Lectures and Outings

Jessie Stephenson, Militant Champion of Women’s Suffrage: Take Two

This lecture will be held in Louth Methodist Church, Nichol Hill.

Although a Norfolk Dumpling Jean is most at home in Lincolnshire where she was brought at the age of five by her farming parents. She is happiest among books and research materials. During  the 70s and 80s her service with Lincolnshire Library Service included dealing with local history enquiries across the east of the county and this continued during the years she curated Louth Museum’s collection. As a Blue Badge Guide for over 40 years she has researched and spoken on many aspects of Lincolnshire’s history and people.

In this talk she will expand on her presentation of three years ago, having now found Jessie’s personal archive with descendants. Jessie was one of seven children born to Wolds farmer Leslie Stephenson and his wife Sarah. As independent spirited as her two brothers who emigrated to Canada, Jessie’s secretarial work in London led to her attending an early meeting of the suffragette movement with which she became passionately involved. A month in Holloway for breaking an MP’s window, followed by heading up Manchester’s 1911 census protest left her exhausted and ill. She returned to her family in South Thoresby, considered their black sheep. Although little known and possibly misunderstood her contribution to women’s suffrage deserves to be better recognised.

Welton Part Two

This lecture will be held in Louth Methodist Church, Nichol Hill.

Christopher is a former teacher of history, local history and archaeology. Principally interested in the development and repair of old buildings, he subsequently became an Historic Buildings Advisor in Suffolk. Using this experience he studied for the MSc in Timber Building Conservation at the Weald and Downland Museum where he gained a distinction. At the same time, he and his wife Margery created a business selling eco-friendly building and decorating materials, the first in East Anglia and the winner of awards. Having dug as an archaeologist he now digs even deeper as an historian.

Soulby’s Brewery

This lecture will be held in Louth Methodist Church, Nichol Hill.

Adam Cartwright has written widely on the industrial history of Lincolnshire for local history societies. He’s particularly interested in the history of breweries and pubs, and is the author of Good Honest Tales: 150 Years of Batemans Brewery, and Brewing in Lincolnshire, published by Amberley in 2024 and 2025 respectively. He is the chairman of Horncastle History and Heritage Society and a trustee of SLHA and Boston Preservation Trust. He has a BA in History from the University of Hertfordshire, and is the editor of two magazines in the heritage railway sector.

For over a hundred years, Soulby, Sons & Winch were the dominant brewers across much of east and south Lincolnshire. Until the company was bought out in 1952, their Alford brewery supplied nearly 150 pubs across the county, with branches in Louth and Boston as well. How Soulby’s grew from a small family business into a major brewing and malting operation is a fascinating and at times tragic story.

Lincolnshire Poachers

This lecture will be held in Louth Methodist Church, Nichol Hill.

Nicola Hallam is a professional genealogist and researcher. A member of the Register of Qualified Genealogists; she has carried out research for the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? She is also the co-editor of Lady Under Fire on the Western Front about Lady Dorothie Feilding and gave a talk on that to our group a few years ago.

In this talk we will find out more about the poachers of Lincolnshire in the 19th century: from Tidley Pop to Slenderman and the nasty Henry Yates we will explore their ages, occupations, motivations and where they poached. How much poaching was going on in the county? What happened to the poachers when they were caught? Join Nicola to learn more.

Tennyson & Music

This lecture will be held in Louth Methodist Church, Nichol Hill.

Kate Witney, originally from Louth, is a singer and singing teacher. She studied English and Education at Homerton College, Cambridge and Singing at The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. She has worked for the Lincolnshire schools advisory and special education needs services and currently teaches singing for Lincolnshire Music Service.

Music was an important element in Tennyson’s life, both as a child growing up in Lincolnshire and in adult life. Kate’s talk will look at music making at Somersby and at Farringford, Tennyson’s musical friendships as well as some lesser known settings of Tennyson’s poetry, including those by his wife Emily and his friend Edward Lear. She will illustrate her talk by singing some of the songs referred to.

Finds Day, with Dr Lisa Brundle

Finds Day

Thursday 3 December 2026, 10 am to 12 midday.

Lisa Brundle of the Lincolnshire Portable Antiquities Scheme will be holding a “Finds Day” in Louth Museum.

Members of the public are invited to bring in items for identification and recording, particularly old metal items that have been discovered in the ground.  This service is free, but a monetary donation to support the work of the museum would be appreciated.

https://finds.org.uk/counties/lincolnshire/team/