NORTH STAFFS BRANCH OF THE CLASSICAL ASSOCIATION

Annual Report for 2018/19

As the Treasurer reported elsewhere, our financial position has changed radically during the year, with the already forecast loss on the 2018 trip on the one hand, but the large and still surprising donation from the former CD Horton Trust on the other. That is a matter for further discussion in the AGM. We have again maintained, and indeed it seems slightly increased, our membership numbers, going, as the figures in the accounts indicate, from 57 to 58 paying members, despite some sad losses, all at the full 5 pounds.. We were again successful this year in maintaining the higher attendances reported in the last few years, including those for the second coach trip reported in our accounts, and in continuing to attract engaging and interesting speakers.

In the Autumn we opened in mid October with a reading of Euripides' at Keele (attendance only 4, as sadly is often now the case with readings, even in translation as these are). This was followed by a lecture by Judith Mossman (Coventry), the President of the Hellenic Society (whose joint meeting this was), on Plutarch's Ghosts, again at Keele at Halloween (attendance 16). We then had a return visit to Stoke 6th Form College in November for a talk by John Prag (Manchester) on Odysseus & Polyphemus - the Story of a Greek Wine Jug, (attendance 28).

We resumed in February with Greg Woolf (Institute of Classical Studies)'s lecture at Keele on Roman Slavery (attendance 20). In March we had a reading of another Aeneid Book, this time Number I, again at Keele (attendance 6), where we concluded the lecture programme in April with Alison Cooley (Warwick) on Exploring Inscriptions in the Houses of Pompeii & Herculaneum (attendance 27). In March, members had also joined in the worldwide readings of the Iliad at the 6th Form College.

We are grateful to the College and to Keele SCR for free use of the rooms for these meetings.

Our annual trip, in May, was as usual open to other bodies and was to Oxford (attendance 31), with a concluding meal near Warwick. We are grateful as ever to Andy Fear for leading us round the Rollright Stones & the Ashmolean Museum. Given the loss we made last year, we confirmed this trip only after sufficient numbers (subsequently exceeded) had confirmed bookings with payment to ensure our meeting costs.

The Latin and Greek reading groups have continued successfully to run approximately monthly throughout the year, independently of the core programme, as have two Beginners' Latin Groups, thanks to Nigel Coulton (Latin) and Monica Swinburne (Greek). Sadly Monica has had to give up leading the Greek Group and first Rachel Franks and now Nigel have stepped into the breach to lead its sessions. We are grateful to them all, but particularly of course Nigel for taking on at present all our language work.

Events 2018/2019

PLAY READING: (in English translation) of Euripides' Hippolytus

7.30 p.m., Thursday 18 October 2018,
University Common Room, Keele Hall, University of Keele, ST5 5BG

      Roman Theatre, Orange, � Stephen Clifford, June 2004 The Roman Theatre at Orange.

Texts available but please bring the Penguin Classics translation if you are able

LECTURE: Professor Judith Mossman (University of Coventry)

President of the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies
'PLUTARCH'S GHOSTS' - a talk for Halloween
7.30 p.m., Tuesday 30 October 2018,
University Common Room, Keele Hall, University of Keele, ST5 5BG
Joint meeting with the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies

LECTURE: Professor John Prag (University of Manchester)

'ODYSSEUS AND POLYPHEMUS - THE STORY OF A GREEK WINE-JUG' (illustrated)
7.30 p.m., Thursday 22 November 2018,
Stoke on Trent Sixth Form College, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2RU

LECTURE: Professor Greg Woolf (Director, Institute of Classical Studies, London)

'ROMAN SLAVERY' (illustrated)
7.30 p.m., Tuesday 19 February 2019,
University Common Room, Keele Hall, University of Keele, ST5 5BG
Joint meeting with the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

READING: (in English translation) of Aeneid Book I

7.30 p.m., Thursday 7 March 2019,
University Common Room, Keele Hall, University of Keele, ST5 5BG

Texts will be available, but please bring the Penguin Classics translation, if you are able

READING, IN CONJUNCTION WITH GREEK READERS WORLDWIDE, OF HOMER'S ILIAD

12.00 noon, Friday 22 March 2019,
Stoke on Trent Sixth Form College, Leek Road, Stoke on Trent, ST4 2RU

Participation by prior arrangement only - please email the Branch to ask for more details. Nigel Coulton is co-ordinating.

LECTURE: Professor Alison Cooley (University of Warwick)

'EXPLORING INSCRIPTIONS IN THE HOUSES OF POMPEII AND HERCULANEUM:
FROM WAX TABLETS TO WINE AMPHORAE' (an illustrated look at life in ancient Italy)
5.45 p.m., Tuesday 2 April 2019 - note earlier than usual start time
University Common Room, Keele Hall, University of Keele, ST5 5BG

ANNUAL COACH TRIP, Saturday 18 May 2019: Oxford

Led as usual by Dr Andy Fear. We will visit the Rollright Stones and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, with time for individual exploration also in the city. For this event, which will conclude with a canal side evening meal in Warwickshire, there is a charge of 25 pounds, which this year we have to ask to be paid in advance, to ensure the cost of the coach will be fully met.

April 2019: Delighted to report we now have sufficient firm bookings with payment to confirm that the Oxford coach trip will take place as planned on 18th May. This means we are still open for other bookings until the end of April at least. Please note the coach will depart at 8.00 a.m.

The booking form may be downloaded here.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM of the Branch will take place on Friday 21 June 2019, at 7.30 pm, in the SCR Bar, Keele Hall. This event is for members only.

Latin and Greek Reading Groups 2018/19

Greek & Latin Reading groups run approximately monthly in members' houses. These groups are not for beginners: some prior knowledge of the relevant language is necessary to take part in either.

A Beginners Latin from Scratch weekly Group is also now available, strictly limited to 5 members, founded 2016,. which meets on Thursday mornings. A new one began in 2018, which meets on Wednesdays at 7.00 pm..

Last year's Programme and Annual Report

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