The Royston Pike Lecture Series will be back at Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre in Walton this autumn with an exciting programme spanning history, the natural world, travel, and adventures.
This year, the series celebrates an important milestone: its 50th anniversary. The lectures were named after Royston Pike, a local councillor and member of the ‘Esher Urban Council’. Royston Pike was also an historian who shared his vast knowledge of local history to audiences through numerous lectures and books. He was involved in many aspects of council life but was most closely identified with the Library Committee. He originally introduced the ‘Esher Library Lectures’, an annual series of talks at King George’s Hall. In 1974, Elmbridge Borough Council changed the Serie’s title to the ‘Royston Pike Lectures’ in appreciation of his 20 years’ work on the Library Committee.
This autumn, the programme will kick off on Thursday 12 September with a lecture about the Nazi looting during World War II by Shauna Isaacs. Shauna is a freelance art historian who has lectured throughout Europe, the United States and Australia. Her talk is about Hitler’s obsession with art and how the Monuments Men recovered art after the war.
The other autumn talks will be equally entertaining. Don’t miss:
Wednesday 9 October: ‘A Path to the Past: an intimate view of traditional Romanian culture’ by photographers Daryl and Judy Ford.
Daryl and Judy have travelled thousands of kilometres to explore Romania’s last remaining rural communities. They will take you inside homes and share moving life stories with which they are still connected from over 100 years ago.
Thursday 7 November: ‘Plant Hunter and Gardener with Passion’ by Tom Hart Dyke
Tom and his travelling companion were kidnapped by a guerrilla faction in March 2000 while trekking through ‘The Darien Gap’, a dangerous place between Colombia and Panama. While in captivity, he designed and planted gardens in the mountains, much to the annoyance of this captors. When released, he and his travelling companion penned their best-selling book: ‘The Cloud Garden’, based on their experiences in the jungle.
After a recess over the festive and New Year period, the talks will be back in 2025 at Riverhouse Barn with:
Wednesday 12 February: talk about ‘Regency Dress’ by Grace Evans, Keeper of Costume at Chertsey Museum. Grace will explore this fascinating and radical period in fashion history; regaling us with stories of the clothes themselves and the world from which they emerged.
Thursday 13 March: ‘Riverfed: A Culinary Journey down the Thames’ with Di Murrell, food writer and fine foods judge. Di will talk about the historical links between food and Britain’s inland waterways with interesting anecdotes about usual and rarer ingredients. A good recipe for an entertaining evening.
Wednesday 9 April: ‘30 years on the Commons’ – by Dave Page, Countryside Estates Officer at Elmbridge Borough. Dave will talk about his life-long career managing, protecting and improving the environment in our cherished local woodland and countryside sites.
All lectures will be held at 7.30pm at Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre, Manor Road, Walton-on-Thames KT12 2PF. Tickets are £3 per person, payable in cash and available at the door or they can be booked online at riverhousebarn.co.uk.
Councillor Simon Waugh, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Commercial Strategy, said, “The Royston Pike Lectures Series is an enduring treat for residents and is still going strong after 50 years. Lecturers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about their subject and their enthusiasm in sharing their experiences is infectious. I encourage you come and listen to their fascinating stories for a great evening of entertainment”.
For further details of the forthcoming Royston Pike Lectures, please see the programme or email arts@elmbridge.gov.uk.