Upcoming Events: 

Conversations with distinguished local residents

The Greenwich Society is following last year’s Conversations with Distinguished Judges with a similar series of monthly Conversations with Local Residents. They will be hosted as last year by Tim Barnes KC.

These conversations which have all been held at  St Alfege Church Hall have been well attended by Society members and students from the University with numbers fluctuating between 50 and 70. On 19th February Matthew Pennycook participated in the first conversation. His commitment to Greenwich, to the European Union and to his present ministerial role as Housing Minister were impressive. He is an intelligent and hard working MP  and I am confident that at the end of the conversation the audience thought that we were fortunate to have him as our Member. He fielded the questions lucidly and amiably and spent some time after the event chatting to people in the audience; in particular giving time to students from the University of Greenwich.

On 26th March the second conversation was with Sir Nigel Sheinwald our former Ambassador in Washington. He had an enclyopaedic knowledge of  foreign policy actions going back to the time of Margaret Thatcher. His diplomatic experience had taken him to Moscow as well as Washington.He had been the PM’s Personal Adviser on Security and since his retirement from the Foreign Office he had held numerous positions including heading up Chatham House. The impression that came over strongly was of a highly intelligent, thoughtful and humane man who gave balanced answers to the questions raised. For instance he was prepared to give President Trump  credit for the current ceasefire in Gaza while clearly not being an uncritical admirer!

The third conversation was with Jeremy Banks, on 16th April. He is the cartoonist for the Financial Times and has been so for many years.He also produces work for The Spectator and Private Eye..4 days a week he has to produce 3 pocket cartoons from which the FT make its choice. He brought some of his recent cartoons with him, and  whether they provoked a wry smile or a guffaw of laughter  such a the one showing a dock in a Criminal Court with spikes around the top marked Royal Box” ( in recognition of Prince Andrew’s ecent problems) they were all amusing. Jeremy touched on the history of cartoons , his own favourite cartoonist  ( Jak from the Evening Standrard) and his affection for Lesley Hodsdon to whom he dedicated one of the drawings  (see the website tributes to Lesley)

Jeremy Banks is well known to many Society members for his cartoons in our newsletters and  design of  our Christmas Card.  He has been the cartoonist in the  Financial Times since 1989 and has also contributed to Private Eye ,The Spectator and many other publications. The conversation will involve a discussion about  the history of cartoons as well as  their topical significance. Many of Jeremy's current crop  of cartoons will be on show.

NEXT CONVERSATION

Thursday 21st May at 8pm at Woolwich Barracks

Conversation with Colonel Veronica Sefton  Commanding Officer Woolwich Baracks (and the first woman to hold this position) to be followed by visit to the Officers Mess and Silver Room. Names and registration numbers of cars will need to be notified to the Barracks and photo identification will be required.

Biography

Access will be from the West Entrance to the Parade Ground from Repository Road. Arrival between 7.30 and 7.45 is recommended.

The cost of the event will be £5 per ticket to include a glass of wine.

Book Ticket(s)

PAST EVENTS 

1st April

Coffee & Chat

 Penny Matheson - Exhibition

26th January - 28th February 2026

West Greenwich Library
Greenwich High Road, SE10 8NN

Coffee& Chat