Talks
- Munch and Listen - our free monthly lunchtime talks programme
- Hear Here - our free evening monthly talks programme
Munch and Listen
Enjoy our free monthly lunchtime talks programme - just bring your lunch and listen! All welcome.
Please note: there are no talks in August and December.
Filmshow: Exploring Haringey on Film
- Monday 24 February, 12.15pm
Join us for a curated programme of short films from the collections of Bruce Castle Museum, including 'What Future for Haringey?' (1974).
Doors open 12 noon - refreshments available.
Kindly supported by the Friends of Bruce Castle and Film London.
Priscilla Wakefield: Tottenham’s Forgotten Pioneer, Author and Activist for the Poor
By Margaret Burr, Friends of Bruce Castle.
- Monday 30 March, 12.15pm
For Women's History Month, we celebrate a forgotten local pioneer - Priscilla Wakefield (1751-1852) of Tottenham.
A well-connected Quaker, famous in her lifetime, she was actively engaged in social action and the alleviation of poverty in Tottenham. Through having to support her own family, Priscilla set her mind to business and one of the few work opportunities open to women at the time - that of writing and publishing books. A successful author of 17 children’s books covering a range of subjects, including natural science, she also wrote about feminist economics, published by a radical publisher in 1798. Her philanthropic activities helped in improving the lives of women and children.
Referred to today as the 'Mother of Microfinance', in addition to her business-like approach to writing and publications, Priscilla established local charities and a school, as well as founding the first Penny Savings Bank in England.
Doors open 12 noon - refreshments available.
Kindly supported by the Friends of Bruce Castle.
Hear Here
Our free evening monthly talks programme is on the last Wednesday of each month. All welcome.
Please note: there are no talks in August and December.
Fifty years after furniture-making: the Lebus Legacy
by Deborah Hedgecock, Curator, Bruce Castle Museum, and Paul Collier, author of 'Harris Lebus: A Romance with the Furniture Trade'
- Wednesday 26 February, 7.30pm
"Lebus Shut Down - So 1,000 Will Lose Jobs" announced The Weekly Herald, Friday 27 February 1970.
The story of how Lebus rose to become the world’s largest furniture manufacturer in the mid-20th century and then collapsed, needed to be told. Harris Lebus: A Romance with the Furniture Trade written by local resident Paul Collier is published in March.
Former employee Sissy Lewis recalls:
Oh, it was dreadful. Fellas were coming along the lines shouting out, 'we’re finished, we’re finished; we’re closing down!' We all cried.
Fifty years on since that fateful day in Tottenham Hale, this talk retells the journey of documenting this important story of this world-class furniture manufacturer in Tottenham. From recollections and oral histories of past employees, to collecting furniture, photographs and old catalogues for the museum and an exhibition, and finally, following the archaeological recording of the underground World War Two shelters, the generous bequest to Bruce Castle Museum by Oliver Lebus of his personal archive collection charting the history of the Lebus factory. This fascinating collection is extensive and constitutes one of the largest, single donations to the museum.
From his time spent with Oliver, with recourse to this vast array of archival information, Paul is now able to tell the complete Lebus story spanning 130 years. His book is the story of a life, of a business, of a family, of a workforce community.
Doors open 7pm - refreshments available.
Kindly supported by the Friends of Bruce Castle.
Harris Lebus: A Romance with the Furniture Trade
The book 'Harris Lebus: A Romance with the Furniture Trade' by Paul Collier will be published by Libri Publishing in March 2020. It has been kindly supported by the extended Lebus family and Bruce Castle Museum.
Beautifully illustrated with over 200 images, in 300 pages this book explores the history of this important furniture manufacturer from 1840 to 1970.
You can also help support this historical publication by subscribing in advance and getting special editions. Details are on the Go Fund Me page (external link). Publication price is £19.99.
