Newsletter No. 70 Late Spring 2007 Editorial
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
NEWSLETTER NO. 70 LATE SPRING 2007 EDITORIAL Welcome to another Newsletter and apologies for the slight delay to the production. I like to wait until we have held the AGM so that a brief report can be included for members unable to attend and this year, due to the Lecture Room bookings, we had to hold the AGM a couple of weeks later than before. At the AGM on 21 April, the previous Officers were re-elected en bloc so we carry on for another year – contact details are given at the end of the Newsletter. There were no surprises and a useful discussion was held concerning the management of the main society; members may recall that at last year’s AGM, the meeting expressed dissatisfaction with the governance arrangements for nominating members for the Council and Management Board. Nothing has changed, but it was pointed out that with only four paid staff and the need to rely on volunteers who are getting increasingly older it was difficult to run the Society as effectively as it once had been. The income from subscriptions was decreasing and it was vital to find someone to act as publicity officer. The meeting proposed that more work should be invested in developing the Society’s website as a key source of information about the Society, including the Section’s activities. On a more positive note, thanks were extended to Jane Ellis for arranging a successful lecture programme. Average attendances have remained constant at around 20 per lecture in spite of a fall in the overall Section membership and Jane has a full programme for 2007-2008 starting on 6 October. Details are given later in the Newsletter. The AGM agreed to the continuing arrangement of contributing to David Cant’s expenses as co-convenor of the North East Industrial Archaeology Panel and David’s report on the work of the Panel is included in this Newsletter. The meeting agreed to offer to contribute to the cost of providing new projection facilities for Claremont since the existing slide projector is well past its use by date and increasingly speakers are wishing to use computer projection. Indicative costs have been obtained and passed to the Society’s secretary who agrees that this would be a worthwhile investment, watch this space for October. As usual the full minutes of the AGM will be circulated with the Autumn Newsletter As mentioned above, Section membership has declined from 91 to 84 individual members, almost entirely due to a drop in members of the main Society; IHS- only membership has only dropped from 25 to 24. I was sad to receive the resignation of long standing member Peter Kelley, who for personal reasons is now unable to attend meetings. I reported this to the AGM and the meeting also expressed regret and thanks to Peter for his support not only to the Section but also for his work in researching and making accessible the industrial history of Leeds. I have written to Peter conveying these thanks and will continue to send Peter copies of the Newsletter to enable him to keep touch with the Section. After the AGM and lunch, 10 members met in City Square to explore the changing nature of the Leeds riverside, Granary Wharf and the Canal Basin. I think the event was a success and something to be repeated after next year’s AGM – there is still plenty of industrial history to explore in Leeds! We were fortunate with the weather and thanks to Robert Vickers for researching and leading the walk. A full report will appear in the next Newsletter along with reports of the successful study weekend on the Upper Luddenden Valley, the coach trip to Wensleydale and the trip to Goole. Only one new member to welcome since the last Newsletter: Miss L Raistrick, who I was pleased to welcome on the Leeds walk. Don’t forget that membership leaflets are still available for you to distribute to contacts including local libraries and tourist information centres. The deadline for contributions for the Autumn Newsletter will be early September so that it can be distributed in good time for the start of the Lecture Programme on 6 October. I look forward to hearing from you and hope you have an enjoyable summer. Margaret Tylee NEWS FROM CLAREMONT In 2002-2003 the Section donated £250 to the YAHS Development Fund set up to improve the facilities at Claremont. The project was an ambitious one and included new library and lecture room facilities. Around £5,000 was raised from donations but it did not prove feasible to carry out the original plan. Only the first phase has been achieved – the modernisation of the kitchen – and this has exhausted the sum raised so far. The improvements to the kitchen have enabled easier and safer provision of food for day to day use and for the refreshments at Day Schools. Thanks have been extended from the YAHS President to all those individuals and Sections who made donations. The Section has received information from the YAHS Management Board regarding the requirements of the Charity Commissioners for organisations to be accountable to donors, beneficiaries and the public. Specifically we have been asked what plans we have to show our accountability and what plans we have for the expenditure of current funds, (these currently amount to around £4,000). Additionally there was a request to underwrite the cost of employing an additional Assistant Librarian at £13,000 a year. The suggestion was made that if funding was not made available in this way, then other means such as asking Sections to pay for the use of rooms at Claremont, would have to be considered. This was discussed at the AGM and the view was that it was preferable to meet the accountability requirement by using our funds to maintain the Lecture Programme, where increasingly we have to pay speakers’ fees, and the production of a regular Newsletter. We also need to keep funds available for the production of walk leaflets when text is available. Whilst recognising the importance of providing a Library and Archive service, supporting an additional member of staff would quickly exhaust our funds, leaving nothing for the above activities. As instructed by the AGM I have replied to the Management Board along these lines. HELP WANTED The Gayle Mill Trust is looking for donations to match the funding they have received from the Heritage Lottery with the aim of opening the Mill. The restoration of Gayle Mill and the plans for its use once the restoration is completed was described by John Cumberland in the Section’s January 2007 lecture (and reported below). At the lecture, the meeting agreed to give a donation to the Gayle Mill Trust and this was endorsed at the AGM. Donations from individual members will also be appreciated. If you wish to donate an amount, however small, please send a cheque made payable to “Gayle Mill Trust” to Dr Michael Thomson, Stone House, Thornton Rust, Leyburn, N Yorkshire, DL8 3AW. Members may also be interested in becoming a Friend of Gayle Mill. This group has been formed with the object of promoting the appreciation, support and improvement of Gayle Mill. The annual subscription is £10 for adults and £5 for juniors (under 18) with a family subscription of £20. Details are available from Roger Emmins, Ella Farmhouse, Appersett, Hawes, N Yorkshire, DL8 3LN. English Heritage is starting a new research project to explore the impact of the motor car on people and places from the 1890s to the present day. The project will examine how the world has been adapted for cars, how planners and architects dealt with new challenges and how a range of new buildings evolved to meet the needs of cars and their drivers. These buildings include garages, filling stations, car showrooms, car parks, motels and roadside cafes. Research and fieldwork is now taking place and the findings will eventually be published. If any members feel they can help, perhaps by sharing any research you have done or alerting the team to good examples of buildings to be considered, please contact Kathryn Morrison or John Minnis, Research Department, English Heritage, Brooklands, 24 Brooklands Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 8BU. Tel: 01223 582700; Fax 01223 582701 or email john.minnis@english- heritage.org.uk or [email protected]. NEWS ITEMS The 4th International Early Railways Conference is to be held 12-15 June 2008 at University College London, an appropriate venue since it is believed to be the site of Trevithick’s public demonstration of his Catch-Me-Who-Can locomotive in 1808. As well as the conference there will be an accompanying special exhibition which will be open to the public. Early railways are defined as being railways which were pre main line in concept if not in date and researchers in this field who would like to present their findings at the conference are invited to indicate a request to the Conference Editorial Panel. Prospective presenters are asked to submit a 300 word synopsis of their paper by the end of October 2007; proposals for short (15 minute) presentations are also welcome. Proposals can be on economic, business and social history as well as technical aspects and should be sent to Graham Boyes, 7 Onslow Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW10 6QH or email [email protected]. A small reprint of Early Railways 3, the published papers of the 3rd International Early Railway Conference is available for £23 inclusive of postage from Six Martlets Publishing, PO Box 7489, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 9WP The Huddersfield Canal Society has a new website containing information about the society, using the canal as a boater, walker or angler and various events.