Huntingdon Area Lifelong Learners (HALL)

Course Description: On the outskirts of Peterborough was the world's first purpose-built prisoner of war camp. Built in 1797 the camp was the 'home' of thousands of Napoleonic prisoners of war. This illustrated talk tells the story of the camp and its inmates, as well as the beautiful items made by prisoners which are now displayed in Peterborough Museum.

Course Description: The River Great Ouse has played a central role in the life of the St Neots area since the woolly mammoth roamed here in prehistoric times. Join us to hear local stories with links to the river: from barges to houseboats, from Viking invaders to a Victorian spa. Discover the important part the river has played in local life.

Course Description: This talk reveals the fascinating Regency period 1811-1820, through the lives of local people. Discover local links with the Battle of Waterloo, the assassination of a Prime Minister and the struggle against the international slave trade, the story of the Eynesbury Giant and a case of witchcraft in Great Paxton.

Course Description: The Origin and Development of the Fens: 400,000 years ago to the present day. Over the course of five weeks we will cover the geology, geography, history and drainage of the Fens. We will also consider the impact of climate change, environmental issues and government policy on the future of this unique environment.

Course Description: In 1914 there were 11,000 trams in the UK. By 1962 all had disappeared from our streets apart from Blackpool. This illustrated talk will describe the development of tramways from 1860 and their subsequent decline, together with the reintroduction of modern tramways in six British cities from the early 1900s.

Course Description: This session will look at the historical and sociological background to the notorious Whitechapel murders; the development and expansion of the Metropolitan Police and the establishment of the CID; the emergence of criminology as a distinct field of study; the rapidly expanding press and the popularity of the Illustrated Police News, which ran numerous articles dealing with the "alien immigration question" that promoted xenophobic attitudes and paranoia amongst its mostly working-class readership. We will consider the ways in which this overall picture feeds a Victorian literary fascination with crime, murder, sensation and terror writing. The session will be on Zoom and the fee will be confirmed shortly.

Course Description: Berlin has been the capital of Germany only since 1871, when the modern nation of Germany was founded. Yet in that time, it has seen more than its fair share of history: from the heyday of imperial Germany, to the political instability of the end of the Great War, through the rise of the Nazis and the apparatus of terror, and then the division of the Cold War and the Berlin Wall. In this series of four lectures, Simon will trace the fascinating, complex and often troubling history of the city; and at the same time, explore the sense of energy and optimism which has somehow seen it through the bleakest of history to once again become the vibrant capital of a reunified Germany. As we trace the sweep of history, expect to hear the personal stories of ordinary Berliners too – who somehow, against all the odds, continued to help their city thrive. The course will be via Zoom and the fee will be confirmed shortly. Each session will be 1hr 40mins including time for questions.

Course Description: Andrew will analyse what is widely considered the most serious threat to world peace during the Cold War. We will investigate why the Soviet Union deployed nuclear missiles to Cuba and how the United States reacted upon discovering this threat to its national security. Just how close did the superpowers come to nuclear war and how did the personalities of Kennedy and Khrushchev shape the crisis and its eventual peaceful resolution. Fee to be confirmed shortly.

Course Description: This talk will chart the rise and fall of the Earls and Dukes of Manchester, the owners of Kimbolton Castle from 1615 to 1950. The importance of the Manchester family in the Civil War and Glorious Revolution will be highlighted culminating in the Great Rebuilding of Kimbolton Castle by Vanbrugh. The Manchesters reached the height of their powers in 1716 with the 4th Earl becoming the 1st Duke. However, by 1950 the Dukes of Manchester had lost most of their land and influence. Indeed the Dukes of Manchester became a byword for debt and scandal. Andrew will explain how they became an extreme example of the decline and fall of the British aristocracy. The fee for this course will be confirmed shortly.

Course Description: The Industrial Revolution was a time of innovation, exploration and progress, but it was a time of uncertainty, job loss and change. This talk explores the unrest that the progress in brickmaking created, which culminated in the death of a policeman and the hanging of a brickmaker, in the northeast of England. Fee for this session will be confirmed shortly.

Course Description: During the session we will look at what the Roman idea of beauty was. Did men have beauty routines as well as women? How were the elaborate hairstyles seen on statues and in frescos achieved? What did Romans smell like? And how did fashion and beauty help to bring about the Fall of Rome? Fee to be confirmed shortly.

Course Description: During this hour long talk we will look at historic railway stations. We will concentrate on the nine grade 1 listed buildings, including the world's oldest surviving station at Liverpool Road, Manchester. This session will be followed by the group's AGM.

Course Description: Forget futuristic cities and giant apes—the true pioneers of visual effects in the movies were the musicals. In the glory days of the studio system Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly were involved in an artistic arms race to put the most ingenious dance routines on screen. Join writer, teacher, and composer Christopher Budd for an appreciation of blue screens, rotating stages, and two extraordinarily talented men. Fee will be confirmed shortly.

Course Description: This talk will be given by Stuart Orme and we are still deciding the topic but will update the website as soon as possible