Dr Maria Razumovskaya PhD, FHEA, MMus, Bmus

Described as a 'virtuoso story-teller of the piano' (Le Courrier), Dr Maria Razumovskaya performs internationally including live radio broadcasts for BBC Radio 3, and has released critically acclaimed recordings. Recent writings include a monograph on the legendary Russian pianist-pedagogue Heinrich Neuhaus (Boydell & Brewer), book chapters and articles for academic journals as well as the wider press, including BBC Music Magazine. She is a Steinway Artist, professor at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and a lecturer at the City Literary Institute in London.

Denis Sheppard BA (Hons)

After retiring from the Police in 2004 as a Chief Superintendent, Denis retrained as a Secondary School Teacher of History. Having taught full time in Secondary Schools, he moved into Adult Education, teaching GCSE and A Level. In recent years, he has focused on developing and delivering short courses on a range of historical topics, supported by the use of multimedia, which he delivers to various groups across Essex. Denis is interested in history of all periods, from international, national and local perspectives, focusing particularly on how the past impacts on how we think and live today. His aim is to inform, entertain and to encourage lively debate.

Anne Stott PhD, BA

Anne Stott has a BA and a PhD in History from University College London. She has taught for the Open University, Birkbeck, University of London, and the Workers' Educational Association. She is especially interested in the late Georgian period, and has published biographies of William Wilberforce and the Evangelical philanthropist, Hannah More. Her most recent book is on the life of the Prince Regent's daughter, Princess Charlotte. She has also published in academic journals and has broadcast with Melvyn Bragg and Moira Stewart. She lives in Cambridge with her husband, and has two grown-up daughters and three grandchildren.'

Tony Tuckwell MA, MBA, Dip Ed

Tony Tuckwell read history at Oxford University and after teaching in Portsmouth and Manchester became Head of King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford 1984-99. After Headship he worked as a consultant helping governors appoint head-teachers and working on head-teacher development in London, the south-east and East Anglia. In retirement he has written widely on local history (see his publications below). He was a trustee of the Chelmsford Cathedral Festival of Music and Arts (1999-2008) and served on the Essex Rural Commission (2008-9). He has been a governor of two schools. In his retirement he has walked the complete coastal and riverine boundaries of the county of Essex, the Essex Way, the Thames Path from estuary to source, the North Downs Way, the Capital Ring and London Loop and the Stour and Orwell Way. :- That honourable and gentleman like house; the history of King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford 1551-2001 Free Range Publications: first edition 2001, second edition 2008 :- New Hall and its school; a true school of virtuous demeanour Free Range Publications, 2006 :- Coming of Age; the life and times of Chelmsford Cathedral 1914-2014 Xlibris 2013 :- Messing: the story of a village school New Hall Publications 2014 :- Life is for Living, the story of Acorn Village, Mistley Matthew James Publishing 2016

Andy Beharrell

Andy taught economics for many years at various schools in London, Dorset, Bristol and Australia later becoming a Chief Examiner for the International Baccalaureate (IB). He then went on to set up an online learning business training IB teachers. He has been a passionate sailor for all his life and in retirement (and lockdown) has spent a lot of time researching a range of topics around sailing and maritime history.

Julian Whybra

Julian is a history graduate of the University of East Anglia and has carried out post-graduate research as a Research Fellow at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow and as a Fellow Commoner at Girton College, Cambridge. He is a past winner of the Browne Medal for Original Historical Research and lectured part-time in history in the Centre for Lifelong Learning, University of Essex until 2005. In 2002 he was elected a Member of the International Academy for the Humanization of Education. He is currently a freelance lecturer and author.

Dr. Lydia Goodson

Lydia is an art historian who lectures widely for adult education groups, for The Arts Society, and as an art history tutor at CityLit. Lydia holds a PhD in Renaissance art history from The Warburg Institute at the University of London where she is currently an Associate Fellow. Her research interests lie in the Italian Renaissance, and she spends a part of each year in Italy for writing and research. Lydia is passionate about the benefits of life-long learning and enjoys composing art history lectures and courses for audiences of all ages.