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Whitwick & District U3A

Registered Charity No. 1181238

Tuesday, 19 March 2024

Tuesday, 19 Mar 2024

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This page displays pictures illustrating some of the monthly events. The most recent are at the top of the page.

Jump to 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019

2019

July 2019 - Wigston Framework Knitters Museum.

Exterior of Museum seen from road
Wigston Framework Knitters Museum

Guide addressing members inside
Inside the Master Hosier's workshop

Bedroom of Master Hosier
The Master Hosier's family lived on the premises

Path and borders in garden
The Victorian Garden

 

June 2019 - The group went on a guided tour of the National Gas Museum.


Gas powered radiators and cookers


A kitchen with gas appliances 100 years or so ago


Interesting labels tell the history of the gas industry

2017

September 2017 - The group went on a guided tour of the New Lount Colliery site at the New Lount Nature Reserve near Newbold. The colliery closed in 1968. We were guided by John who, together with 3 former colliery workers, explained the workings of the old colliery. The site has been developed as a heritage trail by the joint efforts of the Newbold Heritage Group and the Coleorton and New Lount Volunteer Group. Several information boards were installed in May this year, which are full of interesting information.


The group attentively listening to our guide at one of the information boards.


Showing some of the surface rail tracks.

 


At another of the informaton boards in an area that used to be busy with rail transportation of the coal.


The concreted-over Shaft No. 1.


Three former New Lount Colliery workers at the weighbridge.

 

2016

August 2016 - This month the group were led on a very interesting and enlightening walk around Markfield by Pete Johnson, a former resident of Markfield and fellow member of our U3A. Pete offered so much information including that gathered from his first hand knowledge of the village, and so much interest was shown by members during the walk that the scheduled hour for the first part of the walk took 2 hours!! We all look forward with anticipation to part 2 sometime in the future. Here are some pictures taken during the walk....


A couple of pictures of the Methodist Chapel of 1811, being converted to residences.


 


Convenience Row


The group listening to Pete, having climbed up to Hill Hole Quarry.........

................and the disused quarry itself..........


 


Old quarry workers' cottages


Outside the Bull's Head


Viewing gravestones at St. Michael and All Angels Church.


The entrance to the old school


The George Inn, now part of the Co-op

 

July 2016 - A visit to Sir John Moore Foundation School, Appleby Magna


The impressive school building


The old school bell on the terrace


With our guide Adam in the Cellar Bar


With Adam in the school hall..........


.......and some of the many names carved in the walls

  
The school Coat of Arms and the mechanical workings of the Great Clock, now not working, but maybe again some time in the future


The Headmaster's Study


On the school roof


This wall mural depicts the school's history

 

June 2016 - A visit to Burrough Hill Iron Age Fort, with our guide Peter Liddle

The group on the hill with Peter Liddle......



......and a couple of views from the hill....


2015

October 2015 - A visit to the King Richard III Centre and the Cathedral in Leicester

   

   

   

 

August 2015 - The visit to Avoncroft Museum of Buildings at Bromsgrove proved to be a good day out.


Brake Wheel - to take a post mill apart so carefully that they could move ir to Avoncroft and put it all back together so that it worked is amazing.


No prizes for guessing who would love one of these!


Privy - the meeting of the Whitwick U3A Privy Council - the proceeding shall of course remain secret.

 

July 2015 - On 28th July the History Group had a guided walk around the cemetery at St. Andrew's Church, Thringstone. Our guide was Nita of Friends of Thringstone.


Some families such as the Towles were buried at St Andrew's for generations


Nita enthralled us with her encyclopedic knowledge of the families buried there


Samuel Stacey died aged 26 in the Whitwick Colliery Disaster of 1898


Who knows what caused the children of Mary Hurst to be buried in Griffydam and Whitwick


The inside of St Andrew's is well worth a visit for the wooden beams at the round end of the church

 

June 2015 - On 29th June the History Group were led by Sue of the Whitwick Historical Group (as well as of the U3A History Group) on a historic walk of Whitwick. We were entertained with many facts about the fascinating history of Whitwick as we walked in the sun.


Members meet at The Station


Holy Cross Church


At the Framework Knitters Cottages


Alongside Holly Hayes Brook


Holly Hayes Brook as it goes under the old railway bridge before joining up with Pingle Brook and on towards the North Sea


St. John the Baptist Church


Whitwick Cemetery and the Gravestone of Thomas Ashford, the only postman at the time with a VC....


....and three of the people lost in the Whitwick mining disaster of 1898


Seal's Elastics factory in Church Lane


On the old railway line to Whitiwck Station


At The Station, and the double bridge providing a passing place and access to the goods yard

 

May 2015 - Stoneywell


A hidden gem


Waiting for our house tour


Listening to our very knowldgeable garden guide


Beautiful gardens

 

February 2015 - Alison Coates in the character of Widow Jennyt Grooby talking about Richard III's Leicester




2014

November 2014 - Bis talking about Swannington pre WW1

 

June 2014 - Visit to Laxton - the only open field system remaining in England


In the Laxton Visitor Centre


Laxton Church gargoyles


The open field system extends to the distant woodland


A field left fallow


A Gate - an access road between fields


This field consists of two separately tenanted strips

2013

Thrumpton Hall, Jun 2013

 

WW1 memorabilia, Jan 2013

2012

British Geological Survey, Oct 2012


A drill bit!


Finding out about a core


Inspecting a core


Looking at fossils


Miles (and miles!) of cores


Our guide


Questions

 

Wollaton Hall, June 2012


Arrival


Front aspect


On the roof


Wine Cellar

 

Prebendal Manor, May 2012


Part of the Garden


Prebendal Manor


Prebendal Manor with Church spire behind.


Members enjoying refreshments in the barn

 

Scenes from Tamworth Castle, April 2012

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Dr Kinsy Dart speaking about the Black Death - March 2012

 

Scenes from Pot Luck buffet and SchoolDays, Jan 2012


Pot Luck Buffet


Tricia and her school books


Sue and the pinny she made at school


Jane and her father's swimming certificate


Brian and his 58yr old school blazer

2011

Scenes from Moira, Oct 2011


Enjoying the trip on the Ashby Canal


The guide, Steve Scotney, explaining features of the site


Group members at the top of the blast furnace


A view of the furnace from the canal


The guide explaining how hot air was pumped into the furnace

 

Scenes from Ashby Castle, Sept 2011

    

 

Outside St Laurence Church in Measham, Aug 2011

 

Being shown round Bradgate House, July 2011

 

Members being introduced to the history of Ticknall May 2011

 

Nigel Holmes talking about War Memorials, March 2011

2010

Examing Ticknall Pottery with Sue and Janet Nov 2010

 

Tissington Hall August 2010

 

 

Bolsover Castle July 2010

   

   

   

 

Grace Dieu Priory - April 2010

 

Insanitary Ashby , Mar 2010

   
Rapt attention to Insanitary Ashby (despite rain!), and a moment of shelter

2009

Bosworth Battlefield Centre, Oct 2009


Setting out from Bosworth Battlefield Centre


Heading to Albion Hill


At the "Well", Bosworth Battlefield


Where Bosworth Battlefield now is?

 

Swannington History with Dennis Baker, Sept 2009


Hough Mill


Swannington Incline

 

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Page content updated 22-10-19