Before 1909, there were no purpose-built automobile racing tracks in the world. All racing was carried out on normal roads. Hugh Fortesque Locke King decided to build the first track on his estate at Brooklands. The building virtually bankrupted him and certainly put a strain on his health. Brooklands also became the birthplace of British aviation, with some of the most famous innovators and flyers basing themselves there.

SIHG return to Guildford for the first time since Covid!!

More details to follow

Langley Mill, on the Derbyshire / Nottinghamshire border, is sometimes (probably wrongly!) described as having been the "most industrialised village in the country". What didn't Langley Mill produce? This talk looks at the various companies established in the 19th and 20th centuries, and at their eventual demise.

These are some of the talks which I haven't beenable to fit into 2026, but are good candidates for 2027. In no particular order, lest you wondered.

Live Only

Date TBC.Details to follow

Zoom registration details to follow

As Britain faced the threat of Nazi invasion it became clear our Airforce was outnumbered 4:1; so the British Government turned to scientists for a solution. They asked for a “Death Ray”, but what they got was even more advantageous.
This is the story of how two unlikely men and a mathematical formula changed the tide of the war.
They say truth is stranger than fiction. Indeed, it was here.

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Jessica Venner, a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow to the final meeting of the winter 2026-7 talk series. Her research specialises in Roman gardens and diets, identity formation, architecture, and the history and archaeology of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The title of her talk will be added once it is forthcoming.

A Zoom link will be sent to RSG members a week before the talk. If you are a Surrey Archaeological Society member you can join RSG for free. Go to the membership page of the website to sign up.

David Rudling has kindly agreed to talk on  'Roman Usurpers and their coins during the third and fourth centuries' for our February Zoom meeting of the winter series 2026-7.

David is well known to Surrey Archaeological Society and is a committee member of RSG. He is Academic Director, Sussex Archaeology and History (https://www.sussexarchaeology.org/about-sah) and has more than 40 years experience in the field of archaeology in the UK.

A joint Zoom meeting is planned between Roman Studies Group and Surrey Archaeology and History on 20th January. Justine Bayley will be talking on the manufacture and decoration of Roman brooches (from a technical point of view, including gold working in Britain over a longer period). Justine is currently an Honorary Associate Professor at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. She researches in archaeometallurgy, other high temperature technologies and archaeology, focusing on northern Europe and the British Isles.

We are pleased to announce that, for the December meeting of our winter talks series, we will be holding a in-person meeting at East Horsley Village Hall. A talk by James Bromwich on 'Commemorating the Dead: mausolea, towers and caskets' will be followed by a Christmas social event. This is for members only, giving RSG members the chance to socialise in person rather than meeting on Zoom.