Delve into history

Explore the events of the past, and how they’ve 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 skills 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’ll 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’ll be taught by a talented tutor who is vastly experienced.   

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

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History: The Origins of the Second World War

The second world war shaped the world for years to come and still resonates today. How did it come to take place so soon after "the war to end all wars" (the Great War 1914-18) , with a world wide agency (the League of Nations ) commissioned to keep the peace. This course attempts to explain this and more
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 16/01/2025 -
Thu 13/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
British Legion Hall (Felsted)
Bury Chase
Felsted
CM6 3HA
Tutor:
Roger Cooke
Course code:
Q00020842
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
1 place remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00

History: Highlights of Roman Britain

This six-week course will be delivered as informal illustrated lectures, with student participation encouraged. Each topic will be introduced, described and discussed with active input from students encouraged with class discussions. Taking a fresh look at Roman Britain in the light of recent discoveries and academic developments we shall reappraise what Roman Britain means in a post-imperial world. The role of militarism, slavery and economics will be examined using the topics listed in the course description. 
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 16/01/2025 -
Thu 20/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Simon Tomson
Course code:
Q00021074
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
2 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

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 £33.60

History: Leisure and Entertainment in Twentieth Century London: A Social History

The course will examine the varied opportunities for leisure and entertainment in twentieth century London. Shorter working days, two day weekends, paid holidays and higher living standards all created opportunities for more leisure. Leisure activities constantly evolved throughout the century. Cinema replaced the music hall. Radio survived but was overtaken by television, which in turn became a form of home cinema. The public house, the public park, the public library and professional football remained popular throughout the century, as did the West End theatre, but other activities like grey hound racing and speedway faded away. The course will outline the social history of many of these activities.
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Course Information

Dates:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 14/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Enfield Baptist Church (Enfield) (Enfiel
Cecil Road
Enfield
EN2 6TG
Tutor:
George O'Reilly
Course code:
Q00019999
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £60.00

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Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

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

See images and hear about the history of three of Cleethorpes’ 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 £10.50

History: The Decline of the Ottoman Empire 1800-1892

The once mighty Ottoman Empire lost some of its lustre during the 18th Century. After its armies reached the walls of Vienna in 1683 the boundaries of the Sublime Porte contracted in a series of military, diplomatic and economic reverses. This course considers the ways in which the Ottomans responded to a changing world in the 19th century, seeking to preserve their position within it. We examine questions of politics, religion, language, culture and economics whilst all the while having an eye towards the consequences for the region, Europe and the world then and now.
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Course Information

Dates:
Mon 20/01/2025 -
Mon 07/04/2025
Times:
2:15pm - 4:15pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
The Drive Methodist Church (Redbridge)
Eastern Avenue
Redbridge
IG4 5AB
Tutor:
Laurie Johnston
Course code:
Q00019982
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £100.00

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:
The White house (Hampton)
45 The Avenue
Hampton
TW12 3RN
Tutor:
Julian Roberts
Course code:
Q00017583
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
3 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £60.00

History: Aspects of British History & European History 1924 -1933

This is a short series of four lectures on a key period of Modern British and European History. The course will consist of lectures supported by PowerPoint illustrations. The aim is to provide an introduction and overview to the issues being covered but no previous knowledge is expected.
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Course Information

Dates:
Tue 21/01/2025 -
Tue 11/02/2025
Times:
2:15pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Maldon Friends' Meeting House (Maldon)
Butt Lane
Maldon
CM9 5HD
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00021064
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.40

History: Reverend Duke and the Amesbury Oliver

 In the 1950s the author’s father, Norman Maggs, was investigating his family history in the files held at the old Public Record Office in Chancery Lane. By chance he came across evidence of a secret four-day enquiry that had taken place at the Amesbury Union Workhouse in 1844. The master had been accused of the manslaughter of one of the inmates, a crippled fifteen-year-old boy. The revelations were sensational and yet no word of the charges, the enquiry, or the outcome were ever publicised. After his father’s death, the author broadened the enquiries and wrote the book from which this talk is extracted.
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Course Information

Dates:
Tue 21/01/2025 -
Tue 21/01/2025
Times:
10:00am - 11:30am
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Christchurch United Reform Church (Chelm
164 New London Road
Chelmsford
CM2 0AW
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00021055
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £6.30

History: English canals - An advanced study

As built, canals linked towns and cities with the remote corners of the English countryside. Built largely to carry coal to fuel the Industrial Revelation, they are used today for pleasure purposes. Canals offer the opportunity to improve health and wellbeing, whether walking along the towpath or travelling along in a barge. Come and join this illustrated course where you will develop your historical / technical skills by finding and exploring a number of sources about the canals. Your tutor will guide you towards sources which provide information on the physical design of your local canal, the industry it was built to serve and the individuals who worked tirelessly to make a living. There will be a study of the Trent & Mersey, Peak Forest and Somersetshire Coal Canals, together with a review of the impact on the canals of the Napoleonic War. The course will look at some of the features of canals, such as Bridges, Tunnels, Aqueducts, Reservoirs, Gauging Docks, Weighing Machines, Gauging Stations and Winding Holes. This course is suitable for learners with a previous knowledge of the subject To note down key points, it is suggested that you bring a notebook.
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Course Information

Dates:
Tue 21/01/2025 -
Tue 25/02/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Michael Turner
Course code:
Q00016933
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
8 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.30