Events
FCS PROGRAMME OF TALKS & ACTIVITIES
2026
FCS PROGRAMME OF EVENING TALKS 2026
All evening talks are held at the Formby Methodist Church Hall (parking available) starting at 7.30 p.m.
Thursday 5th November
The Southport Lifeboat – Andrew Greenyer
Andrew’s presentation will cover:
History of the Lifeboat Service in Southport
The Mexico Disaster – December 1886
The RNLI leaving the Sefton Coast – 1926
Start of the new Southport Offshore Rescue Trust – 1988
Current Operational Capabilities
Thursday 3rd December
Christmas Concert & Formby Methodist Church
A non-denominational programme of carols and some examples of celebrating Christmas from other countries around the world including Hungary, Zimbabwe, Colombia, Italy and Spain – with the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Australia also in the pipeline.
The Concert will be open to everyone.
FCS WINTER PROGRAMME OF TALKS 2027
Thursday 4th February 2027
‘Curiosities and Amazing Tales of Liverpool’ – Ken Pye
Ken Pye is a well-known author, broadcaster and speaker for local societies. He manages his own Local History company ‘Discover Liverpool’ and has recently published his latest book, ‘Quirky Liverpool’.
Thursday 4th March
‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ – John Coventry
John is a lively and well-respected local speaker who will join FCS for the first time on this occasion.
‘Into the Mouth of Hell – the Charge of the Light Brigade’
The Charge of the Light Brigade…the most magnificent blunder in military history. What led a British cavalry force into the jaws of death, into the mouth of hell, charging full tilt at a battery of Russian guns? In this compelling presentation, the bravery, the blunders, and the appalling aftermath of the Charge are all laid out for inspection.
Thursday 1st April
‘The Liverpool-Southport Railway’ – Bernard Nevin
Bernard is well-known to FCS members for his various talks and involvements. He has only recently researched this topic for the Civic Society.
In1848 a group of pioneering businessmen decided that the villages bordering the Lancashire coast would benefit from a new-fangled railway, linking Waterloo with Southport. They acquired land from the estate owners and within 2 years steam locomotives were providing the transport system that would revolutionise the area and bring dramatic change to the entire region. The line would eventually extend towards Liverpool and steam would give way to one of the first electrified railways in the world, with it’s First, Second- and Third-Class coaches. Workers, shoppers and schoolchildren would come to rely on the railway as their primary means of travel but this was not without tragedy and deaths.
Lord Beeching considered closing the railway during his sweeping cuts of the 1960s. Having survived, the line now forms part of Merseyrail, one of Britain’s most reliable rail networks. Illustrated with photographs and stories of its stations, this presentation tells the story of the Shrimper’s Line, as it was known when first built.
Thursday 6th May
Annual General Meeting
Following the formal proceedings there will be a set of smaller presentations on local people from the past by some FCS members.
Local Walks
There are 4 local walks in formby which can be viewed by clicking HERE