Please keep an eye on this page for further news (including any changes) on our series of evening talks and other activities.
Here is our talks programme for the 2026-7 season
2026
9 Sep Andrew Meller: Tolkien and the Cotswolds
When not researching the past, historian Andrew has worked as a head teacher, actor and storyteller and has just retired as a bookseller with Waterstones. From Stow’s Tolkien Door to the enchanting Puzzlewood, the Cotswolds profoundly shaped JRR Tolkien’s imagination. We can expect an intriguing, illustrated talk uncovering Tolkien’s life-long passion for archaeology, myth and the landscapes that brought Middle Earth to life.
14 Oct Julia Phillips: Witches of the Cotswolds
Dr Julia Phillips is Hons Senior Research Associate and lecturer at the University of Bristol. She received her PhD for her research examining how witches and witchcraft were featured in newspapers in Victorian Britain. Her work has been published in books, academic journals, and popular magazines, and she is a regular presenter at conferences and events. Her primary research interests are the study of witchcraft in the 19th century and the development of modern Pagan Witchcraft in the 20th/21st centuries.
11 Nov Stephen Barker: Armistice 1918 and After: Some Local Perspectives
Stephen’s interest lie in promoting people’s understanding of their military heritage, specialising in work relating to the First World War and British Civil Wars. He is a writer, make over fifty presentations per year to a range of different audiences in the South Midlands area and operate a number of British Civil Wars tours.
9 Dec Tim Healey: A 17th Century Christmas
Tim Healey is a popular Oxford-based freelance writer, broadcaster, and historian who speaks on local history, folklore, and Victorian and 17th-century life. He presents to local history societies, U3A groups, and libraries using visual Powerpoint presentations and often appears in period costume as part of the 17th-century band, The Oxford Waits
2027
13 Jan Liz Woolley: From Axtell to Zacharias: The men who built Oxford
Liz Woolley is a local historian specialising in aspects of the history of Oxford and Oxfordshire. She is particularly interested in the history of the city’s “town” – as opposed to “gown” – and in the everyday lives of rural people across the county, chiefly during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
10 Feb Douglas Butler: Mutiny on the Bounty
Douglas Butler is an author and speaker known for his presentations and historical research on maritime history, specifically the Mutiny on the Bounty. Butler is a frequent guest speaker for local history and community groups. His work typically focuses on re-examining the 1789 uprising on the HMS Bounty, often exploring the complex relationship between Captain William Bligh and Fletcher Christian.
10 Mar Bill King: The Australian Flying Corps in the Cotswolds in WW1
Bill King is a prominent UK-based military history speaker specializing in World War II, particularly British resistance organizations and special forces. He frequently presents to historical societies, the National Trust, and on television, focusing on topics like Churchill’s “secret army,” the River Thames in wartime, and D-Day, often covering regions such as Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire.
14 Apr Mark Davies: James Sadler- Oxford pastry cook and first English aeronaut
Mark Davies speaks on a variety of historical and literary themes to organisations all over Oxfordshire (and beyond – Ireland in 2017 and 2023, for instance, and Assam in India in 2018) . He also leads walks through less-visited parts of Oxford for a range of local and international organisations and at annual events such as Oxford Preservation Trust’s “Open Doors”, The Story Museum’s “Alice’s Day”, and the Oxford Festival of the Arts. He also provides commentaries on Thames’ cruises operated by Oxford River Cruises and has hosted Mad Hatter’s Tea Parties at Christ Church.
12 May AGM and “From the Archive”
Our final 2026/7 evening meeting will start with the AGM and then feature sessions entitled ‘Topics from our Archive’.
Members and visitors will also have a chance to look at selections from the extensive range of archive photos currently being catalogued at the WLHS study centre in Groves Yard.
About our Talks
The Society in normal times meets once per month from September to May each year. Generally, all meetings are held in Milton-under-Wychwood Village Hall.
Meetings are usually held on the second Wednesday of the month from 7:30pm – 9:00pm.
Members – FREE Guests – £5 per person
Anyone with an interest in local history is very welcome to join us.
Download a copy of the programme here:
Reviews of all 2025-6 talks appear here >>
