Maritime theme for February’s series of talks

TO support Lyme’s year-long celebration of its seafaring heritage, all events at the town’s museum next month will have a maritime theme.

They launch on Wednesday, February 2 at 2.30pm, with a talk on “Lyme’s eroding coast” by Richard Edmonds, Earth Science Manager of the Jurassic Coast Trust. He will be discussing the erosion along the shoreline and the coastal engineering schemes planned to protect it.

And he will try to answer the ultimate question – “will people want to live in Lyme Regis 50 years from now?”

On Saturday, February 5, Jennifer Grierson will talk about her recent experiences crewing on a Tall Ships adventure. The story of “The eternal mariner” begins at 2.30pm.

On Wednesday, February 9 at 2.30pm, “Shipwrecks of Lyme Bay” is the subject of a talk by diver Nigel Clarke who will reveal details about some 200 vessel which have come to grief off the local - from war ships to cargo vessels.

On Saturday, February 12, at 2.30pm, The topic is “Jane Austen and her naval brothers”.

Both the author’s brothers Charles and Francis both rose to Admiral in the Royal Navy. Diana Shervington describes how Jane’s fictional characters reflect her admiration for their dedication.

Other maritime themed events in the month are:

Sunday, February 13, 2.30pm: Talk on how fossils lived, and how to find, identify and handle, with the museum’s fossil experts Paddy Howe and Chris Andrew.

Wednesday, February 16, 2.30pm : Imogen Thomas talks about “Lyme’s greatest sailor – Admiral Sir George Somers” - the 17th century naval hero, founder of the colony of Bermuda.

Friday, February 18, 2.30pm: Jack Thomas talks “the HMS Formidable disaster” – the sinking of the World War I battleship and Lyme’s part in the rescue of its sailors.

Sunday, February 20, 2.30pm: Know your fossils with Paddy Howe and Chris Andrew.

Wednesday February 23: 11am to 3pm: Family fun day - drop in any time and get creative with museum curator Mary Godwin.

Thursday, February 24, 2.30pm: A talk by Richard Bull on Lyme’s cement factory on Monmouth Beach.

Saturday, February 26, 2.30pm: Richard Bull talks about the Lyme colliery-that-never-was. How coal came from Newcastle, and was traded for 80 years on the Cobb.

Sunday, February 27, 2.30pm: Know your fossils.