Alan Dawber, BHSP Porto organiser, writes:
I am pleased to announce THREE forthcoming meetings/talks, all at
:
(1) The first talk is on Wednesday 22nd March, at 6.30pm. We are very pleased to welcome Drª Margarida Ramalho, well-known archaeologist, first cousin of the British Historical Society's late Chairman Dr Paulo Lowndes Marques,who will come up from Lisbon, accompanied by the present chairman Edward Godfrey, to give an illustrated talk titled "Lisbon- the Last Frontier", which describes Portugal during World War II. Margarida was responsible for setting up the 'Frontier of Peace' Museum in Vilar Formoso, which includes a section on Aristides Sousa Mendes, the well-known late Portuguese consul who saved thousands of Jewish lives in Bordeaux, by issuing Portuguese visas as they fled the Nazis. He was thereafter banned from any further career (or income) by António Salazar for the rest of his life. We very much look forward to Margarida's talk. (She has already given it to a large contingent of Lisbon members and guests at their Annual Lunch on 28th January. ) A further reminder will be sent out later. Please if you can, mark this date in your diaries. As usual, I ask you please to confirm attendance if at all possible. Either of my emails can be used. Also state possible intention to stay on for dinner. It is always a good sociable occasion at a reasonable price. For the talk, there is a very modest entry charge of €5 for non-BHSP members, payable on entry.
(2) The second talk will be on Thursday 4th May at 6.30 pm. The speaker will be Jeannine Johnson Maia, an American author who has already given a short talk about her first book to the John Wilks Book Club, here in Porto. The title of Jeannine's talk will be: "Turning History into Fiction". I am sure it will be very interesting. Jeannine's first book was set in Lisbon (during WWII), and her second is set in Porto, and both involved a lot of interesting research. Jeannine has an impressive academic and career background. She has worked as a journalist in Belgium and the USA,, has studied in Italy, taught English in France, and has lived in the 'Cabo Verde' islands. She currently lives in V. N. de Gaia. Jeannine will bring some copies of both her books along for anyone to purchase if they wish. More information will be supplied nearer the time, but please mark this date down if you can. As usual, I ask you please to confirm attendance by
email and say whether you would like to stay on for dinner. It is always a good sociable occasion at a reasonable price. For the talk, there is a very modest entry charge of €5 for non-BHSP members, payable on entry.
(3) The third talk will be on Thursday 8th June at 6.30pm. This is a holiday weekend, please note, but I am hoping not too many will be away. Alan (myself), Richard Delaforce and Lynne Fry will 'attempt' a joint illustrated talk on 'The Life and Times of Baron Joseph James Forrester'. Much research still needs to be done, and I am indebted to the administrators of the Factory House for allowing me to make (so far) two visits. Lynne (and Dudley) Fry will be concentrating on Forrester's early life in Hull before coming to Porto in 1831. Richard will (probably) talk (amongst other things) about his father's excellent eponymous book (i.e. the title bears Forrester's name). I shall dwell on Forrester's life here in Portugal, remarkable man that he was. However, this is a SPECIAL WEEKEND. A sizeable Lisbon contingent will be coming up to Porto for the whole weekend, and will join us for the talk and dinner at OCLTC. The chairman, vice chairman and other BHSP Council members should also be here. The Lisbon group will then take part in history-related visits both in Porto and the Douro Valley during the following two days, but we have yet to decide whether we can join them. That is 'work in progress'. Of course there is plenty of time for further details to be given. As usual, I ask you please to confirm attendance by
email and say whether you would like to stay on for dinner. It is always a good sociable occasion at a reasonable price. For the talk, there is a very modest entry charge of €5 for non-BHSP members, payable on entry.