The Bristol Conferences

The Bristol Conferences: Twentieth-Century Schoolgirls and Their Books

Starting in 2008, so far we have held six conferences on the theme of children’s books of the last century.  The first two were day conferences, but due to popular demand they are now residential, so far taking place at Wills Hall, one of the University of Bristol’s halls of residence.  Substantial booklets of the talks are available - see either of our catalogues.

“Thank you so much for a truly wonderful weekend. As I said, I have never enjoyed a conference so much. Everything went so smoothly, and all the talks were really interesting.”

"Having enjoyed the last two conferences so much I can't wait to experience my third - to meet old friends and make new ones, to buy and sell some (lots) of books and, of course, to hear all the wonderful talks and book chat."

The Seventh Conference has had to be postponed from 2020, and will now take place on the 12th - 14th August 2022 - see below. Information leaflets and application forms are now available.  If you’d like to receive one (hard copy or email), please let Sally know on sdore@waitrose.com

 The Seventh Conference

The theme running through many of the sessions will be Eccentrics, Oddballs, and Misfits, although as usual there will be a wide variety of topics.  Among others, speakers will be talking about Romance in school story fiction, Eating disorders and body image – seductive or cautionary tales, E.L. Konigsburg’s wonderful eccentrics, “Prigs, Pedants and Princesses” in school stories, and what girls were reading in 1920.

The Venue

Wills Hall is set at the edge of Durdham Downs in Bristol and was created in the 1920s as a university residence around an existing Victorian house, with additions to the accommodation being made in the 1960s and 1990s. There are lovely gardens, a purpose-built conference centre and plentiful pay parking (or free parking within a short walk).

The Conference

The conference starts with arrivals after teatime on Friday. Saturday will include the dealers' book sale, and Sunday will include the delegates' book sale. The conference proper ends with tea on Sunday, but a large proportion of attendees stay over for dinner and activities on Sunday night, departing on Monday morning. We offer a variety of packages for Friday and Saturday nights, with the option of staying over on Sunday as well, in both standard and en suite rooms. Non-residential places are also available. Prices range from £68 for day attendance on Saturday to £325 for three nights full board in an en suite roon. Full details are in the information leaflet and booking form mentioned above - please email Sally for a copy. We do hope you will be able to join us!

Some comments from past participants at the conferences: 

“I just want to take the time to thank you both for an excellent conference. It has been some time since I've been able to attend anything like that, so I was slightly apprehensive to begin with. However that feeling vanished almost immediately & the conference just got better as the weekend progressed.”

“The accommodation was splendid - it was like being at Oxford or Cambridge with our honey-coloured bedrooms round the quadrangle, and our enormous washbasins concealed in oak cupboards.  The food and the service were excellent, except I'm now feeling podged - but I think a number of people are.”

“I had no idea there was going to be such a varied programme, I'm sure you covered something for everyone, and it was fascinating to experience the different speakers’ very varied approaches to their subjects.” 

 

 

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