Winter Potpourri Talks Series
This all series ticket covers all three talks in the Winter “Potpourri of Social History” talks series, for the discounted price of £12.50 (members £10.00). You may also book each talk individually – see each separate event page. All three talks are on Thursdays at 2pm and last about an hour. Afterwards there will be time for questions and discussion. This is an online talks series using Zoom.
Thursday 22 January “Frost, Freezes and Fairs“: 2 – 3.15pm with Ian Currie
Weatherman, author and columnist, Ian Currie will take you through Britain’s severest winters over the last 1,000 years, and say how we coped and even benefited from them. How did 17th century watermen make a living when the rivers froze over? What activities took place on the ice-covered rivers at Frost Fairs. And why has the river Thames in the heart of London not frozen since the last occurrence over 200 years ago in the famous 1814 Frost Fair?
Thursday 26 February “Social Care in Reading: the Middle Ages to 1900“: 2 – 3.15pm with Mike Cooper
Our ancestors often fell on hard times. Although modern concepts of “welfare” might have been alien, from the Abbey to the creation of Battle Hospital, Reading did provide for housing, “relief” and care for its people. This talks discusses what was done, including the work of the Abbey, almshouses and the Corporation.
Thursday 26 March “The History of Victorian Medicine“: 2 – 3.15pm with Dr Richard Marks
When Queen Victoria took the throne in 1837, Britain’s medical practices were still steeped in ancient traditions – echoes of Roman remedies lingered in an age on the brink of seismic change. This talk charts the dramatic evolution of healthcare during her reign, as scientific breakthroughs and philosophical shifts began to challenge centuries – old beliefs. We’ll uncover how the Industrial Revolution reshaped surgery and hospital care, expose the grim underworld of body snatchers and anatomical theft, and follow the determined rise of doctors, surgeons, and nurses as they fought for professional status in a rapidly modernising society.
Zoom Talk Requirements
To join these talks, you will need a computer device with speakers. Ideally, also a webcam and microphone. You also need to be able to access the internet from it. First-time users of Zoom, will need to download a small piece of software – included in the link.
How to Book
Pre-booking is required because places are limited. Full joining instructions will be emailed to attendees in advance. Bookings close one day before the first event.
To book – scroll down.
Date
- Thu 22 Jan 2026
Tickets
- £12.50
Category
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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Mike CooperMike has had a lifelong interest in history, especially military and local history. Following a history degree at the University of Reading he worked as a librarian, with both the University and Reading Library. In addition to work on librarianship, he has had three books on the history of Reading published. Mike works for Reading Borough Council, and lives in Tilehurst with his wife and Moggy the Cat.
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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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Ian CurrieWeatherman and SpeakerIan is a full-time weatherman and speaker and produces his own magazine called Weather eye for all fascinated by our weather. He has contributed to and appeared on many TV and radio programmes and until recently could be heard on BBC Radio Surrey and Sussex with forecasts for gardeners and growers. He also gives regular forecasts to vineyards in Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
He has written or co-written 17 books including The Kent,
Surrey, Berkshire and Sussex Weather Books and two on Weather Lore. His publication ‘Frosts, Freezes and Fairs, the great freezes on the Thames and other UK rivers’, was featured on BBC Radio 4.He is a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society.