Talks take place on Thursday afternoons, starting at 2pm, and usually take place in the Lecture Hall, Rewley House, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JA. These are free for Oxford u3a members but you are welcome to attend as a guest for a donation of £5 (£2 for members of all other U3As).
Most talks are recorded on Zoom for the benefit of those Oxford u3a members who are unable to attend Rewley House.
In the event of adverse weather conditions, please telephone Rewley House (01865 270360), to enquire whether the talk has been cancelled.
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Greg Birdseye – A Lighthouse Dynasty
February 19 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Greg Birdseye has lived in Oxford for the last 15 years, having moved back to the city on retirement many years after a student life in the 1960s. He might be seen as a familiar face at u3a meetings, having spoken before about the work of Sobell House Hospice (where he chairs the charity’s Fundraising Committee), and later about sundials – a long-standing interest – exploring in particular those at Iffley church in the village where he now lives.
His interest in lighthouses is both historical and technical, but not least in recognising them as beacons of hope and safety for mariners home from the sea. This talk will describe how, in the space of 150 years, from the late 18th to the early 20th century, four generations of one Scottish family were responsible for designing and building almost 100 lighthouses around the coasts of Scotland, dramatically improving the safety prospects of seafarers in those times. The talk will cover the tale of this remarkable family whose legacy is with us to this day.