’Quilliam Today’ is the title of the Spring Quilliam lecture on April 5 in Arbory Parish church.

The lecture series celebrates former parish resident John Quilliam who steered HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Speaker warrant officer Dickie Henderson R.N., the current executive officer of HMS Victory - the current First Lieutenant in the role John Quilliam had at the Battle of Trafalgar - will explore the contrasts in the respective roles of 1st Lieutenant between 1805 and the present day. He will also offer private insights into HMS Victory and the areas where Quilliam himself would have been involved, how the Royal Navy regards the iconic ship today and what it takes to rise to the rank of her executive officer in the present day.

Tickets are available from today (Friday, March 23) at the Bay Hotel and Bridge Bookshop in Port Erin, from Mike Berry, phone 824550, Phil Smith, phone 832146 or 495146, or at [email protected].

Admission is by ticket only. Tickets are free of charge, though there is a retiring collection to provide funds for our further projects. The lecture itself starts at 7.45pm, but it is advised to arrive 30 minutes in advance to ensure parking, enjoy the music and a warm-up quiz.

The Quilliam Group thanked Andy Roy of Baker Tilly and Angela Pickard of the Bridge Bookshop for financial and logistic support, Colleen Corlett for designing the stationery, Martin and Debbie Brunnschweiler of the Bay Hotel for the rum and the women of Arbory Church for providing refreshments.

On Friday, July 20, the group and Friends of Manx National Heritage hold in Arbory Parish hall a ’Night of TT Fun’ with Roy Moore, known as the voice of Manx road racing.

There will be a marshals’ picnic supper and the chance to have a flutter on your favourite racer. Tickets, at £5, will be available nearer the date.

The autumn lecture will cover the Second World War ’Q’ Class destroyer, which proudly bore Quilliam’s name.