Midland Ancestors

Interested in Family History? Discover your Ancestors from Birmingham, Staffordshire, Warwickshire & Worcestershire.

Stourbridge

Stourbridge Group- ‘Sir William Marshal -the Greatest Knight’

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‘Sir William Marshal -the Greatest Knight’

A fascinating talk about Sir William Marshal by Max Keen

The Talk

William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1146 or 1147 – 14 May 1219), also called William the Marshal was an Anglo-Norman soldier and statesman. He served five English kings: Henry II, his sons the “Young King” Henry, Richard I, and John, and finally John’s son Henry III.

His was a remarkable long life (74 years!!) of loyal service chivalry, bravery, courage and raw martial talent.

Discover the story of this utterly remarkable  medieval soldier and statesman, complete with  maille,  sword,  shield and great helm

 

The Speaker

Max has written 16 talks about people and subjects that he has a passion for.
​Each talk features a multimedia projection and full period costume…..including armour for the Henry V and Richard III talks!
​Max likes to be controversial at times, to stimulate historical thought and debate! Max is a retired teacher, speaking is his profession and he does so with the enthusiasm of an avid historian.
In addition, he holds a Certificate of Higher Education in British Archaeology, which has helped him to probe deeper into his chosen subjects His hobbies include sailing, modern board gaming, following his beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers FC and still playing football on a Friday at the age of 68!

 

Stourbridge Group – “History of Stourbridge Glass”

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“History of Stourbridge Glass”

A talk by Dr. Kate Round on the history of glass making in Stourbridge

The Talk: – History of Stourbridge Glass

This talk is a good introduction to the subject of Stourbridge Glass, and traces the roots of Stourbridge glassmakers back to the 8thC BC, from The Alabastron of Sargon II to their arrival in Stourbridge. We explore the hot side of the industry, the workings of our unique glass cones, and the distinctions between the hot and cold side of the industry. Kate explains how glass is made, the source of the ingredients and the importance of the canals and associated trades. On to the cold side of the industry we look at the innovations in glass decorating and the skills and fame of local craftsmen including the reproduction of The Portland Vase. This is a fascinating look at how the geology of Stourbridge shaped its history, its wealth and the health and working lives of its people.

Speaker: Dr. Kate Round

Kate is an outreach presenter and tour guide for Dudley Museum Service.

In the glass industry, her interests include the historical development of the industry in the Stourbridge district, how the geology and geography impacted on the wealth and sociology of the area, driven by the rivalries of our Glass Dynasties.In her my previous life,Kate was a research chemist and lecturer, so understand the chemistry of glass having worked on the synthesis of ‘zeolites’ (silica based materials) with my work published in International Journals.