Who are the famous - and not-so-famous people behind the events that have shaped history? We cover a range of time periods and countries. In recent years, two or three of the talks have been related to a theme. One year it was 'American Royalty', this year it will be 'Sisters' plus the first installment of 'Famous Villains'. A 'Great Lives' session involved each member of the group nominating someone and speaking for 5 minutes on why they deserve our attention. A vote was taken and we are currently working our way through the list. It has included well-known characters such as Shakespeare, David Lloyd George and Coco Chanel, and lesser known people such as Harold Gillies: plastic surgeon, and Adelaide Anderson: Principal Lady Inspector of Factories. More eclectic sessions, for example, 'The Boomer Generation: are they responsible for the woes of today' prompted a great deal of discussion.

Talks for the 2025-26 year include: 'The Mitford Sisters: would they be regarded as outrageous today?'; Did Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidency inspire the Trump administration?'; 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel - Was he as Great a Manager as he was an Engineer?'; and 'Who was the real Rasputin?'

The talks are usually led by the group leader but members of the group often take a session on a topic of their own choosing. There is a 40 minute introduction to the historical question we are going to reflect on, a break for coffee, followed by a debate on the subject.

Last updated: 10 August 2025