Shirley, Chair, welcomed visitors and members of the Edwinstowe Historical Society to the first meeting of the new programme of talks for 2024/25, and introduced Adam Nightingale whose talk related to Newark during the English Civil war.

Adam regaled members with details of the 3 sieges that took place in Newark during the English civil war, when the townspeople favoured the royalist cause.   Newark was strategically placed between the north and south of the country having the benefit of 2 main roads and a narrow crossing of the River Trent.  The first 2 sieges were successfully defended.  However, the 3^rd siege lasted six months during which time the people suffered hardship and disease. When King Charles I surrendered in Southwell, Newark surrendered two days’ later on 8th May, 1646.

Olwen, Vice-Chair, then referred to a recent donation to the Society of a painting and fire screen carved by Richard, a member of the well-known Tudsbury family.    However, as the society had no facility to look after artefacts  St Mary’s Church, Edwinstowe had kindly agreed to display the fire screen in the church.   The painting is being looked after by Nik and Rachael Teal of Edwinstowe Hall, and will be available for use at future events.

November, being the month associated with fireworks, brings to mind the fact that In the late 19^th century George Pinder, pyrotechnist, was the owner of a fireworks factory in Edwinstowe, and gave firework displays at local events.  Unfortunately, in November 1896 he was at Welbeck Abbey conducting experiments with a new kind of bomb, patented by him, for use at night by gamekeepers for illumination of the scene in cases of poaching. During the experiment there was an explosion and Mr. Pinder’s right hand was blown off.