April 2020: Forthcoming series of talks now on hold

The coming season of talks by Margaret Bird is naturally on hold as a result of the social distancing and movement restrictions introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over the past fourteen years, and drawing on her work on the diarist Mary Hardy, Margaret has regularly given talks and seminars on aspects of eighteenth-century history. With very few exceptions these have all been open to the public; occasionally she is invited to speak at private meetings.

For the moment no details will be listed on these News pages until it is certain the event will take place.

Further events had already been planned to run from May 2020 to March 2021 and beyond. Organised by clubs, societies and institutions, they would normally feature among the News items on this website.

However Margaret will not publicise these events for the moment. They may go ahead as arranged, or they may have to be postponed. While there is any uncertainty the details will not be given.

When the current restrictions are lifted it is hoped they will take place, subject to what the host organisation can manage.

(Update 8 May 2021:

The talks are now going ahead from 24 June 2021 onwards, as set out on the News pages.)

One talk definitely postponed: the Norfolk Club

Margaret Bird customarily illustrates her presentations using PowerPoint. If the room or hall does not lend itself to a screen (as perhaps with a daytime talk, where the room cannot be darkened) she often prepares handouts.

This is the front cover of a handout for a talk now definitely postponed. It was to have been given to the History Group of the Norfolk Club on 14 May 2020 as part of the celebration this summer of the club’s 250th anniversary. It is entitled, “The World of the Club’s Founders: Norfolk society 1770–1800”.

Definitely postponed: the May 2020 talk in Norwich to the Norfolk Club’s History Group

The very fine hand-coloured map of Norwich in 1779, by Mostyn John Armstrong, is held in the Cozens-Hardy Collection. The arrows, superimposed for the handout, show some of the club’s early meeting places.

New date for Norfolk Club talk

Update 8 May 2021:

Margaret Bird’s postponed talk on Norfolk society 1770–1800 will now take place at the Norfolk Club in Norwich on Thursday 18 November 2021. Club members and their guests are invited at 11.00 for 11.30 am.