Winter Programme 2025-2026

Click on the the title of any event for more details.

Friday 9 January 2026 at 7.30pm
Melbourne Church: A Royal Power Statement in Derbyshire
Speaker: Jennifer Alexander- recording available

Friday 16 January 2026 at 7.30pm
Industrial History Online
Speaker: John Suter- recording available

Saturday 24 January 2026 at 11.00am at Strutts, Belper
Elka Project Ilkeston – a community dig in May 2026
Speaker: Tim Bennett

Friday 6 February 2026 at 7.30pm at St Mary’s, Derby
Model Communities: Architecture, Politics and Social Improvement in the North Midlands coalfields
Speaker: Mike Pollard – recording available

Friday 20 February 2026 at 7.30pm at St Mary’s, Derby
History of Royal Crown Derby
Speaker: Elizabeth Woledge – recording available

Friday 27 February 2026 at 7.30pm at St Mary’s, Derby
Abbeys and industry: the legacy of medieval Premonstratensian monasteries in the north Midlands.
Speaker: Colin Merrony – recording available

Friday 6 March 2026 THIS MEETING WAS CANCELLED
The Anglo-Saxon sculpture of Derbyshire: then and now
Speaker: Jane Hawkes

Friday 20th March 2026 at 7.30pm at St Mary’s, Derby
Almshouses, past, present & local
Speaker: Robert Mee – recording available

Saturday 28 March 2026 at 11.00am at Strutts, Belper
Silchester: from Iron Age royal centre to Roman city
Speaker: Michael Fulford – recording available

Friday 17 April 2026 at 7.30pm at St Mary’s, Derby 
Coal Mining in the Faroe Islands and other international IA adventures
Speaker: Ian Mitchell – recording available

Saturday 25 April 2026 at 11.00am at Strutts, Belper 
“The Indefatigable Labourer” … “a complete master of the art of begging” – Dr Michael Hutchinson in early Georgian Derby.
Speaker: Richard Clark – recording available

HYBRID MEETING ARRANGEMENTS

Unless otherwise indicated our talks are ‘HYBRID’ events that can be attended online via Zoom or in person at
St. Mary’s Church Hall, Darley Lane, Derby DE1 3AX or
Strutts Centre, Derby Road, Belper DE56 1UU.
The link to register for the online talk will be circulated to members by email the week before each event, and places for non-members to attend online can be booked via Eventbrite. Non members are also very welcome to attend in person. Where possible we will make a recording of the talk available as a ‘catch up’ facility for a few months – click on the words recording available in the list to the left.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR MEETINGS USING ZOOM

NON MEMBERS – a limited number of places are available to book via our Eventbrite page. Once you have booked a place you will be automatically registered with  Zoom and will receive the automated email as described in step 2 below. There is no fixed charge but we ask for a donation (minimum £1).

MEMBERS – members who have provided an email address will receive an email from DAS with a link to register for each talk. This is usually sent out a week before the event.

  1. Click on the link and it will take you to a Zoom registration page. You need to fill in your name and email address and then click ‘register’.
  2. You will then receive an automated email which will contain the link you need to use to join the meeting from a computer, smartphone or tablet. It will also contain a telephone number to join the meeting using an ordinary telephone, but bear in mind if you use this you will not see the speaker’s slides and standard telephone call charges will apply.
  3. A few minutes before the meeting is due to start, click on the link and it will take you to a Zoom web page. If you have previously installed Zoom there will be a pop-up window “Open Zoom Meetings” which you should click on. If this is your first time using Zoom, allow some more time as you will need to click on “Download and run Zoom” on the main page and follow the instructions to install it on your device.
  4. You should then see a message “Please wait, the meeting host will let you in soon”. You will also be offered an option to test your microphone and speakers and it is a good idea to do this while waiting to make sure you will be able to hear what is said. When the meeting is ready to start, you will be connected and should see and hear the speaker and chairman for the meeting or a welcome slide.
  5. At the top right of your screen, you should have the option of ‘speaker view’ or ‘gallery view’. We recommend you select ‘speaker view’ so that you only see the speaker and the chairman. When the talk begins, the speaker will share their screen and you should see the presentation slides in the main part of your screen with the video of the speaker in a small box to one side.
  6. By ‘hovering’ your mouse at the bottom of your screen, you will see various controls, e.g. for your own microphone and camera. These will be switched off by default, and we ask you leave them switched off unless you are invited to speak in the discussion session at the end of the meeting. However, please use the ‘Chat’ facility to type your questions and these will be relayed to the speaker by the chairman.
  7. In most cases our talks are recorded on Zoom and members will be sent a link to view the recording. Please note this includes the discussion and if you have your microphone and camera on you may appear in the recording.