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'Collett Revisited' New insights into the glorious career, extraordinary life and enduring legacy of the Great Western Railway engineer. An illustrated talk by Graham Carter and Michael Roberts Cost Swindon Heritage Preservation (SHP) Full Members – FREE Entry Guests – £5.00 Entry Membership Becoming a SHP Full Member gives you full FREE access to our […]
GWR's Railway Village, “New Swindon", was barely half-built and the Works still modest in extent when land was earmarked for a “park” in 1844. What does this tell us about the Company, its workers and their families, and prevailing Victorian values? And what were typical Victorian and Edwardian sporting and leisure activities anyway? Mary Thornton […]
The world’s first public railway, the Stockton & Darlington Railway, opened in the northeast of England in 1825 and marked the start of rail travel in Britain and across the world. Over the following two centuries the rail network expanded over the country and led to the construction of some of the most spectacular examples […]
It is 80 years since the end of WW2, and 40 years since the closure of Swindon Railway Works. The Works contribution as a war factory was colossal, its achievements […]
The History Of Tarot by Michael Gray - For centuries Tarot cards have been used for fortune telling believed to manifest secret knowledge handed down from ancient times. For some they are dark magic to be avoided and for others a psychological system for self awareness and personal development. In this talk Michael Gray will […]
Well known local historian and author John Stooke is fascinated by the way that retailing has changed in the last 20 years compared to what a little change there was between 1880 and 1990. Throughout these years, food, drink, clothing, homeware, and hardware were delivered to the general public via small, often independent businesses, what […]
Jack Hayward is a 92 year old former railway office worker, historian and long time resident of Swindon’s Railway Village (since 1968). As a prominent local historian, he researches and speaks on Swindon's industrial heritage and the town's working class history. "Being born in the 1930s, my extraordinary life crosses the threshold between the Industrial and […]
New Swindon and the GWR Swindon Heritage Preservation is delighted to welcome historian and author Peter Timms for a talk titled New Swindon and the GWR. This event is based on Peter’s latest publication, which offers a detailed and comprehensive history of Swindon’s railway town. As a result, the talk provides a valuable opportunity to […]
Meet Alex Crump, a Swindon-based illustrator and storyteller with a flair for the creative and the curious. (Writing in the third person to appear remarkably grown-up). Alex is a proud member of the Association of Illustrators (AOI) and the Society for Storytellers. His career spans from high-profile media collaborations to international education. He works alongside […]
GWR Volunteer Rifles – For Queen and Country Swindon Heritage Preservation is pleased to present GWR Volunteer Rifles – For Queen and Country, a richly illustrated talk by historian Mary Thornton. This fascinating event explores a lesser-known aspect of Britain’s military and railway history, focusing on the Volunteer Rifle movement and its connection to the […]
Growing Up and Working in a Railway Town Swindon Heritage Preservation invites you to an engaging illustrated talk titled Growing Up and Working in a Railway Town, presented by Colin Parsons. This event explores Swindon’s railway heritage through personal experience, memory, and local history. As a result, it offers a unique insight into how the […]
Gareth Powell from Historic England talks about The Missing Pieces Project. All over England are places with stories to tell: from buildings to battlefields, some on your doorstep, others just a day trip away. Their stories are still being written, and they won’t be complete until you share your side. The Missing Pieces Project invites […]