The History Society would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.
2026 is shaping up to be very exciting, with a very interesting set of guest-speakers and events lined up.
To start us off we have author Anthony C. Cartwright telling us the story of the anti-vaxxers, starting with objections to Edward Jenner’s smallpox vaccine in the early 19th century, a propaganda war waged by the Anti-Compulsory Vaccination League and its successor from 1853 to 1972, and then brings things up to date covering the first two decades of the 21st century. In particular, he will talk about the Keighley Guardians who in the 1870s were imprisoned in York for the stand they took. Tony brings a well-informed perspective to the history, having worked as a UK Medicines Agency drug regulator for twenty years, but also having had an adverse reaction to a vaccine in the 1960s.
Tony has written a book on the subject, ‘A History of Vaccines and Anti-Vaxxers’, more details can be found on Tony’s website (https://anthonybooks.co.uk/).
The History Society’s first meeting of 2026 is on Wednesday 14th January at 7.15pm. It is a Zoom-only meeting, open just to History Society members (details on how to join the meeting will be sent out to members via email a few days in advance).
