Something that makes SUES particularly special is our series of courses. This year we are offering four courses; these vary in length between five and nine sessions. Sessions are on Mondays from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at All Saints Church Hall. We also hope to run a short science-based course sometime in April and May 2026.
The course fee is based on the number of sessions and ranges from £25 for a five-session course to £45 for a nine-session course. Refreshments (tea/coffee/biscuits) are included in the fee.
No prior knowledge of the topic is required and the sessions are informal, with the opportunity for questions, discussion and contributions. Lecturers make extensive use of illustrations, using PowerPoint and digital technology.
How to Enrol
SUES Members may enrol on a course at any time up to seven days before the first lecture. Please complete the Enrolment Form, indicating which courses you wish to attend, and how you wish to pay. Bank transfer is our preferred method of payment as it does not incur bank charges. If you are unable to use bank transfer, SUES can accept payment by cheque. Please do not send cash.
If you wish to pay by cheque, or if you have any difficulties or questions about enrolment on a course, please contact the Membership Secretary, whose details are on the Contacts Page.
Course 1: An Introduction to Classics: The Art, Literature, Drama and Mythology of Ancient Greece – Julia Clayton
15th, 22nd, 29th September; 6th, 13th October 2025. Course Fee: £25
This course offers an introduction to some of the key questions posed by the study of Classics. How were the Homeric epics created, and is there any archaeological evidence for the Trojan War? How did Greek religion work, including the use of oracles, the Olympic Games and other big religious festivals? Can we see attitudes to the gods changing over time? How did Greek sculpture develop, and how was this linked to the uses of sculpture in ancient Greece? Why was ancient drama (tragedy, comedy and satyr plays) so crucial to Athenian democracy? Where did Greek playwrights get their subject matter from, and what made a good play? Throughout the course we will focus on how archaeologists, classicists and art historians have tried to answer these questions, and how the Classical world continues to impact on the modern world.
Julia Clayton was Head of Classics at King George V College, Southport, from 1996 to 2019. In 2019 she completed an MA in Creative Writing at Edge Hill University and has subsequently had several short stories published, mostly on themes relating to art and archaeology. In May 2024 she completed a PhD at Edge Hill on Invented Artworks in Fiction, including Classical reception in fictional artworks. She is a regular speaker at the Atkinson and the Classical Association (Southport & Birkdale branch).
Julia’s blog on the afterlife of Greek art (including a piece on Southport Monument) can be found at https://classicalclayton.blogspot.com
Course 2: Art in the Age of Change 1527-1789 – Ed Montana Williams
20th, 27th October; 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th November; 1st, 8th, 15th December 2025. Course Fee: £45.
(There will also be a visit to the Walker Art Gallery, date to be arranged.)
The two and a half centuries between the Sack of Rome in 1527 and the French Revolution in 1789 witnessed profound changes in Western Europe. These theological, sociological, political and technological developments were reflected by artists who lived through these momentous times. Join us as we journey through Europe to experience powerful artworks and consider how they were created and shaped by the dramatic events of the Age of Change.
Ed Montana Williams is an Oxford-educated art historian and is passionate about sharing his love of the History of Art to a range of audiences. Ed is an Arts Society lecturer and regularly speaks to specialist interest groups as well as U3A and WI groups. He works at Tate Liverpool, delivering tours and talks and also teaches History of Art at the University of Liverpool’s Department of Continuing Education. He is a member of the International Association of Art Critics and has been published in several journals and online publications.
Course 3: What could possibly go wrong? The Pathologist Returns – Tim Helliwell
5th, 12th, 19th, 26th January; 2nd February 2026. Course Fee: £25.
This year’s course is intended to supplement the learning opportunities in Pathology provided by the January 2025 course and will be accessible for those with no previous experience. Once again, the course will cover the scientific background to understanding diseases, so that information in pathology reports and the media is no longer a ‘foreign language’. The intention is to develop further the health literacy of the audience and will specifically cover conditions that were barely touched upon previously, focussing on diseases of the lungs, liver, kidneys and musculoskeletal system. The talks will be illustrated by digressions into the lives of relevant Nobel prizes winners and people who gave their names to diseases. Each week there will be time to discuss topics requested by the audience or featuring in the media.
SUES Committee member Tim Helliwell is now happily retired and was formerly Consultant Histopathologist and Honorary Professor of Pathology at the University of Liverpool. He has been involved in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, locally, nationally and internationally. He has eclectic research interests and major interests in quality assurance of laboratories and in standards of pathology through national and international practice guidelines.
Course 4: The Reign of Charles II – Roger Mitchell
9th, 16th, 23rd February; 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th March 2026. Course Fee: £40.
Charles II always insisted that his reign began in January 1649, as soon as his father’s head left his body, and so we will start the course with a short survey of the 1650s, seen from the perspective of the exiled King. Our journey through 17th century British history continues with Charles’ Restoration in 1660. This leads on to another dramatic decade, especially in London where the plague of 1665 was followed by the fire of 1666. Samuel Pepys’ diary will be used to describe both events. Art and architecture will be included as well as court and politics and we will conclude by looking ahead to the dramatic events of 1688, the ‘Glorious Revolution’.
Charles II was on the throne for a quarter of a century, the longest reign of any of the Stuart monarchs, and 1660 is a good starting point for studying the early modern history of Britain. The course is suitable for newcomers as well as returners and no previous knowledge is required.
Roger has been teaching courses at All Saints for a quarter of a century (as long as Charles II’s reign!), first for University of Liverpool Continuing Education and latterly for SUES.
A former Vice Principal of KGV, he was an Arts Society Lecturer for many years. He lives in Aughton and is Secretary of SUES.