Our Speaker Programme for 2026

27 January        Steve Bird: The Duke of Wellington – the making of a master

24 February       Lucy Quennel: Fire and Iron – the new Iron Age

26 March           Hugh Thomas:  The rise of modern-day Turkey

23 April              Keith Lester: Lloyd’s in Crisis; the Insurance Scandal of the Twentieth Century

28 May               Andre Potocky: My Neighbour Roald Dahl

23 June              Andy Richardson: Modern transformation of air power

28 July               Tim Flesher: Trump – First year in power and beyond

25 August          Ian Bevan: Victorian Leisure and Pleasure

22 September   Ian Arthur: My career as a Police Firearms Officer

27 October        Helen Naylor: I spy London: spooks, danger and a secret underworld

24 November    Steve Bird: South Africa – Rainbow nation or failed state?

Previous Speakers over the years:

• Mike Smith: Mike Smith: UK/US – How special is the special relationship?
• Steve Bird: The Age of the Strongman – A threat to western democracies?
• Ian Bevan: Crystal Palace and The Great Exhibition 1851
• Graham Hutchings: Scam Prevention talk from the Surrey Police
• Tim Flesher: The Civil Service today – Sir Humphry or Jim Hacker, who’s in charge?
• Hugh Thomas: The balance of power in world politics – Is it shifting?
• Stephen Chater: The UK tax system – Is it unfit for purpose?
• Prof. Craig Underwood: The Guildford Space Centre: Our journey into the new Space
• Ian Worley: Yacht race skipper around the world – Exciting Adventures
• Dr Helen Naylor: Social and Demographic effects of immigration
• Mike Seigel: The History of Kingston
• Andy Richardson: V Bombers – Ultimate Peace Keepers
• Hugh Thomas: Pakistan
• Helen Fry: Walls Have Ears
• Malcolm Nelson: Modern Day Smuggling
• Steve Bird: Industrial Relations at Ford in 70s &80s
• Colin Summerhayes: 500 Million Years of Sea Level Change
• Andrew Baker: Tsar Vadimir 1st of Russia
• Prof. Patricia Wiltshire: Forensic Ecology & Solving Crimes
• David Bickerton: The Pursuit & Sinking of The Bismark
• Professor Bernard Cohen: The History of Computing
• Andy Thomas: The ongoing mystery of Crop Circles (http://www.truthagenda.org)
• Pete Allen: To Journey’s End – the Life and Times of RC Sherriff
• Colin Summerhays: Rising Seas & Climate Change (https://www.spri.com.ac.uk)
• Tom Way: Award Wining wildlife photographer
• David Steeds: a specialist introduction to China
• Simon Ritchie: Alan Turing : Computing Pioneer, War Hero and Gay Icon
• Robin Stafford Allen: Culham Centre for Fusion Energy
• Nigel Macknight: Project Quicksilver and a World Water Speed Record (http://www.quicksilver-wsr.com)
• Joachim Hausknecht: a historian’s view of why Germany is as it is
• Tim Flesher – who served as a private secretary to Margaret Thatcher
• Anita Mayes – a commercial pilot who transports celebrities all over the world
• Malcolm Nelson – a former Customs and Excise officer and renowned smuggler catcher
• Rhod Jones – avid local collector and recognised authority on the history of the Oxo Cube
• Prof. Ann Jacklin – a government adviser on the better use of prescribed medicines
• Tim Moorey – a crossword creator and member of The Sunday Times’ Mephisto team