2024 Speaker Programme

Speaker Programme
2024

January 11th	Derbyshire in the Civil War - Brian Stone Brian is an experienced and well-known writer and lecturer specialising in military and naval history. His presentation “Prisoners of the Japanese” was well received by us in 2022 and we now welcome him back to learn about Derbyshire in the Civil War; a subject on which he has published two books.	July 11th	Catching the Burglar by Chemicals -Paul Newsham Paul is a retired Forensic Scientist, having been head of Forensic Science departments in several police areas. He has also appeared in courtrooms as an Expert Witness for 35 years and is now a Forensic Lecturer at the University of Keele
February 8th	Our Indian Vacation - Brian Clementson Brian is a member of The Derby Probus Club and his fellow members look forward to hearing all about his recent vacation in India.	August 8th	The Battle of Jutland - Paul Adey Paul is a retired Company Director, with over 60 years’ experience in the Motor Industry, from garage floor to boardroom. Having held senior positions with General Motors, Fiat Auto UK, Iveco Ford UK, Avis International and Esso Petroleum, he is a highly experienced public speaker, giving talks on a variety of subjects. This talk is the story of one of the greatest sea battles since the days of Trafalgar.
March 14th	Antarctica – The Trip of a Lifetime -Dean Nixon & Norma Shaw Dean & Norma are retired lecturers in English & Sociology. Dean will talk about his trip to the coldest, windiest and most isolated continent on earth	September 12th	The Return of Salmon to Derbyshire - A.N. Matt Buck Matt is a fisheries scientist who has been working for the Environment Agency for over 15 years. He is a Fisheries Technical Specialist, leading the fisheries team in the East Midlands. He undertakes work to improve fish populations in rivers and lakes and also works to improve opportunities for angling within the area.
April 11th	I Always wanted to be an Engine Driver - Michael Thacker In retirement Michael has achieved his dream but in 1:19 scale on the railway he built around his garden in Elsecar. His talk will tell the story of that railway and its predecessors in Nottingham and Northants.and of the full-sized railways that inspired them. Dean says that the railway will have a reincarnation in his garden in Borrowash and he may be persuaded to let interested members visit.	October 10th	The Role of Magistracy & The Consequences of CrimeKyle Brown JP Magistrates are trained volunteers who deal with 95% of cases brought in the Criminal Courts. Kyle is coordinator for South Derbyshire Magistrates Association initiative called “Magistrates in the Community”. The initiative offers educational presentations to schools and other organisations that might benefit or find the topic informative. Kyle contacted us to see if we might be interested and we grabbed at the opportunity.
May 9th	Mary Queen of Scots - Her Final Journey -David Templeman David gave a very interesting and spell-binding presentation to us about the early days of Mary Queen of Scots in January 2019. Since then we have been trying to get David back to continue with the story but various Pandemic restrictions have got in the way. David is an Elizabethan historian, a nationally known speaker and Chair of The Friends of Sheffield Manor Lodge, where he became a guide in 2004.	November 9th	Masters of Mirth (The Sequel) - Mike Storr Mike gave the first part of this talk to us in April 2015 and now presents the sequel. Born in Lincoln, he is a Freeman of the city. He worked for ICI for all of his working life in various cities in the UK before settling in Nottingham. His talk takes a look at how Music Hall began and some more of his favourite laughter makers, including Joyce Grenfell, Stanley Holloway, Cyril Fletcher and Al Read, to name just a few.
June 11th	From Flint to Fusion -Keith Stevens Keith’s career included 26years with the Atomic Energy Authority. In retirement he continues with consultancy work that includes companies in the power generation industry. This presentation relates to man’s insatiable quest for energy from Neanderthals to now. Can we slow demand? Must we burn fossil fuels and maybe fry the planet? When is renewable not renewable? Do we need more Hydroelectricity? Can Wind & Solar save us? What happened to Nuclear Power? Should we build a Severn barrage? Will Fusion be the Holy Grail?