The Historical Association

Explore the Irish “stroker” Valentine Greatrakes and his reputation in an in-person lecture on Charles II’s reign. Hear how faith healing, miracles and science intersected as beliefs about healing, religion and natural philosophy overlapped.

Explore the lives of the overlooked women who served Henry VIII’s six wives at the Tudor court with Dr Nicola Clark of Chichester University. Hear about their influence at the Association’s annual Saturday afternoon meeting in Chichester.

Trace Richard III’s rise and fall, from the Wars of the Roses and the princes in the tower to the Battle of Bosworth. Then examine a replica of his skull and see medieval weapons demonstrated to explain its wound marks.

Hear Professor Ronald Hutton of the University of Bristol unpack Oliver Cromwell’s contested place in British history, weighing political power and the Civil War legacy. Join the in-person lecture at Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution in Queen Square; booking isn’t needed.

Trace how British monarchs have influenced intelligence - and sometimes steered it against prime ministers - in a talk led by Professor Richard Aldrich. Explore episodes from the abdication crisis and world wars to the Cold War and Princess Diana’s death.

Explore Bristol’s distinctive architecture with building and social historian Andrew Foyle, as he uncovers the stories behind the city’s 19th- and 20th-century buildings at a University of Bristol lecture.

Professor Jonathan Phillips of Royal Holloway examines the Siege of Acre and its place in the Third Crusade, focusing on Saladin and Richard the Lionheart. Hear the lecture in person at Richmond Library Annexe; no booking needed.

Professor Emma Griffin examines why Britain shifted to modern economic growth around the end of the eighteenth century, using comparisons with France and the United States to put workers and culture at the centre. Eventbrite bookings provide access to a post-event recording.

Join an in-person talk on American Vikings with historian Martyn Whittock in Trowbridge. Meet local members and visitors for an accessible evening of learning and discussion at St Thomas' Church Hall.

Dr Marcus Morris explores how young people experienced and responded to the First World War, focusing on the North West and wider responses beyond it. Hear how wartime society shaped youth experiences at a branch talk in Manchester’s Friends Meeting House.

Professor Tony Hawkins of Western Kentucky University traces how the “hillbilly” stereotype took shape from the late nineteenth century. Explore its changing presence in film, music and the internet - and join the lecture online from anywhere.

Hear Richard Aldrich trace the Crown’s hidden links to intelligence, from Queen Victoria to Princess Diana. Join this accessible in-person history lecture in Nuneaton; no booking is required.

Professor Matt Worley of the University of Reading examines punk as a musical form, attitude and aesthetic - not just a style or consumer trend - and asks whether it gave young people a platform to challenge a society shaped by unemployment, violence and social fragmentation.

Dr Claire Kennan leads an evening talk on parish festivals before the Reformation, exploring medieval religious life, local customs and the social role of parish celebrations at St Saviour’s Church Hall in Eastbourne.

Explore how women travelled on 17th-century naval vessels, supplied the Royal Navy as contractors, and lived as sailors’ wives and widows. Professor Elaine Murphy examines what their stories reveal about women’s roles and opportunities in early modern Britain.

An in-person lecture traces US election scandals from Watergate onwards, examining the Florida count in 2000, Russian interference in 2016 and Trump's claims about the 2020 election, alongside wider efforts to manipulate the electoral process for partisan advantage.

Professor Ryan Lavelle explores Anglo-Saxon political and military history, focusing on Wessex and how England formed. Drawing on his research and publications on Alfred, Cnut and Aethelstan, the lecture takes place at Winchester College, with a Zoom link available near the time.

Professor John Mcaleer of the University of Southampton traces how an Elizabethan trading venture became a commercial and political power in Asia. Explore its role in empire, conflict and global trade, and how Company goods reshaped everyday life in Britain.

Explore how elite travellers moved through inns in Scotland, Virginia and Jamaica, and how these spaces helped sustain imperial power and make distant places feel familiar and British. Professor Dan Maudlin of the University of Plymouth leads this in-person public lecture.

Explore how Victorian science and technology helped build and maintain Britain’s empire in a lecture led by history of science specialist Dr Craig Gershater. Hear how scientific ideas and technological developments shaped Britain’s imperial reach, in person in Chichester.

Explore Lord Leverhulme’s ambitions for the Outer Hebrides fishing industry in a lecture by Chris Unsworth. Trace how his business activity led to the founding of Mac Fisheries, set against the wider social and economic history of the British Isles.

Trace how art, music and leisure intersected with politics in late eighteenth-century Britain, through the life of a Welsh landowner and MP often seen as culturally absorbed. The lecture challenges that view, exploring influence and lobbying in an age of clubs, concerts and pleasure gardens.

Dr Louise Hampson explores Bede’s account of King Edwin’s baptism, weighing spiritual conviction against Papal pressure and the support of his nobles. Trace its impact on Northumbria’s Christianisation, then revisit the famous sparrow flying through the hall.

Explore how the English Reformation reshaped Midlands cathedral communities in the 16th century in a live lecture led by Elizabeth Tingle. Hear expert analysis at the Minerva Building, University of Lincoln; entry is £4, free for members and students.

Explore the 1989 East German Revolution at an in-person London lecture, with a Zoom option if you email for access details. Turn up at Fellowship House, or choose annual membership for more events across the year.

Hear how Harry Hopkins and Winston Churchill’s 1941 meeting at Glasgow’s North British Hotel is linked to a turning point in the Second World War. This lecture is part of a wider season exploring Strathclyde.

Hear James Holden explore the public buildings of Wiltshire towns and the civic pride they reflect. This in-person talk in Trowbridge is for anyone interested in local history, architecture and community life; students and national members attend free, while visitors pay a small fee.

Explore how Churchill and de Gaulle’s tensions, alliances and contrasting personalities shaped wartime leadership and diplomacy, with Professor Richard Vinen. This in-person evening lecture takes place at Richmond Library Annexe.

Explore Bess of Hardwick’s tomb and its historical significance in a lecture led by Charlotte McCrory of the University of Winchester, at Bromley House Library in Nottingham.

Hear Clare Jackson explore James VI and I and the historical connections between Scotland and England in an evening lecture at Chilvers Coton Heritage Centre in Nuneaton. No advance booking is needed; members attend free, with a voluntary donation invited from non-members.