The Friends of Beamish Museum.Interesting Topics from the North East of England.
Friends are invited to attend the Friday Evening Meetings that are presented throughout the year. The following is the current programme and a selection of previous Meetings.
We hold our Friday Evening Meetings, virtually via Zoom (Nov, Jan, Feb) or in person, on site (Sep, Oct, Mar, Apr). Please contact the Friends' Office, by e-mail, for more details on how to join us.
Please note: The topics and speakers may be changed at the last minute without warning. This is very rare indeed and we always try to have a worthwhile substitute available just in case. Please contact the Friends' Office, or check this website, before attending.
The following will give you some idea about the topics covered by the speakers in that period.
The meetings are always well attended and enjoyed by all. Most of the speakers are eminant experts in their field. Come along if you can make it. You won't be disappointed.
Friday Evening Meetings: 2024-2025
- September 27th 2024 Rev. Canon Michael Everitt (Durham Cathedral) - Tales of Clerical Life From Birds Custard to Cuthbert to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
- October 18th 2024 Chris Lloyd (Northern Echo) - Attacking the Devil and Sinking the Unsinkable: W.T. Stead and the Titanic to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
- November 29th 2024 Margaret Bozic MBE - Gertrude Bell to be online via Zoom
- January 31st 2025 David Gold - Four Georges - Kings in Tights an informative and humourous account of the lives, loves and lusts of the first 4 Hanoverian kings to be online via Zoom
- February 28th 2025 Paul Heatherington - The Swordmakers of Shotley Bridge to be online via Zoom
- March 28th 2025 John Hunt - North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
- April 25th 2025 Paul Jarman - (Beamish's Director of Development, Transport and Design) Transport at Beamish to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
Friday Evening Meetings: 2023-2024
- September 29th 2023 Francesca Boyle - Staying Informed A look at the work of the Beamish Communications Team to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
- October 20th 2023 Chris Lloyd (Northern Echo) - Attacking the Devil and Sinking the Unsinkable: W.T. Stead and the Titanic to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall - Cancelled due to weather
- November 24th 2023 Margaret Bozic MBE - Ruth Dodds and Tyneside in the 1920s to be online via Zoom
- January 26th 2024 Tom Davie - Cowardice or Courageous Conscientious Objection in WW1 to be online via Zoom
- February 23rd 2024 Seb Littlewood - Remaking Beamish - the Georgian Additions to be online via Zoom
- March 22nd 2024 Luke Griffiths - Early Railways and the Place of the Tanfield Waggonway to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
- April 26th 2024 Julian Harrop - Treasure of Memories "a glimpse into the Durham Advertiser newspaper collection from 1934-61" to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
Friday Evening Meetings: 2022-2023
- September 30th 2022 Connor Emerson - Remaking Beamish Update to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
- October 21st 2022 Ray Cook - From Charabanc to Caravan to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
- November 25th 2022 Peter Jackson (Nenthead Mine) - Minerals and Mining to be online via Zoom
- January 27th 2023 Angus Ashworth - The Yorkshire Auction House - A Day in the Life of an Auctioneer to be online via Zoom
- February 17th 2023 Dr. Rosemary Hoppitt - The Anglo Saxon Ship Burial at Sutton Hoo to be online via Zoom
- March 24th 2023 Chris Lloyd - Northern Echo - Screechers and Suffragettes to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
- April 28th 2023 Rhiannon Hiles Thoughts From the Beamish C.E.O to be on site only in the 1950s Welfare Hall
Friday Evening Meetings: 2021-2022
- September 24th 2021 Anya Kirkby - Developing Retail Appropriate to Beamish to be online via Zoom
- October 22nd 2021 Margaret Bozic MBE - Divorce, Domestics and Rehousing - Citizens Advice Bureau Cases in Tyneside in the 1950s to be online via Zoom and on site in the 1950s Welfare Hall
- November 26th 2021 Anthony Atkinson - Mary Eleanor Bowes
- January 28th 2022 Ian Bean - An Update on Beamish and its Friends
- February 25th 2022 Simon Raine - Confessions of a Cheesemaker - making cheese in a converted POW camp!
- March 25th 2022 Rhiannon Hiles - Thoughts from the Beamish C.E.O. Cancelled
- April 29th 2022 Anya Kirkby - Women In Print
Friday Evening Meetings: 2020-2021
- September 25th 2020 T.B.C. Cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions
- October 16th 2020 Alec Connolly - Beamish Days Cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions
- November 27th 2020 Malcolm Byrne - Battleships - Dreadnoughts Cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions
- January 29th 2021 Richard Pears - Mansions of Whickham to be online via Zoom
- February 26th 2021 Rob Langham - Stanhope & Tyne Railroad and its Links to Beamish to be online via Zoom
- March 19th 2021 Rob Langham - The North Eastern Railway in World War 1 to be online via Zoom
- April 30th 2021 Anthea Lang - Saltwell Park to be online via Zoom
The Friday Evening Meetings are held on the Museum site, normally in the 1950s Welfare Hall in the Town area and/or via Zoom. Please follow the side road from the Museum main entrance, signposted Regional Resource Centre. Pass the entrance to the RRC and take the next Right turn marked Staff Only. A member of the Friends will admit you to the site and give directions to the 1950s Welfare Hall.
The gate will be accessible between 7.30pm and 7.55pm. The meeting starts at 8.00pm and the gate will be locked during the meeting.
You will need your membership card with you when you sign in.
There is a £1.00 charge per person, per Meeting, which includes refreshments.
Speakers Needed.
Can you suggest a suitable speaker for a Friday Evening Meeting?
If yes, please contact the Friends' Office.