News and Forthcoming Events


17th November 2015: A reflection on a long-standing entente

William Penny Brookes and Pierre de Coubertin

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23rd October 2015: Agincourt 600 in Herefordshire

Local links to the battle and ways to mark the anniversary in 2015

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13th April 2015: One Household at War: Women in Munitions at Gloucester

From the Colchester-Wemyss Collection at Gloucestershire Archive

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23rd March 2015: King's Body Found

Bones discovered at probable burial site

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23rd February 2015: And the Academy Award goes to...

The link between the 1924 Paris Olympics of Chariots of Fire and the Wenlock Olympian Games

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20th February 2015: WWI Surprise: woman porter carries luncheon boxes

From the Colchester-Wemyss Collection at Gloucestershire Archive

Evidence for contemporary surprise at the changing role of women during World War I

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26th January 2015: World War I: One Household at War

Rifles & Spades series in Leominster

On Leominster Museum's recent events commemorating World War I

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3rd October 2013: The Power of Gap Year Travel in the reign of Elizabeth I

Some eminent Elizabethans with anniversaries at this time of year

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9th July 2013: Andy Murray's predecessor & the Wenlock Olympian Games

Wimbledon Men's Champion 1913 Tony Wilding

A reflection on Murray's win and echoes of the 1912 Olympics and 1913 Wimbledon men's singles

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7th June 2013: Farewell Dennis German

I'm so grateful to have met you

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16th May 2013: At Home with Mrs RO Backhouse

A peep over the wall into a fascinating garden

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18th April 2013: High Street at Risk

Competition threatens small trader

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27th February 2013: King's body found!

Bones discovered at probable burial site

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11th January 2013: Scandalous Susan

The Lady Lincoln affair

Scandal sees future Prime Minister WE Gladstone acting the sleuth

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Tuesday 18th September 2012:

The Wenlock Olympian Games: the Games that inspired the Games that inspired a generation

A tennis legacy from the Games

How the spirit of Brookes's Games travelled to New Zealand and produced a champion

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Wednesday 1st August 2012: Brookes speaks at Crystal Palace this day in 1866

Coubertin will quote his words in 1889

National Olympian Games speech by William Penny Brookes that Coubertin will quote at the 1889 conference on Physical Education in Paris

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Wednesday 4th July 2012: Pistorius' qualification recalls Victorian competing with able-bodied

The remarkable misfortune and resilience of 'one-arm' Roly

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Friday 25th May 2012: Coubertin on the Wenlock and Severn Valley Railway

Founder of the International Olympic Committee remembers going to Much Wenlock by train

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Thursday 24th May 2012: Torch Relay takes to the Train

Why it is so appropriate that the Severn Valley Railway should carry the torch

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Friday 11th May 2012: Wenlock's answer to Olympic Park's Orbit - VictOrbit

Tallest structure on the Field

The Victorian Wenlock Olympian Games had a 'high point' that held a message for competitors

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Wednesday 9th May 2012: Jubilation over Williamson's selection for TeamGB Archery

Why the hoopla for Wenlock of Williamson's selection?

Catherine explains why she thinks Alison Williamson should be the GB flag-bearer at the opening ceremony

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Wednesday 18th April 2012: Inspire a Generation - official motto for 2012

London 2012 motto unveiled as oak from Wenlock planted alongside Olympic rings at Kew

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Friday 13th April 2012: London 2012 motto - lessons from history?

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Thursday 12th April 2012: Arkwrights' thoughts on the Titanic

Home thoughts from abroad...

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Friday 30th March 2012: Five Firsts for the Wenlock Olympian Games

Food for thought about the remarkable Wenlock Olympian Games

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Friday 2nd March 2012: Hardy-Country

A talk to the Dorset Gardens' Trust, Cerne Abbas

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Thursday 23rd February 2012: Catherine leads Wenlock Olympian Games Tour

Former Cheltenham Ladies' College pupils join tour of Much Wenlock

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Friday 17th February: Fun, Fossils and a famous Frenchman feature as refurbished Wenlock Museum opens

HLF grant helps showcase the best of the region

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mid-November 2011: Born out of Wenlock comes out on in ebook format

Catherine's latest book goes digital

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24th October 2011: Olympic Park Tour

A sneak preview of the 2012 site

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Monday 19th September 2011: Ludlow Museum's Friends learn of their Olympic heritage

The Friends of Ludlow Museum were astonished to learn of the extent of the influence of William Penny Brookes on the Olympic movement when Catherine spoke to them at Ludlow Conference Centre.

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Wednesday 14th September 2011: Champagne launches the year for Walsall National Trust Association

Champagne and Shambles was the opening talk of the year for the National Trust Association's Walsall, Birmingham branch

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Monday 29th August 2011: First Born out of Wenlock talk at Presteigne Festival

On 29th August, Catherine gave her first talk based on her latest book, Born out of Wenlock, at Presteigne Festival of Music and the Arts on the Welsh border.

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Thursday 7th July 2011: Shropshire Magazine Interview

'Fun and Games, and Intrigue too', appears in July's Shropshire Magazine

An article about Catherine's writing appears in this month's Shropshire Magazine

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Monday 4th July: Born Out of Wenlock is launched out of Wenlock

Monday 4th July saw Catherine's latest book, Born Out of Wenlock launched in perfect weather at a party at the Raven Hotel, Much Wenlock.

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7-11th July 2011: 125th Wenlock Olympian Games

Main weekend of the Wenlock Olympian Games 2011 (equestrian events are the previous weekend), Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Catherine will be in Wenlock over the week-end. Visit the Olympian Society for full details


Mid-June 2011: Publication of Born out of Wenlock

Catherine has been working, for the last few years on the story of how Much Wenlock, a market town in Shropshire, was the inspiration for the modern Olympic movement. It is surely one of sports history's more amazing stories, but is indeed true.

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Sunday 29th May 2011: Daily Mail Online

The Daily Mail on-line features the story of Henry Arkwright's death on Mont Blanc in 1866, and Catherine's appearance on the Antiques Roadshow on 20th February.

Catherine was contacted by a news agency that follows up on interesting items featured on the programme, and it submitted the story to the Mail.


8pm Sunday 29th May 2011: BBC One Antiques Roadshow

Catherine stands in for the owners of a set of silver bulls head stirrup cups.

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13th April 2011: Royal Wedding Build-up

It seemed appropriate in the run-up to the recent royal wedding, to be heading to south Herefordshire to speak to the Ross Civic Society about Champagne and Shambles. Johnny Arkwright's mother, Tally Hoskyns was from the Harewood estate, just north of Ross. The house and estate is today the property of the Duchy of Cornwall. The Prince of Wales has had planning approved to build a new house (if you believe what you read in the 'papers, for one of the Princes) on the site of Tally's home, which was demolished in 1959.

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8pm Sunday 20th February 2011: BBC One Antiques Roadshow

Catherine tells the story of Henry Arkwright of Hampton Court

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Friday 10th December 2010: Hampton Court Castle Christmas Fair

Catherine will be signing and selling copies of Champagne and Shambles at the Hampton Court Castle Christmas Fair from 6-9pm on Friday 10th December. Come along and say hello, or share your knowledge or experiences of the house. She will be delighted to answer questions or sign your copy if you already have one and want to bring it along.

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22nd July 2010: Antiques Roadshow at Hampton Court

On 22nd July, the BBC's Antiques Roadshow was at Hampton Court to film for a future broadcast. There was a terrific turnout of people hauling with them cherished items from their homes, and waiting with patience and great good humour to meet the valuers to find out what their item might be worth.

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13th July 2010: North Herefordshire Group Farm Women's Club Talk

The Farm Women's Club was a national organisation established by the Farmer's Weekly magazine. The formal link with the magazine no longer exists, but many of the clubs survive still.

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4th June 2010: After Dinner Speech Three Counties Show

On 4th June, Catherine attended a dinner for 200 Stewards of the annual Three Counties Show, at the Society's Showground in Malvern.

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April & May 2010: April and May brought two events at Hampton Court

First on 23rd April 2010, an exclusive talk for Hampton Court Members, in the ballroom. This, called 'Movers and Shapers' covered the development of the house over the centuries, the men who financed it, and how.

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13th March 2010: Champagne & Shambles at Hampton Court

On the afternoon of Saturday 13th March, Catherine gave the talk to accompany her book, Champagne and Shambles at Hampton Court itself, where the story's events unfolded.

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24th February 2010: Champagne & Shambles and Hereford & Worcester's Historic Gardens

Around 75 members of Hereford & Worcester Gardens Trust travelled to Ledbury's Burgage Hall to hear about the consequences of the events described in Champagne & Shambles for the two counties' great gardens.

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16th February 2010: U3A learn about 500 year old Tapestry

Catherine Beale spoke to Leominster U3A about the remarkable late-Medieval tapestry at St Andrew's Church, Presteigne, which this year celebrates its 500th birthday.

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9th January 2010: Derbyshire Paper Marks Paperback Launch

The publication of Champagne & Shambles in paperback resulted in a feature article in the Derby Evening Telegraph, on 9th January 2010.

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Friday 13th November 2009: Champagne and Shambles Launched in Paperback

Location: Lunchtime signing at Leominster's West Street bookshop, Borders Books

In mid-November 2009, the paperback of Champagne and Shambles was published by The History Press.

The cover was redesigned to include a photograph of Johnny Arkwright, the 'Three Graces' and Charlie at the Hampton Court conservatory door, and the subtitle altered to The Arkwrights and the Country House in Crisis.

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To enquire about any events by Catherine Beale, please contact: emailcbeale@gmail.com