The winter lecture series mainly takes place at the Dunrossil Room, at the Heritage Hub, Gloucestershire Archives, Clarence Row, Alvin Street, Gloucester GL1 3DW at 7.30pm. The December and January lectures are provided online by Zoom. [Map]
We also have a Summer programme.
Download List of Winter Lectures
Tuesday 30 September 2025 – Dunrossil Room, Heritage Hub – 7.30pm
Vintage Transport In Gloucestershire, A Film Show Including Air, Buses, Rail and More
The film show presented by Kate Peake and Angela Rendell includes a film of the aviation story of Gloucestershire, alongside a short film of the Purton hulks and Severn Bridge disaster. Also event films such as the Cotswold Vintage Bus Rally, Gloucester Tall Ships festival, Gloucestershire Vintage and Country Extravaganza and Gloucester Goes Retro.
Tuesday 28 October 2025 – Dunrossil Room, Heritage Hub – 7.30pm
President’s Lecture: The Industrial Heritage of the Cotswolds
Although the Cotswolds cannot be thought of as being an industrial area, two major industries, agriculture and quarrying, have been carried on for centuries. Furthermore, a range of much smaller industries have also thrived at one time such as woollen cloth manufacturing, silk thread production and brewing, of which happily, the last one continues today. Good transport systems are vital to support all industrial activity and the remains of these systems are a very important part of of our industrial heritage. Accordingly, roads, canals and railways will also feature in this fully illustrated talk given by GSIA’s President, Dr Ray Wilson
Saturday 15 November 2025 – Dunrossil Room, Heritage Hub 2pm
Annual General Meeting & Talks on Members Current Research
The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Heritage Hub on the afternoon of Saturday 15 November 2025 and will also provide an opportunity for members to share their current research projects. Slots of up to 15 minutes for each speaker are available – please contact Chas Townley chastownley@myphone.coop
Tuesday 16 December 2025 – By Zoom – 7.30pm
The Shrewsbury Flaxmill/Maltings
The first wholly iron-framed building at Ditherington in the northern suburbs of Shrewsbury served as a flaxmill for about 90 years and as a maltings for a further 90. After many years of restoration, it now serves several useful purposes. It attracts visitors from all over the world and is also n attractive meeting place for local residents. Dr Barry Trinder, author of the recently published guide to the build, will analyse it history, reflect on how its importance came to be recognised, and outline the main features of its restoration.
Tuesday 27 January 2026 – By Zoom – 7.30pm
History of Crofton Pumping Engine
Crofton Pumping supplies water to the summit level of the Kennet and Avon Canal. It started pumping in 1809 and continued working until 1959. Ian Broom’s talk firstly covers the planning of the canal and the improvements made to the engines by the canal Company. It then considers the pumping station under the control of the GWR and the events leading up to its closure in 1959. The pumping station was acquired by the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust in 1968 and some of the major restoration carried out since is discussed, including the latest work supported by a National Lottery grant.
Tuesday 24 February 2026 – Dunrossil Room, Heritage Hub – 7.30pm
Parallel Fortunes: The Story of two Stroud Cloth Mills In The 20th Century
This talk, devised by Ian Mckintosh, covers the fortunes of two major local mills, Ham and Longfords, that were given major investment in the 1900s and then closed in the latter part of the century. It suggests reasons for this that go beyond the standard one of lack of investment. It also considers the response of the workforce, first to prosperity and then to redundancy.
Tuesday 24 March 2026 – Dunrossil Room, Heritage Hub – 7.30pm
Cuts Of Gloucestershire – The History of the County’s Canal Network
There were eight canals built in Gloucestershire, the earliest opening in 1779 and the last in 1827. Only one is still fully navigable over its original length, but four others are in the process of restoration, and one is acting as a nature reserve. This presentation by John Putley reveals the history of canals, their infrastructure and how they were built, then looks at each of the county’s canals in turn using documents from the county Archives.
Tuesday 28 April 2026 – Dunrossil Room, Heritage Hub – 7.30pm
Horse-Drawn Tramways Of The Wye Valley
The early tramways in the Wye Valley were a transport system of horse-drawn waggons on rails, transporting goods such as coal and wood operating from the late eighteenth century to the introduction of steam locomotives. This talk explores the tramways known to have existed in and around the Wye Valley from Kington, through Brecon and Hay to Abergavenny, Monmouth, the Forest of Dean and Hereford and the companies that built and ran them, and the people who used them.
We also have a Summer Programme