Wednesday 18^th March 2026

Adrian Bingham posed 4 key questions to introduce his lecture about the attitudes to politics of ordinary voters really new?

• The historically low turnouts of 2001 and 2005?
• The cynicism about politicians due to the expenses scandal of 2009?
• 2010s-20s: rise in populism and anti-politics
• How do we uncover how ordinary people (not activists) felt about politics in twentieth century Britian

He began by looking Arnold Freeman’s study of new voters of Sheffield in 1919 which examined the attitudes of 408 male and 408 female manual workers to see if they were ‘equipped to vote’. Freeman concluded the vast majority were not.  Professor Bingham’s research unpicked Freeman’s findings to examine how the voices of these voters had been mis-interrupted or taken out of context.  Women’s lives in particular with their dual burden of working both outside the home and inside had not even been considered when looking at why they were not able to engage with politics.     

The findings of social scientists and pollsters of 20^th century Britain from Mass Observation onwards were examined.  While some academics saw disengagement by the electorate others argued that when politics was framed in concrete and personal terms the voters were engaged. Often politicians were not listening to voters as in 1945 when housing was the key issue with voters but not with any political party.  Political scientists continued to present out of date gender stereotypes of women being disengaged and more conservative than men.  The reasons for women’s disengagement were ignored. The male domination of Westminster politics up to the end of the twentieth century was clearly a shock to some of the students in the audience. The issues around the failure to reach young voters shown by how the turnout patterns have significantly widened was also explored. In terms of racial minorities Professor Bingham saw a shifting of ground from the attitudes of mainstream politicians towards Enoch Powell in the 1960s and those advancing populist right wing policies today. 

Some very relevant and thought provoking conclusions were presented.  Voters were now consumers and more well informed than a century ago.  Our political institutions have not adapted to a world of heightened consumer expectation, social and cultural diversity, and personal choice.  The political loyalty that was based on our strong class system and worked well in our first past the post system was now in trouble.  Naturally given the present political changes with the rise of Reform and the Greens and recent by-election results there were many lively questions from our audience. 

A successful meeting with an audience of 59. Our next meeting on the Easter Rising in April 1916 should be equally fascinating.

Dr Vivian Kong, University of Bristol 

Wednesday 11^th February 2026

Dr Kong began her lecture by setting the context of the British colony (1841-1997). She Illustrated the rosy and nostalgic view of Britishness and British rule that some Hong Kongers now have of British rule. She showed long queues to sign the official condolence book after Queen Elizabeth’s death and the letter sent by school students in 2019 to ask for help during the anti-government protest crisis. The letter was full of references to British history including ‘our darkest hour.’ These modern events fly in the face of the unfairness of historic British colonialism. Her research and recent book have explored the reality of what it meant to identify as British in Hong Kong in the period from 1910-45. The multiracial society of Hong Kong included varieties of Chinese peoples, the White British, Eurasian mixed race, the local Portuguese and Macanese and many other racial groups. Dr Kong had used a range of sources including the archives of her own university )Hong Kong University) and oral history research which took her to Australia and California.
Dr Kong explored the different ways in which people identified as British. This included the legal right to a British passport and service in the Armed forces. The Kew archives had uncovered how the British Government had tried to restrict access to full British passports but increasingly by the 1920s some Hong Kongers knew their rights and were able to travel to the UK. The aim of opening a university in Hong Kong was also examined as a way for the British to influence mainland China by educating subsidised Chinese students alongside more Westernised Hong Kong and overseas Asia students. When Chinese Nationalist protests happened in Hong Kong in 1925 against British colonialism students were careful to stay separate from it despite their admiration for their own culture they did not want to forgo their scholarships.
Another aspect of British rule was the censorship of the Press and the treatment of the local Portuguese and Macanese mixed race communities. These groups engaged with Britishness, sending their children to Catholic English speaking schools. In these schools children sang the British National Anthem, joined the Scouts, and took part in Empire Day. As adults these communities more often spoke English than patois or Portuguese and took part in military service. A typical member of this community was Dr Eddie Gesano a mixed race Macanese doctor. He noted the discrimination he experienced as doctor who was paid only 25% of an Irish anaesthetist in the same hospital. Despite this discrimination there were attempts to build bridges between the communities and it was seen as a protection against Chinese Nationalism. In many ways they were protecting their class and economic interests.
Dr Kong showed how the Macanese and Portuguese communities despite their service in 2nd World War were not recognised as British citizens and as a result many left to go to other English speaking parts of the world including California in the USA, Canada, and Australia (where she interviewed some of them). Many of the issues raised in the lecture are still highly relevant not just to modern day Hong Kong and its relationship with Communist China but to multiracial Britain and how different communities identify with the dominant nationality. The lecture was followed with some excellent questions, including several from members who had visited or worked in Hong Kong before 1997.

Ten teams competed for the much coveted Bristol Historical Association trophy at the Eldon House. Last year’s champions ‘Last Man Thinking’ took second place alongside ‘Quizteam Counsell’ with 59 points a piece.

The ‘Wobbley Walkers‘ walked away with the trophy with 66 points. The ‘Tyros’ came a close fourth with 58 and a half points.

Thank you to all our contestants. It is fair to say that the questions were more challenging this year. A big thanks to our hosts at the Eldon House. We shall be back next year.

Professor Ian Hamerton shared his enthusiasm and expertise on the Arts and Craft Architect and Designer Charles Frances Annesley Voysey with the Bristol Branch last Wednesday. Voysey’s father and large family had a key impact on Voysey.  He was descended from the Wesleys. The massive scandal around his father (who lost his living as a curate for his beliefs on eternal damnation) led Voysey down an unusual path.  His training as an architect with three different architects created a gifted young architect who had built an extensive practice by the 1890s.  Professor Hamerton outlined the distinctive aspects of the Voysey house using Voysey’s original design drawings.  The early sketches showed half-timbering and vernacular designs not unlike those of contemporaries like Renee Mackintosh but over time a very distinctive Voysey style emerged. 

In all 117 Voysey houses exist, although many other builders copied his style. Professor Hamerton  literally took us through one of the most successful Voysey houses, Moor Crag in Gillhead near Windermere.  Features like the broad welcoming front door, the circular windows, the low catslide roof, the broad chimneys and the asymmetrical design were not just illustrated but explained in terms of Voysey’s own beliefs on architecture.  Voysey’s brilliant collaboration with builders and artisans (like Thomas Elsley) meant the houses included motifs like the heart shape that linked to the religious ideas of the Voysey family. Almost no detail was too small for Voysey the designer.  Voysey’s designs of some offices have survived better than the insides of his houses including the Essex and Suffolk Equitable Insurance Company Office.  Voysey sadly had less work after the First World War as an architect of houses but his work as a textile, wallpaper  and clock designer and even a designer of his own clothes showed his versatility and surprising playfulness.  Many of us in the audience were inspired on a very wet Wednesday evening to plan visits to the Voysey houses that exist in England over the coming months. 

After our Christmas drinks and mince pies a large gathering (98 people) of the Bristol Branch of the Historical Association had a great end to a very successful term of lectures.  Andrew Foyle is the author of two volumes of the Pevsner Guide covering the City of Bristol and North Somerset. He is an acknowledged expert on the architecture of the city and has worked on the renovation of many of the city’s distinctive buildings.  He presented his personal choices grouping together the Lodge Houses, like Red Lodge, and the timber framed houses many of which still survived.   He covered the middling sized Bristol country houses like Stoke House (Stoke Bishop), Langton Court (Brislington), Oldbury Court (Fishponds), Henbury Great House and Old Sneed Park. Many of them were ‘old fashioned’ compared with houses built in London or other parts of England.  However, Kings Weston House was a one off.  It was built by Sir John Vanbrugh the architect of Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace.   

Andrew then moved back into the city to look at Town Houses such as Elton House (St James Barton) and Churches and Chapels. These included Christ Church with St Ewen on Broad Street where the Paty family brought their skills as architects and craftsmen and the contrasting chapels.  The nonconformist chapels were often austere from the outside but some contained elegant interiors.  Next the Gothick grottos of Goldney House and Crew’s Hole were explored and Black Castle and Arnos Court where the Paty influence was again on display.

A particular highlight of the lecture was the exploration of Clifton.  Even the austere Pevsner had admitted ‘no-one can resist the charms of Clifton’s confusion.’ Andrew demonstrated that unlike the better known Bath, Clifton contained squares that weren’t square and homes not planned to a single unified design.  Its mishmash of styles and the disaster of a bank crash in the 1790s had led to the scaling down of Windsor Terrace and the Royal York Crescent (reputed to be the longest crescent in Europe).  The way that Bristol architecture responded to its landscape was breathtaking in Andrew’s slides. 

Sadly, the clock was now ticking so Andrew dipped into his examples from the 19^th and 20^th century for two amazing buildings.  The Granary on Welsh Back built by Ponton and Gough was described ‘as working machine’ for drying grain and finally the ‘Council House’, now City Hall.  This building by Emmanuel Vincent Harris was begun in the 1930’s and finally opened in the 1956. Andrew demonstrated that in fact the delays to build a new town hall (originally proposed in the 1880s) had been going on for decades before and a range of sites had been considered before work finally began in 1936.  He showed us the beautiful furniture and interior designs from the Council House, some of which had now been returned to their original locations due to a research project he worked on. He also corrected some of the convenient myths around the statue of Cabot and those gilded unicorns on the roof which had always been in the original design. 

His conclusions rang true for many of us living in Bristol.  Bristol’s unique character was insular, conservative and behind the curve of fashions.  It was dominated by a few aristocratic families or estates.  It was governed by a mercantile oligarchy of inter-dependant families. However it tended to inertia in decision making.  It relied on home grown architects and builders. Its city and hinterland were full of piecemeal development and as result there tended to leave piecemeal survivors from previous eras.  Although Bristol was industrialised there was no one dominant industry. Bristol has surviving pre-industrial elements including medieval churches and timber framed houses. A truly unique city.

On 19^th November the Bristol Branch of the HA ran its second Pizza Quiz for local Sixth Formers.  As with our first event in June we had a large number of teams from local schools taking part.  The format was very similar to a pub quiz but with free pizza instead of drinks and it again took place at Bristol University.  Students from the PGCE course at Bristol acted as marshals for the quiz.  Mary Feerick, Rob Pritchard (Secretary and Treasurer of the Bristol Branch) and David Rawlings from Bristol Education Department acted as quiz masters.  The rounds were on popular topics at GCSE and A level plus some local History.  Students had some forewarning about the topics so they could mug up their knowledge.  Despite a freezing cold night, we had a great turnout of almost 60 students from 7 different sixth forms and it was both competitive and fun. Many teams played their Joker on the Tudors round. The winners were the Suigan Garrison from St Mary Redcliffe School with 62 points out of a possible 72.  They were awarded Bristol HA cups. 

Teachers got in touch to thank the Branch the next day “a huge thank you for the time taken to put on such an enjoyable Pizza Quiz.   Students really enjoyed themselves and it was a lovely way to spend a Wednesday evening.” (Rebecca Griffiths, Gordano School) and “Thank you for organising and running the quiz. It was very successful and the BGS students thoroughly enjoyed it.” (Andy Jarvis, Bristol Grammar School)

Our third lecture this year was a very special event.  We had an audience of 84, including our loyal members, guests, local teachers and 19 sixth formers from six local schools. Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe returned to the university where he had been a young lecturer in the 1960s to examine the way archaeologists, including himself, have uncovered the Roman History of Bath’s sacred spring.  This warm water spring which produces a quarter million gallons of water a day had been known since prehistoric times. 

Professor Cunliffe shared maps from the 17^th century when it was treated as local spectacle and the 18^th century when it became a fashionable resort. During this period the gilded head of Minerva was discovered. 

The subsequent expansion of the city meant builders uncovered much included the First century pediment of the Temple and the style of the new buildings such as John Palmer’s Pump Rooms for example, were influenced by these findings.  However, the emergence of Bath from the mud was often stop-go.  The next period of exploration involved a number of eminent Victorians including a scholarly vicar HM Scarfe, Major Davis, James Irvine, and the builder Richard Mann.  Irvine came in for particular praise from Professor Cunliffe for his detailed drawings and meticulous documentation of Roman remains, which proved invaluable for later excavations. Experts in the early twentieth century, notably Professor Francis Haverfield dismissed Irvine’s finding and in the 1950s archaeologists Toynbee and Richardson admitted they were still unsure exactly where the Roman temple in Bath had been.  In the 1960s a new phase of exploration of Bath began and Barry Cunliffe was appointed Director of Excavation in 1963 just as he had become a lecturer at nearby Bristol University.  He shared with us photographs of archaeological digs when Health and Safety had not been considered and the stunning discoveries made by archaeologists both professionals and volunteers.  His most vivid memory was of uncovering from the mud statues of two Roman gods from the corner stone of the altar (Bachus and a female figure), while above ground on Small Street he could hear a Salvation Army band playing ‘Hark the Herald angel sing.’  The excitement of archaeology was made real for our audience.  In 1974 his team were given the chance to go underneath the Pump Room and clear the cellar floor as long as it was always open to visitors.  This Temple Precinct excavation increased Bath’s visitors to one million.  Vast discoveries were made but in 1978 tragedy struck when a link was found between the water in the hot springs and a form of meningitis, leading to the closure of the baths.  However, with Health and Safety now firmly embedded the archaeologists (wearing face masks and special clothing) explored the Roman engineering that created Aquae Sulis. Barry’s enthusiasm delighted our audience. He has played a crucial role in piecing together the jigsaw that is the Roman Baths complex. We were able to share the excitement and drama as the archaeologists made new discoveries in the mud.

Witch-hunting: Past and Present Lecture by Professor Ronald Hutton 15^th October 2025

Our second lecture of the 2025-26 programme was a packed event with 147 in the audience of whom over a third were local sixth formers.  Professor Hutton began with historic definitions of witches including the familiar wicked witch of fairy tales. He presented the modern world-wide problem of witch-hunting. The scale of the modern problem astounded some of us with examples of 5,000 burnt to death in 1990s Tanzania.  The UN had now identified witch-hunting as a human rights issue.  Having set up witch-hunting’s contemporary context he took us into the past.  He covered the ancient world’s practices, including Roman persecution. However, the early Christians had not been witch-hunters so why had it re-emerged after a thousand years of Christianity and why had certain areas of Early Modern Europe been at the epicentre of this persecution?

This was a complex story but several key themes emerged in Professor Hutton’s lecture. Three great changes had preceded the outbreak of witch-hunting; the status of the devil had increased from a “minor player” in the Bible; there was new obsession with hidden groups not just the existing outsider groups and lastly there was a new interest in hidden thoughts rather than just sinful actions. As well as these underlying menaces three factors had led to an increase in witch-hunting as European Christians felt more threatened and that God was angry with them. The threat of the spread of Islam(the Ottoman Empire), the decline in the climate (colder and wetter) and the increase in disease with recurring outbreaks of plague.   Professor Hutton argued that much of these persecutions were seen as ‘daft’ by most Christians and that strong centralised powers like the Papal states, Spain, England, and France were largely immune from the scrouge of witch-hunting. However, in the numerous tiny German states and Calvinist Scotland with its local court system witch-hunting spread. The death of children tended to be blamed on witches and women were seen as the magical sex. However, in some areas other groups were identified. In Iceland 93% of the victims were men and in Normandy shepherds were likely to be identified as witches. 

So why did this persecution that claimed 40,000-50,000 lives end?  Professor Hutton argued it was seen as a failed experiment.  Pragmatically rulers saw it did not work.  Children were no healthier and the weather was no better.  Witch-hunting outbreaks did not re-occur in the same areas. The threats that had fanned witch-hunting’s flames also died down. The advance of the Ottoman Empire in Europe began to be pushed back and the climate wobbled again as the weather improved and Europe became a continent of plenty without famine by the 18^th century.  Plagues also ceased, religious toleration increased and Europeans turned their attention towards colonialism.  The end of witch-hunting in Europe took over a hundred and fifty years and several stages, with vigilante attacks as late as 1940.  History gives us insights. Professor Hutton contended the lessons from Europe’s witch-hunting past are especially relevant as the struggle against modern witch-hunting continues.   The lecture was followed by some excellent questions from our audience and we finally stopped at 8.50pm.  Another successful meeting. One reviewer said ‘That was absolutely brilliant. The guy is a superstar lecturer’