Events
Programme of Events 2026-2027
All meetings are on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm in Little Houghton Parish Hall (Note: The December meeting is Saturday the 5th December and starts at 7.00pm).
2026
28th January
History of Kelmarsh Hall
Speaker: Liz Hopes
Liz is a guide at the Hall and will tell us its history and the families who have lived there.
25th February
Deserted Villages of Northamponshire
Speaker: Christine Ansell
There are around 100 villages or settlements that have disappeared over the centuries. What happened to them?
Christine will give us the answers.
25th March
AGM followed by Silverstone WW1 to F1
Speaker: Gerald Lovell
Another talk delayed by illness,
A local village long associated with motor racing, Gerald tells the story of the origins of the nearby airfield in WW1 through the Second World War, the first post war Grand Prix to the international track it is today.
22nd April
Blair Swannell
Speaker: Graham McKechnie
Celebrated sports reporter for Radio Northampton and Saints Historian, Graham relates the extraordinary life of this local sportsman before WW1 and his sad end in the Gallipoli campaign
27th May
History of Northants Police
Speaker: Andrew Tennet
With plans afoot to merge our Police Force with others it is appropriate to look back at the story of our County Force
24th June
Great Fire of Northampton
Speaker: Ruth Thomas
we missed out on the anniversary year in 2025, but we welcome back Ruth to tell us the whole story
22nd July
Jadzia's War
Speaker: Izabela Frydryh
Having given us the history of Philip Manfield, Iazabela returns with this intriguing story set at the end of WW2
26th August
Up Before the Beak
Speaker: Ron Johnson
Having “toured” the Judicial buildings with Richard Blacklee last year. Ron will relate the development of the judicial system from the Middle Ages through the times when
the judges who would have served in these buildings
23rd September
Life of Mrs Beeton
Speaker: Sharn Matthews
Sharn explains that there was more to her life than just her cookery books
28th October
The Culworth Gang
Speaker: Richard Blacklee
Perhaps the County’s own Dick Turpin, but Richard will relate the story of their crimes, their eventual capture and how the law dealt with them.
25th November
Petunias (Comedy Songs)
Speaker: Kevin Varty
After his talk last on gravestones he returns with a lighthearted look at comedy songs over the years. A lighthearted evening in the run up to Christmas
Saturday 5th December
Social plus Quiz
2027
27th January
Monopoly Streets of London
Speaker: Richard Deacon
A re- presentation of Disappeared London first shown in 2005
24th February
Northants Film Archives
Speaker: Pete Austin
Pete from the Archives returns with another collection of local cine films recovered from being
thrown out.
24th March
AGM Followed by A History of English Folk Music
Speaker: Andrew Castley and Band
Despite talk of retirement he has been persuaded to return and entertain us with traditional folk tunes and their history