Come and visit Boston in Lincolnshire and meet our authors at our second history book festival.
7th and 8th June 2025
Booking through www.blackfriarsartscentre.co.uk
Disabled access to both venues.
Refreshments available at Fydell House. Buy tickets for 3 events per person on one day and get a voucher for £5.50 towards refreshments – issued on arrival.
Saturday 7th June – Venue Boston Guildhall
| 10 – 11am plus book signing £13.00 | Sunday Times best- selling author Alison Weir | Alison’s new book ‘The Cardinal’ is to be published on 22nd May 2025. ‘This is a Wolsey as you’ve never seen him before’. In her talk she will discuss the many faces of Thomas Wolsey, his incredible rise and tragic fall and reveal a tale of power, passion and ambition. |
| 11.30am – 12.30pm plus book signing £10.00 | A member of the acclaimed Tudor Players and co-founder of the Tudor Times website Melita Thomas | Melita’s book 1000 Tudor people was published in March 2024. ‘This meticulously researched book looks at the incredible lives of 1000 Tudor individuals from all walks of life.’ Come and find out more about the lives of some of these fascinating characters. |
| 1.30 – 2.30pm plus book signing £10.00 | British architectural historian, broadcaster, artist and advocate for heritage sites Jonathan Foyle | Lincoln Cathedral is a favourite topic for Jonathan and his book on the subject is written as a biography as, in his words, ‘it always seemed a queen to me’. Come and find out more about this gem in our County. |
| 3 – 4pm with book signing £5.00 | Lincolnshire born and Cambridge educated historian and author Adrian Gray | The Lincolnshire gentry have long proved that they are ‘no better than anyone else’ through a succession of scandals. Come and find out more! |
Sunday 8th June – Venue Fydell House
| 10 – 11am plus book signing £5.00 | Local author Adam Cartwright | Batemans Brewery marked its 150th anniversary in 2024. Adam was allowed access to their historical records – dusty ledgers, invoices and letters which revealed a range of opinions, arguments, gambles and more. This talk will reveal how 5 generations of the same family combined to maintain the firm’s independence in the face of major challenges which threatened to end the business. |
| 11.30am – 12.30pm £5.00 | Senior Fellow of the University of Lincoln and Editor of the Lincoln Record Nicholas Bennett | Arthur Hopkins arrived in November 1942 as the newly appointed vicar of St Thomas’ church. He was already writing a diary for the social research organisation Mass Observation and continued to do so recording conversations, prices, books, weddings, funerals, visits to public houses and, of course, to the Wednesday market. This talk will provide a fascinating insight into Boston during the War. |
| 1.30 – 2.30pm £5.00 | Associate Professor of Creative Writing and Modern and Contemporary Literature at Nottingham Trent University Rory Waterman and Anna Milon Post-Graduate Research Assistant with Alison Brackenbury, Robert Etty, John Gallas and Alex Harvey | Rory and Anna Milon’s book ‘Lincolnshire Folk Tales Reimagined’ will be published in February 2025. This anthology of reimagined local folk tales or stories and poems that derive from local folk tales provide a rich history of the county and will be brought to life by Rory, Anna and the readers. |
| 3 – 4pm £5.00 | Professional Writer and National Journalist Rosanna McGlone | Feisty Females: Writing Lincolnshire’s Women Join Rosanna as she discusses the principles behind her book of medieval short stories, the meaning of authenticity and how important the truth is. Come and hear about Nicholaa de la Haye and Alice de Lacy and learn how Rosanna used the source materials. |