Photo: Alan Murray-Rust / Hansom Hall, Belvoir Street / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Annual Members' Meeting, which is only open to members of the Lit&Phil, will be followed by a social break and a talk about the history and background of Hansom Hall. Please note the event will start at 6:40 PM The meeting will NOT be available by Zoom.

The Annual Members' Meeting is an opportunity to hear about, and discuss, the Society’s business including its finances, plans for the 2024/25 season, website developments, publicity and any other matters which members wish to raise.

After a social break there will be a talk by Mr Neil Crutchley, former Leicester Mercury journalist and an authority on Victorian Leicester. His topic will be Hansom Hall, the building in which we will be meeting this season. It has been a Leicester landmark since 1845. He will describe the history and background of the Belvoir Street (Pork Pie) Chapel 1845 – 1940 and the remarkable personalities involved in its 95 years as a Baptist place of worship.

After a social break there will be a talk by Mr Neil Crutchley, former Leicester Mercury journalist and an authority on Victorian Leicester. His topic will be Hansom Hall, the building in which we will be meeting this season. It has been a Leicester landmark since 1845. He will describe the history and background of the Belvoir Street (Pork Pie) Chapel 1845 – 1940 and the remarkable personalities involved in its 95 years as a Baptist place of worship.

Mr Crutchley was the Leicester Mercury’s music critic and features writer from 1984-2012 and a researcher and writer for the paper’s “Mr. Leicester” local history page from 2000 to 2018. He was also a lecturer in music appreciation at the Leicester College of Adult Education and a member of staff of the Goldsmith Music and drama Library from 1972-1997. Author of: Leicester Symphony Orchestra – The first 90 years (2013) and A History The Belvoir Street Chapel, Leicester (2014). President of the Leicester Music Society and until February this year, joint Chairman of the Leicester Group of the Victorian Society