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Shakespeare Competition Finals
March 8, 2009
5:30pm at The Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens
We have an entire page dedicated to this event. Please follow the link to find out everything you need to know:
Shakespeare Competition 2009

"Shakespeare Institute": Follow-Up Workshop
TBD
For previous workshop participants and their guests.

"Shakespeare Institute" at The Huntington Library
July 2009
The third two-week teacher workshop co-sponsored by our chapter and the Huntington Library and will take place at The Huntington Library, San Marino, CA.

More Info

Teacher Reception
July 2008
Join us as we honor the teachers upon their successful completion of "The Art of Teaching Shakespeare" Workshop.

International Events

ESU WORLD MEMBERS' CONFERENCE, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
 “Creating an ESU for the Modern World."
September 15 – 18, 2008

        Organized by The English-Speaking Union of Scotland, Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, Scotland. Speakers will include: Sir John Bond, Chairman, Vodafone Group Plc; David Crystal OBE, Author, Editor and Professor of Linguistics at the University of Bangor; Sir Richard Billing Dearlove KCMG, OBE, former Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service; Sheila Dow, Professor and Director of the Stirling Centre for Economic Methodology at the University of Stirling; Jon Dye, Chairman, the Scottish National Committee of the ESU and Governor, ESU of the Commonwealth; Lord Hunt of Wirral MBE, Chairman, The English-Speaking Union; Sir Christopher Meyer KCMG, Chairman of the Press Complaints; Mrs. Valerie Mitchell OBE, Director-General, ESU of the Commonwealth and Secretary-General, ESU International Council; The Lord Watson of Richmond CBE, Chairman Emeritus of the ESU; Sir Robert Worcester KBE DL, Governor, ESU of the Commonwealth.
         Sessions and lectures planned include "Educational & Exchange Programs of the ESU," "ESU Activities with Young People," "Cultural Diversity within an International Organization," "Challenges facing the ESU: Membership, Funding, Resources, etc.," "Comparing Notes & Problem Solving: Current Activities & Challenges," "The Place of the ESU in the Modern World," "Raising Profile: Getting English Talked About, Not Just Talked." There will be several pre and post-conference tours of Edinburgh and Scotland available, including a golf day at the famous Dukes Course at St. Andrews and distillery visits. A group return cruise on the Queen Mary II for American ESU members, sailing on September 21, is also planned. (If you are interested in the Queen Mary sailing on September 21, 2008, contact Carole@cloudninetvl.com).
        For information on programs, accommodations and tours and registration materials, please contact: www.esuworld2008.org or go to “https://www.travelodge.co.uk/find_a_hotel/hotel.php?hotel_id=353” for travel and accommodation information.

Past Events

Garden Party & Fundraiser
June 21, 2008
At the home of Janice Sharp and Dane Hoiberg

Merrick Baker-Bates Luncheon
May 6, 2008

Deciding not to follow his father into the medical profession, Merrick Baker-Bates had his first work experience on a fairground in Southport.  He did complete his formal education at Oxford University and the College of Europe at Bruges.  Whilst starting his career in journalism as an assistant reporter at the Financial Times in Brussels, he watched diplomats at work and was attracted to join them. Accepted by the Foreign Office, he was posted to Tokyo to study Japanese and spent almost 15 years in Japan, which was followed by a posting to Washington DC during Watergate, the Bicentennial and State Visit by The Queen.  Whilst in Tokyo again, in 1982 Merrick temporarily left the Diplomatic Service to join Cornes and Company as General Manager but four years later returned to diplomacy, going to Malaysia as High Deputy Commissioner.  Returning to London, Merrick headed the South America Department before arriving in Los Angeles to serve as the British Consul General where he spent over five years.  Merrick retired in 1998 but continues to serve on numerous voluntary charities.  He was appointed Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) in 1996.  Married to Chrystal Goodacre they have two children, both married and three grandchildren.

At Lawry's Prime Rib

Evelyn Wrench Speaker : Kate Adie
April 19, 2008

        As the BBC's chief news correspondent Adie became one of the best-known faces on television for her reporting from the major wars of recent years. They include the Gulf War, the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Albania, Rwanda, China and Sierra Leone.
        Her coverage of the 1980 siege of the Iranian embassy brought her to prominence as one of the few women reporting difficult and dangerous stories at the time. Kate Adie became the BBC's chief news correspondent in 1989. She again came to the fore when covering the brutal suppression of the student uprising in Tiananmen Square.
        Her work has won her an impressive array of awards and honorary degrees. Her honors include three RTS awards, the Bafta Richard Dimbleby Award, and the Broadcasting Press Guild's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting. She was awarded an OBE in 1993.

At the home of Deputy Consul-General Wild and Mrs. Wild

Ruth McCartney and her mother Angie
January 27, 2008

The step-sister of Sir Paul McCartney, born and raised in Liverpool in the 1960's, Ruth is a successful singer and song-writer with a remarkable and varied career.  She is an entrepreneurial business woman, the founder and CEO of McCartney Multi-Media.  Ruth and Angie are currently creating "Mrs. McCartney's Teas" and a celebrity cookbook to benefit the "Feed the Children" and "Kid" Charities.

At the home of Mrs. P. Craig Combs

Region 8 Meeting
May 18-20, 2007
Westin Hotel, Pasadena

Peter Lake: Avery Fellow at the Huntington Library
March 24, 2007
4pm Afternoon Tea and Wine
at the home of Mrs. Mary-Lois Nevins

Christopher Collins:"From Reagan & Thatcher to the Present"
November 14, 2006
Christopher Collins is a long-standing Associate of Margaret Thatcher, and worked with her in writing her Memoirs and in editing her Speeches.  He now runs the Margaret Thatcher Foundation on the Internet , a remarkable comprehensive Web-site covering the History of the Thatcher Years. [www.margaretthatcher.org.]  Chris Collins was educated at Oxford University, where he taught for several years. He has also lectured at Boston University.

View pictures of this event here

Shakespeare at The Huntington: "The Art of Teaching Shakespeare"
July 10th - 21st, 2006
is the first two-week teacher workshop co-sponsored by our chapter and the Huntington Library and will take place at The Huntington Library, San Marino, CA.

"The Italy in Shakespeare."
January 21, 2006
Richard Rowe has combed Shakespeare's Italy with scholarly precision over 18 years, only to conclude that Juliet never had a balcony, among other things. He will focus his extraordinary knowledge of Italy on "Romeo and Juliet," but welcomes questions on any and all of Shakespeare's plays set in Italy.

Sandy Gall, CBE,
February 21 , 2006
former Foreign Correspondent, Producer, and Writer for ITN, from the ESU National Speakers Bureau. He will discuss his recent experiences working in a clinic in Afghanistan.

Oliver Everett, CVO, Windsor Castle
Talk with Slides:
"Treasures and Curiosities from the Royal Library"
October 1, 2005
Oliver Everett's slide lecture on the Queen's Collection at Windsor Castle was the highlight of our Fall meeting at Mrs. James Bruce's home in San Marino on October 1. Recently retired as Librarian of the Royal Library at Windsor Castle , Oliver Everett surveyed the depth and breadth of the collections, selecting notable examples of silver, porcelain, paintings, prints, and other decorative arts for viewing. The weather cooperated, and some thirty members enjoyed Stevie's moonlit garden and the lecture, followed by a delicious buffet dinner. Thank you, Stevie, for hosting another memorable ESU event.