Rupert Willoughby is an experienced public speaker to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. A medievalist by inclination, he is qualified to speak on a very broad range of historical periods and themes. His approach is to inspire audiences by applying a light, humorous touch. One recent client wrote: ‘Your talk was much appreciated by everyone who heard you. Somehow you manage to bring a period of history to life and one can imagine what life was like not only for the well off and well known characters of the time, but for the more ordinary people as well. It was full of humour and insight …’
Rupert is delighted to announce that in July 2011, having successfully completed their gruelling selection process, he was invited to join the NADFAS (National Association of the Decorative and Fine Arts Societies) Directory of Lecturers. For the purposes of the Association, the ‘decorative and fine arts’ are broadly defined to include ‘the study of the history and social history, design and manufacture of … architecture … textiles, furniture, furnishings [and] costume … as well as the lives and influences of the architects and patrons involved’ (see http://www.nadfas.org.uk/default.asp?section=192). Rupert has a particular interest in architecture, interior design and costume as they are
significant aspects of the domestic and social life of the past. The five talks likeliest to appeal to NADFAS groups worldwide – including one on a stupendous and world-famous work of art, the Bayeux Tapestry – are each marked with an asterisk in the list below. For Rupert’s attempt to epitomise both the spirit and content of these lectures, see his April 2012 blog, ’Wooing NADFAS: Setting Out One’s Stall at the Annual Directory Meeting’ (http://www.rupertwilloughby.co.uk/archives/912).
Rupert is constantly preparing new lectures and these can be tailored – or devised from scratch – to suit the requirements of the client. The following list of his talks is not, therefore, exhaustive.
Basingstoke and its Contribution to World Culture.* One of the most derided towns in England, renowned for its dullness, Basingstoke is distinguished only by its numerous roundabouts and absurd Modernist architecture. Rupert explains that the post-war planners, who inflicted such features as ‘the Great Wall of Basingstoke’ on the town, were politically-motivated and bent on destroying all traces of its past. He reveals the nobler Basingstoke that is buried beneath the concrete, and the few historic gems that have survived the holocaust. Hilariously told, it is a story that neatly illustrates the ugliest episode in England’s architectural history. As Betjeman wrote prophetically, ‘What goes for Basingstoke goes for most English towns’.
Threads of History: the World of the Bayeux Tapestry.* Commissioned by the Bishop of Bayeux who fought at Hastings, executed by skilled English craftsmen, the Bayeux Tapestry is the last survivor of a vanished art form. Rupert Willoughby presents a lively introduction to the tapestry – so much more than the story of Hastings – in which he unravels some of its mysteries, places it in the context of its age and firmly establishes it as a landmark in the history of Western art. With its lively illustrations of languid, party-loving, moustachioed Englishmen, of the cavalcades of noble huntsmen and of the snorting Norman cavalry poised to charge into battle, the Tapestry is the next best thing to a moving picture from the time.
Leaves from a Family Album: the 1890s and 1900s through the Eye of the Camera.* Having inherited a remarkable collection of family photographs, Rupert set out, with the help of letters, diaries and newspapers, to reconstruct the lives of his ancestors, the Mumbys from Gosport and the de Faletans from eastern France. His collection includes hundreds of spontaneous, natural shots – scenes of them wearing the latest fashions in the Bois de Boulogne, sitting on bicycles, posing with a new motor car or indulging in mixed bathing, all of which offended or even shocked the conservatively-minded at the time. Rupert’s talk is an extended plea not to throw away old photographs – every one an historical document, and often, with a little detective work, a fascinating story to tell.
The World of Jane Austen.* In this talk, Rupert looks beyond the well-rehearsed biographical details to examine Jane Austen’s physical surroundings, her family life and that of their country neighbours, from squires like William Chute of the Vyne to peasants like the Littleworths of Steventon, one of whom was nanny to the Austen children. Rupert describes the appalling state of the roads and the complications of travel. He contrasts the distinctive Hampshire dialect with the educated speech – hardly less peculiar – of the Austens themselves. He elaborates on the peasant’s smock and the gentleman’s knee breeches and wig – and there is a word about Jane’s schooldays in Reading.
Jane Austen and the Army. It is often pointed out that Jane Austen wrote nothing of the French wars that raged during her entire adult life. However, in discussing (for example) Captain Tilney’s leaves of absence, or his possible role in suppressing a riot, she reveals an intricate grasp both of military technicalities and of contemporary events. So how had Colonel Brandon contrived a posting to India? What was the cost to Darcy of having Wickham posted to another regiment? Why was General Tilney not what he appeared to be? What was the Austen family’s attitude to flogging? These and other questions are addressed in this illuminating talk.
Knight Errant: The Life and Adventures of William the Marshal. Reckoned by a contemporary to be ‘the best knight who ever was or will be’, William was the classic knight errant, who made his name – and a fortune in ransoms – on the tournament circuit in northern France. Such was William’s renown that he rose to be Regent of England during the minority of Henry III, uniting the nation and saving the English monarchy. Rupert compares William’s verse biography with the Arthurian romances of his contemporary, Chrétien de Troyes, and finds fiction merging with reality. He stirringly evokes a gorgeous world in which the knights were dominant. In their coats of mail like silk shirts and their golden spurs, these were ‘the angels men complain of, who kill whatever they come upon’.
Gilbert White’s Selborne: A Medical History. Extraordinarily remote and inaccessible, the Selborne of Gilbert White was a perfectly preserved Saxon settlement. The inhabitants were left to their own devices, particularly when sick. Rupert describes the bizarre medical practices that characterised the place. Red bark, with its chemical content similar to that of quinine, was a respectable treatment for the ague; but what of such ‘superstitious ceremonies’ as pulling ruptured children through severed pollard ashes, or queuing before royalty to be ‘touched for the King’s Evil’? Evoking an especially beautiful and revered Hampshire parish, Rupert affords a glimpse into the vanished England of not-so-long-ago.
Simon de Montfort – At Home and At War.* Now a romantic ruin, Odiham Castle, in north Hampshire, was once the residence of Simon de Montfort and his wife Eleanor, sister of Henry III. Rupert draws upon both written and archaeological evidence to reconstruct the castle and the home life of the couple. He leads the audience on a room-by-room tour, describing what is known or can be surmised about its furniture and decoration. He discusses clothing, literacy and language, the Montforts’ turbulent married life and Simon’s remarkable piety, and ends with a moving description of his death in 1265, at the battle of Evesham. Also the subject of a popular guided tour.
Kings, Knights and Monks at Reading. Reading owes its status to the stupendous Abbey founded by Henry I in 1121, but reduced to ruins since its dissolution by Henry VIII. After examining the architecture of the Abbey, Rupert discusses its key role in English history. He embarks on a thrilling narrative that embraces the White Ship disaster, the ‘anarchy’ of Stephen’s reign, Reading’s associations with the crusading movement and with William the Marshal, greatest of all knights. Also the subject of a popular guided tour.
Reading and its Contribution to World Culture. Throwing down a challenge with his provocative title, Rupert proves that Reading has indeed made some formidable ‘cultural contributions’. He describes the unexpected uses to which Messrs Huntley and Palmers’ sturdy and attractive biscuit tins have been put throughout the world, even in the most unexpected places. He then relates the experiences, usually unhappy, of various poets and writers who have visited the town. Laughter is guaranteed. Also the subject of a popular guided tour.
The Road to Waterloo: A French Family at War. The battle is seen from a novel perspective – that of a French family, de Thierry de Faletans, two of whose members took part. The journey begins with Marlborough’s victory at Oudenarde, ranges through the disastrous battle of Rossbach to the wars of the Revolution, the fall of Malta to Bonaparte and his victory on the plain of Giza. Members of the family witnessed all these events. Find out how Gaspard de Thierry captured a Dutch fleet with his cavalry and ended up a prisoner in Portchester Castle. A stirring tale of great gallantry – the family’s tradition of service costing it dearly – that may soften the typical English view of the French as a defeated enemy.
The Last Place on Earth: Getting to the Vyne in the Olden Days. A look at the nitty-gritty of travel in former times, and how the state of the roads affected life at the Vyne, an isolated country house now managed by the National Trust. Efficiently maintained in Roman and medieval times, the surrounding roads were in an appalling state of neglect by the 18th century. Horace Walpole felt he could only get there on stilts. When Jane Austen knew the house, it was all but buried away. There is much talk of coach travel, and coach-sickness. How might a respectable woman negotiate a muddy lane, and how did precious china, glass and mirrors ever reach the Vyne intact?
Facts and Figures. Talks typically last 50 minutes, with further time for questions. Other titles and guided tours, e.g. of the ruins of Odiham Castle or Reading Abbey or of the world’s only full-sized replica of the Bayeux Tapestry in Reading Museum, are available on request. All talks are illustrated by powerpoint projection, if equipment is provided. Fees are negotiable. Please address enquiries to RupertWilloughby@btinternet.com.
An illustration from The Road to Waterloo.
The young Comte de Bourbon-Busset, who fought in numerous battles and sieges during the Seven Years War. At Rossbach, the Bourbon-Busset Cavalry is said to have sustained the left wing of the French army against the brunt of the enemy’s attack, whilst vainly awaiting reinforcements from the reserve. They are probably the only French unit to have emerged from the battle with credit.
Recent clients include: the Jane Austen Society (Kent and London Branches); the Royal West of England Academy, Bristol; Hartley Wintney, Petersfield, Farnham and Reading U3A; the Sandhurst Historical Society; the Basingstoke Archaeological and Historical Society; Reading Blue Coat School Parents’ Arts Society; Wallingford Historical Society; Reading Museum; the Friends of Basing House; the National Army Museum; the North Hants National Trust Association; Kingsclere Village Club; the National Trust (Vyne); The Richard III Society (West Surrey Branch), Dartmoor DFAS, Pangbourne History Society, The Friends of Caversham Court Gardens etc. etc.
Some recent testimonials. ‘I’d like to say how much I enjoyed your talk yesterday on Oscar Wilde and Reading Gaol. You had a fantastic turn out – just how many people did you manage to squeeze into that room? It was an engaging talk, injecting some humour into the macabre facts that you had to deal with. Absolutely brilliant! Your talk was so good it kept me there straining to hear it against the background noise …’
‘Please pass on to Rupert Willoughby our thanks and congratulations on his superb hour-long guide to the Bayeux Tapestry, which we were honoured to receive yesterday. Rupert’s enthusiasm for, and deep knowledge of, his subject made it come alive for us. Well done, Sir!’
‘Your talk was much appreciated by everyone who heard you. Somehow you manage to bring a period of history to life and one can imagine what life was like not only for the well off and well known characters of the time, but for the more ordinary people as well. It was full of humour and insight and I am sure we shall all look at pictures of the Bayeux Tapestry with new eyes. Thank you very much.’
‘I am writing to say how much I enjoyed last Thursday’s Lunch-Time Lecture by Mr Rupert Willoughby on the subject of Simon de Montfort. Would it be possible, at a future date, for Mr Willoughby to give a further talk on this very interesting and important subject?’
‘A wonderful talk … enjoyed very much by our members.’
‘The lecture was delivered with panache and was followed by a lively question and answer session … All in all a splendid and informative afternoon.’
‘You manage to make history really come alive.’
Contact Rupert at RupertWilloughby@btinternet.com.
‘Fort! Fort!’ Arms of the Count of Savoy at the Château de Chillon, Switzerland