GILBERT WHITE’S HOUSE AND GARDEN & THE OATES MUSEUM
SUMMER LECTURE WITH RICHARD HOLMES
FRIDAY 17TH JULY
Military historian Richard Holmes will talk about John Churchill, First Duke of Marlborough. From humble beginnings he rose to become Britain's finest soldier and a confidant of two monarchs - James II and Queen Anne.
A man who was at the centre of the European stage and a star of its iconic battles like Blenheim, he was also the consummate politician and an intimate of Queen Anne, whose descendents include Winston Churchill and Earl Spencer.
Richard Holmes has combined military and academic careers. He was educated at Cambridge and Reading Universities, and taught military history at the Royal Military Academy Sandhust for many years. He gave up his Sandhurst job to command 2nd Battalion the Wessex Regiment 1986-88, and then moved to Cranfield University at Shrivenham, where he is currently Professor of Military and Security Studies. He has written 25 books on military subjects, most recently a biography of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough entitled “Marlborough: England's Fragile Genius”, presented seven BBC 2 TV series, and is president of the British Commission for Military History.
He enlisted in the TA in 1964, was commissioned two years later, and transferred to full-time service to command his battalion. He later became the TA's one brigadier, and from 1998-2001 was the first reservist to serve as Director of Reserve Forces and Cadets. From 2000 to 2007 he was Colonel of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, and visited it on operations in Northern Ireland, the Balkans and Iraq.
Gates open at 7.00pm talk begins at 7.30pm in the marquee in Gilbert White’s Garden. Tickets cost £15 booked in advance only.
Free parking in our field
Gilbert White’s House and the Oates Museum
The Wakes, High Street, Selborne, Hants GU34 3JH
www. gilbertwhiteshouse.co.uk info@gilbertwhiteshouse.org.uk 01420 511275
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