Lubenham Heritage Group

In 1941 M.I.8 set up a project, under the direction of Churchill’s war office, to establish wireless intelligence (W.I or Y) stations in over 30 locations all over the country. Their job was to intercept communications being sent between enemy forces across Europe. Beaumanor was generally regarded as the most important of these stations transcribing and sending coded messages down to Bletchley Park in the hope they could be deciphered. It was an operation that Churchill later said contributed greatly

Penny Arscott is the Manager of Foxton Canal Museum located in the reconstructed Boiler House, which once powered the Foxton Boat Lift. In her engaging illustrated talk, Penny explores the fascinating history of the world’s first transverse inclined plane boat lift which opened in 1900  (initially to replace Foxton Locks) as a quicker alternative to the locks system on the once busy Grand Union Canal. Using photographs from the archives, she will explain both the successes, challenges and failures of this