It is with sorrow that we record that the deaths have occurred in recent months of two members,
Mrs Joan Ellis of Rangeworhy, wife of member Monty Ellis; and
Mr. Roy Day of Keynsham.
It was only recently that Roy was elected, together with his wife Joan, as an Honorary Member of BIAS, in recognition of his contribution from the earliest days of the organisation. We extend our sympathies to relatives and friends. We have received the following appreciation:-
Roy attended the first series of lectures on industrial archaeology given in 1964 by Angus Buchanan and Neil Cossons and organized by the Extra-Mural Department of Bristol University, becoming an enthusiastic supporter. Three years later he joined the local clamour for a society, becoming the first Treasurer of BIAS, remaining a committee member when others took over, and later becoming Chairman. Making use of an art-biased education which turned to engineering with the coming of war, Roy was very much involved in producing the early Journals, being responsible for the layout, which basically remains the same today, but which was then at the forefront of current trends in graphics, as were his quite distinctive cover designs.
He contributed four articles to the Journal in the first twenty years or so, covering subjects such as Wiltshire iron, early ferro-concrete in Bristol, lettering styles on street signs and the coming and going of early picture palaces. Concurrently Roy was active in the international group which became the Historical Metallurgy Society, editing their new Newsletter from the 1970s to 1984 and designing their Journal, working in collaboration with the editor, Professor R. F. Tylecote, who became a great friend. He was also a very early supporter of the national Association for Industrial Archaeology, designing and producing their early newsletters.
From the 1980s, Roy supported his wife Joan in the campaign to prevent the ‘development’ of the structure of Saltford Brass Mill, later joining the group working to conserve the building and open it to the public. He attended work parties there regularly until taken to hospital three months before he died on 11th October 2004, five days short of his 81st. birthday.