Meet at Keble College, Parks Road, OX1 3PG

WiO member Merryn Williams will lead us round the key sites of the Pre-Raphaelites in Oxford, with insights from her book on Ruskin and Effie Gray: from Keble chapel, to Jane Burden’s plaque, to Exeter College, to the Ashmolean. Followed by tea in the museum café. Free to all, but register a place with brendastones40@hotmail.com.

Photo Credit: Ashmolean Museum

18 Annesely Road, OX4 4JQ

Deb and Toby Burrows generously invite us all for summer drinks and nibbles in their new garden, between Iffley village and Rose Hill. Parking in the street. Register a place, to inform catering, with brendastones40@hotmail.com.

Rewley House, 1 Wellington Square, OX1 2JA

Hear again the story of James Murray’s creation of the Oxford English Dictionary from Simon Wenham, tutor in Oxford University’s Continuing Education Department and author of A History of Salter Bros, 1858-Present Day.

All welcome.

Photo Credit Bauman Rare Books

Balliol College, Broad St, Oxford OX1 3BJ

WiO member Mick Conefrey tells the compelling story of the first ascent of the world’s highest mountain. Using newly released diaries, documents and letters, he reveals the inside story of the epic expedition to the world’s highest mountain. All welcome.

Caper Bookshop, 74-77 Magdalen Road, OX4 1RE

There is a wonderful new bookshop in East Oxford, which will be a great venue for our AGM this year. Arrive any time after 6pm to browse their stock, and collect your discount card for future purchases. The formal business of the AGM will start at 6.30; and at 7pm we will be treated to a talk by the manager, Xander, on how authors can deal profitably with bookshops. Free wine will be served! Come and meet your fellow members, and learn some bookshop wisdom! Please register with brendastones40@hotmail.com.

Weston Library, Broad Street, OX1 3BG

Stephen Oakley, Kennedy Professor of Latin and Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, will talk about the significance of the transition from manuscripts to incunables, or the very earliest forms of printing, before 1500.

Free to all, but register at https://visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/event/apr24/the-lyell-lectures-2024

Photo Credit

Bodleian Polansky Digitisation Project

Blackwell’s, Broad Street, OX1 3BQ

In her new book, The Rising Down, one of our favourite speakers returns to her childhood home of West Sussex to trace associations: from John Constable to Ford Madox Ford to the lost local women who left little record, all of whom inspired her to imagine lives that seemed distant, yet were deeply connected through their shared landscape.

Tickets £5 from https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/alexandra-harris-the-rising-down-with-abigail-williams-tickets-849304461507

……………………………………………………………………..

Cara Hunter is a million-selling author whose crime books fly out of the bookshops. Her new novel, Murder in the Family, departs from her normal Oxford detective franchise. Already the film rights have been sold to Sam Mendes. Come and hear her discuss its genesis with Geraldine Peers, late of BBC Oxford.

Entry cost £5 cash, for the Church Pantry; more info from johnmair100@hotmail.com

……………………………………………………………………..

Drop in to our poetry Open House and enjoy new poetry along with a cup of tea and a slice (or two) of cake in congenial company. Free event, all welcome. More details from Jenny Lewis, jennyklewis@gmail.com