South Shields Local History Group are welcoming a very special speaker to their meeting on Monday, September 19th. Professor Robert Colls is the critically acclaimed author of 'George Orwell English Rebel' published by Oxford University Press. He is currently Professor of Cultural History at De Montfort University, and before that he was Professor of English History at the University of Leicester. A native of South Shields, Robert has also taken a strong interest in northern history and was series consultant for Melvyn Bragg's recent BBC Radio 4 series 'A Matter of the North'.

Robert will talk about Orwell's general relationship with our region and also about Orwell's wife Eileen, who grew up in South Shields. The meeting will take place in the Dalton Suite at the Customs House, South Shields. Visitors and new members are welcome to join us in the Green Room at 5pm, with a charge of £1.