Friends of Nottinghamshire Archives (FONA)

Annual General Meeting
2019-03-16 11:00 - 12:30 (Europe/London) | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
Following the AGM, Richard Gaunt who is standing down as Chair, will tell us about the first seven yeras of FONA whic he has chaired throughout.

"Bradshaw's: An early railway tour" - A talk by Robert Mee
2019-05-18 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
A history of Bradshaw and his famous timetables, including a mystery tour!
Admission to non-FONA members £4.00 including refreshments. Places may be booked at the Archives with payment by non-members on the day.

Guided tour of St. Mary's Church in the Lace Market
2019-07-20 11:00 - 12:30
Meet at 11a.m. There will be a small charge of £4 for the event. Please have correct money if possible.

"The Spanish flu epidemic of 1919" - a talk by Catharine Arnold
2019-09-21 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
Catharine’s talk will look at the huge losses sustained in this terrible epidemic exactly one hundred years ago.
Admission to non-FONA members £4.00 including refreshments. Places may be booked at the Archives with payment by non-members on the day.

"Nottingham's shops and markets" - a talk by Brian Howes
2019-11-16 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
Brian will give us a nostalgic look at famous old shops of the city – some long gone and some still familiar with us today.
Admission to non-FONA members £4.00 including refreshments. Places may be booked at the Archives with payment by non-members on the day.

"Mayhem on the Midland - an Accident, a Suicide, a Murder" - A talk by Chris and Judy Rouse
2020-01-18 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
An in depth look at three spectacular incidents from the mid to late 19th century that took place on the Midland Railway, and how the use of various sources such as national and provincial newspapers, assize records, census and parish records, railway staff ledgers, military records, maps, and on line records can all be used to build up a detailed story of events.
Admission to non-FONA members £4.00 including refreshments. Places may be booked at the Archives with payment by non-members on the day.

In Their Own Words - a Zoom talk by Dr. Karen Winyard - Please email chair@fona.org.uk for a link
2021-05-22 11:00 - 12:30 | By Zoom
A look at harnessing the power of storytelling to bring history to life, using contemporary accounts to ‘voice’ the past; and some of the pitfalls of turning fact into fiction.
Please email chair@fona.org.uk for a link to this talk.

Conscientious Objectors in World War Two in the UK - A talk by Margaret Christopoulos
2021-10-16 11:00 - 12:30
Margaret’s talk will take an unusual angle on World WarTwo experiences as it focuses on Conscientious Objectors, examining the climate of the times in the 1930s, the complex reasons behind the Objectors’ decisions, and what they did during the War.
It will also reflect, briefly, on what they later thought of those wartime experiences.
Before retiring, Margaret Christopoulos was a Careers Adviser. More recently, she
has investigated the history of Conscientious Objectors in both World Wars of the 20th Century
To allow social distancing, numbers will be limited. To reserve a seat, please email chair@fona.org.uk or phone 07775 781591. Places will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Ashfield's Heritage - a ZOOM only talk by Denis Hill - Please email chair@fona.org.uk for a Zoom invitation
2022-01-15 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
An insight into the important and fascinating history and visible heriatge of Ashfield.
Denis Hill presents an illustrated journey exploring the visible heritage and history of Ashfield, celebrarting the architecture, industrial heritage, inventions and famous individuals which make this district’s history so rich and fascinating.

Annual General Meeting, Anniversary Year & FONA Podcast launch
2022-03-19 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom

The Widow, the Clergyman, & the Milkman - a talk by Mo Cooper
2022-05-21 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
An exploration of Nottingham’s Edwardian Landlords

Celebrating Heritage Together
2022-07-09 - 2022-07-14 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
CELEBRATING HERITAGE TOGETHER – a week of talks and exhibition in collaboration with Nottinghamshire Archives and the Thoroton Society. CLICK HERE for full programme and online booking through Eventbrite.

The Inimitable Workhouse Storytellers.
2022-11-19 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
They will bring the fate of the paupers under the 19th century poor law vividly to life with their dramatic performances. By turns funny and poignant, this event is not to be missed.

Annual Members end of season social and sharing meeting - details nearer the time
2022-12-03 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom

A Short History of Brickmaking in Nottinghamshire - a talk by Michael Chapman.
2023-01-21 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
Michael Chapman’s principal interests lie in all aspects of both historical and modern brick manufacture and the application of brick in the built environment particularly within the context of local history. He is the Chair of Woodborough Local History Society and Chair of the British Brick Society.

Annual General Meeting followed by a talk from Emily Gillott (Community Archaeologist) on Sir John Savile and his interest in local archaeology.
2023-03-18 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom

The Travels of Richard James (1591-1638) - a talk by Ruth Imeson, Inspire Heritage Services Manager.
2023-05-20 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
Richard James was librarian of arguably the most significant private library of the seventeenth century, and custodian of the Magna Carta and Beowulf. This talk follows his journey to meet the Russian Tsar, a whale hunting trip to Greenland, and his travels through the British Isles.

Who the Devil were the Deverills? - a talk by Peter Duke, President of Nottinghamshire Family History Society.
2023-11-18 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
How researching two names on a marriage agreement turned into a family history rollercoaster ride from a 16th century rural backwater to the very top of 19th century Nottingham society. Featuring greedy lawyers; land speculators ; a father trying to safeguard his daughter’s £2000 dowry against a groom who’d left it rather late to get ‘heir and spare’; women who married well and those who didn’t; an inventor; a lord mayor and the black sheep of the family who married in Gretna Green but did well for himself in the end.

A Calendar of Customs of the East Midlands - a talk by David Mooney (and Nancy)
2023-12-02 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
Explore a year in the traditional folk customs of the East Midlands. From mob football games to Maypole dances and mummers plays, this lively talk incorporates live music, puppetry and a wealth of personal anecdotes.
Tea/coffee and mince pies served from 10.30am

Food and Drink in Tudor and Stuart Nottinghamshire - a talk by Mark Dawson
2024-01-20 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
A look at the foods being eaten and patterns of dining in the county
from c.1540 through to c.1700. What foods did people eat? Where did their
food come from? Was the food of the county different to that elsewhere
and indeed how did food differ in different parts of the county? Based
largely on evidence from probate inventories, but incorporating other sources
to present a picture of everyday eating and drinking for ordinary people in
Nottinghamshire in Tudor and Stuart times. Free to FONA members, guests
are asked to make a £3 donation. Tea, coffee and biscuits from 10.30 am.

AGM followed by a talk by Val Wood - "A Woman’s Place is in the Archives"
2024-03-16 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
March is Women’s History Month and the 2024 theme is a celebration of the contributions and resilience of women through the ages. The focus of this talk is the role of archives in uncovering the contributions of women to Nottingham’s history over the course of the last century. Val will outline the background of the recently opened Feminist Archive for the East Midlands located within the Manuscripts and Special Collections at the University of Nottingham and explore the interconnections between this new archive and the feminist material held in the Nottinghamshire Archives.

"The Caves of Medieval Nottingham - the documentary evidence" - a talk by Dr. Richard Goddard
2024-05-18 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
Nottingham has been known for its vast system of caves since the Early Middle Ages. Richard’s talk examines Nottingham’s medieval caves using the borough court rolls and
other records held by the Nottinghamshire Archives. These reveal a huge
amount of information about what the caves were used for, who owned
them and their value to their owners. Importantly they reveal the experiences
of everyday living in medieval Nottingham.
Free to FONA members, guests
are asked to make a £3 donation. Tea, coffee and biscuits from 10.30 am.

"The History of Busking and Street Performance" - a talk by Dave Mooney
2024-07-20 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
This talk focuses on the period since the Industrial Revolution and highlights the lives and careers of notable performers from Regency fiddlers, through Victorian London, the Great Depression and into the Hit Parade!
Free to FONA members, guests are asked to make a £3 donation. Tea, coffee and
biscuits from 10.30 am

"In and out of Wedlock: four 19th Century Case Studies" - a talk by Karen Winyard
2024-10-19 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom
The 19th century saw an increasing movement to reform the legal
system both generally and with regard to married women’s rights. At the
same time women, though disenfranchised, were becoming politically active
with the feminist movement in its infancy. The battle for women’s suffrage
could not be fought successfully until there had been radical changes in
society’s perception of women, particularly married women, changes that
could only be achieved as women found the courage to share their
experiences in and out of wedlock. This talk looks at four women who found
that courage in their own personal lives and contributed in their own small
way to the groundswell of public opinion in Nottinghamshire.
Free to FONA members, guests are asked to make a £3 donation. Tea, coffee and
biscuits from 10.30 am.

A members meeting: My Family - Member's short talks from their family history
2024-11-30 11:00 - 12:30

Nottingham's Dark Side - a talk by Chris Weir
2025-01-18 11:00 - 12:30
In the late 1500s John Darrell , who farmed land in the county discovered he had powers to exorcise demons. He rose to national prominence by exorcising William Somers, a Nottingham apprentice. So what happened next?

Shining a Light - Aspects of the history of nursing in Nottinghamshire - a talk by David Stewart
2025-03-01 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom

Annual General Meeting followed by a talk on "The Historic Parks and Gardens of Nottinghamshire" by Jason Morden
2025-04-05 11:00 - 12:30 | Nottinghamshire Archives, County House, Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham, NG2 1AG, United Kingdom

"Some Nottingham Women Artists: an explorartion of less well-known women artists in the 19th and early 20th century" - a talk by Sian Trafford
2025-06-21 11:00 - 12:30

"Women in Medieval Nottingham" - a talk by Dr Richard Goddard
2025-09-20 11:00 - 12:30
