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LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
Greetings and welcome to our November Newsletter!
ATTENTION to all members who were members of the Barrow Youth Council between 1957 and 1979. The University of Oxford is running a research project and would like to hear from anyone who was a member for interview, online or locally. If so, please contact helen.sunderland@history.ox.ac.uk . It sounds very interesting and a bit of fun!
As usual at this time of the year, I have had my flu jab. Apparently I am too young for the Covid booster (75+), but it gives me something to look forward to next year! Both are FREE, so please consider protecting yourselves this winter.
Finally, don’t forget we have our Christmas Social on Tuesday, December 9th. Fun and food. Tickets sell quickly.
See all you soon,
Richard Lewis Chair Furness u3a
Furness u3a Christmas Social on 9th December
Yes: the annual u3a Christmas Social is fast approaching!!!
Join us on Tuesday 9th December, from 1.00pm, for our festive get-together!!
As well as enjoying festive food and drink, we will be entertained by the Furness Bach Choir, and our intrepid quizmaster, Tim Melville, will challenge us with brainteasers in our annual quiz.
Despite prices going up all around us, tickets have been held at £12.00 a head, the same as last year!
To buy a ticket, simply come to the Furness u3a Monthly Meeting on Tuesday 11th November. The ticket desk will be open before and after the talk. This year, thanks to our new card reader, you can pay by credit or debit card, and of course cash or cheques will also be welcome.
If you can't get to the Monthly Meeting on 11th November, please note that Christmas Social tickets will also be on sale at the u3a Coffee Morning in the Coro on 13th November.
Each month, the Coro in Ulverston hosts a coffee morning in aid of a local charity. In November, the chosen charity is Furness u3a!
Please support us by dropping in from 9.30 to 12 noon. There is no entry charge. Inside the hall, you will be able to buy the usual range of tea, coffee, cakes and so on, AND have a chance to find out more about your u3a. At the time of writing over 15 u3a Groups had already volunteered to take part, so come along, find what your fellow u3a members have been up to, and, perhaps, join one or more new groups!
Like all Coro Coffee Mornings, the event is open to everyone, so invite your friends who are not u3a members to come along as well. If they are inspired to join our u3a, they will find Committee members on hand to explain more about us, and our Membership Secretary will be there to sign up new members.
This will also be an opportunity to buy Christmas Social tickets if you weren't able to at the monthly meeting.
See you on 13th November!
If you have any queries about the event, please email Neil McLaughlin Cook, via secretary@furnessu3a.org.
As the pictures illustrate, this year’s Silver Sunday event at the Coronation Hall on 19th October was another success. The attendance was better than ever, despite the dreadful weather outside!
Many thanks to: the String Chickens, Folk Club and Uke Troupe for their great performances on stage; the English Country Dancing Group for teaching us country dances; the Craft and Drawing Groups for their stalls, including displaying the u3a Poppy Wreath; and the Digital Photography Group for a great series of photos displayed on the big screen throughout the afternoon. Eagle-eyed guests might also have seen u3a members in other roles, including running the handbell stall, serving as Coronation Hall stewards, and acting as compere. We even signed up some new members!
If your u3a Group would like to get involved next year, please email Neil McLaughlin Cook, via secretary@furnessu3a.org.
GROUP NEWS
INDUSTRIAL HISTORY
Industrial History Group meeting, Great Grandad’s Army; Rifle Ranges of the Lake District, on Thursday 23rd October 2025
We had a disappointing turn out for the last talk of 2025. Those who were able to attend enjoyed an excellent, illustrated talk by Kevin Grice, on “Great Grandad’s Army; Rifle Ranges of the Lake District”. Kevin was a member of a group from Lake District Archaeology Volunteer Network who, in 2015, surveyed eighteen mid-nineteenth century, military rifle ranges in the Lake District.
His talk concentrated on the Silver How range situated above Grasmere, on the lower slopes of Silver How. The large, cast-iron targets and the remains of a stone, target marker’s hut can be seen near the footpath from Grasmere to Langdale. This range was in use from 1859 to about 1950, a period covering the Second Boer War and the 1st and 2nd World Wars.
Tensions with France and concerns over wider European conflict in the late 1850s saw the creation in 1859 of the Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVC). The response was amazing. More than 180,000 volunteers signed up in the first few months. The men were expected to do 24 days of drill, exercise and shooting practice every year. The Government started a programme of range building throughout the country. The ranges at Silver How were last used by the Home Guard in the late 1940s or early 1950s.
Ranges consisted of raised firing platforms set up 300 and 800 yards from the targets in the distant fellside. The early targets were made of painted, inch thick cast- iron. Bullets shattered on impact or ricocheted from these bullet-proof slabs. Target markers had a dangerous job and would take shelter in small stone or wooden huts near the targets. The metal targets were eventually replaced by penetrative ones erected on sash window-type hoists. The iron ones were then used reinforce shelters for the target marker and hoist operator. Discipline was strict, and only one fatality was recorded.
Our group is planning to visit the Silver How range, or one nearer to Ulverston, next year.
Barbara Green
QUESTERS
The October visit for the Questers was to Pure Lakes Toiletries factory, a fascinating business run by a husband and wife team and built on land bequeathed to them by their Grandmother, a family company all round. Questers enjoyed trying to work out the constituents of the essential oils and a wander around the factory where we were made so welcome by all the workers there. Everything is done by hand and as the name implies the products are all totally free of any nasty additives. Purchases were made by many of us at the end of the trip and our thanks go to Christine Stuart-Woodburn and Hazel Smith for organising this for us.
In November, Sheila Bull is organising a tour and possibly a taste at the Ulverston Brewery, home of the Laurel and Hardy themed beers and situated in the old auction mart building. We will be having a talk about the brewery and a look around followed by a lunch at the Honeysuckle Cafe in Ulverston. Sheila is already taking names and needs to know who will be attending by the November meeting at the absolute latest. Thank you Sheila for taking this on.
Sue Wibley
Please see the Questers Group page for details, or contact Tim Evans or Sue Whibley
WORLD HISTORY
Exploring German History: Religion and Social Upheaval
The Evolution of Religion in Germany
The October meeting delved deeply into the complex evolution of religion in Germany, tracing its development from ancient Pagan traditions to the rise and dominance of Christianity. Paganism, with its rich tapestry of deities and rituals, once formed the spiritual backbone of German society. However, the religious landscape underwent a dramatic transformation with the advent of Christianity, which gradually supplanted earlier beliefs.
A central focus of the session was the transformative impact of the Protestant Reformation, a watershed moment in both religious and social history, initiated by Martin Luther, a German monk. In 1517, Luther famously posted his 95 Theses, openly challenging the authority and practices of the Catholic Church. The rapid dissemination of his revolutionary ideas was made possible by the recent invention of the printing press, enabling them to reach a wide audience.
At the core of Luther’s doctrine lay the conviction that salvation was attainable through faith alone, rather than through good works or financial contributions to the church. He further insisted that the Bible should be translated into the vernacular, allowing ordinary people to engage with scripture directly, rather than limiting access to the clergy through Latin.
In parallel to Luther’s movement, John Calvin, a French theologian, led what became known as Calvinism. The emergence of these reformist currents resulted in significant religious divisions, which not only altered spiritual life but also contributed to political fragmentation across the German states. Princes and nobles found themselves choosing between Lutheranism and Calvinism, leading to deep rifts and prolonged conflict between Roman Catholics and Protestants. This era of turmoil was eventually brought to a close by the Peace of Passau, an agreement that formally recognised Lutheranism and granted each German ruler the authority to determine the official religion of their state.
Social Change and the German Peasants’ War
The meeting then shifted focus to the German Peasants’ War of 1524–1525, a pivotal yet brief conflict that carried significant social consequences. At this time, German society was rigidly structured under the feudal system, with kings and princes at the top, peasants at the base, and various groups in between, including lesser nobles, knights, the clergy, and the urban population—each with their own internal hierarchies.
The sixteenth century marked a period of dramatic change, fuelled by rapid urban development, the spread of Protestant ideas, and agricultural innovation. New concepts began to take root, suggesting that people in the lower social classes could aspire to better conditions. This period saw the emergence of three key groups: the Catholic Reactionary Group, who sought to preserve traditional feudal structures; the Lutheran Bourgeois Reformist Group, who advocated for moderate reform; and the Revolutionary Group, who demanded fundamental transformation and greater freedom.
Origins and Course of the Revolt
The German Peasants’ Revolt erupted in the Black Forest in 1524, as peasants—faced with the harsh realities of serfdom—rose up in protest, inspired by what they called ‘righteous wrath’. Monasteries and castles became targets of attack and arson, causing consternation among the established lords and clergy. By 1525, three major peasant groups, each comprising several thousand members and including some sympathetic clergy and townspeople, had coalesced. Despite their numbers, the peasants were ill-equipped for open battle, relying mainly on basic agricultural tools against the professional armies of the nobility.
Although the groups found it difficult to unify their demands, they eventually presented the Twelve Articles to the feudal authorities, known as the Swabian League. These Articles are recognised as the earliest formulation of human rights and civil liberties in continental Europe since Roman times and represent the first constituent assembly on German soil. The demands included the abolition of serfdom, the restoration of hunting rights and forests for the poor, the reduction of excessive compulsory labour, and the fair administration of justice according to established laws.
While some reformers interpreted the revolt as a divinely inspired quest for justice, Martin Luther himself denounced the uprising and called upon the princes to suppress it. The authorities responded with force, leading to decisive battles such as Frankenhausen, where the ill-prepared and disorganised peasants were defeated, and thousands were massacred. The failure of the rebellion resulted in even harsher repression and further consolidation of the power held by local rulers and nobility.
Conclusion: The Legacy of the German Peasants’ War
In conclusion, the German Peasants’ War represented a convergence of social and spiritual unrest, highlighting the volatile mix of economic inequality, political power, and religious reform that characterised sixteenth-century Europe.
Our exploration of German history will continue with an examination of the Thirty Years War, a conflict so devastating that it led to the loss of a third of the German population through war, famine, or disease.
Harry Knowles
If you would like to join us, please contact Rosie Kyles
FOLK GROUP
The Folk Club performed at the Silver Sunday event held at the Coronation Hall, Ulverston. We were given a half hour slot and first up was our very own trio The Antiques Folk Show who performed Don't Think Twice a Bob Dylan classic, followed by Scarborough Fair a favourite of Simon and Garfunkel and then Peaceful Easy Feeling by the Eagles.
Next up, something very different Gill on harp and Lindsay on Ukulele performing a Scottish Traditional song called Dark Island, then Lindsay singing Caledonian a song by Dougie Maclean and accompanied by Gill on harp and then a harp solo The Arran Boat Song arranged for harp by Amy Morar. We then had Lynne on melodeon, Charmian on ukulele and Keith on rhythm guitar playing the tune for Fiddler's Green, a traditional Irish song.
More members of the Folk Club then came on to the stage and we finished off with the rousing tune of Wild Rover. I hope the audience enjoyed it - we certainly did.
Lynne Davies
VISITING GARDENS
This month saw the last outing of the Visiting Gardens group for this year and marked the occasion of Diane Hill's retirement from leading the group. A presentation was made to Diane to thank her for all her tremendous hard work and organisation that has gone into her twenty year stint as leader. We now look forward to her relaxing and taking a back seat in the group as we move forward under our new leaders.
Sue Whibley
Were you a member of Barrow Youth Council 1957 - 1979 ?
Furness U3A has been sent this invitation to pass on to our members...
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS to take part in a history project on youth councils in Britain from the 1950s to the 1970s. We would like to hear from individuals who were members of Barrow Youth Council between 1957 and 1979.
If you are interested and would like more information, please contact Dr Helen Sunderland at the University of Oxford Faculty of History at helen.sunderland@history.ox.ac.uk
If you are selected and agree to take part, you will be invited to participate in a recorded interview either online, at your home or at another agreed location. The interview is expected to take between 1 and 2 hours.
The interviewer will ask questions about your experiences of being on the youth council and what your role was. They will ask questions about your school, family life, work, politics and what impact, if any, being on the youth council has had on your adult life.
Thank you!
Dr Helen Sunderland
Relevant project information:
University of Oxford Ethics Approval Reference: 1934055
Project Title: Practising Democracy: Youth Councils and Parliaments in Modern Britain
SOME OTHER SOURCES OF WIDER U3A NEWS
There are several places where you can catch up on U3A news from further afield.
There is a U3A Friends Group who send out a regular newsletter. You can see the October edition here, and if you would like to subscribe there is a link at the bottom of their newsletter.
There is a U3A YouTube channel U3A
The North West Region of the U3A have their own website, and a quarterly newsletter. Their November '25 - January '26 Newsletter is here.