Thinking Thursdays: Walking Tour with Dr Cheryl Butler – Departures & Decline

Thinking Thursdays is a weekday initiative from Southampton City Council Cultural Services, exploring the rich history and heritage of the town. Each session is different, but it could be a talk, tour or something entirely different!Stuart Southampton saw Southampton spiral downwards, it suffered plague, the collapse of the wool trade, threat of foreign attack and civil war. It was a leading port for the Great Migration, local merchants developed plantations in the West Indies, new crops flooded into the port including whale oil and tobacco but local mariners could find themselves captured and taken off to become ‘Turkey slaves’. Others were shipwrecked and inspired plays like The Tempest. Join us for a trip around a most tempestuous time in the town’s long history.This walk is presented as part of the University of Southampton AHRC project: Maritime Communities c1588-c1775.Please meet in St Michael’s Square about ten minutes before the tour is due to start. Regrettably this tour is not suitable for people with mobility concerns. This tour may be cancelled or postponed at short notice in bad weather.Our prices are based on helping as many people to access our sessions as possible. The more you choose to pay, the more people will be able to come and enjoy the same excellent programme of informative and entertaining activities. We thank you for any additional support you are able to offer us.CANCELLATIONSIn the unlikely event of our having to cancel a session, we will offer a full refund. Unfortunately tickets are otherwise non-refundable. Please contact us if you wish to transfer your ticket to a friend if you cannot attend for any reason.