I enjoy giving talks about Lady Henry Somerset and her work, so if you belong to a group which is looking for speakers, please get in touch.
Some forthcoming talks include:
Saturday 25th February 2.30pm at Reigate Priory Museum Society, Reigate Priory, Bell Street, Reigate, Surrey RH2 7RL Non-members welcome. Entry just £2 on the door.
Friday 13th April 2pm at Reigate & Redhill U3A
On Thursday 19th April I am one of the speakers at a study day at Eastnor Castle, near Ledbury. The day is organised by the Herefordshire Victoria County History Trust, by kind permission of James Hervey-Bathurst.
Eastnor Castle, home of Lady henry Somerset for many years
Programme
9.15 – 9.30 a.m. Arrival (Park cars in the Castle courtyard)
9.30 -9.35 a.m. Welcome by James Hervey-Bathurst
9.35 – 10.20 Janet Cooper, ‘Eastnor before the Castle’
10.20 – 11.05 Sylvia Pinches, ‘Working the Land: Eastnor Farms and Farmsteads’
11.05 – 11.30 Coffee
11.30 – 12.15 David Lovelace, ‘Parkland and Woods of the Eastnor Estate’
12.15 – 1.00 p.m. Robin Whittaker, ‘Worcestershire History in the Eastnor Archive: A
Listing Project’
1.00 – 1.45 Lunch
1.45 – 2.30 David Whitehead, ‘Grandeur without Arrogance: the Building of Eastnor Castle 1812-24’
2.30 – 3.15 Ruth Butler, ‘George Frederick Watts (1817-1904) and the Eastnor Connexion’
3.15 – 4.00 Ros Black, ‘Lady Henry Somerset: a Woman ahead of her Time’
This promises to be a fascinating day and an excellent chance to learn more about Eastnor village and castle as well as the work of the Victoria County History project.
Tuesday 7th July Dorking Local History group 7.30 at Friends Meeting House, Dorking. Non-members welcome. This talk will focus on the lost village of Duxhurst.
rosblackcreative 
Hi do you know if there records to trace my fathers time at Duxhurst,he was taken there as an illegitamate child? Thanks Trevor
Hi Trevor
Sadly I have been unable to trace any records for the children or indeed adults cared for at Duxhurst other than census records or personal accounts.
I have checked all my notes but have not come across your father’s name. I would be interested to know what details you have eg did he go there as a baby? How long did he stay?.
Please email me at ros243@sky.com if you have any further background information.
At the time of your father’s birth, Duxhurst was being managed by Miss Gertrude Cass and then she passed it over to Holy Family Homes, an Anglo Catholic Association.
There are more details in my book, Duxhurst – Surrey’s Lost Village, as you may have already seen.
Good luck with your research.
Regards
Ros
Hello I organise Speakers for W I near Esher. We meet first Thursday of month 7.30 for 8.00 pm speaker usually about 45 mins. What would your fee be we are planning next years diary when hopefully all of present crisis will be ober
Hi I have replied by email.
I hope to be doing talks again in the autumn & into 2021 within 20 mile radius of Haywards Heath
Ros