Annual lecture to pay tribute

Tickets are now on sale for the Lynn Town Guides’ annual fundraising lecture in memory of their founder, Diana Bullock.

The event is set to take place on Wednesday, March 28, at 7.30pm, at Lynn Town Hall.

This year’s subject is “Sir Robert Walpole and Houghton Hall” presented by BBC Radio Norfolk’s Chris Boxall, who specialises in military history and the early Georgian period, concentrating on Sir Robert Walpole.

This year’s Diana Bullock Annual Memorial Lecture is timely, being only a few days after the opening of the latest art exhibition at Houghton, which this year will feature the work of Damien Hirst.

Chris Boxall has been a guide at Houghton Hall for 23 years and specialises in military history and the early Georgian period, concentrating on Sir Robert Walpole.

He said: “To the nation he was Sir Robert Walpole, Britain’s first Prime Minister, but, to the people of Lynn he was just their ‘Bob of Lynn’.” This nickname struck a chord with Chris, it’s the title of the book that he wrote about Walpole’s life, copies of which are on sale at Houghton.

He added: “Walpole was a great politician, statesman and orator, and rogue! He was vain, ambitious and corrupt. Not a bad job description for Britain’s first Prime Minister!

Guides’ Chairman, Bob Price said: “Walpole was a remarkable statesman, not only for becoming this country’s first and longest serving Prime Minister, but for holding office for 20 years.

“He was a prolific acquirer and collector of valuable works of art, and the tradition of exhibiting high profile artists’ work at Houghton continues to this day.”

Tickets cost £7.50 each and include a glass of wine. They are available now from Lynn Tourist Information Centre in the Custom House on 01553 763044.

All proceeds from the lecture will go towards heritage and conservation organisations in Lynn.