During the current crisis groups and societies have understandably cancelled or postponed their usual meetings so I won't get to meet old friends and new during my talks.

I sincerely hope that all group and society members come through this difficult period unharmed and I look forward to meeting you all again when these troubled times are behind us.

February has been a bleak month for talks with nothing in my diary. Thankfully March is here and a talk on Monday the 2nd to the Carleton Ladies Group on the subject of the Pontefract Sessions House.

It will be good to be back in the saddle with another three talks on a variety of subjects to come before April.

January saw me giving three talks, to the Morley Monday Club on Canals and the East Keswick Local History Group, the Castleford Historical Society and Sherburn-in-Elmet Country Womens' Association, all on The Kingdom of Alms, my talk on the history of almshouses.

Originally a talk which was predominantly about Pontefract's almshouses, and as such had a limited interest at venues outside Pontefract, it has now been widened in scope to take in almshouses and their development in other parts so as to tell a better story.

Judging by the positive reception at all three venues it seems I am on the right track.

So if the subject of almshouse might be of interest to your group then rest assured it will not be just about Pontefract.

As well as a generalised over-view of almshouses I always try to include those local to the area I'm visiting so as make in personal to my audience.

The Joseph Crossley Almshouse at Halifax

A belated Happy New Year to all my followers and especially those who have booked me to speak to their society.
The new year brings a plethora of talks on Almshouses, no less than three presentations of this particular talk just in January and which uses a more generalised version suitable for any audience, and where applicable includes some reference to Almshouses in the area I'm talking to at the time.

These are Almshouses built in 1868 by the industrialist Titus Salt for the retired workers at his model village of Saltaire; these and many others are described in my talk. 

Two outings for 'Tutankhamun' this month, Snaith Men's Group on the 13th and Harlow Hill Men's Forum on the 19th.

Both very well received and I'm coming to the conclusion that of all my talks this is the one that people seem to enjoy the most. It also generates far more questions and discussion that any other subject.

Last two for this year, both on the 'Gunpowder Plot' next week, one to the Boothferry Local & Family History Group and the other to Selby & District Family History Group. 

Then it's a rest until January when we get going again with 'Canals' to the Morley Monday Group.

August is always a quiet month for talks, most societies don't meet during the month as so many folk are away on holiday, but things do liven up in September.

I have a full program going on through to the end of November, when again things are quiet during the pre-Christmas period, but for now I have enough and more to keep me busy.

Last week saw me at Ollerton talking about family history to the Ollerton WI and next week I will be in Batley talking to the Batley and Dewsbury Probus about 'After You're Dead', one of my favourite talks.

The big subject at this time of year is 'The Gunpowder Plot' and I've no fewer than eight bookings for that particular talk between now and the end of November, interspersed with a couple of Tutankhamuns and one on ' Remembrance' to Castleford Historical Society.

Since my last post I've given a range of talks to various groups, some of them new to me as a speaker.

There's been Leeds Probus; Garforth Townwomens' Guild; Collingham Retired Men's Forum; the British Gas Retired Employees Association; Netherton WI and Huddersfield Probus, with topics including Canals, Tutankhamun, the Gunpowder Plot and Crime & Punishment.

I've now got a busy week in front of me next week with two new venues, Messingham WI on the 3rd and Wharfedale Family History Group on the 6th with an old favourite, Harrogate Probus in between and three different topics, Canals, So You Want to Trace Your Ancestors,  and my talk on war memorials - Remembrance.