Please contact us for information on our meetings, visits and newsletters – do join us for regular news
Non-members are welcome to attend our evening meetings. Advantages of and how to become a member
Meetings & visits must be pre-booked by email: bookings@stroudlocalhistorysociety.org.uk
For visits, we meet at the destination.
Meetings are often at St Laurence church hall, The Shambles, Stroud – we open the doors early for a hot drink and chat.
| DATE/TIME/VENUE | SUBJECT | |
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| A Sunday afternoon in February 2026 | Members Gala Afternoon | |
| Film – Stroud Before Turnpike Trusts | ||
| only advertised to members | ||
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| 19th March 2026 | The Strange Case of Tom Long's Post – a talk by Richard Davis | |
| St Laurence church hall. Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm start | Many theories have been put forward for the name of this famous signpost on Minchinhampton Common. Some say Tom Long was a notorious highwayman; others that he was a suicide buried in the highway; or that the name refers to a popular saying. In this talk Richard Davis discusses the history of the signpost and its name and presents some new evidence based on his research | |
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| April 2026 | A visit to Nature in Art | |
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| 14th May 2026 | Stroud Subscription Rooms – a talk by Marion Hearfield | |
| St Laurence church hall. Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm start | ||
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| June 2026 | TBA | |
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| July 2026 | TBA | |
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| August 2026 | a walk | |
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| 15th October 2026 | Do you remember the railcar? The "Chalford Auto" by Mike Smith | |
| St Laurence church hall. Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm start | The "Chalford Auto" was the popular little train that served the people of the Stroud district for many years stopping at many stations and halts between Chalford and Stonehouse. Introduced in 1903 the service was extended from the Golden Valley to Gloucester in 1921 but sadly succumbed to Doctor Beeching's axe in 1964. Tonight's talk will look at the origins of the service; the stations and halts it served; its locomotives and coaches and its demise in 1964. | |
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| November 2026 | The 1926 UK General Strike by Stuart Butler SLHS member |
Link to Past meetings