Oxford Water Walks

Open Doors – Sept 11 & 12 – see http://www.oxfordopendoors.org.uk/

Discover Oxford’s Waterways – series of four weekly walks for the WEA starting Sept 21

Conducted on behalf of the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA). In four undemanding daytime walks, the longest no more than two miles, the rest considerably shorter, participants will learn about the important individuals, events, structures, and literature associated with the historical and modern waterway scene in Oxford. Oxford’s history is synonymous with water, the city owes its very name and origins to the Thames, and its waterways have played differing roles and inspired a variety of sentiments. The course will encompass aspects of Oxford’s waterways from ancient legend to the present day. Topics covered will include the military, economic, and political role of the Thames; the role and reputation of the traditional working boatmen; the rise and fall and rise again of the Oxford Canal; the influence of Oxford fact on Oxford fiction; Town & Gown divisions, and the modern waterway scene: commercial, recreational, and domestic. Walks will include Christ Church Meadow and the Cherwell; the Thames and Port Meadow, Oxford Castle; the Oxford Canal; the Thames backstreams; and Jericho & St Thomas’. See http://www.wea.org.uk/

BBC Radio Oxford – thoughout 2010

Mark Davies will be a regular guest on the BBC Radio Oxford show hosted by Jo Thoenes throughout 2010.  He will chat to Jo about various  aspects of Oxfordshire local history, normally on the first Thursday of each month, at 3pm. Here the link to the March edition:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/oxford/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8549000/8549579.stm

Previous topics have been: the Boatmen’s Floating Chapel, the jailer Daniel Harris, John Taylor the Waterpoet, the newspaper proprietor William Jackson, Residential Boats, Women of the Waterways, and   Mary Prickett (the governess of Alice Liddell). Upcoming are: Cricket & the Bullingdon Club, the Pre-Raphaelites, the Ward family of coalmerchants & boat-builders, Town & Gown riots, and Murders & Executions.