Meetings are normally held at St Thomas Centre, Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield, S40 3AW and start at 7:30 pm unless otherwise stated.
There are no meetings in December or January. Our meetings programme is set out on this page.
A pdf download of our 2026 talks programme is available from the link below.
There is usually a talk or presentation on a subject about, or related to, the history of Chesterfield and surrounding districts.
Admission is free for members and for visitors the charge is £3. Free parking is available on site or on neighbouring streets.
Doors normally open from around 7pm for a 7.30pm start and there is an opportunity to obtain light refreshments before and after our presentation (50p per cup of tea or coffee).
Meetings programme
November 17th 2025 – Philip Cousins – Hollingwood – A Case Study in Industrial Housing. This is final talk until Feberarury 2026.
In the 1920s the Industrial Housing Association (IHA) built a total of some ten thousand houses across the country – mainly in coal mining and iron industry communities. Local examples include Hollingwood, Duckmanton, Poolsbrook, Bramley Vale, and Newbold. By taking a look at Hollingwood in particular, this revised talk will aim to reveal the story of the IHA and the communities it built.
December 2025 – no meeting.
January 2026 – no meeting.
February 16 – ‘Shell Shock! A Historical Perspective, with Jill Brunt. Examining the diagnosis and treatment of shell shock in the context of the First World War, also the prevailing situation of psychiatry and the growth of the asylum.
March 16 – The Folklore of Derbyshire, with Simon Unsworth. A fascinating journey into the rich folklore of Derbyshire and the Peak District; its stories, traditions, legends and mysterious places.
April 20 – Treating the Soldiers of the Crimean War, with Danielle Burton. Mary Seacole, Betsy Cadwaladr and Florence Nightingale, who went to nurse injured soldiers in the Crimean War, despite prejudice.
May 18 – The Textile Arkwrights: a surprising family of musicians, politicians and artists, with Cliff Lea. We all know about the first fortune made by the Arkwrights at Cromford, but what happened in successive generations?
June 15 – Living from Art, with David Charlesworth. The well-known Chesterfield artist talks about his life in art.
July 20 – The Gentry of Scarsdale and their Houses: 1660-1830, with Philip Riden. Local expert historian tells us more about the squires, gentlemen and Dukes of the 71 villages and towns of North East Derbyshire.
August 17 – Murder in 19th Century Derbyshire, with Gay Evans. Tales of local homicides and executions
September 21 – The Rise of the Cavendish Dynasty, with John Taylor. Charting the rise of this remarkable dynasty from a sleepy village in Suffolk of the same name and a sheep farm in rural Derbyshire to the very pinnacle of the nobility and beyond.
October 19 – Lady Arbella Stuart – The Queen that Never Was, with David Templeman. Revealing the granddaughter of Bess of Hardwick, who was born to be a Queen.
November 16 – Rare Wild Flowers of the Peak District, with Byron Machin. Featuring the many wild flowers to be found on our doorstep, including some that are unique to our county, illustrated via Byron’s wonderful photographs.
NO MEETINGS IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY
Page last updated 14 November 2025.