with Dr. Robyn Atcheson

Saturday 25th April 2026

1pm

Starting from Gate C, Belfast City Hospital

£15

Pox, plagues, cholera – all just part of life for people in 19th-century Belfast.

How did they cope with the constant outbreaks of disease? How did doctors treat the sick? Where did all the dead bodies go?

This tour introduces you to the stories of the poor of Belfast and their experiences of health and sickness as well as their fears of the workhouse, hospitals and the dreaded body-snatchers.

This tour will open your eyes (and other senses) to what life was really like for ordinary people in 19th-century Belfast.

Book early as these tours sell out quick!

suitable for children 11+

with Dr. Robyn Atcheson

The History Collective presents a new talk by Dr. Robyn Atcheson - History of the Belfast Workhouse

Saturday 30th May 2026

11am

Pembroke Street Halls, Donegall Road, Belfast

£10

For a century, the Belfast workhouse oversaw the growth & expansion of the city of Belfast. This is its story.

The Belfast Union Workhouse opened its doors in 1841 as a last resort for the destitute and sick of the growing industrial town. Over a century, tens of thousands of people passed through the building and its associated hospital. Many died there and were buried in the workhouse burial ground on the Donegall Road.

Dr Robyn Atcheson has spent over a decade researching the Belfast workhouse and successfully campaigned for the final resting place of so many workhouse residents to be marked. This talk recreates what life was like in the workhouse and why so many people were afraid of ending up within its walls. You will discover why the workhouse evolved into a hospital and why its graveyard was quietly forgotten.

with Dr. Robyn Atcheson

Saturday 16th May  

10am - 12 noon

Holywood Arches Library, Belfast

£20

A deep dive into the legacy of Anne Boleyn, how she has been remembered & the many different versions of Anne across the centuries.

Perhaps the most infamous of the wives of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn was beheaded after only three years as Queen, yet she has continued to fascinate throughout the centuries.

In this workshop we will look at original source material from the Tudor era and track how writers and historians have cast Anne as both a Protestant martyr and an evil witch.

The workshop will also involve looking at media representations of Anne in film and TV, including clips of key depictions and discussing what way we view the many fictionalised Annes.

Tea/coffee included in price.

The History Collective provide private, fully insured and expertly guided walking tours.

Historical tours are arranged for all kinds of groups - current and retired work colleagues, church and community groups, families both local and visiting, tourists and all manner of clubs and associations.

Get in touch to discuss your requirements.

Bring history to life with a private talk or workshop tailored to your group, organisation or event. All of our speakers are highly experienced history communicators and storytellers and are experts in their respective fields.

For those further afield talks can be delivered online and the team is fully equipped to deliver top-notch audio and video quality with dedicated equipment and support.