Autumn 2025 Season: Bygone Days Talks
Bygone Days talks celebrate both local and national history. These talks are held at 7:30 pm at The Somer Centre in Midsomer Norton unless otherwise stated. Entry is £5 cash or card on the door, no booking required. Doors open at 7pm.
Raising funds for Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum charity no. 1151573
‘The 200th Anniversary of the coming of the Railways’ a talk by Richard Ellam
Tuesday 2nd September
200 years ago the Stockton and Darlington Railway began a revolution in transportation. Richard Ellam will look at the first 30 years of the railway system and show how the coming of the railways impacted the everyday lives of the Victorians.
‘Songs and Tunes of the Somerset Coalfield‘ by Dave Byrne and the Hotwell Howlers on Music of the Somerset Coalfield
Tuesday 7th October
Dave Byrne and the Hotwells Howlers would like to take you back 125 years to the time when horses still pulled the plough and there were 79 pits functioning in what we refer to as the ‘Somerset Coalfield’. Using words, songs, instruments and images, we will present a selection of the songs and tunes you might have heard had you lived in the area at that time together with information about some of the characters who sang and played them. This presentation is linked with the Museum’s summer and autumn exhibition of the same theme.
‘Follow the plough’ a talk by Les Davies MBE
Tuesday 4th November
Les Davies has worked on the Mendips in orchards and on the land for his whole life. His illustrated presentation will look back at his life and times living and working on the Mendips. He is a fabulous raconteur and famous for his monthly article in the Mendip Times: West Countryman’s Diary. Les says, “This is the story of how my life, thinking and work has been shaped by the people and the landscape I grew up in”.
Keep in Touch
There are several ways to keep in touch with the Museum talks programme.
You can sign up for the Museum Newsletter, which is distributed by email. It includes details of Events, Talks, Exhibitions, Children’s activities and other snippets of News. Please use the button below:
You can access our Newsletter archive by clicking HERE
You can also ask to be on the reminder email list for the Bygone Days Talks by sending an email request to bygonedays@radstockmuseum.co.uk
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