COMING EVENTS

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Unless otherwise noted, all our meetings will be held in the Judge Lecture Theatre, Tiffin Boys School, Kingston upon Thames.
Meetings begin at 7:30pm.
Access is from the London Road entrance where there is ample free parking. The venue is easily accessed by bus routes 57, 85, 131, 213, 371, 514, K2, K3, K4, K5, and night buses N57 and N213. The bus stops for both directions are located near the car park gates.
Everyone is welcome to these meetings, which take place on the third Wednesday of the month.

We shall be celebrating the 50th birthday of the Society in 2012. and are planning to make available some new leaflets on our history during the year.

Our next meetings are:

WEDNESDAY 16TH MAY
GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE MALDENS:
FOCUS ON THE MALDENS AND NEW MALDEN IN PARTICULAR
SPEAKER: John King, Geographer and long time resident will show how this area got to where it is now.
Brian Godding, Vice-chairman and Planning Secretary of the Society will bring members up to date with proposals.

WEDNESDAY 20TH JUNE
CONDUCTED TOUR OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN KINGSTON:
A local humanist architect in a brutalist era - Kenneth Wood, active 1950-1980
SPEAKER: Dr. Fiona Fisher, Kingston University Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture will give an account of the work of this architect, illustrated by local examples of his work.

WEDNESDAY 18TH JULY
Social Event to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Kingston Society:
Stephanie Leitch has organised  a tea, all welcome, at St Raphael's Church in the Portsmouth Road.
Details and Booking Form in the April newsletter.  Tickets £12
Car Parking has been arranged in the forecourt of the Territorial Army next door.
Please park there and not at church.

Our Autumn talks will include 'Chessington World of Adventures'
Speaker: David Smith

VISITS FOR 2012

THURSDAY 26TH APRIL 2012
Following our walk with the Kingston Tour Guides in 2011, which was well received, in 2012 you can explore Surbiton in a similar way.
The walk led by John Pink, will last approximately 1 hour and will start from Surbiton Station forecourt at 2.15pm. We will end with tea at the YMCA.

WEDNESDAY 23RD MAY 2012
Contemporary Architecture in the City of London.
David Thompson, a Blue Badge Tourist Guide, will lead a walk for us on 23rd May.
The City is all about change: throughout the centuries its residents and merchants alike have expressed their status, spiritual and commercial needs through architecture. Beginning at Jean Novel's One: New Change building we will trace the City's evolvement through the changing architectural styles of the second half of the 20th century and view examples of the most modern styles.

Travel information, timings and costs are on the BOOKING FORM with the april Kingston News.

A HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY
AS IS WELL KNOWN IT IS THE 50TH YEAR OF THE FOUNDING OF THE SOCIETY AND MICHAEL DAVIDSON IS PLANNING TO PRODUCE A FULL COLOUR ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET TO CELEBRATE THIS. THE SOCIETY IS IN THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR A GRANT TO PUBLISH IT.
Michael is particularly anxious to include reminiscences, anecdotes and photos about the Society over the years from members.

If you have any treasured memories about particular meetings, outings or anything else to do with the Society, please get in touch with Michael, either by phone on 020 8546 0230 or by e-mail at michaelmarydavidson@mail.adsl4less.com 



COOMBE CONDUIT. A JEWEL IN OUR CROWN

A new era in the Kingston Society's management of Coombe Conduit commenced in 2011 with the publication of a new colour-illustrated leaflet, and the training of a new team of guides to interpret one of Kingston's most historic buildings to the public.

Built to collect fresh spring water from Coombe Hill and pipe it to Henry VIII's Palace at Hampton Court, Coombe Conduit is in the care of English Heritage. Since 1999 the task of opening it to the public on the second Sunday of every month in summer has been entrusted to the Kingston Society. During this time more than 4,000 visitors have been greeted by the Kingston upon Thames Society stewards and guided aroung this remarkable feat of Tudor engineering.

Impressed by the Kingston Society's excellent track record in managing the site, English Heritage agreed to underwrite the cost of a new brochure. The simple black-and-white leaflet prepared by Sylvia Blanc, who took charge of opening arrangements when the Society accepted responsibility for the Conduit, served its purpose well for more than a decade, but it was felt to be time for a coloured leaflet more in keeping with those available at other English Heritage sites.

Much of the earlier material was still relevant - indeed, nearly everything written on the Conduit derives from a paper written by J W Lindus Forge in 1959. But one enigma had to be tackled head-on. Local place names such as Lord Chancellor Walk and Wolsey Close reflect a strong tradition that the Conduit system was begun by Cardinal Wolsey. However, this belief flies in the face of more recent research by Simon Thurley, renowned authority on Tudor Buildings. Dr Thurley has found documentary sources proving, he asserts, that the conduit was conceived and built by Henry VIII after 1538 and had nothing to do with Wolsey.

Simon Thurley's position as chief executive of English Heritage gave the writers of our new leaflet unique access to a team of experts whose advice ensured that the publication would incorporate the most up-to-date information available.

We are open on the second Sunday of each month during the summer and on  the Saturday and Sunday of Heritage Open Days in September, also for special days for the British Archaeological Society.

SUNDAY 8TH APRIL   14.00 - 16.00 HOURS
SUNDAY 13TH MAY   14.00 - 16.00 HOURS
SUNDAY 10TH JUNE  14.00 - 16.00 HOURS
SUNDAY 8TH JULY     14.00 - 16.00 HOURS
SUNDAY 29TH JULY  11.00 - 16.00 HOURS FESTIVAL OF BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGY 
SUNDAY 12TH AUGUST 14.00 - 16.00 HOURS

SATURDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER 11.00 - 16.00 HOURS HERITAGE OPEN DAY
  SUNDAY   16TH SEPTEMBER 11.00 - 16.00 HOURS HERITAGE OPEN DAY

COOMBE CONDUIT On Coombe Lane West, the A238, the entrance to the site is by a gate, in high wooden fencing, near the corner of Lord Chancellor Walk, almost opposite Coombe Hill School. Parking is available in Lord Chancellor Walk.  The 57 bus Kingston-Raynes Park-Wimbledon-Streatham stops close by and Norbiton Station is approx. three quarters of a mile away. Please note that there are no toilets on this site.

Admission is free,
Donations are most welcome.
Volunteers to help as stewards for these Open Days are welcome: please contact info@kingstonuponthamessociety.co.uk.

Bushey Park Water Gardens

When Tom Blaney spoke to the Kingston Society in September 2006 he told us that the Water Gardens in Bushey Park were being restored. As from October 2009 the gardens are open every day except Mondays from 9am until the park closes. Do visit the tranquil ponds and cascades and take the opportunity to enjoy refreshments in the new cafe in the Woodland Garden.