ABOUT
Social Walks and Talks was founded by members of the Leamington History group, wanting to expand a very successful summer guided walk programme, to include talks and group sessions with local people of all walks of life, especially those whose lives can be enriched by shared memories and exercise.
We use local history as a vehicle to get people out and about and socialising, sharing memories and information.
Co-Founders
Barry Franklin
Barry was born in Windsor Place in Leamington & has lived here for his whole life. His career was mainly working for the Valuation Office Agency, looking at property across the Midlands. This led to an interest in the buildings he was surveying and the development of buildings and towns.
Barry got further interested in local history when he saw a photo of his father in the Leamington Courier, showing him in the Civil Defence. Before this, Barry hadn’t know his father was in the Civil Defence, so wanted to find out more, joined the local history group and the rest is…. history!
He is part of a team running dementia cafés. Hence his interest in doing walks & talks & bringing activities to older people, He is very involved in local life, particularly since his retirement, He has volunteered for patient groups and was part of a team which wrote the neighbourhood plans for Leamington and Whitnash. He has been a Town Councillor for almost ten years & is about to begin his second term serving as mayor of Whitnash.
Michael Pearson
Michael lived abroad and travelled in places as far apart as New Zealand, Tahiti and London. He first visited Leamington to meet friends at the Somerville Arms pub, met his wife, Chris, and has lived here now for 30 years. Michael is now retired, after working for social services in the residential care field.
Michael is passionate about local history, especially the stories of people’s lives and the social aspects of they interact and are linked. He was involved in the writing and publishing of the book ‘Royal Leamington Spa: A History in 100 Buildings’ and writes regular history articles for the Somerville Arms pub newsletter, ’Ville Voice.
He & his wife have a long shared interest in history and 11 years experience developing, managing and leading guided town walks.
ABOUT OAK HOUSE
Our presentations take place at the grade II listed ‘Oak House’, on Upper Holly Walk.
Oak House was designed by the architect William Thomas in around 1836 and built as a private house, or ‘villa’. As well as the usual rooms you would expect to find in a large house, it also housed a large music room, billiard toom and picture gallery. There were 5 servants apartments, a double coach house and stabling for 3 horses as well as a garden. The house was in use as a private house until the late 1940’s aside for a period between the 1870s unti l1894 when it was used as the premises for a Ladies college.
In November of 1950 the building was officially opened as ‘The Liberal Club’, and it was only a few years ago that it has reverted back to its former name of Oak House.
