Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

A Victorian Christmas in Leicester

The recent Community History Network meeting was on a Christmas theme.

I try to always get to these meetings, which happen six times a year, and have on occasion given the talk.

This time the talk was by Cynthia Brown, an old friend of the network, with the title "A Victorian Christmas in Leicester".

Cynthia was able to demonstrate how Christmas was enjoyed in those far-off times more than a century ago, especially by reading from newspaper and magazine reports at the time.

Even then, there were people complaining that Christmas was not what it used to be, and that it was getting much too commercialised.

As always, Cynthia gave a very enjoyable presentation.

The meetings are held at the New Walk Centre on Monday evenings. Membership of the network is free, and open to anybody with an interest in any aspect of local history.

Speakers this year include Norman Pilgrim, Derek Seaton - and me! In the Summer, I am delivering a new talk called "Dionysius, Hardulph and Egelwin - Church Dedications of Leicestershire".