. We would be very grateful if you would as this gives us an idea of the number of attendees in advance. This small change also gives non members the flexibility of using card payments if they prefer. We will always welcome all those who arrive on the day and non-members can still pay at the venue, using a cash payment.