| Speaker's Name | Richard Luscombe or Chris Martin | |
|---|---|---|
| Are you an Individual or represent an Organisation / Company? | Volunteer History Research Team Wrest Park | |
| Telephone / Mobile Number | Wrest Park telephone number, (during Reception working hours, Monday to Friday): 01525 860000 | |
| Would you be able to present In Person, via Zoom or either? | Zoom and/or In Person | |
| What equipment do you need to be provided by hosts? eg Screen, laptop, projector | Equipment If you have the following it would be really helpful, but we can bring some equipment with notice**. - **Projector with HDMI connection. If you have an older model with a VGA connection, let us know and we will bring an HDMI adaptor. - **Projector remote control/pointer - **Windows-compatible laptop, (if you are happy for us to use a memory stick). However, most of us will bring their own laptops, if you can help to connect with your projector. - Screen, or a reasonable space of plain wall. - A microphone, (if you need one for people with hearing difficulties.) - Extension cable, with sockets for laptop and projector, and access to a mains socket. - A separate table (4 ft is ideal) for equipment and resources. |
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| Any travel restrictions? Such as Time or Distance | Timings We will arrive in good time before the start of your session, so that we can set up equipment and talk over your timetable for the evening. |
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| What are the charges? Such as Travel Expenses, Charge for talk. | Donations English Heritage asks for a voluntary donation of up to £50, payable to ‘English Heritage Trust’. If writing a cheque, please would you write your name and contact address on the back. |
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| Speaker's Biography | Wrest Park Volunteer History Research Team - Talks We are members of the Volunteer History Research Team, working with English Heritage. We offer talks and tours to bring alive the fascinating history of our estate, its occupants and its workers from the 13th to 20th centuries. Wrest also offers tours of the gardens, trees, statues, wallpaper rooms, ‘Behind the Scenes’, and Archaeological Stores Collection. Most are regularly available and free, while others can be booked. Richard Luscombe- Volunteer Historic Records Keeper. I am also a room guide, and lead tours of our wallpaper rooms and off-site walks explaining the wider history of our estate. Retired local studies librarian and primary teacher. I believe in the importance of stories to communicate history. I have contributed to an English Heritage podcast on chinoiserie and have written for local publications, such as 'History in Bedfordshire'. Room guide and golf buggy driver, leading tours of wallpapers, garden and trees. Part of a research team, (the ‘Tree Huggers’), completing a survey of the 4,000+ trees at Wrest Park. Chris Martin- Retired after many years’ service from a local engineering company where I held several posts in the Structures, Design and Marketing Departments, although I started my career as a Graduate Apprentice on Concorde. My particular interests in Wrest Park range from the initial holding of a messuage in the 1230s, through land holdings in 8 counties plus three castles in the 1400s, losing nearly everything in the early 1500s, and regaining the title from Elizabeth I, up to William of Orange. |
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| Talk | Duration | Summary |
| General - A Brief History of Wrest Park | Talks usually last around 45 minutes plus questions. | Our 800-year history and stories. |
| Wrest House - The Old House(s) at Wrest | Talks usually last around 45 minutes plus questions. | The history of the previous house to the 1830’s, and its proposed replacements. |
| Wrest House - The Historic Wallpapers of Wrest | Talks usually last around 45 minutes plus questions. | Our magnificent Chinese and French wallpaper. |
