Next Lunch and Speakers

Friday 16th October 2026

Stephenson’s horses : the Victorian Railway

The nineteenth century expansion of Britain’s railways was nothing short of revolutionary. Alongside the engineering triumphs, the railways transformed the nation’s life, socially and industrially. The effects reached even the humble local fish and chip shop. British engineers became global trailblazers, reshaping not only the nation’s landscape but its future.

On Friday 16 October after a friendly lunch, members of Milford Probus Club and visitors (always welcome) will learn from Dr Richard Marks how Britain’s greatest transport revolution changed far more than how people travelled. Richard is a historian, university lecturer and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Before entering academia, he spent over twenty five years as a systems engineer working with British manufacturing and technology firms across multiple sectors. This gives him an unusual understanding of industry, business processes and organisational decision making, with insights that enrich his interpretation of the past.

Come and join us. Lunch and talk are just £34.

Friday 20th November 2026

The Effectiveness of Protest

Our democratic right to protest continues to be threatened by violence and legislation. For centuries London’s streets have witnessed protests from the ‘great rising’ against the poll tax in the 1300s, anti-immigration riots in Tudor times, opposition to hydrocarbons by Extinction Rebellion and of course the recent asylum seeker protests. Whitehall was the focus of historic protests by women seeking the vote as well as anti-war demonstrations.  What made some of these protests more effective than others? 

On Friday 20th November after a friendly lunch, members of Milford Probus Club and visitors (always welcome) our speaker Dr Helen Naylor will explore these issues and suggest conclusions. She is a qualified Westminster Guide and lecturer who has given many informative talks about society’s responses to social change and threats.

Friday 21st August 2026

“It's not what you say…” 

At our after-lunch talk on Friday 21 August, members of Milford Probus Club and visitors (always welcome to come and try us out) learnt of the limitations of speech. Most of us form an opinion about someone within a few seconds, and we rarely change our minds. Why do we feel at ease with some people and prefer to avoid others?

Our speaker Alan Jones is a retired BBC journalist and former state registered nurse. He has entertained and informed us before and we were delighted to welcome him back. He explained the subliminal signals of behaviour, gestures, and facial expressions that we all use to communicate with each other, showing that “ it’s not what you say” that matters most.