Edgar Royston Pike, formerly Chairman of the Esher Council, introduced the ‘Esher Library Lectures’ in the late 1960s.
In 1974, Elmbridge Borough Council changed the title of these lectures to the ‘Royston Pike Lectures’ in appreciation of his 20 years’ work on the Library Committee.
All lectures are held at Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre, Manor Road, Walton-on-Thames KT12 2PF at 7.30pm on the following evenings. Tickets are £4 per person for the autumn programme and will be £5 per person for the January to March programme.
Autumn 2026 Programme
Tuesday 12 November - Elmbridge River Secrets – double bill
Lost and Found on the River Thames by Lara Maiklem (45’)
Through the everyday objects uncovered along the Thames foreshore, licensed mudlark Lara Maiklem reveals 2,000 years of London’s history and the lives of those who once lived beside the river.
Lara has spent more than 20 years mudlarking on the Thames. Her bestselling book ‘Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames’ won the Indie Award for Non-Fiction in 2020, and she became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 2023.
The Rivers Mole and Wey: Surrey's Vital Nature Highways - Dr Lewis Campbell (30’)
Discover the hidden wildlife and rich ecosystems of Surrey’s two largest rivers. Dr Lewis Campbell explores the species that depend on these waterways, the challenges they face, and efforts to restore them for future generations.
A freshwater ecologist and Catchment Manager at South East Rivers Trust, Lewis has more than 15 years’ experience restoring rivers in the UK and USA, with expertise in conservation and wildlife.
Presented by Elmbridge Borough Council in association with Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre.
Lara Maiklem's books will be available to purchase on the night from Cobham Bookshop.
Book for Elmbridge River Secrets - sold out
January to March 2027 programme
Wednesday 13 January - Musical Encounters: Of Humans and Machines with Milton Mermikides
From ninth-century musical automata in Baghdad and the first recorded human voice to the 200-ton electrically powered synthesizers of the 1890s, the history of machines making music is far older than we might imagine.
In this engaging, richly illustrated lecture, Milton Mermikides explores the fascinating relationship between human creativity and technology. From mechanical musicians and early sound recordings to electronic instruments, digital revolutions and artificial intelligence, discover how each innovation has transformed the way we create, perform and experience music.
Through stories, demonstrations and musical examples, Milton explores our growing relationship with technology, asking where human creativity ends and machine collaboration begins – and what this might mean for the future of music.
Milton Mermikides is a composer, guitarist and academic whose work explores the connections between music, science and technology. He has collaborated with leading musicians and scientists, with his work featured in major academic publications and international media. He is Professor of Music at the University of Surrey, Professor of Jazz Guitar at the Royal College of Music, and the 37th Gresham Professor of Music, a historic public lectureship founded in 1597.
Book for Musical Encounters
Thursday 18 February - County Herb Committees: Our Plant Stories
During the Second World War, trade restrictions meant that medical supplies were in short supply, so the British government set up County Herb Committees to coordinate the gathering, drying and processing of wild medicinal herbs. Volunteers from the Women’s Institute as well as Scouts and school children were enlisted to help. In Surrey, collectors were paid 2d per oz for foxglove seeds and 3d per lb for rose hips, and Surrey History Centre holds records of the local campaign and people who contributed. This is a fascinating and perhaps forgotten story of the war effort. In a panel conversation, we’ll learn what was being collected and why, including how the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, were also involved.
Chairing the panel will be Sally Flatman, a former BBC Radio 4 producer. In her podcast, Our Plant Stories, she digs into the stories that plants tell us about people and places. The Times described it as “pick of the gardening podcasts”. Other guest panellists will include Kayleigh Sinclair, a herbologist who frequently gives talks at RHS Wisley. This discussion will be recorded for a future podcast episode.
Book for County Herb Committees: Our Plant Stories
Wednesday 3 March - The Library: a brief history of books and the buildings that house them with James W.P. Campbell
Library architecture has often served as a striking symbol of a society’s creativity, means, and ambition for learning. Drawing from the landmark book The Library: A World History, this talk explores how cultures from ancient Mesopotamia to modern China have reinvented these sacred spaces across the globe. Join us to discover how the design and atmosphere of some of the world’s iconic libraries reflect human priorities and mirror the story of civilization itself.
James W.P. Campbell is an architect and architectural historian with a particular passion for books and libraries. He is a Professor in the University of Cambridge where he has taught for the last twenty years and is the Seear Fellow in Architecture and History of Art of Queens’ College. He is author of The Library: A World History, available in 12 languages.
This talk is arranged as a special tribute to Edgar Royston Pike. Author, historian and former Chairman of Esher Council, Edgar launched this series in the late 1960s, then known as the 'Esher Library Lectures’. Elmbridge Borough Council later re-named it to celebrate his 20 dedicated years on the Library Committee. His work made knowledge accessible by championing community library education, illuminating everyday human experiences and exploring economic history, world faiths, ancient civilisations and rational thought.
Book for The Library
Booking information to be confirmed for the January to March 2027 talks. For future information, please email arts@elmbridge.gov.uk.