Delve into history

Explore the events of the past, and how they鈥檝e shaped the world we live in today. Immerse yourself in different eras, marvel at historic achievements, and examine how different things could have been.  

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All of our courses are designed to help develop your 台湾swag in historical research and analysis, encouraging you to look beyond the surface of key historical moments. From the history of King Arthur to World War I and II, you鈥檒l develop a better understanding of key historic customs, beliefs, and ways of life.   

Whether you consider yourself a history buff with decades of experience, or someone just starting out that wants to learn more, you can choose from a wide selection of topics.   

Attend a WEA history course near you  

A variety of our history courses are taught in-person or are delivered online - it all depends on what suits your needs best. From the comfort of your own home to a space in your local community. Whichever option you choose, you鈥檒l be taught by a talented tutor who is vastly experienced.   

The support you鈥檒l receive on our history courses  

They'll help you develop an understanding that goes beyond just what's on the surface, all within a friendly and encouraging environment that ensures you attend each session with the excitement to learn.   

It鈥檚 our learning experience that sets us apart too, with many of those attending our courses going on to achieve incredible things. You鈥檒l learn at a pace that鈥檚 comfortable for you too, with a friendly supportive tutor on hand to answer any questions you might have. 

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History: How we used to Live (3) 鈥 Urban Housing

This course will give you an outline of the history of urban and suburban housing in Britain over the last 200 years. As Britain鈥檚 industrial cities expanded, thousands of people wanted somewhere suitable to live. For the expanding middle classes of clerks, bankers and other professionals, this meant a respectable home to buy or rent. We will explore how how the expansion of the railways led to the development of suburbs as workers could travel further to their workplace. We will see how the aspiration of owning one鈥檚 own home became achievable with the development of building societies and how Britain became a home-owning society.
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Course Information

Dates:
Wed 15/01/2025 -
Wed 05/02/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
St Olave's Church Hall (York)
Marygate Lane
York
YO30 7BJ
Tutor:
Katherine Croft
Course code:
Q00018369
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢33.60

History: History of Essex in 10 objects

Essex museums are full of wonderful and sometimes surprising objects. This course takes a selection of objects looked after in museums all over the county and uses them as sources for learning about everyday life in Essex in the past. Covering a range of themes and times the course will also give you some ideas for places to visit in your own time.
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 16/01/2025 -
Thu 27/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
St John the Baptist Church Meeting Room
55 Main Road
Danbury
CM3 4NG
Tutor:
Claire Parker
Course code:
Q00018517
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢84.00

History: Silence in Court: four famous trials from British history

Every famous trial is a snapshot of history in the making. We see the cast of characters strutting on the stage that is the court room, acting out their roles against the backdrop of forces that are often beyond their control - the letter of the law, the power of the state, the force of prejudice, the facts of the case. Their focus is the outcome of 'their' trial, but ours is more than that; why is this trial famous, how did it change things, what lessons does it teach us? Join Peter Blood to study the people, issues and outcomes in four famous trials from British history, with a view to understanding their political, social and legal significance.
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Course Information

Dates:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 07/02/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Caterham United Reformed Church (Caterha
Harestone Hill
Caterham
CR3 6SX
Tutor:
Peter Blood
Course code:
Q00017735
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢33.60

History: Cleethorpes' Theatre History from the Victorian Era to the Present Day

See images and hear about the history of three of Cleethorpes鈥 entertainment venues. The Empire Theatre is now an amusement arcade, so does anything of its former life exist today? The Coliseum Cinema building is now a Wetherspoons public house on Cleethorpes High Street, but what was its history prior to this? The Theatre Royal is sadly an eyesore and the site is awaiting further development, but what was this site used for before and after its theatre days? Join us on an adventure through time and discover local treasures from a bygone age. Suitable for anyone with a little curiosity.
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Course Information

Dates:
Sat 18/01/2025 -
Sat 18/01/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
The Minster (Grimsby)
St James Square
Grimsby
DN31 1EP
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00017919
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢15.00

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

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Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
拢15

An Introduction to Twentieth Century History: International Relations in the 1930s and World War 2

By the 1930s there were three competing ideologies: Liberal Democracy, Soviet Communism and Fascism.. the latter in various national forms. Broadly the first two accepted the status quo and the latter in Japan, Germany and Italy were determined on revision. This set the scene for the ensuing conflicts in the Pacific and Europe. The course will examine how and why the world went to war during the 1930s. We will look at the role of individuals and consider how much difference it made that it was Hitler or Mussolini in charge rather than someone else. We will examine how it took time for the USA to emerge from isolation and how that tipped the balance when she did.
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Course Information

Dates:
Mon 20/01/2025 -
Mon 03/03/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
St Francis de Sales (Hampton)
16 Wellington Road
Hampton
TW12 1JR
Tutor:
Julian Roberts
Course code:
Q00017583
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢60.00

History

Explore key events and figures in history with our History course. Learn about different periods, cultures, and significant historical developments. Ideal for history enthusiasts and anyone interested in learning about the past.
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Course Information

Dates:
Tue 21/01/2025 -
Tue 18/03/2025
Location:
Peterhouse Community Centre
122 Forest Rise
Walthamstow
London
E17 3PW
Course code:
Q00017606
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢80.00

History: 20th Century

Take a journey through the pivotal events and transformations of the 20th century in our engaging history course. This class explores the key political, social, and cultural shifts that defined the century, from world wars to civil rights movements and technological revolutions. Delve into the stories, people, and ideas that shaped modern society, examining how the past influences our world today. Join us to gain a deeper understanding of the forces that have impacted every corner of the globe and laid the groundwork for the 21st century. This course is funded by the Education 台湾swag and Funding Agency.
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Course Information

Dates:
Tue 21/01/2025 -
Tue 04/03/2025
Times:
1:30pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Women's Institute Hall (Nottingham)
1 Main Street
Lowdham
Nottingham
NG14 7AB
Tutor:
Mark Barnard
Course code:
Q00019913
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢50.40

History: Malory鈥檚 Morte d鈥橝rthur

In this short course, learners will focus on the final tales in the most famous and complete literary work in English on the Matter of Britain, Malory鈥檚 Morte d鈥橝rthur. We will study Malory鈥檚 characterisation, the development of his narrative, and discuss the causes and events leading up to the fall of the Round Table. We will also explore Malory鈥檚 prose style and one of his major English sources. No prior knowledge of Middle English is required, and the course is suitable for beginners and improvers. It is also very suitable for those who have taken the autumn taster course on Malory. This course is funded by the Education 台湾swag and Funding Agency.
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Course Information

Dates:
Wed 22/01/2025 -
Wed 05/02/2025
Times:
9:15am - 11:15am
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Roberta Dewa
Course code:
Q00019870
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
6 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢22.20

History: How the Vote was Won - Campaigns for Democracy in Britain

An opportunity to explore the fascinating stories of movements and individuals who worked to achieve the right to vote in Britian. Our subjects range from Puritan soldiers in the 17th century to Welsh republicans in the 19th and women mill workers in the early 20th. We will meet Levellers, Chartists, Suffragists and Suffragettes as well as lesser-known groups. As we encounter campaigners divided over tactics, politics and ethics, we will see how the right to vote overlapped with other controversies and ask why advances and setbacks happened when they did.
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Course Information

Dates:
Mon 27/01/2025 -
Mon 24/03/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Symon Hill
Course code:
Q00018050
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢59.20

History: Highlights Of British Archaeology: Viking (800 AD) To High Middle Ages

Recent fieldwork allows us to define three distinct phases of Anglo-Scandinavian occupation: raiding, conquest and settlement. Sites at Repton and Torksey provide evidence of Viking Age winter camps from the Conquest Period, whereas spatial analysis of both artefact scatters and place names vividly demonstrate the areas of Norse settlement. We shall be looking at major developments in shipping technology from the Saxon through to the High Middle Ages, without which none of these invasions, including 1066, would have been possible. As part of our Medieval studies we shall examine the eclectic Medieval 鈥淰oynich Manuscript鈥. Using the illustrations we shall try to make some sense of it.
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Course Information

Dates:
Mon 27/01/2025 -
Mon 31/03/2025
Times:
1:45pm - 3:45pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Grimsby Central Hall & Arts Community Ce
Duncombe Street
Grimsby
DN32 7EG
Tutor:
Simon Tomson
Course code:
Q00018374
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to 拢84.00