G E Street St James the Less, Pimlico, 1861 © Neil Jackson

Events

The Victorian Society runs a diverse programme of events including visits, walks, online talks and weekends away. These are publicised to members below and in the ‘Blue Sheet’ which is mailed with our membership magazine, ‘The Victorian’, in February, June and October. Members receive priority booking.

The Victorian Society is an CPD provider recognised by The Institute of Historic Building Conservation. Our recorded online talks can be found in our shop here. This is a fantastic opportunity to discover over 80 lectures on Victorian and Edwardian architecture, architects, and related themes including railways.

April

Online Lecture: Restoring the Doulton’s Carrara Ware Façade at Findlater’s Corner

This talk, by Benedict O’ Looney, looks at the restoration of the Beaux Arts shop at Findlater’s Corner at London Bridge.

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Ticket Price: £6
Date: Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Venue: Online – View on map
Location: Online
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May

Ticket Price: £10.00
Date: Saturday, May 3rd, 2025
Time: 1.00 pm
Venue: Oxford Road Station, Manchester – View on map
Location: In Person | Manchester | Walk
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Victorian Short Story Reading Group: ‘Promotion’ by Guy Boothby

The Victorian Short Story Reading Group has regular meetings to explore some of the exciting material from the golden age of the British short story, which began during the latter part of the nineteenth century. The current theme is colonial short stories, with stories from Australia.

More information
Ticket Price: £6
Date: Wednesday, May 7th, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm– 8:30 pm
Venue: Priory Gardens, London W4 1TT – View on map
Location: In Person | London
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Walk: Liverpool’s Waterfront, A Walking Tour with Peter de Figueiredo:

Discover Liverpool’s famous waterfront as we hear how the George’s Dock became the site of the three monumental Edwardian buildings.

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Ticket Price: £5
Date: Saturday, May 10th, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Venue: TBC – View on map
Location: In Person | Liverpool
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Walk: A Lutyens walk in Mayfair, led by Paul Waite of the Lutyens Trust

Explore the buildings of Victorian architect Edwin Lutyens, and his associates, which can be seen in the Mayfair area of London.

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Ticket Price: £18
Date: Wednesday, May 14th, 2025
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Venue: St James Square, London – View on map
Location: In Person | London | Walk
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Ticket Price: £10.00
Date: Wednesday, May 14th, 2025
Time: 7pm for 7.15pm
Venue: Stretford Public Hall, Chester Road, Stretford M32 0LG – View on map
Location: In Person | Manchester
Ticket Price: £10.00 booking essential via [email protected]
Date: Tuesday, May 20th, 2025
Time: 12.30pm – 2.00pm
Venue: Meet at the corner of Newton Street and Piccadilly – View on map
Location: Manchester

Walk: Angel Islington to Smithfield Walk, Led by Alec Forshaw

Discover the stunning Victorian and Edwardian buildings to be found in the Angel neighbourhood during this evening walking tour.

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Ticket Price: £18
Date: Wednesday, May 21st, 2025
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Venue: Angel Tube Station – View on map
Location: London | In Person | Walk
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Walk: The Thames Path, from Tower Hill to Canary Wharf, Led by Steven Brindle

A chance to discover the Victorian heritage along the Thames path from Tower Hill to Canary Wharf.

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Ticket Price: £20
Date: Saturday, May 24th, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue: Tower Hill Station Exit – View on map
Location: In Person | London | Walk
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Visit: Woking, England’s First Crematorium: A Visit led by Prof Hilary J Grainger

A unique opportunity to visit the UK’s first crematorium, designed by Edward Francis Channing Clarke in 1885.

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Ticket Price: £20
Date: Saturday, May 31st, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Venue: Woking Crematorium – View on map
Location: In Person | London | Visit
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June

Online Lecture and in person: The Magnetic Margot Gayle , by Joshua Mardell

This lecture will (re-)introduce the American metallurgist, politician and preservationist Margot Gayle (1908-2008), who co-founded the Victorian Society in America on the advice of Nikolaus Pevsner in 1966, and established the Friends of Cast-Iron Architecture in 1970.

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Ticket Price: £6
Date: Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Venue: Online or In-Person – View on map
Location: Online
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Ticket Price: Members £5. Non-members £8.
Date: Saturday, June 7th, 2025
Time: 2pm-4.30pm
Venue: Manningham Mills and surrounding area, Bradford – View on map
Location: In Person | West Yorkshire | Walk | Visit
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Visit: Lutyens, Flockhart, Waterhouse and Voysey Day – Visit to Goddards

A unique visit to explore the architecture of Goddards and surrounding buildings.

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Ticket Price: £55
Date: Sunday, June 8th, 2025
Time: 10:30 am – 4:00 pm
Venue: Goddards, Surrey – View on map
Location: In Person | London | Visit
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Victorian Short Story Reading Group: ‘The Golden Shanty by Edward Dyson

The Victorian Short Story Reading Group has regular meetings to explore some of the exciting material from the golden age of the British short story, which began during the latter part of the nineteenth century. The current theme is colonial short stories, with stories from Australia.

More information
Ticket Price: £6
Date: Wednesday, June 11th, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm– 8:30 pm
Venue: Priory Gardens, London W4 1TT – View on map
Location: In Person | London
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Visit: Victorian Sudbury, Suffolk including a visit to a Functioning Brickyard

A unique opportunity for members to learn about the brickmaking process for historic buildings at a brickyard normally closed to the public.

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Ticket Price: £70
Date: Thursday, June 12th, 2025
Time: 10:30 am – 4:30 pm
Venue: Sudbury (Suffolk) Station – View on map
Location: In Person | Visit
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Ticket Price: £5.00
Date: Saturday, June 14th, 2025
Time: 2.00 pm
Venue: Clifton House Museum Rotherham S65 2AA – View on map
Location: Walk | In Person | South Yorkshire
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Visit: ‘The Cathedral of Sewage’ – Crossness Pumping Station

Witness this extraordinary interior on a steaming day at Crossness Pumping Station. Join us as we go on a tour of the site to discover the historical context and impetus for Bazalgette’s revolutionary sewage system for London

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Ticket Price: £35
Date: Sunday, June 22nd, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Venue: Crossness Pumping Station – View on map
Location: In Person | London
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July

Victorian Short Story Reading Group: ‘Billy Skywonkie’ by Barbara Baynton

The Victorian Short Story Reading Group has regular meetings to explore some of the exciting material from the golden age of the British short story, which began during the latter part of the nineteenth century. The current theme is colonial short stories, with stories from Australia.

More information
Ticket Price: £6
Date: Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm– 8:30 pm
Venue: Priory Gardens, London W4 1TT – View on map
Location: In Person | London
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