Conference Programme:

(updated 29th March 2015)

ConferenceTheme:   Dickens and Travel

Thursday 23rd July 2015

  1.00pm    Conference Reception opens at Wills Hall

                  Meet and Greet  in the Old Court Lounge (by Reception)

  6.00pm    Welcome Reception (With the Lord Mayor of Bristol)

  6.45pm    Informal Dinner

  8.00pm    BCDS Present: ‘Railway Cuttings’ by Eve Fitt, Liz Croucher & Pat Cemlyn-Jones

Friday 24th July 2015

  8.00 - 9.30am               Breakfast            

  9.10am    Lecture 1      Tony Williams: “Dickens’ Travels 1858-70: Personal, Commercial and Uncommercial”

  10.05am  Lecture 2      Tony Pointon:  “A Funny Thing Happened on my Way” - Comedic Techniques in Dickens’ Humour

  11.00am                       Morning coffee & biscuits

  11.25am  Lecture 3      Lorna Hughes: “Dickens and Summertime”

  12.15pm                       Lunch

  1.15pm    Trip 1          Option A  Tyntesfield House

                                     Option B  Clifton and SS Great Britain

                                     3.00pm    Tea at Option venue (own arrangements)

                                     4.15pm    Depart option venue

  6.45pm                       Informal Dinner

  8.00pm                       “Victorian Music Hall” by Bristol Gilbert & Sullivan Operatic Society

Saturday 25th July 2015

  8.00 - 9.30am                 Breakfast 

  9.10am                           Dickens Fellowship Day Welcome

  9.30am    Lecture 4        Keynote Lecture: Dr Martin Crossley Evans “A Candidate for Mr Dick”  

  10.25am                         Coffee & Biscuits

  10.45am                        Annual General Meeting of Dickens Fellowship

  12.15pm                        Lunch

  1.15pm                          A Tour of Wills Hall by Dr Martin Crossley Evans

                                       Victorian Entertainment in the Garden of Wills Hall, with The Barley Rye Band & Chalice Morrismen

  4.15pm                         BCDS present: “The Tuggses at Ramsgate”

  6.15pm                          Sherry Reception

  6.45pm                          Gerald Dickens Entertains

  8.00pm                          Banquet at Wills Hall  (formal, semi-formal or Victorian Costume) 

Sunday 26th July 2015

  8.00 - 9.30am                Breakfast

  9.15am     Lecture 5      Leonee Ormond: “Dickens’ Travels in Italy”

  10.05am   Lecture 6      Michael Slater: “Dickens and America - The Two Journeys”

  11.00am                        Morning Coffee & Biscuits

  11.30am    Lecture 7      Malcolm Andrews: “Dickens the Author: A Journey through Portraiture”

  12.15pm                         Buffet Lunch in Hall

  1.15pm                           Tour of the Cathedral: Dickens’ Friends in Bristol

  2.15pm                           Alternative: Short open-top Bus Tour (drop off at the Cathedral)

  3.30pm                           Fellowship Evensong Service in Bristol Cathedral

  4.15pm                           Afternoon Tea & Cakes in the Cathedral Chapter House

  5.00pm                           Depart Cathedral

  6.45pm                           Supper in Wills Hall

  8.00pm                           Fitzhardinge Consort  &

                                         Quiz by Liz Croucher

Monday 27th July 2015

  8.00 - 9.30am                Breakfast

  9.15am     Lecture 8       Paul Schlicke “Boz on the Bus”

  10.05am   Lecture 9      Thelma Grove: “Charles Dickens - Crime Writer”

  11.00am                        Morning Coffee & Biscuits

  11.30am   Trip 2            Option A   Lacock Abbey & Fox Talbot Museum

                                        Option B   SS Great Britain

  12.15am                         Packed Lunch

  3.00pm                           Tea (own arrangements)

  4.14pm                           Depart Trip Venue

  6.45pm                           Informal Dinner at Wills Hall

  8.00pm                           B&CDS present: “The Dark Forest” directed by Sally Draper Fry

  10.00pm                         Conference Closes

Tuesday 28th July 2015

8.00 - 9.30am                  Breakfast

                                         Conference Desk Closes - rooms must be cleared by 10am on day of departure

Note on Trips

The number of visitors to Tyntesfield is limited, and early reservation is advisable. National Trust Members are requested to bring their NT cards and a £10 refund will be made.

Conference Venue Notes

Will’s Hall is part of Bristol University set on the edge of ‘The Downs’, Bristol’s most famous open space and is approximately two miles  

NW of the city centre. Will’s Hall is a classic collegiate style 1920’s hall of residence with a modern conference centre set in its own grounds. It is well served by buses, with main routes (Nos 1,2,41 and 8) from Bristol Temple Meads rail station via the city centre. Bus stops are about 5 minutes walk. Will’s Hall is easily accessible by car being 3miles from J17 on the M5 motor via the A4018. There is ample free car parking space.

Will’s Hall offers good quality student accommodation with ensuite toilet. There are no double rooms available however.  Delegates with significant mobility issues may reserve rooms on the ground floor close to the conference centre.  Clifton offers a great variety of Hotels to suit all tastes and pockets just over a mile distant from Wills Hall.

Information and Booking

Contact Charmian Howard charmian_howard77@hotmail.com

copy to Perter Michael petermichael@aol.com