Patrick Comerford
I have been invited to speak at Lichfield Civic Society as part of its programme of public lectures for this year [2018].
The Lichfield Civic Society was founded over half a century ago on 24 February 1961 at a public meeting held in the Guildhall. The meeting was described at the time as ‘probably as representative a gathering as any that had ever come together in Lichfield,’ and the turnout indicated the extent of concern in the 1960s for the future of the city.
At an early stage, the society established a number of study groups to investigate the heights of buildings, distribution of open spaces, street furniture, the preservation of buildings, development and planning, trees and planting and Footpaths.
It could be said that the historic City of Lichfield would be different today had members of Lichfield Civic Society and other like-minded people failed to make their voices heard at that time.
Today, Lichfield Civic Society continues to comment on a variety of local planning and environmental issues, including housing development, new shopping facilities and excessive street furniture. The society also organises a series of monthly meetings that are addressed by speakers on a wide variety of topics.
I have been invited to speak on 24 April on the Wyatt family of Weeford, a family from the Lichfield area that for successive generations had immeasurable influences on architecture and building design in these islands.
The full programme for this year is:
Thursday 18 January 2018: Jonathan Oates, ‘John Thomas Law, Lichfield’s Greatest Forgotten Benefactor.’
Tuesday 20 February 2018: Annual General Meeting, followed by Joss Musgrove Knibb, editor of City Life in Lichfield, ‘A Spotter’s Guide to Medieval Graffiti.’
Thursday 22 March 2018: Gareth Phillips, ‘The Hawaiian Islands’ (this meeting is being held in association with the Royal Geographical Society).
Tuesday 24 April 2018: Patrick Comerford, ‘The Wyatt family of Weeford.’
Thursday 24 May 2018: Stephen Roberts, ‘Sir Benjamin Stone, a 19th century photographer of Birmingham’ (this meeting is held in association with the Historical Association).
Tuesday 19 June 2018: Tim Coltman, ‘The Story of Two Crosses.’
Thursday 19 July 2018: Lichfield U3A Architecture Group, ‘Lichfield Architecture, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.’
Tuesday 18 September 2018: Colin Walton, ‘The Lichfield Clock Tower.’
Thursday 18 October 2018: Danny Wells, ‘Cook’s Tours, The Achievement of Thomas Cook’ (this meeting is held in association with the Royal Geographical Society).
Tuesday 20 November 2018: Tony Kelly, ‘Taking Tradition into The Future.’
Tuesday 18 December 2018: Emily Galvin, ‘An evening with the Staffordshire Poet Laureate.’
These meetings begin at 7.45 p.m. in Wade Street Church Community Hall, Frog Lane, Lichfield. Non-Members are always welcome. Admission is £3, and free to members and school students.
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