Wed. May 20th 2026
Ordnance Survey Maps
Frank Iddiols
Following on his popular talk in 2025 about Bench Marks, Frank will enlighten us about aspects of Ordnance Surveys that we never knew.
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Wed. July15th 2026
A STROLL THROUGH 1000 YEARS OF BERKHAMSTED
HISTORY
Peter Morgan
"Our stroll," says Peter Morgan, "will cover the important historic events, several of which affected Tring as well as Berkhamsted (the coming of the canal and railway, for example). It is actually about the greater Berkhamsted area, including Potten End, Northchurch and the other local villages, with obviously the Ashridge Estate being very important." Some of these places we have not examined before, so this talk will be really interesting.
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Wed. September 16th 2026
AN OPEN AIR MUSEUM?
Martin Curtis
Martin Curtis is Chief Executive of Chiltern Open Air Museum, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. This open-air museum of vernacular buildings in Buckinghamshire is a wonderful day out for all ages. Come along to find out more about its humble beginnings in 1976, the incredible efforts of the local people who re-built the first exhibits and why their working Edwardian public toilets are a sight to behold!
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Wed. November 18th 2026
THE WALLS HAVE EARS
Helen Fry
During World War II, important German prisoners were taken to stately homes such as Latimer House and Trent Park. This was the setting for a hitherto neglected corner of the intelligence history of that time. Helen Fry's detailed research reveals the whole story of the sophisticated interrogation techniques. Do not miss this talk.
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Wed. Jan 20th 2027
TOO MARVELLOUS FOR WORDS:
EXCAVATING A SCATTERES HOARD IN A PANDEMIC
Wendy Morrison
The lockdown of 2020 posed many challenges for archaeologists in the field. Dr Wendy Morrison (Chilterns Heritage & Archaeology Partnership) will report on an exciting find from August of that year, how some of those challenges were overcome, and what changes in Treasure Act might mean for future finds.
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Wed. March 17th 2027
WILLIAM HUCKVALE AND TRING
Tim Amsden
Tim Amsden has been working on his biography of the 19th/20th century local architect William Huckvale for over thirty years, following up every ancestral clue and building. Huckvale designed many works for the Rothschild family and others. When you hear the story, you will understand how important this man was to the development of Tring, and how we see the town today.
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Wed. May 19th 2027
FROGMORE PAPER MILL
Peter Burford
At Frogmore Paper Mill, on an island in the River Gade, is the site of the world’s first mechanised paper mill. Paper has been made here since 1774, and the first paper machine in the world was placed here in 1803. Just down the road at Apsley Mill, the second type of paper machine was installed in 1809, both still industry standard today. This chalk stream became a hotbed of invention and innovation that has impact on life today. Now open to the public as an industrial heritage site, this narrative is both local and international, and relevant today, as they still make artisan papers at the mill. Our speaker, Peter Burford, is a longstanding member of staff and now deputy trustee.
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