Tavira

Algarve History Association

The Algarve History Association (AHA) aims to promote interest in Portuguese culture and history using the English language as the main medium. There is an increasing number of non-Anglophones at Association presentations, and the Association seeks to widen its language base.  The organisation is non-profit making and presentations are made on a voluntary basis. The Association charges no membership fee, nor is there is any charge to attend presentations, although there is provision for voluntary monetary donations to cover the costs of managing the Association and to contribute towards the expenses of guest speakers. The organisers of the Association keep in touch with members by email, and use email to make potential attenders aware of future events.  Events sponsored by the Association are open to all members of the public; and any member of the public with an interest and an ability to present their specialist cultural or historical knowledge may contact us to participate in the annual programme, which runs from September to June inclusive.

Peter Booker

peter booker

Peter Booker was a Foundation Exhibitioner at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he obtained his degree in Modern History and he also has an MBA from the Open University.  He took a break from history with his 30 year career as a Human Resource Manager with the National Coal Board, latterly British Coal.  Peter has given over 200 lectures, regularly in Tavira and Lagoa and occasionally in São Brás, Elvas, Lisbon, Porto, Hedingham Castle and the Cavalry and Guards Club in London.

Lynne Booker

lynne booker

Lynne has a BA in Geography, M Ed in Education Management, MA in Psychology and Counselling, and a PGCE.   In her last job as Headteacher in a community secondary school, she also managed an EU funded project for cultural, economic and social regeneration.  Here in the Algarve, she spent three years establishing the Amigos do Museu do Trajo Algarvio in São Brás.  Since then she has been writing articles on history and managing the Algarve History Association.

Upcoming Events

History Talks

The talk this month of October covers Famous Algarvians.  There are some people who became famous after being born in the Algarve, and others who achieved fame when they were in the Algarve, and whose legacy is important to this day.  This lecture will cover sixteen famous Algarvian born people, and after a discussion of the Pantheons of Portugal will cover a number of other people, of Portuguese and other nationalities, who have contributed to make the Algarve what it is today.

This presentation will take place in the Municipal Library in Tavira at 11:00 on Friday 27 October; and in the Municipal Library in Lagoa at 18:00 on Tuesday 31 October.

The talks of November and December will answer a need expressed by one of our members, who asked for a survey of the Royal Houses of Portugal, taking especial note of those monarchs who have become famous in Portuguese and international history.  By this means, I hope that members will become more securely grounded in the development of Portugal from a small breakaway Iberian kingdom in 1140, to one of the world´s first imperial powers in the fifteenth century, to a notable resistor to the imperial ambitions of Napoleon Bonaparte and latterly to one of Europe´s first republics.

We generally arrange a lunch after the talks in Tavira.  If you wish to join Lynne and me at Jorge and Lia, please let me know beforehand, so that I can inform them of numbers.

Concert Event

Those members who attend our concert series will be aware that Alex Stewart (Concert Master – Leader) of the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa will be presenting at our next event.  This event will not be a concert as such, but a history of the violin narrated by Alex and illustrated on the violin by Regina Stewart, who is also an orchestral player.  Each of them is a gifted violinist, and Alex is also a witty raconteur of some fame.  This event will be in English and promises to be both historically and artistically interesting, as well as indicating the daily life difficulties experienced by performers in Portugal´s orchestras. 

This event will take place on Friday 8th December (the national holiday of the Immaculate Conception) at 16h00 at Quintinha da Música.  The tickets cost €25 are available from Peter at peterbooker1347@gmail.com.

Peter

President,  Algarve History Association

Subscribe to receive our regular newsletters & bulletins