Cafe Scientifique is a place where, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to have a conversation about the latest ideas in science & technology.
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The Minories
The Minories
74 High Street, Colchester, CO1UE
Admission: Free by ticket only
Doors Open: at 6:30pm for 7pm start
Capacity: is limited to 55
Contact: Bob Kemp or John Ratford
NB: THIS IS A REVISED DATE TO THE ONE PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED
Wednesday 19th November 2025
Not Just For Sailors Any More:
The Untold History of Tattooing
Tattooing, we've been told again and again recently, is coming of age - finally coming out of the murky shadows of the deviant underworld to leave its mark on the most well-heeled. Tattoos are now to be seen on catwalks, on trading floors and around the chicest tables. The popular media has been reporting the arrival of tattooing in high society for nearly one hundred and fifty years. Indeed, in 1926, Vanity Fair reported that “tattooing has passed from the savage to the sailor, from the sailor to the landsman, and is now to be found beneath many a tailored shirt”. In this talk, Dr. Matt Lodder Senior Lecturer in Art History and Theory at the University of Essex will discuss the long history of professional tattooing in the Western world, and ask why this ancient art always seems to feel so confusingly new.
Please Note:
In the event of unforeseen circumstances resulting with us having to cancel the meeting we will email the person who has booked the tickets(s). We will also put a notice on this website. Therefore please check before travelling to venue. Thank you.
How do we choose speakers?
We are always looking for people who can speak about their research, and we try to provide a wide range of subjects each season. If you are interested in giving a talk at Colchester Cafe Scientifique, or you know someone who would be willing, please contact John Ratford.
We have organised two ecology talks; two psychology; two sociology and a human biology talk to complete this current 2025/2026 season.
Details of each will be published a month before each presentation
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