Monthly Archives: October 2016

Monologues and Comic Verse

On the 26th of October the meeting was chaired by the Forum Vice Chairman Duncan Verity.

Speaker Finder John Spinner introduced our guest speaker Bill Baker, one of the presenters on Tempo FM, whose talk was titled Monologues and Comic Verse.  Bill related the history of the monologue from its popularity in the Victorian Music Hall, entertainment for serving soldiers in wartime and the folk clubs of the nineteen sixties to the present day where it regularly appears at funerals and weddings.

His interest developed from when he was involved in the production of a talking magazine for the blind which included a monologue in each issue.  Bill read a number of examples from various famous monologists (a term invented by Dame Thora Hird who performed many monologues herself).  The authors included Les Barker who was nominated for the post of Poet Laureate.  As his monologues are best performed in a Lancashire dialect it is understandable why he was rejected.  We also heard examples from Rob Wilton, Benny Hill and Pam Ayres.

Duncan Verity thanked Bill for a very entertaining morning.

Knaresborough in World War One

On the 19th of October the Forum welcomed its guest speaker Kevin Earl.

Kevin is a member of a local history group based in Knaresborough Library which, four years ago, embarked on research into the effect the First World War had on the town and this research formed the basis for his talk titled Knaresborough in World War One.  The talk was illustrated by cuttings from the local newspapers of that time and pictures and of the town and its inhabitants.

World War One was the first conflict which directly affected all aspects of life in the land.  A large number of men were recruited to fight, firstly by volunteering and later by conscription; the local farmers’ horses were requisitioned; food became short and rationing was introduced; Belgian refugees appeared and women were employed in work previously undertaken only by men.

Kevin related the wartime fate of the Castle Boys School which was eventually taken over by the army and the appearance of Zeppelins over the town (no bombs were dropped).  One man actually lost his life in Knaresborough.  He was David Turnbull whose aeroplane crashed into the Nidd Gorge whilst he was delivering it.

Forum Chairman Mike Earle complimented Kevin on the research carried out by him and his group which had provided a fascinating morning for Forum members.