Speakers

This talk gives you all the information you’ll need to trace the history of your ancestral home – or indeed any house you’re interested in. It will cover a range of sources, many of which you may be familiar with, alongside new ones, and explain the different methods you’ll use to investigate former owners, occupants and the house’s connection to the local area

Simon is an acredited lecturer with the Arts Society and listed in the Arts Society directory of lecturerers.

In his talk Simon Keable-Elliott discusses the life and work of the 1920's novelist Robert Keable. Keable was a well respected writer and priest before and during the First World War who wrote the bestselling scandalous novel - Simon Called Peter. The novel is featured in The Great Gatsby and was turned into a Broadway play and the sequel into a Hollywood movie. The success of the novel allowed Keable to run away to live in Tahiti writing six more novels and eventually marrying a Tahitian princess.

I am delighted to speak about Sarah Anne Shaw, a gypsy from Stotfold. Hers is an extraordinary story, well worth the telling. I have recently published a small book about her marriage and its consequences called ‘Nehemiah Perry & His Gypsy Bride’ which I launched recently at Saffron Waldon Historical Society. The story is interesting in itself, but also in demonstrating the use of sources. I was extraordinarily lucky in that there are several archival sources (including the complete divorce file with all its evidence verbatim), none of which had previously been used. Every time I thought ‘There can’t be any more to find’, there was, so that makes for quite an interesting journey of discovery. Gypsy genealogy is itself interesting because I had no idea how much I could discover, but it turned out to be quite a lot. Sarah came from one of the most distinguished ‘black-blooded’ Gypsy families of Eastern England, fiddlers to a man and woman, who played at every village feast in the region, and I think I have managed to construct a pretty good family tree.

Bedford is a town of lost transport opportunities, from cars to tractors, cycles, cranes & even airships, learn a little of their history.

1907 Adams Mail Phaeton	c1912 Saunderson Universal Tractor

This illustrated talk is about the incredible story of the 'Tank Banks' which aimed to raise as much money for the war effort through investments in War Bonds and War Savings Certificates.

This talk will take any group on a whirlwind journey as they find out about the excitement the tanks whipped up as they visited towns and cities all over the country. The atmosphere of 'tank fever' will be recreated with the assistance of vivid contemporary accounts and music.

What were the final totals raised? Can the audience match the towns and cities to the totals that were raised? There are sure to be some surprises as they test themselves! They will have the chance to pit their wits in the true or false quiz, learning weird and wonderful things about Tank Weeks.

What else happened during Tank Week and who took part in them? What was the money spent on? What was the return of interest for investors? 

Audiences will see the fascinating spin-offs and merchandising that was sold to promote Tank Weeks too. There are SO many quirky and unusual stories connected to this initiative and plenty of opportunities for groups to engage in the subject. They will be hooked by the stories of Drake, Egbert, Iron Ration, Julian, Nelson and Ole Bill! 

This presentation traces the history of the Bedfordshire countryside and is illustrated by a varied selection of landscape slides. The talk places people at the centre of the landscape story and provides examples of how individuals have contributed to the making of the countryside which we see today. This talk is based on a recent book published in 2018 and begins with the evidence for the arrival of the early farmers along the east – west route ways into the centre of England, especially along the dry chalk tracks of the Icknield Way. This historical account then quickly moves to the impact of Roman settlers especially farming settlements along the major rivers such as the Ouse and Ivel. The Norman invasion brought significant landscape change including the first documentation of settlement in the Domesday Book, the development of deer parks and the management of rabbit warrens. This rapid tour of Bedfordshire landscape history briefly illustrates the impact of the field enclosure and the creation of parkland landscapes such as Woburn.

The talk itself is titled 'One of Our Own' and tells the quite incredible story of St. Neots Battle of Britain pilot, Squadron Leader Victor Ekins DFC. Dave has been able to tell his story as the Ekins family allowed him access to the wartime diaries that he meticulously kept during those arduous war years and that lay unread for over 80 years. The book was published in July 2023 and has gone on to be an Amazon best seller.