Online Talk: Spitfire Elizabeth & the Roaring Boys
2021-04-16 11:00 - 12:00 UTC
Join us on Zoom for a new Online Talk and discover the amazing true story of Royal Canadian Air Force’s 411 Squadron!

These fearless pilots flew their Spitfires from several airfields in the South East including RAF Biggin Hill and Tangmere.
Our speaker, Nick Oram, will share with us the missions flown in the winter of 1943-44, leading up to D-Day and beyond, and will tell the personal stories of several of the Roaring Boys pilots, sharing archive footage of them discussing their experiences.
By Nick Oram
Joining the Talk
The talk will be held online on Zoom at 11am on Friday 16th April. Limited places are available.
Non-Annual Member Tickets: £4
Annual Member Tickets: Free
Book your ticket online here. One ticket per Zoom screen is required.
The Zoom joining details (ID & password) will be emailed to you shortly before the start of the talk. Please log on at 10.50am, ready for a prompt start at 11am.
During the talk, you will see and hear the speaker, but you will not be heard or seen on screen yourself. There will be the opportunity to ask questions via the Q&A function.
About Annual Membership
Annual members benefit from free access to our Online Talks and onsite Friday Morning Talks programmes, as well as unlimited access to the Museum galleries, gardens and cafe on standard open days and school holiday family activities. Annual memberships affected by the temporary closure of the Museum due to coronavirus lockdown restrictions will be extended once the Museum reopens.
Buy Annual Membership online here.
Support Bentley Priory Museum
As an independent charity, the past year of lockdown closure has had a huge impact on Bentley Priory Museum and we rely on your support to continue to safeguard and share the incredibly important story of Bentley Priory and the Battle of Britain.
If you enjoy this talk and would like to support the Museum with a donation, any amount great or small is hugely appreciated!
DONATE HERE

Online Talk: Iron Lady or Iron Chancellor? The 1981 Defence Review and the RAF Forty Years On
2021-04-30 11:00 - 12:00
Join us on Zoom for a new Online Talk and discover the impact of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s Defence policies on the RAF in the Cold War.
This talk will be presented by Dr Alastair Noble and is available to join FREE through funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

In 1979, following the election as Prime Minister of Mrs Thatcher – dubbed ‘The Iron Lady’ by Moscow – the Cold War got even colder. This was exacerbated by the election the following year of Ronald Reagan as US President.
While Mrs Thatcher talked tough on Defence and expounded the value of the Special Relationship with Washington – the British economy, enduring the new Government’s strict monetarist policies – could not cope with funding considerably increased defence spending.
This talk will consider the resultant 1981 Defence Review, undertaken by John Nott, highlighting its impact on the Royal Air Force and its Cold War capabilities.
By Dr Alastair Noble
Joining the Talk
The talk will be held online on Zoom at 11am on Friday 30th April. Limited places are available.
Book your free ticket online here. One ticket per Zoom screen is required.
The Zoom joining details (ID & password) will be emailed to you shortly before the start of the talk. Please log on at 10.50am, ready for a prompt start at 11am.
During the talk, you will see and hear the speaker, but you will not be heard or seen on screen yourself. There will be the opportunity to ask questions via the Q&A function.
About the Cold War Talks Series
Bentley Priory Museum is delighted to be running a series of online talks exploring the Cold War, to complement our current project, Bentley Priory Bunker: Defending Britain from Nazi and Nuclear Threat.
These special talks are free to all, thanks to the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund. If you enjoy the talk and would like to support the Museum with a donation, any amount great or small is hugely appreciated!
DONATE HERE
A team of volunteers have been recruited to work on the project which aims to record and share the memories of RAF, ROC and WAAF personnel who worked in the Top Secret Bunker at RAF Bentley Priory, focusing on the key historical periods of the Battle of Britain in 1940 and the Cold War from 1945 to 1991.
A temporary exhibition is running at the Museum on open days throughout 2021, and a permanent exhibition is being created – we look forward to sharing it with you soon!
Our ongoing podcast series brings to life the experiences of those who worked in the Bunker during WWII and the Cold War through fascinating oral history interviews. Please listen to the podcasts via our website here: Bunker Podcasts

Online Talk: Finding The Few
2021-05-14 11:00 - 12:00
Join us on Zoom for a new Online Talk and discover the moving tales of the missing Battle of Britain pilots and the diligent search to find them!

This talk will explore the life of a number of Battle of Britain pilots who were shot down and killed, but who remained missing for decades until diligent research and searches brought identification to them and closure to their families.
Each case represents a fascinating human story of humour, drama, love and tragedy; and each one represents a startling tale of detective work and remarkable coincidences, oft-times revealing controversy.
By Andy Saunders
Joining the Talk
The talk will be held online on Zoom at 11am on Friday 14th May. Limited places are available.
Non-Annual Member Tickets: £4
Annual Member Tickets: Free
Book your ticket online here. One ticket per Zoom screen is required.
The Zoom joining details (ID & password) will be emailed to you shortly before the start of the talk. Please log on at 10.50am, ready for a prompt start at 11am.
During the talk, you will see and hear the speaker, but you will not be heard or seen on screen yourself. There will be the opportunity to ask questions via the Q&A function.
About Annual Membership
Annual members benefit from free access to our Online Talks and onsite Friday Morning Talks programmes, as well as unlimited access to the Museum galleries, gardens and cafe on standard open days and school holiday family activities. Annual memberships affected by the temporary closure of the Museum due to coronavirus lockdown restrictions will be extended once the Museum reopens.
Buy Annual Membership online here.
Support Bentley Priory Museum
As an independent charity, the past year of lockdown closure has had a huge impact on Bentley Priory Museum and we rely on your support to continue to safeguard and share the incredibly important story of Bentley Priory and the Battle of Britain.
If you enjoy this talk and would like to support the Museum with a donation, any amount great or small is hugely appreciated!
DONATE HERE

Online Talk: Operation Black Buck 1
2021-05-28 11:00 - 12:00
Join us on Zoom for a new Online Talk and discover the story of the Vulcan raids during the Falklands War!
This talk will be presented by Sqn Ldr Bob Tuxford AFC and is available to join FREE through funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Black Buck was the code name given to the Vulcan raids against Port Stanley Airfield in East Falkland Island. Flown on the night of 30th April/1st May 1982, Black Buck 1 was the first of seven planned Vulcan raids, and established a record in the history books at the time of the longest bombing mission in the history of air warfare.
The airfield was occupied by the Argentine Military in early April 1982, and the RAF’s task was to bomb the runway and deny its use to the enemy fast jets on the Falklands, and hamper the resupply of the invasion forces.

The Vulcan bomber would need to be refuelled eight times by an outbound wave of 11 Victor K2 tankers to reach the target some 3600nm from Ascension Is. A further 7 Victors would be required to ensure the safe recovery of the bomber post strike.
The enormity of the task, and the air-to-air refuelling support required with an unfamiliar receiver led to many difficulties and changes to the original refuelling plan.
By Sqn Ldr Bob Tuxford AFC RAF Ret’d

About the Speaker
Bob Tuxford graduated from the RAF College Cranwell in 1970. His first operational tour was on No 214 Sqn on the Victor K1 three-point tanker in the air-to-air refuelling role.
Following tours in the USA and UK, flying the Victor K2 in support of the South Atlantic Operations during the Falklands War, he participated in the iconic first ‘Black Buck’ mission for which he was awarded the Air Force Cross for gallantry.
On leaving the RAF in 1987, Bob flew as a commercial pilot for Monarch Airlines, retiring in 2010 with close on 19,000 hours and 70+ types in his logbook.
In his spare time when not playing golf, he re-acquainted himself with Victor K2 XM715, and became one of its taxy pilots at the Bruntingthorpe Cold War Jet collection. Bob has also found time to write a book of his flying experiences ‘CONTACT!”, which chronicles his 20-year diverse flying career within the Royal Air Force.
Joining the Talk
The talk will be held online on Zoom at 11am on Friday 28th May. Limited places are available.
Book your free ticket online here. One ticket per Zoom screen is required.
The Zoom joining details (ID & password) will be emailed to you shortly before the start of the talk. Please log on at 10.50am, ready for a prompt start at 11am.
During the talk, you will see and hear the speaker, but you will not be heard or seen on screen yourself. There will be the opportunity to ask questions via the Q&A function.
About the Cold War Talks Series
Bentley Priory Museum is delighted to be running a series of online talks exploring the Cold War, to complement our current project, Bentley Priory Bunker: Defending Britain from Nazi and Nuclear Threat.
These special talks are free to all, thanks to the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund. If you enjoy the talk and would like to support the Museum with a donation, any amount great or small is hugely appreciated!
DONATE HERE
A team of volunteers have been recruited to work on the project which aims to record and share the memories of RAF, ROC and WAAF personnel who worked in the Top Secret Bunker at RAF Bentley Priory, focusing on the key historical periods of the Battle of Britain in 1940 and the Cold War from 1945 to 1991.
A temporary exhibition is running at the Museum on open days throughout 2021, and a permanent exhibition is being created – we look forward to sharing it with you soon!
Our ongoing podcast series brings to life the experiences of those who worked in the Bunker during WWII and the Cold War through fascinating oral history interviews. Please listen to the podcasts via our website here: Bunker Podcasts

Online Talk: Support Services to Intelligence Operations during WW2
2021-06-11 11:00 - 12:00
Join us on Zoom for a new Online Talk and discover the incredible organisations supporting intelligence operations and codebreaking during WW2!

From the women in the WRNS, to the Y-Stations and the importance of Knockholt, and from the codebreaking machines and development of Colossus, to the American assistance in secret communications, this talk will reveal the fascinating history of the vital teams providing technical and other support to intelligence operations and codebreaking during WW2.
By Ronald Koorm
Joining the Talk
The talk will be held online on Zoom at 11am on Friday 11th June. Limited places are available.
Non-Annual Member Tickets: £4
Annual Member Tickets: Free
Book your ticket online here. One ticket per Zoom screen is required.
The Zoom joining details (ID & password) will be emailed to you shortly before the start of the talk. Please log on at 10.50am, ready for a prompt start at 11am.
During the talk, you will see and hear the speaker, but you will not be heard or seen on screen yourself. There will be the opportunity to ask questions via the Q&A function.
Please note: Please ensure you have a good internet connection and bandwidth before joining the talk. Bentley Priory Museum does not accept responsibility for user-end connectivity issues (such as loss of internet or sound/video distortion).
About Annual Membership
Annual members benefit from free access to our Online Talks and onsite Friday Morning Talks programmes, as well as unlimited access to the Museum galleries, gardens and cafe on standard open days and school holiday family activities. Annual memberships affected by the temporary closure of the Museum due to coronavirus lockdown restrictions will be extended once the Museum reopens.
Buy Annual Membership online here.
Support Bentley Priory Museum
As an independent charity, the past year of lockdown closure has had a huge impact on Bentley Priory Museum and we rely on your support to continue to safeguard and share the incredibly important story of Bentley Priory and the Battle of Britain.
If you enjoy this talk and would like to support the Museum with a donation, any amount great or small is hugely appreciated!
DONATE HERE

Online Talk: The Wreck Hunter: Battle of Britain & the Blitz
2021-06-25 11:00 - 12:00
Join us on Zoom for a new Online Talk and discover the world of Battle of Britain archaeology!

As a boy living near RAF Fighter Command’s famous Biggin Hill airfield in 1940 Terry Parsons had a death-defying encounter with a hail of bullets from a low flying Dornier 17. It was this haunting experience that led him as a young man in the 1960s to begin a lifetime’s search for forgotten Spitfires, Hurricanes, Defiants, Beaufighters, Me109s, Dorniers and Heinkels which had fallen from the skies.
Now regarded as a pioneer in the field of aviation archaeology Terry has dug more than 900 RAF and Luftwaffe aircraft from the countryside and back gardens of southern England.
This illustrated talk about his inspiring and dedicated work in honour of ‘The Few’ and ‘The Many’ is presented by Melody Foreman MCIJ – author of ‘The Wreck Hunter’ – Terry’s compelling and heart-felt story of discovery and revelation.
The audience will learn how artefacts recovered from crash sites are major historical and significant reminders of an airborne conflict easily on a scale of importance as Trafalgar or Waterloo. For example we find out how a bent machine gun from the wreck of Oblt Lt Ulrich Steinhilper’s Me109, a piece of shattered perspex from Pilot Officer George Corbett’s Spitfire, or even a shoe once belonging to Polish fighter ace Marian Pisarek found in a crumpled Hurricane cockpit, all offer us striking evidence of the personal and most significant stories of the aircrews of 1940.
Loaded with social history, compelling stories, and full of rare and exclusive interviews with the families of the pilots, the talk will also include tales of the heartening times when several members of ‘The Few’ joined Terry on a dig to help find the Spitfire or Hurricane they had perilously baled out of during the heat of the Battle. Among them were the awesome and much missed Squadron Leader Tony Pickering and Group Captain Tom Gleave CBE – archivist of the Battle of Britain Memorial and founding member of The Guinea Pig Club.
By Melody Foreman
Joining the Talk
The talk will be held online on Zoom at 11am on Friday 25th June. Limited places are available.
Non-Annual Member Tickets: £4
Annual Member Tickets: Free
Book your ticket online here. One ticket per Zoom screen is required.
The Zoom joining details (ID & password) will be emailed to you shortly before the start of the talk. Please log on at 10.50am, ready for a prompt start at 11am.
During the talk, you will see and hear the speaker, but you will not be heard or seen on screen yourself. There will be the opportunity to ask questions via the Q&A function.
Please note: Please ensure you have a good internet connection and bandwidth before joining the talk. Bentley Priory Museum does not accept responsibility for user-end connectivity issues (such as loss of internet or sound/video distortion).
About Annual Membership
Annual members benefit from free access to our Online Talks and onsite Friday Morning Talks programmes, as well as unlimited access to the Museum galleries, gardens and cafe on standard open days and school holiday family activities. Annual memberships affected by the temporary closure of the Museum due to coronavirus lockdown restrictions will be extended once the Museum reopens.
Buy Annual Membership online here.
Support Bentley Priory Museum
As an independent charity, the past year of lockdown closure has had a huge impact on Bentley Priory Museum and we rely on your support to continue to safeguard and share the incredibly important story of Bentley Priory and the Battle of Britain.
If you enjoy this talk and would like to support the Museum with a donation, any amount great or small is hugely appreciated!
DONATE HERE

Online Talk: Sir Archibald McIndoe, Pioneering Plastic Surgeon & the Guinea Pig Club
2021-07-09 11:00 - 12:00
Join us on Zoom for a new Online Talk and discover the fascinating story of Sir Archibald McIndoe and the Guinea Pig Club!

Sir Archibald McIndoe was based at the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, during WWII.
An eminent plastic surgeon, he pioneered techniques in plastic surgery, rebuilding the bodies of the airmen who had suffered horrific burns. These men formed a club called the Guinea Pig Club and their story is commemorated in an exhibition at East Grinstead Museum.
McIndoe not only rebuilt the airmen’s bodies but gave them hope and helped them heal mentally. The town of East Grinstead played its part by welcoming these men and taking the recovering airmen to their hearts, becoming known as “The town that didn’t stare”.
Alex Sewell is a volunteer speaker on behalf of East Grinstead Museum. His talk brings the McIndoe story alive through a fascinating selection of photos and audio clips.
Please note: some images in this talk depict people with burn and surgical injuries which may be distressing.
By Alex Sewell
Joining the Talk
The talk will be held online on Zoom at 11am on Friday 9th July. Limited places are available.
Non-Annual Member Tickets: £4
Annual Member Tickets: Free
Book your ticket online here. One ticket per Zoom screen is required.
The Zoom joining details (ID & password) will be emailed to you shortly before the start of the talk. Please log on at 10.50am, ready for a prompt start at 11am.
During the talk, you will see and hear the speaker, but you will not be heard or seen on screen yourself. There will be the opportunity to ask questions via the Q&A function.
Please note: Please ensure you have a good internet connection and bandwidth before joining the talk. Bentley Priory Museum does not accept responsibility for user-end connectivity issues (such as loss of internet or sound/video distortion).
About Annual Membership
Annual members benefit from free access to our Online Talks and onsite Friday Morning Talks programmes, as well as unlimited access to the Museum galleries, gardens and cafe on standard open days and school holiday family activities.
Buy Annual Membership online here.
Support Bentley Priory Museum
As an independent charity, the past year of lockdown closure has had a huge impact on Bentley Priory Museum and we rely on your support to continue to safeguard and share the incredibly important story of Bentley Priory and the Battle of Britain.
If you enjoy this talk and would like to support the Museum with a donation, any amount great or small is hugely appreciated!
DONATE HERE

Summer Holidays: Operation Secret Garden
2021-07-10 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-07-14 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-07-16 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-07-17 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-07-21 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-07-23 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-07-24 10:00 - 17:00, 2021-07-28 10:00 - 17:00 and 10 more dates
Put your spy skills to the test and join us for some code breaking fun!

Collect your Operation Secret Garden pack from Reception upon entry to the Museum and crack the codes whilst you explore our outdoor spaces.

Available all day on Museum open days between Saturday 10 July – Saturday 4 September 2021.

Included in Museum Admission or Annual Membership.

PLEASE NOTE: Admission to the museum must still be booked in advance. You can book your tickets here: https://buff.ly/3tFSkFF

Summertime Sketching Workshop with Artist Alexandra Veres
2021-07-14 11:00 - 13:00
Join us for a hands on pencil sketch workshop with local artist Alexandra Veres!
You will learn lots of tips and tricks to develop your skills through sketching the beautiful Mansion House and Italian Gardens at Bentley Priory Museum!
All art abilities welcome, from beginner to expert.
Tickets
£15 Workshop only
£20 Workshop & Museum admission
All tickets include a free tea/coffee & cake in the Museum’s vintage cafe after the workshop!
Book online here.
Please bring with you:

A couple of pencils, preferably one soft and one hard (e.g. a 4B and an HB)
A sketchpad with a hard back
A non-smearing rubber
A sharpener
(Optional) A ruler

Friday Morning Talks: Memoirs of a Cold War USAF Fighter Pilot
2021-07-30 11:00 - 15:00
FROM F-4 PHANTOM TO A-10 WARTHOG
Join us for our Friday Morning Talk by speaker Steve Ladd, who will share his experiences in the US Air Force flying the F-4 Phantom and A-10 Warthog.
Colonel Steve Ladd, DFC, MSc, BSc was a career USAF officer, fighter pilot and commander for 28 years. During his career, he amassed over 4400 hours’ flying time, equally split between the F-4 Phantom and the A-10 Warthog.
His Phantom credential includes over 400 hours (204 missions) of combat experience over North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
His presentation will be based on his memoirs, covering the following broad topics:
• Absorbing analysis of fighter pilots, their culture and ethos presented by a long-standing member of the fraternity
• Compelling account of a career spanning four decades, well-defined by the author’s personal anecdotes
• Enjoyable, fast moving commentary, bridging the gap between the amusing and whimsical and the crucial and dangerous
• Global perspectives from Southeast Asia, the USA, Europe and the Middle East
By Steve Ladd
Please note: This talk will take place onsite in the Museum’s Learning Centre. To ensure visitor safety, we will be operating a limited seating capacity. This talk will therefore take place at 11am-12pm and again at 2pm-3pm; please book your desired timeslot via the link below.
Included in Museum admission or Annual Membership. Advance booking required – please reserve your seat via the link below and present your membership card or purchase admission on the day at Reception.
Reserve Your Place

National Play Day 2021
2021-08-04 10:00 - 17:00
Special National Play Day Offer:
All Children 6-16 are FREE
Make the most of National Play Day with free admission for all children aged 16 and under.
On 4th August we are inviting all children under 16 years to come to Bentley Priory Museum for FREE, enjoy the beautiful surroundings of our Georgian Mansion House that was HQ Fighter Command during WWII and have fun!
In addition to our summer holiday Operation Secret Garden code-breaking trail, children can join in a special, one-off craft activity, available between 11am – 3pm:
Make Your Own Flying Goggles
Create your own pilot’s flying goggles! How will you decorate them?
Once you’re finished, why not pop them on & have a go at sitting in our Spitfire cockpit?
PLEASE NOTE: Admission to the Museum must still be booked in advance. Please select the ‘National Play Day Free Child (16yr & Under)’ option to book a free ticket for children up to 16 years of age. Standard admission rates apply to visitors aged over 16 years.
Book online here.

Online Talk: My Cold War - Fighters and Lots More
2021-08-13 11:00 - 12:00
Join us on Zoom for a new Online Talk and hear the first hand account of Air Marshal Cliff Spink’s experiences as a Cold War pilot and commander!
This talk will be presented by AM Cliff Spink and is available to join FREE through funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

In this exciting new talk, AM Cliff Spink will talk about his experiences as a pilot and commander during his time in the RAF in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.
He flew operationally in the Lightning, Phantom and Tornado and rose to command 11/18 Group which included all of the Air Defence and Maritime Air assets in the UK. In addition to his duties as AOC 11/18Gp he was Commander Maritime Air Forces Eastern Atlantic.
By Air Marshal (Ret’d) Cliff Spink

Joining the Talk
The talk will be held online on Zoom at 11am on Friday 13th August. Limited places are available.
Book your free ticket online here. One ticket per Zoom screen is required.
The Zoom joining details (ID & password) will be emailed to you shortly before the start of the talk. Please log on at 10.50am, ready for a prompt start at 11am.
During the talk, you will see and hear the speaker, but you will not be heard or seen on screen yourself. There will be the opportunity to ask questions via the Q&A function.
Please note: Please ensure you have a good internet connection and bandwidth before joining the talk. Bentley Priory Museum does not accept responsibility for user-end connectivity issues (such as loss of internet or sound/video distortion).
About the Cold War Talks Series
Bentley Priory Museum is delighted to be running a series of online talks exploring the Cold War, to complement our current project, Bentley Priory Bunker: Defending Britain from Nazi and Nuclear Threat.
These special talks are free to all, thanks to the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund. If you enjoy the talk and would like to support the Museum with a donation, any amount great or small is hugely appreciated!
DONATE HERE
A team of volunteers have been recruited to work on the project which aims to record and share the memories of RAF, ROC and WAAF personnel who worked in the Top Secret Bunker at RAF Bentley Priory, focusing on the key historical periods of the Battle of Britain in 1940 and the Cold War from 1945 to 1991.
A temporary exhibition is running at the Museum on open days throughout 2021, and a permanent exhibition was launched in May 2021!
Our ongoing podcast series brings to life the experiences of those who worked in the Bunker during WWII and the Cold War through fascinating oral history interviews. Please listen to the podcasts via our website here: Bunker Podcasts

Summer Afternoon Tea
2021-08-14 12:00 - 15:00
Treat yourself to a sumptuous afternoon tea served on dainty vintage crockery in the Museum’s beautiful cafe.
Indulge in a variety of delicious sandwiches, scones served with fresh clotted cream and strawberry jam and a mouthwatering selection of patisseries!
Advance booking required by Tuesday 10th August.
Prices
Afternoon Tea only: £16.95
Afternoon Tea with a glass of summer fizz: £21.95
Afternoon Tea with Museum Admission: £21.95
Afternoon Tea with a glass of summer fizz and Museum Admission: £26.95
Please note: Summer fizz contains alcohol.
Book online here.
For any dietary requirements, please contact us at groupbookings@bentleypriorymuseum.org.uk.
