I’m excited to announce the seventeenth in the Freethinker’s series of free online seminars for all those interested in freethought history and its enduring relevance. The webinars, hosted by me and lasting around one hour, will feature expert guest speakers, to whom you’ll have a chance to ask your questions. There is no set schedule for these webinars; the best way to stay informed about when they are happening is to sign up for our free fortnightly newsletter, which will also keep you updated on all other things Freethinker.
The webinars will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel. (This post will be updated and the video of the webinar—on which more in a moment—will appear below once the recording is available. All posts about these webinars will be accessible here, and all such posts will also be updated in due course when the webinar recordings are available, thus forming a complete catalogue of the series).
Register for Freethought History Webinar #17: The Music of the Conway Hall Ethical Society. With Holly Elson.
The webinar will take place on 8 December 2026 at 7 pm UK time (2 pm ET/1 pm CT/12 pm MDT/11 am MST/11 am PT) via Zoom.
About the webinar: Join Conway Hall Ethical Society’s Head of Programmes, Holly Elson, for an illustrated journey through the musical history of the last remaining Ethical Society in the UK. Beginning in its early Unitarian days and the hymns of Eliza Flower and Emily Josephine Troupe, we will travel through the establishment of the Sunday Concerts and the building of the Society’s musical community. We will trace the Society’s journey to secularism and explore how the political issues that concerned the membership were reflected in its music over time. From the Corn Laws to women’s suffrage; from protest songs to secular hymns of celebration—this talk, illustrated with objects from the Conway Hall Library & Archives, will explore the Society’s musical story from the early 19th century up to the present day.
About the speaker: Holly Elson is Head of Programmes at Conway Hall Ethical Society, where she oversees the Society’s charitable activity, including its public programme, partnerships, and the Conway Hall Library & Archives. Coming from a creative arts background, she is passionate about pushing boundaries in heritage events, cross-arts programming, and increasing access to creative and cultural experiences. Prior to Conway Hall, she produced public programmes for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Museum of London, where she also founded the Women for Leadership Network to provide a collaborative space in which women are supported, encouraged, and empowered to progress their careers. She is an Associate of The Women’s Association, was a 2024 Clore Fellow, and is a Trustee of Electric Voice Theatre.
You must register to secure your place at the webinar. To do so, click here or on the image below, which also contains other ways to access the registration link. I can’t wait to see you there.
With thanks to Bob Forder for suggesting these seminars and helping to organise them.
Related reading
Celebrating Eliza Flower: an unconventional woman, by Frances Lynch
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