Pontefract Civic Society are please to present a series of talks throughout the year covering a wide range of topics and interest and are open for everyone to enjoy. These talks are usually held at the Pontefract Town Hall starting at 7pm and are free for members or for a modest fee plus admin charge for non members. Tickets available via Eventbrite. New members are always welcome so come and join us!
Tuesday 17th February 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
Tiny Tickers
Our speaker for the evening Linda Atkins tells the story of how Tiny Tickers was founded and what their aims are.
Tiny Tickers is a small national charity which was founded in 1999. They are the only charity in the UK that works to ensure a safer start for babies born with a congenital heart defect and their ultimate aim is that no baby leaves hospital with an undetected problem
Free for our members or tickets are available for non members at £3.96 from Eventbrite
Tuesday 17th March 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
Our Stories – Wakefield Council District Heritage Talk
Dr Tegwen Roberts WMDC Heritage Development Manager
Free for our members or tickets are available for non members at £3.96 from Eventbrite
Tuesday 21st April 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
Just Three Words
Chris Cade is an actor and storyteller in educational theatre.
Just Three Words tells the heart-felt tale of Albert Johnson who joins up with the Local Defence Volunteers in 1940. He is on duty as a member of the Home Guard during the York Baedeker Air Raid of April 1942…….. and witnesses its consequences.
Free for our members or tickets are available for non members at £3.96 from Eventbrite
Tuesday May 19th 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
Model Villages : Saltaire and More.
Eric Jackson
Free for our members or tickets are available for non members at £3.96 from Eventbrite
Tuesday June 16th 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
What’s that got to do with the price of fish?
A performance by magician Ray Roberts
Free for our members or tickets are available for non members at £3.96 from Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/whats-that-to-do-with-the-price-of-fish-tickets-1990002560227
Tuesday 21st July 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
Friends of Waterton Wall
Barbara Phipps lives in Walton, near Wakefield and has studied the life and work of Charles Waterton for many years. Her book, Charles Waterton, Creator of the First Nature Reserve, was published in 2019. She gives talks and leads walks around Walton Hall parkland.
Starting with a short history of the house, then moving on to Charles’ environmentalism and what inspired him to protect nature within his parkland, and how he did this. Finishing with the achievements of Friends of Waterton’s Wall.
Free for our members or tickets are available for non members at £3.96 from Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/friends-of-waterton-wall-tickets-1989919900991
Tuesday August 18th 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
The Early Years of the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway 1844 to 1849
In this talk Peter Cookson describes the growth of the Wakefield Pontefract & Goole Railway from its beginning to its completion
In this talk Peter Cookson describes the growth of the Wakefield Pontefract & Goole Railway from its beginning in Pontefract to its completion, as seen through contemporary newspaper accounts. The talk will concentrate on the effects of the coming of the Railway on the social history of the town.
Free for our members or tickets are available for non members at £3.96 from Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-early-years-of-the-wakefield-pontefract-and-goole-railway-1844-to-1849-tickets-1989916306239
Tuesday September 15th 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
World War II Spy from Fryston
David Smith
Free for our members or tickets are available for non members at £3.96 from Eventbrite
Tuesday October 20th 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
The Mobile Police Museum
David Hardcastle
Our host for the evening, David Hardcastle, will be giving an interactive presentation on the history of the police service
Our host for the evening, David Hardcastle, is a retired West Yorkshire Police constable of 20 years and is a volunteer at a local police museum. He will be giving an interactive presentation on the history of the police service over the last 120+ years.
The presentation will feature historical artifacts that will be available to handle during the talk for proper immersion in the history of policing, artifacts ranging from 1880, covering the Victorian period, both World Wars and into the 21st Century. A big assortment of various police uniforms, helmets, hats and even a working radio from the 1980s for the audience to try!
Free for our members or tickets are available for non members at £3.96 from Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-mobile-police-museum-tickets-1989918895985
Tuesday November 17th 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
Setting up the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
David Jones
Free for our members or tickets are available for non members at £3.96 from Eventbrite
Monday 30th November 7pm – 9pm – Pontefract Town Hall
Performance of A Christmas Carol
Chris Cade
Tickets are available soon
December – Date TBC 7pm – 9pm – Kings Croft Hotel
Christmas with the Liquorice Singers
Tickets are available soon.