Monthly Meetings

We meet on the second Tuesday of the month at 10.30am at Dagnall Street Baptist Church, Cross Street, St Albans AL3 5EE. 

The doors open at 10.00am when members can get together, enjoy refreshments, visit the book swap table, see details of the latest planned trips and holidays, and discuss joining activity/interest groups, before the meeting starts. 

If you are considering membership and would like to sample a meeting please contact our Membership Secretary (memsec@verulamu3a.org ) who will arrange a welcome for you.

2024

13th August
No talk – August Break

10th September 2024
Jester (Graham & Tony Rowse) – Tales from the Elizabethan Underworld
Graham Harrison of Sun Jester gave a fascinating talk in March 2022 about Poisons for Medicine –Victorian Pharmacists and Quack Doctors. Graham and Towse's family business has a background in history and archaeology and over 25 years’ experience of delivering educational workshops and entertainments to the heritage sector. They have worked with many and varied organisations such as English Heritage, castles and prominent heritage sites, museums, art galleries, schools and The National Trust. For the past ten years they have also developed a programme for adult groups across the UK.
Towse's talk will describe an often light-hearted examination of some of the cons, swindles and outright thievery practiced on unwary visitors in 16th Century London. Both shocking and amusing - and you thought the city was dangerous now!

8th October 2024
Martin Orkin – The Simon and Garfunkel Story
Martin was a teenager in the 1960s and has always been a committed fan of the wonderful music of that era. His rather large record collection bears this out. Martin spent a career in banking. Then, following his retirement, he returned to his first love - music - and spent four years writing his highly praised book on the music of the 1960s: Rivals of The Beatles.
Following his popular talk to us on the subject of The Beatles last year, Martin Orkin makes a welcome return to Verulam U3A on Tuesday 8th October to tell the intriguing story of Simon & Garfunkel. Everyone will enjoy hearing their classic hits again: hits such as 'The Sound Of Silence, 'Mrs. Robinson' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'. But Simon & Garfunkel's career had more than its fair share of ups and downs, as Martin will explain to us. Prepare to be amazed as well as enthralled - by the music and the story!

12th November 2024
Andy Strange – The Final Days of the Allied Air-War over Germany
Andy Smith is a performance poet, author and former business communicator who has two artificial limbs, three fine children and a whippet. He also had a couple of feisty chickens until Basil Brush made their acquaintance. Andy engages, entertains and gently challenges his audiences with original poetry, humour and the occasional smattering of history. Partnering with his wonderful wife, Hazel, the ‘bionic bard’ also provides support and encouragement to victims of trauma.
Someone a lot wiser than Andy Smith once said: “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people” ... and maybe ‘true love’ is even shorter? Come and peep into the pleasures and pitfalls of Andy’s transition from emotional thug to contented spouse in this poetic presentation that meanders through the mysteries of human relationship, and administers a healing dose of humour on the journey.

10th December 2024
Tony Harris - Pantomime Dame

Tony Harris is an actor, historian and has been touring the UK as Henry VIII, the 16th century’s most notorious Tudor, for over ten years.
For this Christmas meeting, Tony dressed and coiffed and ready for the stage, will entertain us by talking about the history of panto and sharing some behind the scenes secrets of pantomime.