THOUGHTS ON CRIME , COURTS, AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. A fairly light hearted gallop through 1000 years of legal history including trial by ordeal, trial by battle, the development of the jury system, the law of heresy, treason, and murder, with appropriate historical punishments, controversial jury decisions, and the gradual moves towards the abolition of capital punishment( in the early 19th century there were over 200 offences that carried the death penalty ).

ADMIRAL COLLINGWOOD. ONE OF ENGLAND'S HEROES AND NELSON'S GREATEST FRIEND. This illustrated talk tells the story of one of England's great naval heroes from his modest beginnings in Newcastle upon Tyne , through his career as a courageous and distinguished commander in battle culminating in his taking over the British fleet at the battle of Trafalgar , ending with his final posting as C in C Mediterranean, the senior seagoing command in the navy, and his laying to rest in St Paul's cathedral next to his great fried Nelson.

BRITAIN AND GERMANY. THE WAR AT SEA 1914-1918 PART 1. This illustrated talk covers the run up to the outbreak of war , in particular the role played by the Kaiser, the early naval exchanges both successful and disastrous ending with the battle of the Falkland Islands which resulted in Britain re-establishing her control of the seas throughout the world save for the Western Approaches and the North Sea where the German challenge still had to be contained and defeated.

BRITAIN AND GERMANY. THE WAR AT SEA 1914-1918 PART 11. This illustrated talk covers the major new challenges facing the navy, the development of mines and the U-boat, the U-boat war which eventually led to the United states declaring war on Germany, the battler of Dogger Bank, the battle of Jutland ( was it a victory, a defeat, or a draw?) the embarrassment of the unchallenged bombardment of English coastal towns by Admiral Hipper, the naval blockade of Germany and its eventual defeat with the humiliating surrender of the German High Seas fleet to the British navy.

THE GREAT ESCAPE Not the celebrated escape form Stalag Luft 111 in World War 11 but just as daring and remarkable an illustrated talk on the escape of Charles 11 after the Battle of Worcester in 1651 , on the run disguised as a woodman, then a servant, being sought by hundreds of parliamentary troops with a massive price on his head . Miraculously after 42 days and notwithstanding some narrow escapes he evaded capture and found a boat to take him to France and safety. If this was not enough when he returned and took up the throne again in 1660 his reign was far from uneventful .

PRINNY AND BILLY . SONS OF GEORGE 11 AND QUEEN CHARLOTTE A personal history of the Prince Regent George 1V and his brother William 1V. If you think our royal family have misbehaved you haven'r seen anything yet !

TRIUMPH TO DISASTER. GERMNAY 1814 TO 1918 The story of the creation of modern Germany out of more than 40 kingdoms and principalities some of them tiny into the most powerful , populous. and rich country in . All thrown away by a reckless declaration of war in 1914 that led to disaster for the German people.

SEA, DEATH, AND OTHER POETRY A review of English poetry and poets from the 17th c. to date. light hearted and satirical for the most part including Charles Cotton, Soam Jenys, Thackeray, Lord Byron. Walter de la Mere , Siegfried Sassoon . John Betjeman. John agard, Roger Mcgough, Gavin Ewart, Stanley Sharpless, and Roal Dahl