Events

This talk is presented by Ken Francis who has been a volunteer for Weymouth Lifeboat for almost 30 years.  After 17 years as a crew member, for 10 years he was Press Officer and he now gives talks about Weymouth Lifeboat and the RNLI. The talk will cover the operation of the Weymouth lifeboat the […]

This talk by Richard McConnell will share the results of a preliminary archaeological investigation in 2022 by Context One Heritage & Archaeology with the help of Dig The Street volunteers at the site of the former MFA Bowl in St Nicholas Street.  Excavation revealed well-preserved remains dating right back to the foundation of Melcombe Regis […]

From 1938 until 1965 one of the most familiar features of Weymouth Harbour was the paddle steamer “Consul”, either running summer excursions from the Pleasure Pier or moored in her habitual berth at Trinity Quay.  Built in 1896 as the “Duke of Devonshire” she was Britain’s last Victorian paddler and Cosens & Co.’s final Weymouth-based […]

In the second of our two summer Saturday afternoon talks Steve Wallis, Senior Archaeologist for Dorset Council, will be talking about the history of Portland’s High Angle Battery and some exciting new developments for the site. High Angle Battery is one of Portland’s hidden gems. It is part of the story of Portland’s military past […]

In the first of our two summer Saturday afternoon talks Selwyn Williams will tell the story of the GWR ferry, St Julien. The St Julien was built in 1925 as a GWR ferry between Weymouth and the Channel Islands, but then at the outbreak of WW2 she was hired and fitted out as a Hospital […]

Join writer Sarah Acton in conversation with Abbotsbury fisherman, Alan Arnold, about the traditions of Dorset seining communities along Chesil beach.  They will be remembering working life on the Fleet lagoon, the bank of pebbles and its people.  There will also be readings from Sarah’s new book to which Alan also contributed, photos and Q&A. […]

Graham Perry, Chair of the Friends of Weymouth Museum, will present a history of the development of the parks and gardens of Melcombe Regis.  The story starts around 1800 and covers the area from Alexandra Gardens to Lodmoor including, of course, ‘the Park’ that never was. The talk will be held in Hope United Reformed […]

The talk is by Richard Crumbleholme, who was secretary of the Friends of Weymouth Museum in its early days. Now retired, he was a member of the Chartered Institute of Building and ran a family business in Weymouth for many years. Before retiring, he joined Dorset County Council as a senior building surveyor. He has […]

Transport historian John New will be talking about the early development of railways in the UK. If you were to ask the passengers on the “Clapham Omnibus’ about early railways you would probably get an answer something like “Well I know George Stephenson built the first steam engine, Rocket to run on the Stockton & […]

This talk, presented by Stuart McLeod, will look at the life and times of Sir Henry Edwards MP (1820 – 1897). Sir Henry was Weymouth’s former MP from 1867 until 1885. Sir Henry became one of the town’s greatest benefactors and his name and many benefactions lives on today through Weymouth Town Charities. Stuart moved […]