Last year as well as our Christmas Concert we introduced a second Christmas event – “Three Winckley Victorian Christmases”. It was a huge success so we have decided to make it an annual event. This year is a NEW talk ” “Three Winckley Square Georgian Christmases”
So join us to enjoy a cosy Christmassy afternoon with the Friends of Winckley Square. Be greeted by Christmas Music, led by Ian Williams, whilst you enjoy a mince pie, mulled wine (0%) or hot chocolate, sitting in the very comfortable seats from the Odeon Cinema. The afternoon includes a Georgian Christmas slide show followed by the Georgian Christmas Talk by Susan Douglass.
Susan’s talk will once again fascinate you with the outcomes of her research. She discovered how three very different families celebrated Christmas in 1813, 1824 and 1836. There are heart-warming stories, melodrama and some surprising real-life plot-twists. Their stories will make you laugh, cry and possibly shock you .
Some people cherish an image of Victorian Christmas as the peak of all celebrations and that the Christmas tree first found its way into English homes, thanks to Prince Albert. The honor belongs to Queen Charlotte, wife of George III. Any idea that the punch bowl and the plum pudding belongs to the Victorians is wrong. William lV (last of the Georgian Kings) was quite fond of it, and even gave a feast for 3,000 people on his birthday in 1830, offering boiled and roasted beef and plum pudding.
Susan’s talk ‘Three Georgian Christmases’ includes:
A traditional 1813 Christmas with the Gorsts at 1 Chapel Street. Hear about their family traditions and how they celebrated that year’s British and Allies’ victories in the Napoleonic wars.
Colonel and Mrs. Esther Grimshaw of 4 Winckley Square were of high social standing in Preston. By the Christmas of 1824 Esther had suffered 18 months of mourning and depression following a great family tragedy. Could this Christmas see the beginning of her journey to recovery?
16 year old Henrietta Pitt came to stay in Winckley Square for her ‘coming out’ season of Christmas 1836. Little did she know of her Aunt Whitehead’s matchmaking plans! Discover whether those plans came to fruition.