Outline of Speakers Meeting Dates, Speakers and Topics for 2025
| Date | Speaker | Topic | Further Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8th January | Kevin Fitzpatrick | My Live as a BBC Reporter | (Cancelled due to venue closure during icy weather - hopefully to be rearranged at some point.) |
| 5th February | Graham Walton | The Walton Sextuplets | Much featured in the news at their time of birth, what has happened since. |
| 5th March | Gillian Russell | A Stranger in a Strange Land | Gill's experiences of her time as an ex-pat living in Japan. |
| 2nd April | Jim Meehan | The Barbarous Murder of Wigan Lane | The story of a murder which took place on Wigan Lane in 1840, and the Victorian justice system. |
| 7th May | Andrew Wilde | Piano Recital | A renowned concert pianist, who has performed in major venues all over the world. Described by Daniel Barenboim as a 'major musical and pianistic talent' - his performances often include anecdotal information about the composer. |
| 4th June | Kevin and Joy Siddall | A Musical Meander Around Britain | This couple were well received when they performed/spoke to us last year. 'Buckle up and join us on our musical tour of the British Isles. We will be stopping for musical comfort breaks at towns and cities to share stories, facts and songs from a variety of musical genres'. |
| 2nd July | Judy Popley | My Life at Granada TV | 'I joined Granada in 1974, perhaps at it's heyday, with huge dramas being produced such as Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in The Crown, Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, the Wordsworth documentaries, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Coronation Street. Funny, sad and evocative memories of my time there.' |
| 6th August | Lynne Love | Lady Margaret Beaufort- Mother of King Henry VII | 'A young girl on the bastard line, descended from John of Gaunt. She was married at a young age, widowed at 13, and gave birth to her first and only child aged 13 in 1447. The child became King of England. How did it happen?' |
| 3rd September | Jackie Mafi | Photographs Tell Stories | 'Photos are powerful, photos tell stories. Do you know the story behind the photograph? Hear unusual stories behind amazing photos.' |
| 1st October | Pete Mellor | Assassination of John Lennon | 'Was John Lennon killed by a disgruntled Beatles fan, someone obsessed by a character in the novel 'Catcher in the Rye', or a loner seeking fame?' The talk follows the biography of Mark David chapman to his mission in New York in December 1980. The witness statements, NYPD reports, ballistic and medical evidence challenges the official story. |
| 5th November | Peter Levy | Oh Mr Porter | 'Before going to university I spent 3 months as a hotel porter in Guernsey. This was before Fawlty Towers, but could have been a dress rehearsal! Quite a lot happened, to put it mildly.' |
| 3rd December | Stephen Freeborn | Keep taking the tablets - by a retired pharmacist | This talk humorously discusses the misunderstandings caused by ambiguous instructions on medicines. He demonstrates issues caused by inhalers and clic lock tablet tops. He talks through the issues caused by patients increased number of prescibed medicines. The talk is designed to bring a smile to people who have lived a life. |
1st Wednesday of Each Month, at Wigan Sports and Cricket Club, Meeting starts 10;30 am.
Deferred for one week in January, due to Bank Holiday on Jan 1st.
Back to 2024 Full Year Speakers Listing
Current 2026 Listing