Flashman Society Events

 

'Dear Flashman Society Members

 

I'm writing to let you know that a memorial service has been planned for GMF at St Johns, Smith Square, SW1 on the morning of the 8th July at 11.00am. Itfs planned that the service will celebrate his life and works, reflect the things that he held dear to him, and with content including readings from his Flashman works by Joss Ackland, along with recollections of his time in the military, his love of adventure and comedy, films etc. Speakers include Melvyn Bragg, Sir Max Hastings and the author and critic D.J Taylor. Alex Norton will also be reading from GMF's McAuslan works. The tone is one of celebration and humour and is expected to last for approximately an hour and a half. The celebration is open to all with no ticket invitations required.

Regards,

Caro

 

EVENT DETAILS

Memorial Celebration for

George MacDonald Fraser

11 AM

Tuesday 8th July 2008

 

St. Johnfs

Smith Square

Westminster

 

 

Address:

St. Johnfs

Smith Square

London

SW1P 3HA

United Kingdom

 

Telephone/Fax:

Box Office: +44 (0)20 7222 1061

Administration: +44 (0)20 7222 2168

The Footstool Restaurant: +44 (0)20 7222 2779

 

Email addresses:

mailto:[email protected]

 

 

A memorial organized by The Fraser Family and HarperCollins to celebrate the live and literary work of George MacDonald Fraser.  Open to the public and all those who wish to pay there respects and celebrate the work of George MacDonald Fraser.  The event will also be advertised in the National Press.

 

  • Flashman's Birthday Events, 5th May (1822)

  • Society Meetings

  • Special Events

    Book Signings & readings

     

     

     

    George Macdonald Fraser is appearing at Hay-on-Wye Festival 
    Sun 29th May Hay-on-wye 2.30PM £7
    Visit http://www.hayfestival.com/2005/index.html for details
    or download http://www.hayfestival.com/2005/DOWNLOAD/PDF/hay_programme_05.pdf 

     

    Sedbergh Booktown
    A Festival of Books and Drama is planned for August/September when
    members of the public will be able to meet the patrons of the Book
    Town, Eric Robson, George Macdonald Fraser and Professor Tony Seaton.

    The Festival will offer a varied programme with three original plays,
    several "meet the author" sessions, story-telling fun for children,
    lectures on the technicalities of books etc.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Watersotne's Deansgate

    George Macdonald Fraser at Manchester University

    Meet George Macdonald Fraser who will be reading from and signing copies of his new book in the Flashman series, 'Flashman on the March', at Manchester University on Tuesday 10th May at 7pm.

    Tickets: £5. Available from Waterstone's Manchester Deansgate.

    Waterstone's

    91 Deansgate

    Manchester M3 2BW

    Tel: 0161 837 3000

     

     

    26th April 1.00pm

    Theatre Royal Glasgow

     

     

     

     

    12:30pm Tues April 5th Hatchards, Piccadilly London

    http://www.hatchards.co.uk/ Check Events

     

    NAM Tues April 5th See Below

     

    2:30pm Sat April 9th

    Isle of Man, Douglas

    Ottakars Bookshop

     

     

     

     

    TBA

    Hye-on-Wye Event

  • Events of Interest
  • NAM Flashman Lecture

     

    April 5th 2005

    www.national-army-museum.ac.uk

    April
    5th
    Listen to George MacDonald Fraser in conversation with biographer and journalist DJ Taylor looking back on his life and novels, his autobiographical works and in particular the twelfth instalment of the Flashman papers Flashman on the March, new on the shelves in April 2005. Guests will be invited to ask questions and a book signing will take place after the lecture. A full range of Mr MacDonald Fraser's books will be available to purchase from the Shop.

    George MacDonald Fraser speaks at the Museum on 5th April 2005. Doors open at 6.30pm to allow guests to visit the Museum Shop. The lecture begins at 7.00pm and will be followed at 8.30pm by a book signing in the lower foyer.

    Tickets are available at the NAM Shop or by mail order on 020 7730 0717 ext. 2240. Purchase in advance of the event is recommended.

    12.50 Standard
    10.00 NAM Friends / Students

    George MacDonald Fraser

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  •  

    1st NAM Flashman lecture June 2004

     

     

    "Julian Farrance is lecturing on "The Military Campaigns of Harry
    Flashman" in the Lecture Theatre (lower ground floor, next to the loo)
    of the National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London
    (nearest tube station: Sloane Square) at 1.00 p.m. on Thursday 24th
    June. He has expressed an appropriately Flashman-like terror at the
    thought of crowds of Flashman aficionados turning up to hear him, and
    therefore I think we are duty-bound to attend in force. I am myself
    particularly looking forward to hearing his explanation of the
    Chillianwalla anomaly..."
     

     

     

    The lecture was interesting enough with copious quotes from the Flashman
    Papers enlivened by slides of the famous personalities Flashy met on his
    travels.

    It was done chronologically and covered 1st Afghan War, 1st Sikh War,
    Crimean, Indian Mutiny, 2nd China War, Zulu War and Boxer Rebellion. The
    lecturers
    began to run out of time so the last three were touched on very briefly.
    There was nothing new in these lectures for the Flashman historian yet you
    could
    tell they both loved their subject. I suspect they would have gone on all
    afternoon given the chance.

    There were a few questions from the floor afterwards. They, in common with
    me, were of the opinion that the US Civil War will never see the light of day.
    Asked which of the campaigns they would like to know more about, the Zulu War
    was high on the list with also the Franco-Prussian War. There was an opinion
    that a Harry Flashman's Schooldays could be a fun read though the lecturers
    thought it might be too similar to Tom Brown's book.

    All in all a fun day. Congratulations to the NAM for putting it on.

    Regards,

    David Tibbetts
    Chairman
    _The Flashman Society

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Flashman's Birthday 5th May (1822)

    Rugby School May 2000

    To kick off Flashy's birthday celerbrations in 2000 the society went back to where it all started. Rugby School. Members came from all overthe country, also two members coming from abroad to join in the fun. Rugby school, where of course we did our damnest to get expelled for drunkness, an easy task the last of us crawling to beds about two in morning. Rugby School tour is well worth taking and Harry wasn't wrong about the hospitality of Rugby's pubs some of are great real ale pubs. There is also a good choice of restaurants, of course we finsihed the day with a curry!

     

    Tours of Rugby School
    Guided Tours of the School take place every day except Sunday and Monday. They leave at 2.30p.m. from the Museum across the road.
    Adults: 2.00 Concessionary: 1.50 Family: 5.00

    Rugby School Museum

    Visit Rugby School, birthplace of Rugby Football, scene of Tom Brown's Schooldays and Scene of Flashman's scholarly downfall. Home of the poet Rupert Brooke and the School that educated Lewis Carrol. The School Museum tells the story of Rugby, its people and its famous game.


    Open Tuesdays to Saturdays 11.30p.m. to 4.30p.m.
    Adults: 1.50 Conncessionary: 1.00
    Combined tickets Adults: 3.00 Concessionary: 2.00 Family: 7.50

    Tel: 01788 574117 for Museum and 01788 573959 for Tours


     

    11th Hussar's Winchester May 2001

    Flashmans Birthday Bash 2001

    Winchester 12th/13th May 2001-07-01

    This year to celebrate Flashmans birthday, 5th May 1822, the society organised a jaunt to visit the King's Royal Hussars in Winchester, the surviving incarnation of the Flashmans first regiment the 11th Light Dragoons, which went on to become the 11th Hussars Prince Alberts OwnE The good old Cherry-Pickers!E/P>

    I travelled down to Winchester the night before in order to get settled in. The weather couldnt have been better, bringing out all the girls in their shortest summer skirts. Winchester, I observed had more than its fair quota of girls, in fact the imbalance towards the fairer gender became more obvious when queues of girls started forming to get into the pubs. Girls either had to wait in line, or if they were lucky and accompanied by a boyfriend would be admitted straight away. It wasnt long before a single guy would have several hangers on sweetly asking if he minded terribly if he could escort her and her numerous friends into a bar. I may move to Winchester one day.

    Girls and bars aside Winchester is a very interesting and historic city. After strolling around to get my bearings I stepped into the Information centre. Winchester certainly has seen it all: it's been the capital of England, it has been conquered by Normans and ransacked by Roundheads, (and now the Flashman Society.) home of the Doomsday Book. The most famous inhabitant, was Saxon king Alfred the Great. An Arthurian round table hangs in the Great Hall, the last remaining part of Winchester Castle. William the Conqueror took over the English crown after beating Edward the Confessor in 1066. Then good times came to Winchester becoming joint capital with London (William played safe and was crowned in both cities), William also founded the present cathedral, many prominent residents of Winchester were buried in elaborate tombs in this ancient church - from Saxon English kings to the author Jane Austen who died in college Street in 1817.

    One other attraction is Winchester College, founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and one of the best public schools in England. The barracks area is home to no less than five military museums: The Light Infantry Museum tells the story of a modern regiment, which includes the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the Gulf War. Nepalese soldiers are honoured in the Gurkha Museum; The Royal Green Jackets Museum has displays of campaigns and uniforms, and The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum records the history of the County Regiment.

    &#After perusing through Winchesters history I went to search out the best Winchester had to offer in the way of victuals. The speciality in Winchester turned out to bangers and mashE So filled to gills with beer and sausages I returned to the hotel to get a good nights rest.

    Saturday morning everyone straggled in generally heading straight for the bar. The sun was out and for those driving down it had been a very hot journey. Once introduced and everybody had got to know the new members we hadnt met before, mainly Dave Edwards. Committee members Mark Willis and Allan Holden also honoured us with their presence. We started out towards the town, on our way we spotted a restaurant called the Gurkha ChefEand immediately resolved that this was the place wed be eating in the evening. (The other choice being Bangers and MashE) Allan then took the lead, surging ahead until we thought wed lost him. Hed run straight in the first pub, only to shoot straight out again having decided he didnt like the beer on offer. Bemused we hurried after him into the next establishment where we discussed our plans. Out of the five museums we decided to see the Hussars, Gurkha and the Green Jackets. Sometime later we did arrive at the barracks. The Hussars museum was the smallest out of the three, the regiment having only moved there recently, I also discovered that the Royal Hussars had a Northern base in Preston. [Watch this space. Im organising a trip there at the request Northern members for mid to late August.] The most impressive levée swords were on display, one which featured battle honours from Waterloo through to include all the battles of the Crimea, taking in a few campaigns in India along the way. An impressive career indeed!

    The Gurkha and Green Jacket museum are well worth a visit, featuring a model of the battle of Waterloo and is also staffed by local veterans. The Gurhka museum gives a fascinating history of Gurkha regiment.

    We left the museums about 2 Oclock hungry and thirsty. The cup final had started and pubs were packed with people watching the game, but we easily found a free table in an Irish theme pub where we could chill out. The food was filling and well worth the wait. Dave picked himself a huge steak, I ended up with BangersEand bubble and squeakEfor a change; then went on to finish Daves steak and chips for afters.

    After lunch we went out into the sun to look around the rest of Winchester. Allan led the way into and straight out of several pubs; too noisy, didnt like the music and didnt like the beer. After aimlessly wondering I managed to steer the group to a pub I had been to the night before located next to the cathedral.

    Here, the folk bands who were scheduled to be playing in the Cathedral for a festival that evening were warming up. We joined them for a pint or two.

    The ale around Winchester was passable, not that I drank too much beer I was drinking my own concoction: Brandy and Red-Bull. The Brandy kills the taste of the Red-Bull and the Red-Bull bolsters the stimulating effect of the Brandy. A very potent mixture indeed. A cocktail surely worthy of the name FlashmanE I hardly slept a wink that night, but still got up at Seven Oclock in the morning to attend a Sabre Match in Kings Norton.

    The afternoon proceed slowly we took in all the sights and most of the pubs. Mark Willis remained sober, hes a responsible Dad now he tell us. Hes been reading Flashman books to the baby since the day it came out of hospital. Allan was his usual self, that is out spoken and just occasionally foul mouthed. Dave, who I had taken as being English when we first broke the ice over a pint in the hotel bar that morning, had turned more and more Welsh drink by drink. By the end of the evening he was talking Welsh with an accent thicker than Di the station master. He eventually missed his train and I had hold him up by his collar as he struggled to sign in at the hotel reception.

    However before the evening ended we trooped off back to the Gurkha Chef and ordered plates and plates of lovely steaming curries to end the evening with. Happy Birthday to Sir Harry! And Damn eyes if you werent there!

    Max May 2001

    The King's Royal Hussars Museum, Winchester

    Peninsula Barracks

    WINCHESTER

    SO23 8TS

    Telephone Enquiries: (01962) 828539

     

     

     

     

     

    Society Meetings

    ANNUAL & GENERAL MEETINGS

    The Flashman Society holds an Annual general meeting of members. The next AGM is scheduled for Januray or Feburay 2002, mostly likly to be held in Lemington Spa. The inargral meeting was held at the Bryn GLas Hotel owned by David's family, and we still also meeet every October at David's hotel.

     

    Special Events

     

    The Flashman society AGM and Conference took place 16th March 2002.

    A full day of Flashman related trickery and discussion followed by a Dinner in the evening.

    Black tie or Victorian costume etc.

    Leamington Spa itself is a Victorian City full of interesting places to visit.

     

     

     

     

    Events of Interest

     

     

     

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