Who was William of Norwich, remembered in the city by a street and school named after him (St William's Way and St William's Primary School)? The story of the young boy William's "martyrdom" took root in the mid-12th-century, during the period of Anarchy under King Stephen (1135-1144). What was the social context in Norwich at that time and why was one minority group envied and vilified by the English and French population? When the Norfolk lad was found "murdered", how was his death attributed to the aliens in their midst by the people of Norwich and how was a series of astounding miracles attributed to him? How did William's death engender a genre of racism and myth called “Blood libel” which has fuelled centuries of oppression for the Jewish people?

Join Frances and Michael Holmes for a trip down memory lane. They will bring back a time when after years of war the City was rebuilt and regenerated; when City workers made shoes and chocolate; when Teddy boys added colour to the City and youngsters danced the night away at the Samson & Hercules. A trip which will take you from the rationing of the post-war years to a time when we ‘never had it so good’.

On the wall in a side-chapel of Norwich Cathedral a modest plaque reads – ‘Remember Thomas Fowell Buxton Bt. Member of Parliament Whose Efforts led to the Emancipation of 700,000 slaves on 1st August 1834.’ These simple words commemorate a towering Norfolk hero whose courage, compassion, bravery and tenacity helped change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. This presentation will bring to life the story behind this inscription. It will look at the life of Buxton himself and the Norfolk and Norwich community that inspired him and supported him though the brutal, decades-long Parliamentary battle that led finally to the end of slavery throughout the British Empire.

Today Elm Hill is considered to be one of Norwich’s major tourist attractions, yet it has experienced a number of economic and social ups and downs and cultural transformations since the late-medieval period. In some ways these encapsulate changes in the City as a whole. But despite what is sometimes assumed, Elm Hill was never a ‘typical’ Norwich street. Drawing on documents, historical illustrations and the surviving standing structures Victor will tell the story.

In 1900 trams arrived on Norwich’s streets. They were greeted with awe as a technological wonder that not only revolutionised travel but also radically changed the City.

Using a combination of images, archive material and contemporary accounts Frances & Michael will illustrate that story of the trams is about so much more than a vehicle – It is the story of how that vehicle transformed our city.

A look at life within Norfolk County Lunatic Asylum in the years 1851 - 1870, including case studies of women whose lives, through poverty, debility, and physical exhaustion, brought them to the asylum for a period of refuge.

The appearance in Norwich from 1784 of balloons filled with hot-air, later with hydrogen and much later with coal gas was greeted with growing enthusiasm among the population which quickly developed into ‘balloon mania’. This talk will examine the impact of balloon mania on city life and how these early balloon ascents rarely went smoothly. It will identify some of the worst mishaps and also look at how hoaxers took advantage of the often-credulous population

A tour of waterloo Park followed by a talk centred around the history of Norwich's Waterloo Park, from it's inception in the 1890s to its restoration in the 21st century, using maps, original documents, newspaper articles, and photographs held by the Friends of Waterloo Park, the Norfolk Record office, and other organisations in the county.

A guided walk in the historic market town of Beccles with local historian and town councillor Dr Barry Darch.

Includes tea and cake.