Lunchtime Talk: All Our Stories Happened Here
Panacea Museum Director, Zara Matthews, will share her research into the Panacea Society – their faith, their lives and the bishops and the Box of Prophecies.
The Panacea Society was a 20th century Christian community founded and led by women. They were followers of Joanna Southcott and came to believe that their garden was the Garden of Eden and their leader was the daughter of God. The Society campaigned, unsuccessfully, for the Church of England to open Southcott’s Box of Prophecies.
Zara's talk will be of interest to anyone who is curious about the Panacea Society, and the lives of those who lived in the Society's houses in the centre of Bedford (no prior knowledge is required).
This talk is in association with the University of Bedfordshire. The U of B are also working with The Higgins Bedford, to deliver several events this year as part of the national Being Human Festival.
This event is part of Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities, taking place 5 - 14 November 2025.
Led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, with generous support from Research England, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. For further information please see beinghumanfestival.org.
