Learn Laugh Live
Last Updated: 20 Feb ’26
Views: 15
MONDAY 27 April, 10:00 REFRESHMENTS,
(NB: Date differs due to May Bank Holiday)
10.30 PRESENTATION
doors open 09:45
When news broke that RMS Titanic – the supposedly unsinkable ship – had sunk with the loss of 1,500 lives there was shock across the world. While there have been larger maritime disasters since, the tragedy of the then most luxurious liner ever to be built has been remembered in a way few other shipwrecks have.
This talk provides an insight into Britain and the international situation in the ‘Belle Époque’ before the First World War. It tells the story of the conception, construction, and fate of Titanic and her two sister ships. Developed and built in Belfast, learn about the fraught and violent political situation in what was then one of the most important industrial cities in the world.
The impact of the sinking (as well as the conspiracy theories that emerged) are discussed, and the clandestine Cold War reasons for the ship’s discovery revealed. Stephen adds stories of his family connexions to Titanic and the Belfast shipyards to explore her history and why over a century later Titanic is still claiming lives.
Stephen Goss is an academic historian published in peer-review journals who has been a popular speaker in local historical societies and community groups for 15 years.
No fee to be paid
Contact: Groups via this link (select addressee: Groups)
The meeting will be hybrid, if you wish to participate on Zoom, use the link that will be supplied in the Group News closer to the date.
If you experience difficulty with the sound, turning on Captions, at the bottom of the Zoom screen on a PC or by clicking on More … on an iPad, should assist greatly. Please bear in mind that the task of getting both sound and picture to members on Zoom is fraught with difficulties. We continue to struggle on, it may not always be totally successful.
Directions
Boxmoor Playhouse
72 St John’s Rd
Hemel Hempstead
HP1 1NP
Parking round the Moor OR 55 – 57 Park Road, HP1 1JS
The parking outside St John’s church now has a 3 hour limit and no return for 2 hours. This is to discourage commuters going to the station using it for all day parking. The three-hour limit works for our monthly meeting. Warning, there is someone who checks!
Directions
Buses between Hemel and Berkhamsted: 500 and X500 bus.
Buses are approximately every 30 minutes: 500 and X500 Timetable
Local buses running in St John’s Road past Boxmoor Playhouse
Last Updated: 31 Mar ’26
Views: 231
MONDAY 30 March, 10:00 REFRESHMENTS,
10.30 PRESENTATION
doors open 09:45
After Lucy Allen’s outstanding talk at the Playhouse in November 2025 on Witches, she now returns to bring ‘The Petticoat Rebellion’ to life for us. Lucy Allen is a Stunt Woman and Public Speaker. Being a professional performer means she likes to add a bit of drama and excitement into her talks and keep them as lively and interesting as possible.
Lucy brings the Suffragettes to life in this engaging talk which draws on insights from her stunt work on the 2015 film ‘Suffragette’. Hear the powerful voices of the brave women who fought tirelessly for the right to vote!
(Note: this is a replacement for the Simon and Garfunkel presentation, originally listed)
No fee to be paid
Contact: Groups via this link (select addressee: Groups)
The meeting will be hybrid, if you wish to participate on Zoom, use the link that will be supplied in the Group News closer to the date.
If you experience difficulty with the sound, turning on Captions, at the bottom of the Zoom screen on a PC or by clicking on More … on an iPad, should assist greatly. Please bear in mind that the task of getting both sound and picture to members on Zoom is fraught with difficulties. We continue to struggle on, it may not always be totally successful.
Directions
Boxmoor Playhouse
72 St John’s Rd
Hemel Hempstead
HP1 1NP
Parking round the Moor OR 55 – 57 Park Road, HP1 1JS
Directions
Buses between Hemel and Berkhamsted: 500 and X500 bus.
Buses are approximately every 30 minutes: 500 and X500 Timetable
Local buses running in St John’s Road past Boxmoor Playhouse
Last updated: 2 Mar ’26
Views: 130
MONDAY 2 FEBRUARY, 10:00 REFRESHMENTS,
10.30 PRESENTATION
doors open 09:45
Jeremy Holmes presented a very well received talk to us in 2024 on the 200th anniversary of Byron’s death. Jeremy is a past CEO of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and has spent time investigating the challenge facing the countries in East Africa and beyond. The experience was fascinating, sobering but also sometimes uplifting.
East Africa is facing enormous healthcare challenges, all the more so, in the light of current cutting of international aid. As the population enjoys increasing life expectancy and more people adopt a Western lifestyle, rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer are going through the roof. But the supply of medicines, almost all of which are imported, falls a long way short of demand.
No fee to be paid
Contact: Groups via this link (select addressee: Groups)
The meeting will be hybrid, if you wish to participate on Zoom, use the link that will be supplied in the Group News closer to the date.
If you experience difficulty with the sound, turning on Captions, at the bottom of the Zoom screen on a PC or by clicking on More … on an iPad, should assist greatly. Please bear in mind that the task of getting both sound and picture to members on Zoom is fraught with difficulties. We continue to struggle on, it may not always be totally successful
No fee to be paid
Contact: Groups via this link (select addressee: Groups)
The meeting will be hybrid, if you wish to participate on Zoom, use the link that will be supplied in the Group News closer to the date.
If you experience difficulty with the sound, turning on Captions, at the bottom of the Zoom screen on a PC or by clicking on More … on an iPad, should assist greatly.
Boxmoor Playhouse
72 St John’s Rd
Hemel Hempstead
HP1 1NP
Parking round the Moor OR 55 – 57 Park Road, HP1 1JS
The parking outside St John’s church now has a 3 hour limit and no return for 2 hours. This is to discourage commuters going to the station using it for all day parking. The three-hour limit works for our monthly meeting. Warning, there is someone who checks!
Directions
Buses between Hemel and Berkhamsted: 500 and X500 bus.
Buses are approximately every 30 minutes: 500 and X500 Timetable
Local buses running in St John’s Road past Boxmoor Playhouse
Last updated: 13 Nov ’25
Views: 100