The Greenwich Society

 

Greenwich Society Events

Upcoming Events

Coffee & Chat

Our regular monthly free event has moved: We now gather in the upstairs area of the Parkside Cafe at the National Maritime Museum with its lovely view of the Park. These sessions, on the first Wednesday of the month from 11am, have been proving popular so join us for a warm welcome and a ten-minute talk of local interest.  Perhaps bring a friend and encourage them to join the Society and get to know your fellow members!

2024 Coffee & Chat dates & topics:

Wednesday 4th December

Topic: A Festive Theme: Christmas in Greenwich - some history

With Jacky Robinson

Coming Soon!

supper

New Year Supper at Davy's Wine Vaults Greenwich

Friday 17th January 2025

The Society's New Year supper will take place in the Cooperage at Davy’s Wine Vaults at 6.30pm for 7.00pm.

We will meet for a drinks reception in the Victoria Room prior to the sit-down two course pre-ordered meal. Two glasses of wine/beer/a soft drink is included in the overall price of £35pp. Please click the link below to purchase your tickets:

Checkout

You will be contacted via email for your choice of menu, see below:

Main Course:

Davy’s Kentish bangers & mash, roasted balsamic onion,

Madeira gravy

OR

 Davy’s beer battered haddock , chips, mushy peas, tartare sauce

OR

 Wild Mushroom Risotto (V)

 

Dessert:

Chocolate brownie, hot chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream v

 OR

Bakewell crumble, vegan ice cream or custard V

 OR

British cheese plate

(v vegetarian / vegan)

Other 2025 Dates for your Diary

 

Annual Quiz 

Saturday 15th February

 

Past events

A Walk along the Thames - Discover the Palaces of the Riverbank

Saturday 16th November from 11am

Jonathan Chandler led a walk starting at Blackfriars Station along the north bank of the Thames from Blackfriars to Westminster. We explored the history of the palaces that lined the riverside from the time of Henry VIII, identifying the evidence that remains after the creation of the Embankment in the nineteenth century and looked at the buildings, gardens and sculptures along the way.

Annual Lecture

The London Skyline: the Only Way is Up?

Sunday 3rd November 

Venue: The Lecture Theatre, Greenwich University, Stockwell Street. 
Our guest speaker this year was Duncan Wilson CBE, Chief Executive of Historic England. Duncan was previously Chief Executive of the Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College and is currently a trustee there so he is well acquainted with our area.


He became a RIBA Honorary fellow in 2022 and was awarded the CBE for services to heritage in 2023.

His talk should be of interest to anyone who is concerned that new developments should enhance our environment and there
 will be an opportunity for questions at the end.

 

 

FREE Zoom Meeting

Tuesday 22nd October from 7pm

Topic: Social housing in Greenwich, the challenges facing Royal Greenwich Council.

With Pat Slattery, Councillor, Cabinet Member for Housing Management, Neighbourhoods and Homelessness

One of our members at a Coffee and Chat session suggested this topic and we invited Councillor Pat Slattery to talk with us on Zoom. 

 

A Walk in Greenwich Park

Saturday 21st September

A guided 'story-walk' for adults with Rich Sylvester - from the Herb Garden along the park border.

Rich says he is inspired by the 'unauthorised heritage' of the Greenwich World Heritage Site and draws on past lives  evidenced by bricks, bones, statues and memorials with a sprinkling of trees, plants and personal anecdotes.

The route was along the largest herbaceous border in London and past the Queen's Orchard to exit the park and concluded with a visit to a secret garden located close to Maze Hill Station.

 

Summer Picnic at Morden College

Sunday 7th July between 3.30pm - 6pm
The  annual Summer Party for members and their guests took place this year in the beautiful grounds of Morden College. We were also given permission to visit the John Morden Centre, the winner of last year's Stirling Prize for Architecture. We are grateful to Morden College for welcoming the Society.

 

A Walk in Greenwich Park led by John Causer
Sunday 16th June, 2.30pm
John Causer led a walk in Greenwich Park, starting at the Blackheath Gate and ending with tea at the White House on Croom's Hill.

 

Private View of The Chocolate House Exhibition

Friday, 7th June, 9am

The Old Royal Naval College welcomed us for an exclusive early morning viewing of this exhibition in their Visitor Centre.

Tickets included a talk about Grace Tosier and her elegant establishment and, of course, a hot chocolate to start your day!

Sunday Morning concert at the Old Royal Naval College
Sunday 26th May, 10.30am - 12.30pm
Yuri Inoshita and Minah Lee, two impressive Trinity Laban piano students, (both awarded scholarships by the Peter Harris Trust) gave a concert in the fine surrounds of the Peacock Room in King Charles Court in the Old Royal Naval College. Trinity Laban generously hosted the event for the Greenwich Society.
A Walk with Ana Sutherland

Saturday 20th April, 11am

Due to the popularity of the walk led by Ana in October 2023, we were delighted that she agreed to repeat the walk. 

 

Quiz Night

Saturday 17th February 2024

Quiz night

St Alfege Church Hall   

Greenwich Church Street, SE10 8NA

 

New Year Supper at Davy's

Friday 19th January 2024

Following our very successful supper in January 2023 we went to Davy's Wine Vaults again to celebrate the beginning of the new year and the opportunity to meet new members.

The event began at 6.30pm when guests gathered for a glass of wine or soft drink, followed by a two course meal. 

Guests could choose from the following options:

Main Course:
Smoked haddock and caper fishcakes, sauteed green beans with shallots, tartare sauce
Davy's Claret steak pie, honey roast carrots, gravy
Sweet potato, red onion marmalade and mixed seed tart, baby leaf salad, romesco sauce (VE)
 
Pudding:
Trio of Nicholson's Gin ice creams
Stilton, grapes & biscuits
Rice pudding & strawberry jam

Annual Lecture 2023

Greenwich Night Pageant

Sunday 5th November 11am

Lecture Theatre, National Maritime Museum

2023 marks the 150th anniversary of the Royal Naval College moving to Greenwich. 

Dr Emma Hanna, Senior Lecturer in Modern British History at the University of Kent, will talk about the Greenwich Night Pageant of 1933 celebrations and the story of those who organised them.

A Talk and a Walk - by Ana Sutherland

Ana

Saturday 28th October 10am

Starting at the corner of Point Hill with Westgrove Lane, ending at Vanbrugh Castle, Ana will lead a walk of about 2 hours looking at the buildings of some notable architects.

Thursday 19th October 7pm at West Greenwich Library

Ana, a prominent local architect in Blackheath, will be talking about her forthcoming book, Modern Buildings in Blackheath and Greenwich, describing the work of some modern architects and their work in Greenwich. A glass of wine or a soft drink will be provided.

Riverside Party 2023

riverside partyriverside party

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riverside view                                                           Bar area     

Tickets at £25 are now available for our Riverside Party on Sunday 24th September. We will be gathering at the Trafalgar Rowing Centre on Crane Street between 12.30 and 3.00pm where you can sip your drinks from the bar on the balcony if the sun shines.

West Greenwich Library Tuesday 27th June 7pm - 8.30pm.

Refreshments will be provided.

Pop along to the library to view the winning entries! Prints of the photographs will be available for purchase. The exhibition runs until 28th July.

 

Annual Cricket Match

This annual fixture against the Blackheath Society for the Golden Elephant trophy was rescheduled to take place in Greenwich Park on Wednesday September 6th from 5pm. And the result - we're delighted to report that Greenwich won this year!

Visit to the Fan Museum

The Fan Museum is offering members an opportunity for a private visit and tour of the current exhibition in the company of an expert guide.

3pm - 5pm on 18th July 2023

£12 per person (instead of the usual £22)

A cream tea included in the price.

Photography Competition 2023

Winners & Runners-Up

WINNER - HISTORIC GREENWICH

Karin Tearle – “Woman Bathed in Light Painted Hall”

WINNER - GREENWICH PARK

Ian Welsby – “Freshly fallen snow”

WINNER - RIVER THAMES AT GREENWICH

Liz Pratt McLean – “Mudlarkers”

WINNER - PORTFOLIO of 6 PHOTOGRAPHS

Alan Cartwright 1
“Benches, early morning”

 

Alan Cartwright 2

“Bandstand sparring”

 

Alan Cartwright 3
"Royal Observatory in February Fog"

Alan Cartwright 4
“Queens House and Canary Wharf”

 

Alan Cartwright 5
“Gates to Greenwich Park”

 

Alan Cartwright 6
“Concrete reflection” 

WINNER - GREENWICH PARK UNDER 16

Siena Ulrich – “A Step Inside 1”

RUNNER UP - HISTORIC GREENWICH

Karin Tearle – “View of Chapel from Painted Hall”

RUNNER-UP - GREENWICH PARK

Karin Tearle – “Fog in Greenwich Park”

RUNNER-UP - RIVER THAMES AT GREENWICH

 Michael Elliott – “Power of all kinds”


All winning images can be viewed - along with runners-up and highly commended entries - at the exhibition in West Greenwich Library, open from Tuesday 27th June until Friday 28th July 2023

FREE ENTRY

Greenwich Society members were invited to attend a reception and prize giving on the evening of Tuesday 27th June

The King's Troop of the Royal Horse Artillery

Wednesday 19th April 

Professor Stephen Challacombe
Tuesday 17th January 2023 in West Greenwich Library

 

Professor Challacombe, one of our local members, talked about the extraordinary work of the medical students flown out from London in April 1945 to help the survivors of the camp at Belsen.

Watch a recoding of a previous presentation of this talk HERE

New Year Supper
13th January at Davy's

Photo by Trudi Lawrence

Thursday 8th December on-line via ZOOM
Mick Delap on the History of Deptford Creek

Watch the recorded talk HERE

Sunday 6th November 2022
Greenwich Society Annual Lecture
Rachel Morley on her Top Ten Churches

Watch the recorded talk HERE

Tuesday 8th March ON-line via ZOOM
Greenwich Society Lecture
The Slave Owners of Greenwich

Watch the recorded lecture HERE

New Year Supper - 20 January 2022 

A highly enjoyable supper club evening at the Sail Loft


Sail Loft

Supper Club 20 January 2022

Thanks to Trudi Lawrence for the slideshow  

Annual Lecture - 7th November 2021

 

Ray Barron Woolford is from Deptford and has written a book about Kath Duncan. Kath was born in Argyllshire in 1888 and was arguably one of the first most important civil rights leaders in the UK.  She laid the groundwork for the National Council of Civil Liberties (now Liberty) and was a pioneering LGBTQ activist.  She lived in Deptford and stood, unsuccessfully, for the parliamentary seat of Greenwich at the 1931 general election.  She was a truly amazing woman the talk by Mr Woolford was informative and entertaining as well.

Mr Woolford himself is a political activist being involved in one of Britain’s biggest food banks in Deptford and in LGBTQ rights. He is the author of a play called Liberty about Kath Duncan which was performed in London and which will soon be made into a film.  Copies of his book were available and sold like 'hot cakes'.

Members' Post-lockdown Get Together

 

The West Greenwich Library - a popular venue and delightful building - played host to Society members on the evening of Thursday 16th September.

Tim Barnes, Acting Chairman, welcomed members - new and old - and, in his role as trustee of the Philip Harris Trust, congratulated the winners of the photography competition, whose images were on display, and presented them with their prizes

Calendars and postcards of favourite images from the competition were on sale and they are now available to buy from this website.

Buy calendars and/or cards

 

Annual Cricket Match

Greenwich Society v Blackheath Society

Played on 20th July 2021

Played under threatening skies

- and the result was a tie (95 runs each)!