Bristol Industrial Archaeological Society (BIAS)

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Conferences, lectures and events of interest

Flight- 100 Years of the Bristol Aeroplane Company

From 18 September. As part of the centenary celebrations of the BAC, Bristol Museum plays host to an exhibition chronicling the epic story of flight, and Bristol's role in it. Bringing together items and artefacts from across the country, the exhibition will reveal the role Bristol has played in Britain's flying industry, from the World Wars to Concorde, and the role it continues to play today. The exhibition will focus on five key themes: The Pioneers, The Technology, The Workforce and the Community, Worldwide Connections and. Defence of the Realm. There will be talks, hands-on family activities, and even a BAC-themed bus tour departing from the museum! Call 0117 922 3571 for more information.

SS Great Britain

July 17:Celebrations start with 1970's style home-coming celebrations. ‘The Incredible Journey’ Join the 40th anniversary celebrations of the ship’s epic salvage from the Falkland Islands and return to Bristol- includes: A new exhibition Beautiful animation Trails Memories and film online. 40 years ago, 100,000 people lined the River Avon to welcome Brunel's ship home. http://www.ssgreatbritain.org/WhatsOn.aspx Telephone: 0117 926 0680

BTHS SYMPOSIUM 2010: BRISTOL AND THE CIVIL WAR

Saturday 18 September: Bristol Threatened History Society Registered Charity No. 266159
The Pavilion, 1 Hannover Quay, Harbourside, Bristol 10am – 5pm
Recent excavations at the Royal Fort, Bristol, and other sites have prompted this re-appraisal of Bristol’s role in the civil rebellion and subsequent interregnum of the mid-17th century. As one of the principal ports in the kingdom, its wealth and support was invaluable to each side in turn. With the loss of Bristol, the fortunes of war swung from the King to the Parliamentarians. Our speakers will cover the historical, economic and structural evidence for the war and attempt to throw new light on the role the foremost city in the West played in this harrowing conflict.
Tickets available at £16.00 from Mike Ponsford at 12 Seymour Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 9HR by completing this form contacting m.ponsford@ipresent.co.uk or on 0117-9858109.

Gloucestershire Local History Afternoon

Saturday 2 October 2010: the GRCC local history committee will be holding the annual county local history afternoon at Sir Thomas Rich’s School, Gloucester. The theme this year will be A Fair Day’s Wage for a Fair Day’s Work: Workers’ Movements in Gloucestershire
The first talk starting at 2pm will be by Professor Adrian Randall of Birmingham University on Workers’ protests and struggles in 19th century Gloucestershire
This will be followed by the presentation of the Bryan Jerrard Award
The second half of the afternoon will include talks by Jill Chambers on Swing Riots in Gloucestershire
and Rev Canon John Evans on Chartists and the Chartist Land Company in Gloucestershire
The cost is £5 payable at the door including refreshments and the doors open at 1.15pm Further information from John Loosley, Stonehatch, Oakridge Lynch, Stroud GL6 7NR. Tel 01285 760460. Email john@loosleyj.freeserve.co.uk

Purton Hulks

We must designation and protect this unique site.
Meet Purton Lower Bridge. Approx tour time 2 hours weather permitting
Donations in aid of Severn Area Rescue Association. or £3.00 per person Two slides shows entitled Fore & Aft the Purton Ships Graveyard and Lydneys Lost Fleet are now available for booking
Paul Barnett Tel. 07833 143 231 or Barnadillo@aol.com
keep an eye out for the site featuring in the BBC series Coast in the spring 2009.

Vital Organs

In September a festival is being organised to celebrate the life :and work of Bath organ builder and artist William Sweetland, The festival 'William Sweetland - An exhibition and extravaganza of music' is being organised by Angela Calvert-]ones, Sweetland's great-grand-daughter and the Museum of Bath at Work is involved. As well as Sweetland (the Museum holds documentary material about his operations) the Museum will work closely on the exhibition which will also feature William Harbutt and William Freise-Greene. (all the Williams). The extravaganza of music will involve Thomas Trotter, Westminster Abbey's well known organist, the City of Bath Choir, The Paragon Singers and the Vocal works Gospel Choir.

NEWCOMEN SOCIETY (WESTERN BRANCH)

Programme for 2010
BIAS members are invited to meetings of the Western Branch of the Newcomen Society. These are now held in BAWA, Southmead Road, Bristol at 7 p.m.
For details of the programme, contact Dr Bryan Lawton 01793 762697
Thursday 21st January Joint Meeting with BIAS at the BAWA, various
Thursday 18th February “Bristol Engines Before Rolls Royce, 1915-1966”, Patrick Hassell, Vice Chairman, Rolls Royce Heritage Trust.
Thursday 18th March "Old Industries on Film”, John Penny
Thursday 15th April "The Western Canal" Ian Broom
Thursday 21st October “Sir George White: The Forgotten Entrepreneur”, E.R Sparrow
Thursday, 18th November “Hathorn Davey, Leeds, Manufacturers of Mine Pumping Engines” Dr Robert Vernon.

GEEVOR - 'HARD ROCK' - A NEW MUSEUM OF MINING

Pendeen Community Heritage, Geevor Tin Mine, Pendeen TR197EW tel. 01736 788662 www.geevor.com
The new museum of Cornish mining at Geevor entitled 'Hard Rock' will be formally opened on Saturday 11th October 08. This will form the centrepiece of the restored site following a £3.8m. refurbishment programme that has taken over a year to complete at a cost of £3.8m. The museum is in a converted mine building.
Bill Lakin Chair of Trustees

Radstock Museum

The Radstock, Midsomer Norton and District Museum Society has organised a series of events each year
Norton Hill Pit Disaster 1908
100th Anniversary talk by Charles Chillcott, President Radstock Museum 7,OOpm Wednesday 9 th April 2008 Old Town Hall, Midsomer Norton
A wonderful opportunity to learn more about what happened on that evening in April 1908 and its impact on the lives of Nortonians at the time
Entrance by ticket: £4 To book please contact the secretary of The Midsomer Norton Society on 07768 632483
Exhibition at Radstock Museum, April 2008 A new exhibition to mark the 1908 disaster looking at the colliery disasters in the Somerset coalfield. For details visit www. radstockmuseum. co. uk
This event is being run jointly by Radstock, Midsomer Norton & District Museum Society & The Midsomer Norton Society

LECTURES AT THE MUSEUM OF BATH AT WORK -

THE MICHAEL CROSS LECTURE

The annual Michael Cross Lecture will take place on Monday 9th. October at the Museum of Bath at Work commencing at 7.00 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. The subject this year will be "I. K. Brunel and the Heroic Age of British Engineering", the speaker being BIAS President Professor Angus Buchanan. Tickets, at £5 each are available from the Museum.

MUSEUM OF BATH AT WORK HERITAGE WEEK

As in previous years the museum is open free to residents in Bath & North East Somerset during the week October 21st to 29th. Free admission is available to all those possessing a Discovery Card. During the week the museum has also organised a series of short talks. Each lasts about 15 minutes. For more details contact Museum of Bath at Work on 01225 318348

LUNCHTIME LECTURES

All the lectures are at 1 p.m at The Museum of Bath at Work, with lunch from 12.30. Admission is £4.00
All lectures will begin at 1.00 p.m. and finish at 2.00 p.m. Refreshments will be available from 12.30 p.m.
Normal admission price at the door on day of lecture £4.00
Pre-booked tickets at a discount are available from the Museum before 26th. October
Contact the Museum on 01225 318348 for further details.

South Gloucestershire Mines Research Group

Talks held 7.3Opm in the Miners Institute, Coalpit Heath. Do not assume these events will happen without contacting the relevant person to express interest or request details
There are fortnightly underground working parties at Serridge, for details contact Dave Hardwick.

INVITATION TO BIAS MEMBERS TO JOIN SGMRG ARCHAOLOGICAL DIGS

South Gloucestershire Miners Group " (SGMRG) are keen to build closer ties with BIAS and its members and as part of this, and to help our work programme move forward, we would like to invite BIAS members to our next two planned Saturday digs on South Gloucestershire Colliery sites. Dates and venues are as follows:

You are very welcome to attend all or part of these digs, please remember that there are hazards and risks involved with work of this nature which, whilst we seek to minimise them, your attendance conditional on your acceptance of these risks.
He will give the location details for these difficult to find sites
Steve.Grudging@btinternet.com /07768 381502
PERMISSION HAS KINDLY BEING GRANTED FROM DAVID TOOZE THE LAND OWNER FOR EXCAVATION WORK TO BE UNDERTAKEN AT THIS SITE. South Gloucester Mining Research Group ARE AWARE OF LACK OF RECORDING OF PREVIOUS EXCAVATIONS AT SIMILAR SITES AND WANT TO ENSURE WE OPERATE IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTITUTE OF FIELD ARCHAEOLOGISTS AND ENGLISH HERITAGE. THE EXCAVATION HOPES TO ANSWER VARIOUS RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

  1. LOCATION AND LAYOUTOF VARIOUS SITE FEATURES (PUMPING ENGINE, HORSE GIN, STEAM WINDING ENGINE HOUSE).
  2. CLARIFICATION AS TO THE PURPOSE OF THE ARCH.
  3. IDENTIFICATION OF THE ROUTE OF THE DRAMWAY, SPECIFICALLY LOCATATION OF A POSSIBLE LOADING BAY .
TO DATE A GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN BY DR TIM OF CARDIFF UNIVERSITY AND EXCAVATION COMMENCED ON 3 SEPTEMBER WITH WELCOME HELP FROM WILLING VOLUNTEERS. THIS EXCAVATION WILL BE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS THEREFORE COULD ANY WILLING HELPERS WHO CAN BE AVAILABLE (SOMETIMES AT SHORT NOTICE)WEEKDAYS OR WEEKENDS PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS TO STEVE OR DI GRUDGINGS TEL O1256 896715, E.MAIL stevegrudgings@btinternet.com.

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