2025 Talks and Meetings

AUTUMN TERM 2025

Our Thursday morning meetings continue to be held as 'hybrid' meetings, where many members attend the talks in Ealing Green Church whilst we also broadcast them over Zoom for members to watch from home. A list of the talks and speakers for the term is shown below, whilst full details of the talks can be found in the Autumn Term 2025 talks document. Most of these talks are recorded and this is indicated by an asterisk (*) after the talk name

Thursday, 4th September: Today's talk had to be cancelled unavoidably at the last moment. However all was not lost as a number of our members present in the church gave us short talks (*) on subjects close to their hearts, from U3A Summer Schools to a song, from an update on changes to the House of Lords to stereo recordings, from the search for cabinet hinges to good homes for retired guide dogs. A truly fascinating and varied morning!

Thursday, 11th September: This talk was entitled 'HMS India, Arnold Clarke and internment in Norway during WW1' (*) with Rebecca Clarke. On 8^th August 1915, HMS India was torpedoed in the Norwegian sea. Most survivors of the shipwreck were interned in Norway for the remainder of the war, including R A Clarke, Rebecca Clarke’s grandfather-in-law bringing a very personal insight into the incarceration of the men of HMS India. Rebecca Clarke was born in Australia in 1972 and grew up in and around Melbourne. She completed secondary school teacher training at the University of Melbourne and taught in Melbourne schools before marrying and starting a family. Her husband’s job has led to many opportunities for travel, as a couple and then as a family, to Europe. Since 2013 they have lived in West London where Rebecca has home educated her kids, written two and a half books and volunteered with the National Trust, as well as helping to run choirs and being a trustee for a youth music education service.
Thursday, 25th September: This talk 'The Rise and Demise of the Stasi' (*) given by Charles Rees, deals with the rise and demise of the Stasi, the East German Ministry of State Security, from its founding in 1949 to its abrupt end in 1989 following the collapse of the Berlin Wall and crucially that the Soviet Union would no longer be intervening to support East European satellite states against popular uprisings in those states. The Stasi acquired a fearsome reputation as a secret police force relying on thousands of informers to denounce their fellow citizens suspected of being disloyal to the state. Charles Rees was born in 1946 in Cardiff and educated at local schools and colleges. He read for an external London law degree and was called to the Bar in November 1974, joining the Inner London Magistrates’ Court Service in 1975 as Legal Advisor to Magistrates. Charles retired from the Courts Service in 2007.
Thursday 2nd October: This talk was entitled ‘Art and the Arts 1950s’ (*) and given by Colin Lomas. He is an Ealing U3A member who has given a number of talks previously. Having worked as a teacher and lecturer in school, college and university - in the area of maths and computing - on retirement, Colin studied art history at the V&A museum and became a volunteer guide there, which he still does. For many years he has given lectures to different groups including various U3A groups. Colin is currently employed by the WBA as an art history lecturer. This talk explored the 1950s cultural landscape, to enjoy some of the gems from the decade’s literature, music and art.
Thursday 9th October: The title of this talk was ‘White City’s Past, Present and Future Representations’ (*) with Dr Nathaniel Télémaque: he is North West London born and raised visual artist, writer and researcher who photographs, films and writes about ‘everyday things’ in various urban settings. Bearing witness to mad cities and maverick livelihoods inspires his visual and written practices. His lenses focus on the experiences of young Black adults, creative peers, and notions of urban change in cities. He completed his Geography (practice-related) PhD at University College London in 2023 and is now a Lecturer in Geography and Social Justice at King’s College London University. This talk drew on his Geography (Practice-Related) PhD research project on the White City Estate to share insights into the everyday things that come together to form White City’s past, present, and future representations. His project saw him commit to a collaborative photography project with a group of young Black adults living on the estate, whilst also conducting archival research into the locale’s past and desk-based research into the urban policies guiding White City’s future development.
Thursday, 23rd October : This meeting was in two parts: firstly, the results of our annual Photographic Competition (*) were announced. Pictures of some of the winners and the judges are shown below. After the break, we had a short but most informative talk entitled ‘60 years of law reform - the Law Commission of England and Wales’ (*) with Martin Partington who had a career in the law, as an academic (he was Professor of Law at Brunel University in the 1980s, and at Bristol University in the 1990s), a barrister, and as a tribunal chair. He was a Law Commissioner from 2001-2007. He moved to Ealing in December 2024 and is a member of Ealing u3a.
Thursday, 30th October: This talk was entitled ‘Accidental Lives’ (*) with Lindsay Swan, born and educated in Scotland but has lived in Ealing for the past 43 years. She is co-chair of the Venkat Trust, a South-East Indian education charity. She is a member of the Wandsworth Prison Independent Monitoring Board, appointed by the Justice Secretary to act as an independent observer of all aspects of the prison regime and help ensure the humane and just treatment of the prisoners. Lindsay Swan’s life has been a series of sliding door life changers and chance encounters. She has travelled the world, run an unconventional London PR company and was an executive producer of the world’s first 3D ballet: Swan Lake which was broadcast live to cinemas around the world from the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. For the past 21 years, Lindsay has been a trustee of the Venkat Trust, a South-East Indian education charity, set up by her lifelong friend and former business partner Sylvia Holder, which they describe in Accidental Lives, their first book, written when they were 72 and 85. In this talk, Lindsay described some of the highs, lows and unplanned events in a life which has been – and continues to be – a lot of fun.
Thursday, 6th November: The title of this talk was ‘The Aldridge Family – the Price of Fame’ (*) with Angela Morgan, who is a Blue Badge Tourist Guide, meeting thousands of visitors from around the world. Through their interest and observations, they help her as a Londoner, to truly appreciate London as a wonderful place packed full of history. In early 19^th century England, as a free black man from America, Ira Aldridge’s entrance into theatrical circles was not easy. He was the first black actor to play Othello, yet racial prejudice almost derailed his acting ambitions. Eventually, his fame spread beyond these shores, and he received many accolades and honours. Fame can offer pathways to success for some people. For their family, they may be financially supported but they live on the periphery of their loved one’s fame. But how did his family fare, particularly after his premature death whilst working in Poland in 1867? Angela Morgan will delve into Ira’s family life.
Thursday, 13th November : This talk was entitled ‘What’s so hard about writing?’ (*) with Hattie Crisell who is a freelance writer based in London. She is a contributing editor of Grazia magazine and her writing has appeared in The Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian, Elle, Vogue and You magazine, among others. Since 2019 she has produced and hosted the podcast In Writing with Hattie Crisell, interviewing writers of all kinds in their studies. Her book In Writing: Conversations on Inspiration, Perspiration and Creative Desperation was published by Granta Books in November 2024. This talk was in a different format to our usual meetings as Hattie was in conversation with Martin Partington, an Ealing U3A member.
Thursday 27th November : The talk was entitled ‘The Secret Son of King George III’ (*) with Rosalind Freeborn who started her career as a book publicist and moved into the world of music handling the publicity for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. She set up her own PR consultancy with clients in film, television and the arts, She then promoted the baby charity, Tommy’s and Great Ormond Street Hospital. In 2002, Rosalind followed her childhood dream and went to City & Guilds of London Art School, acquiring a Higher Diploma in Fine Art. However, having learnt how to paint in oils, but she found herself drawn to paper collage and concentrated on that medium. She exhibits and sells her work regularly. She was prompted to write Prince George & Master Frederick after investigating her grandmother’s story that her family might, in some way, be connected to King George III – it is her first published work. In 1765 a four-year-old orphan boy was bundled into a carriage and taken from his rural home to Richmond Lodge to be playmate for young Prince George, King George III’s eldest son and heir to the English throne. Rosalind researched the life of Frederick Blomberg, that orphan child, who was brought up as a prince and remained close to the Georgian royal family and was a lifelong friend of Prince George, the future regent and King George IV.
Thursday 4th December : The last talk for our Autumn term was entitled ‘Loos of London’ (*) with Eleanor Bloom, a City of London & City of Westminster tour guide who conducts guided walking tours. She is also a Guildhall guide and has the freedom of the City of London. This talk will be a lighter look at the Loos of London through the ages; from ancient to modern, public & private.

SPRING TERM 2025

A list of the talks and speakers for the term is shown below, whilst full details of the talks can be found in the Spring Term 2025 talks document. Most of these talks are recorded and this is indicated by an asterisk (*) after the talk name. The Recordings are available on our Ealing u3a YouTube channel; if you would like to view any of these recordings, please contact the Webmaster. All speakers were present in Ealing Green Church, unless otherwise shown.

Thursday, 1st May : A talk from our current Ealing U3A Chair, Jill Stern, entitled ‘King Arthur: Was he an Historical Figure?’ (*) - Jill has a doctorate in history from University College London. She has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals and is the author of a book on the seventeenth century Netherlands; history is her passion. We have all heard of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table but who was Arthur? Was he a real live historic individual or was he always just a figure of fiction? This talk told us more about a mysterious period in our history.
Thursday, 8th May: ‘Classical Portraiture Teaching & Methods’ (*) with Vicky Saumarez who was educated at Studio Cecil Graves in Florence, Italy. Vicky specialises in portraiture & life drawing and teaches an art group in Hanwell on a weekly basis & also runs courses for City Academy. Vicky gave us a demonstration of mixing paint on a palette and painting technique at an easel.
Thursday, 22nd May: This interesting and entertaining talk was entitled ‘My life as a TV/Film Extra in retirement’ (*) with Rob Brewer who was born and raised in Greenford, he joined the army from school and spent 18 years as a police officer. Rob has been an Extra for six years. He talked about how he became an Extra, about some of the productions that’s he’s been on and explained how anyone can do it.
Thursday 29th May : Our annual Groups Showcase was kindly opened by Steve Pound, an Ealing u3a member and ex-MP for Ealing North.
Thursday 5th June: ‘The splendid story of Rena Stewart: Bletchley, Hitler, the BBC … and Ealing’ (*) with Victoria Walsh a writer with a passion for people stories. A linguist and communications professional by background, Victoria has always enjoyed writing and engaging with people from all walks of life. Rena Stewart was a remarkable resident of Ealing. A hundred years young, she served at Bletchley Park and translated Hitler’s will, before going on to a distinguished career at the BBC World Service. She then enjoyed a long, happy retirement in Ealing - filled with friends, travel and culture. Rena’s was the epitome of a life well lived!
Thursday 5th June: We also had the cake draw with Jola Glaser offering to bake a cake while the winning ticket picked by Derek Atkinson. The winner will be in for a real treat.
Thursday 12th June: This talk 'Lewis Carroll in Numberland: His Fantastical, Mathematical, Logical Life' (*) by Prof Robin Wilson who is an Emeritus Professor at the Open University and at Gresham College, London. He has written and edited over 50 books (including some relating to Sullivan). He has performed in most of the G&S Operas and sung most of Sullivan’s choral works. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson is better known for his literary work under his pen name, Lewis Carroll - this talk looked at his interests in mathematics and logic.
Thursday 26th June: this riveting talk was entitled‘The Rooster: Discovering my Father's memories from the Jasenovac Concentration Camp’ (*) with Sibel Roller an Ealing U3A member who writes twentieth century non-fiction and fiction, focusing on stories of courage and resilience in the face of war. After her father Dragan died, Sibel discovered a secret manuscript that he’d written about his survival in the World War II concentration camp Jasenovac in Croatia. The camp was notorious for its brutality and was often referred to as the Auschwitz of the Balkans. In his lifetime, Dragan rarely mentioned the camp. His secret writing triggered Sibel’s journey to find her hidden father, the man she never knew completely. In her talk, Sibel shared stories drawn from her journey, offering a different perspective on the better-known history of the Nazi death camps.
Thursday 3rd July: ‘Missy Big Bungalow’: from colonial concubine to modern matriarch’ (*) with Jean Brewster who lived a cosmopolitan life as a child, living in the colonies of Malaysia, Cyprus and British Honduras. The talk focused on aspects of Jean’s book, 'Missy Big Bungalow', based on Chalerm, her Asian grandmother, and life in Thailand and Malaysia in colonial times. It is the true story of four generations of families with mixed European and Asian heritage, including Burmese, Thai, French, Danish, Polish and British.
Thursday 10th July: Today's talk was entitled ‘The Eyes Have It – a talk on common eye problems from a local Optometrist’ (*) with Joy Hynes who is the Head Optometrist and the owner of Hynes Optometrists on Northfield Avenue for the last 40 years. Joy specialises in Colorimetry and Glaucoma.
Thursday 24th July: Today's talk wasentitled ‘Running a Small Farm in Mid Wales in the 1970s’ (*) with Mike Perry, Ealing u3a member who has given us several excellent talks in the past.

WINTER TERM 2025

A list of the talks and speakers for the term is shown below, whilst full details of the talks can be found in the Winter Term 2025 talks document. Most of these talks are recorded and this is indicated by an asterisk (*) after the talk name.

Thur 9th January: ‘The Quality of Love: Identical Twins at the Heart of the Twentieth Century’ (*) with Ariane Bankes who, after an enjoyable first career in publishing, now works as a writer, critic, and curator - her latest exhibition being "Dora Carrington: Beyond Bloomsbury" currently on show at Pallant House Gallery, Chichester. In this talk, Ariane Bankes used the treasure trove of letters and diaries left to her by her mother, Celia Paget, to recount the extraordinary lives of Celia and her twin Mamaine, who overcame being orphaned at the age of twelve and a nugatory education to take London in the 1930s by storm, and to flourish at the heart of Europe’s intelligentsia. The Quality of Love is a sparkling portrait of the deep friendship and love between two spirited sisters and paints a vivid picture of one of the most dramatic periods of the 20th century.
Thursday 23rd January: ‘Postcard from the Past’ with Tom Jackson who, for too long, has been spinning in a whirlwind of postcards. A few years ago he started posting postcards and their messages on social media, an instant and ongoing hit project that resulted in the commissioning of his book Postcard from the Past, described as ‘a work of art’ by Jonathan Coe and ‘Somehow both poignant and deeply creepy’ by Samira Ahmed. This delightful talk took a look at postcards and the various strange, funny and powerful ways their messages worked, and continue to work today, including secret codes, indiscreet confessions, unlikely juxtapositions, outrageous messages and fake donkeys. NB. At the request of the speaker, this talk was NOT recorded.
Thursday 6th February: “No Man is an Island” – the life and poetry of John Donne (*) with Jeremy Holmes, who went from a Grammar School to Oxford University where he won a Scholarship and took a Double First in English Literature. He then had a career which included being CEO of the Economists Advisory Group, CEO of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and COO of Universities UK. Jeremy is now semi-retired but is a charity trustee and still does occasional consultancy work, as well as giving regular talks on aspects of English Literature, his first love.
Thursday 13th February: ‘Reflections on past and present at Balliol College, Oxford’ with Carl Woodall who is a member of Ealing U3A, and who served as Domestic Bursar of Balliol College Oxford between 2000 and 2009 at which point he joined the House of Lords as its first Director of Facilities. Carl retired in March 2023, and was appointed an OBE in HM The King’s New Year Honours List 2024. NB. At the request of the speaker, this talk was NOT recorded.
Thursday 27th February: ‘Marianne North (Kew Gardens Gallery) and Joan Eardley’ (*), two female artists who may not be familiar to our members, with Jill Thumpston who is a long-standing Ealing U3A member and a prominent member of our Art Appreciation group, who has given a number of talks to us in the past.
Thursday 6th March (EGC and Zoom): ‘Fake News or Deceiving the enemy during WW2' (*) by Ronald Koorm, who is a published author and lecturer on military history specialising in codebreaking during WW2. A retired chartered building surveyor, who grew up in South Ealing, and a Northwood U3A member, he has also written for technical books on the subject of inclusive design, and numerous articles and papers. In 2020, Ron published a book ‘Backing Bletchley’, which was about the codebreaking outstations. More recently, he has published part of a new series on a Glossary on WW2 codebreaking.
Thursday 20th March: ‘Sexual Diversity - the Biological Truth’ (*) by Georgine Carter, an Ealing U3A member and Convenor of our Psychology group. She is a retired head of psychology department in a grammar school and has an OU degree.
Thursday 27th March: This talk was entitled ‘Priscilla Wakefield: Forgotten Heroine’ (*) by Margaret Burr, a long-term resident of Tottenham interested in local history, art, clouds and trees. Now retired, she spent most of her working life in education as an information specialist. Priscilla Wakefield was a writer, educator, and philanthropist. A well-connected Quaker she became an author through economic necessity writing 17 books for children on a range of subjects, including natural science. She also wrote a book on feminism and feminist economics in 1798, challenging the absence of women in Adam Smith’s analysis. Her Tottenham Female Benefit Club became the first Savings Bank in Britain and evolved into the National Savings Bank. Her incredible energy and industry for women and children was constant despite the financial and emotional distress caused by her challenging family.
Thursday 3rd April: This most informative and entertaining talk was entitled ‘The Ecology of British Earthworms’ (*) with our speaker Dr David Jones, who works at the Natural History Museum in London and lectures at Imperial College. He is an entomologist specialising in rainforest insects and soil ecology. He has done fieldwork in 18 countries including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Gabon, Madagascar and French Guiana. He has published more than 50 research articles in scientific books and journals. David has given a number of talks to Ealing U3A previously, most recently in August 2024.
Thursday 10th April: The final and fascinating talk of the Winter term 2025 was entitled 'The Fall of Civilizations' (*) with Paul Cooper, who has a PhD in the cultural and literary significance of ruins. The talk was based on his acclaimed podcast 'Fall of Civilizations' and draws on his book of the same title, and delves into the rise and fall of ancient societies, highlighting their ascent to power and eventual collapse.