Guild Conference & AGM The Guild 42nd Annual Conference and AGM 2023 “Spires and Squires” Hilton Northampton, 100 Watering Lane, Northampton NN4 0XW 21st – 23rd April 2023 **Booking is now open for the 2023 conference, please see the links below** With more stately homes than any other county, Northamptonshire has often been called the county of “spires and squires” due to its wide variety of historic buildings and country houses. Although still largely rural, parts became industrialised in the 18th and 19th centuries and the Northampton area gained a sizeable shoemaking and leather work industry; by the end of the 19th century it was almost definitely the boot and shoe making capital of the world. These themes form the basis of the 2023 Guild conference. Hilton Northampton, at junction 15 of the M1 and four miles from Northampton town centre, is a contemporary 4-star hotel with an international restaurant, modern conference facilities and fitness suite. All rooms are on the ground or 1st floor, many around the landscaped courtyard which features a pond. We look forward to seeing you there ! The organising team: Lesley Dove, June Bird, Margaret Southgate, Stephen Daglish Twitter #GuildConf2023 Main Programme Friday 21st April 2023 13.30 onwards Guild Conference Registration opens 13.00 and 14.30 13.00 and 14.30 Optional visits planned to Derngate – the only Charles Rennie Mackintosh house in England Shoe Gallery, Northampton Museum 14:00 – 15:00 Did You Know? New items for the Guild Marie Byatt, (5318 Pepler, Scroop) 15:00 onwards Hotel check-in available 15:15 – 16:15 The Most Beautiful Car in the World – the Jaguar E-Type Cameron Slater Collections Centre, British Motor Museum, Gaydon 16:30 – 17:00 Introduction to the Conference for First-Timers Sue Thornton-Grimes (5588 Caisley) 17:00 – 18:15 Buffet supper 19:00 Welcome to the Annual General Meeting Julie Goucher MCG, Chairman 20:15 The Quiz Alan Moorhouse MCG (2307 Farmery) Saturday 22nd April 2023 07:00 – 09:00 Breakfast 09:20 – 09:25 Welcome to the Conference Howard Benbrook MCG, President 09:30 – 10:30 Northamptonshire Records Angela Malin Chair, Northamptonshire Family History Society 10:30 – 11:00 Coffee 11:00 – 12:00 How to Read a Church Chana James Churches Conservation Trust 12:00 – 13:20 Lunch 12:15 onwards Guild Committee Meeting 13:20 – 14:20 William Boteler of Oundle – his role in the Civil War Graham Evans Northamptonshire Battlefields Society 14:20 – 14:30 Comfort break 14:30 – 15:30 Researching the early modern English clergy Prof Stephen Taylor Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Durham University 15:30 – 16:00 15:55 Tea Introduction of the 2023 Guild Committee 16:00 – 17:00 Members Session Members helping members 19:00 – 19:30 Reception 19:30 Banquet, followed by Finding Collyweston Palace Chris Close Chairman, Collyweston Historical Society Sunday 23rd April 2023 07:00 – 09:00 Breakfast 08:45 – 09:15 Ecumenical Service 09:30 – 10:30 Squires and Sires – Researching Famous Ancestors June Bird (6633 Davenport) 10:30 – 11:00 Coffee 11:00 – 12:00 Introduction to Civil War Petitions Dr Hannah Worthen University of Hull 12:00 – 13:30 Lunch Meeting for Regional Representatives 13:20 – 14:20 To the Manor Born Derek Blunt Northamptonshire Heritage Forum 14:20 – 14:30 Comfort break 14:30 – 15:30 Northamptonshire Boot and Shoe Industry – Factories, Owners, Employees and Community Rebecca Shawcross Senior Shoe Curator, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery 15:30 – 15:35 Close of Conference 15:35 – 16:00 Tea Booking details for the Conference We look forward to seeing you there! Prices for the Conference and details for booking extra nights before or after the Conference are on the online booking form¹. You can pay in full now or just a £75.00 per person deposit; an email with a request for payment of any balance will be sent to you prior to the Early Bird or Full Rate booking closing dates. For easy payment terms please ask. You may pay by direct bank transfer through your bank, quoting the reference number given on the form by Direct Debit (UK, Eurozone, Sweden & Australia only) via PayPal or credit/debit card by filling in the booking form online, printing it and sending it through the post with your cheque to Alan Moorhouse, address below To book for ONE attendee please click here. To book for TWO attendees please click here. Alternatively, you can download the bbooking form flyer, which can be printed, filled-in, and posted, with a cheque (or credit card details) to: Alan R Moorhouse, Guild Conference Booking 2023, 8 Strachans Close, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 3EB. Information on the process for booking rooms before (Thursday night) or after (Sunday night) are available here. Details about the optional Friday afternoon visits to Derngate and the Northampton Museum Shoe Gallery are available here. For any further details or queries about the conference please contact the Conference Organiser, or telephone the Guild HelpDesk on 0800 011 2182. ¹Please note, when booking on a conference either by post or online, the Guild’s Distance Selling terms and conditions apply (please specifically see section 20).