Trafalgar, Lord Nelson & Ema Hamilton: Trafalgar, 21 October 1805. One of the greatest sea battles in history, where Lord Nelson fought and died. His scandalous love for the beautiful Emma Hamilton, with her portraits is the backdrop to the story of this extraordinary battle. Seamanship which could never be repeated. The talk includes a short film reconstruction of cannon fire at sea as it would have been at Trafalgar. (52 images + 2 short films)

The Battle of Waterloo. The epic land battle of June 1815 when the Duke of Wellington’s army defeated and finally dispatched Napoleon Bonaparte into exile. It was certainly ‘A close run thing’. The talk includes a short film of how the Brown Bess musket was fired and an excellent moving map which animates the progress of the battle. The main characters and sequence of actions are described and brought to life. (54 images + 2 short films)

Aviation and World War 1. From the earliest flight in 1903, developments in aviation moved rapidly forward, accelerated by the advent of WW1. The talk looks at the aircraft of WW1, both fascinating and lethal. Emphasis on the pilots and the extreme dangers they confronted. The famous aces. A Lewis gun firing, importance of the interrupter gear making it possible to fire through the propellor (with an animation) and an innovative aerial manoeuvre all illuminate the talk. (34 images + 2 animations)

Aviation in World War 2. A look at many aircraft of Britain, Germany and America during WW2. Some of them still famous legends. Stories of heroism and hair raising pilot experiences bring them to life. Origins of the rocket programmes of Russia and American NASA. How the rocket sites at Peenemunde were found. The bombing of Amiens prison and the importance of one aircraft which was rejected by the War Office. (33 images)

Aviation After World War 2. The golden years of early jet propulsion and the many exciting fighters and bombers which thrilled the public at Air Shows. Design successes and failures. The Comet and Concorde stories. The invention of the life-saving ejection seat. Included is a 4 minute film of the World Air Speed record of 1,132 mph. Won in March 1956 by test pilot Peter Twiss. (39 images + 1 short film)

Donatello, Leonardo & Caravaggio. The Artists and their Lives: The Renaissance produced some amazing artists. Among them, Donatello for his extraordinary sculptures, Leonardo for the Mona Lisa and so much more. Caravaggio, the criminal outsider who produced outstanding paintings. All brought to life with a dip into Italy in the 1400 and 1500’s. (55 images)

Hans Holbein the Younger : Artist to the Tudor Court. How Holbein was enticed to England from Germany by Ann Boleyn and Thomas Cromwell. His many commissions to paint the nobility, the characters of the day and his life in the thick of Tudor intrigue. His portrait of Anne of Cleves precipitated the downfall of Cromwell. Christina, the one that got away. What must he have witnessed and heard as those around him lost their heads, while he painted his truly wonderful portraits. (45 images)

Inigo Jones & Sir Anthony van Dyck:
The finest Architect and a sensational Artist of the 17th century. Their lives overlapped and both were patronized and encouraged by King Charles l, the art loving monarch. Inigo witnessed the beheading of Charles. Both their lives affected by anti-royalist Thomas Cromwell. Turbulent times indeed. Both Jones and van Dyck left lasting and wonderful legacies of their remarkable talents. (46 images)

E.T. Wilson, Cheltenham Physician and father of Edward Wilson. A true Victorian. Although born in Pembrokeshire, ET Wilson spent most of his life as a GP and medical man in Cheltenham. Father of ten children, one of whom would become the famous Antarctic explorer and Naturalist, Edward Wilson. ET’s main claim to fame was to ensure the good citizens of Cheltenham had clean water, previously contaminated with a number of diseases. He met many of the famous men of his day. (41 images)