No 193 May 2013 1 www.sihg.org.uk

SIHG Lecture 26 February 2013 The Story of the Schneider Trophy and the Spitfire by Colin van Geffen

Managing the SIHG Book Stock by Alan Crocker Since it was formed SIHG has published about Caring for the copies of these books which have twenty books. These include eleven industrial not yet been sold involves several tasks including archaeology guides covering the whole of pre- arranging appropriate storage space, stock- sent day . The first of these, by Derek taking, delivering copies to booksellers and col- Stidder on Reigate and Banstead, appeared in lecting the resulting income. Over the years these 1979 and the second by Francis Haveron on jobs have been carried out by several members of Waverley District, in 1985. Three of the eleven the SIHG Committee, including John Mills, have gone into second editions and two are cur- Tony Stevens, Glenys Crocker, Christopher rently out of print. There are also substantial Mann and several SIHG Treasurers. Christopher books including Surrey at Work in Old Photo- is a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers graphs, Chris Shepheard (1992); Surrey’s and involved in their Panel for Historical Engi- Industrial Past, Glenys Crocker, editor (1999); neering Works, known as PHEW. He joined the Damnable Inventions, Glenys and Alan Crocker SIHG Committee in 1994 but decided to stand (2000) and Surrey and the Motor, Gordon down in 2011 and the Committee is very grateful Knowles (2005). Shorter works include Abinger to him for all the work he did for SIHG in that and the Royal Greenwich Observatory, Peter period, particularly managing our stock of books. Tarplee (1996); A Guide to the Chilworth Gun- It was also in 2011 that Hugh Anscombe joined powder Mills, Glenys Crocker, (1985, 1994, the Committee. He is very active as the Admin- 1999, 2005); The Statue Foundry istration & Membership Secretary of the Friends - the Story of the Foundry and the Preservation of Guildford Museum and we are grateful to him of its Gantry Crane, Tony Stevens et al, (1994); for taking over that part of Christopher’s role in Surrey Industrial History Group Awards, 1983- managing our unsold books. The remaining part, 2007, Alan & Glenys Crocker, editors, (2008) dealing with the sale of SIHG books, is being and Alexander Raby, Ironmaster, Glenys Crock- taken over by Anne Lea. We are also greatly er, editor (2000), which is the proceedings of indebted to her for adding this task to her major SIHG conference held at Cobham in 1998. role as SIHG Treasurer. ¤ Newsletter 193 May 2013 2 Contents 1 Managing the SIHG Book Stock by Alan Crocker 2 Notices; Diary: 20 May 2013 - 31 July 2013 3 Autumn 2013 Series of Thursday Morning Lectures at Leatherhead 3 Venues, Times & Contacts 4 Industries of the Tillingbourne by Alan Crocker report by Elizabeth Owen 5 Growth of Railways in Mid-Surrey (part 2) by Peter Tarplee report by Allan Wheeler 5 News from report by Gordon Knowles 7 Surrey Steams Ahead - New ‘Surrey Railway Archive’ DVD is out now! 7 Industrial Archaeology News 164: Spring 2013 report by Gordon Knowles 8 The Changing Face of the Chemist’s Shop in the 20th Century by Tony Yoward report by Anne Lea

Reports & Notices Details of meetings are reported in good faith, but information may become out of date. Please check before attending.

SIHG Visits, Details & Updates at www.sihg.org.uk

SIHG Membership Renewal for 2013-14 is now overdue If you have not yet done so, please make your cheque payable to ‘Surrey Archaeological Society’ and send it to Castle Arch, Guildford GU1 3SX A Membership Form is is available online or may be obtained from the above address. You may also pay by Standing Order.

Southern Water presents 's Victorian Sewer Tours Arch 260, Palace Pier Various dates & times - May to September 2013 Pre-booking is required (Minimum age 11) www.southernwater.co.uk/sewertours

SIHG Newsletters Disposal I wish to dispose of a complete set of SIHG Newsletters from November 1979, Issues 1 to 180 . If anyone is interested in having these they may be collected, free of charge, from my home in Bookham. Please contact me, [email protected] to make the necessary arrangements. Peter Tarplee

SIHG AGM and Presentation of Conservation Award 2013 to the Wealden Cave &: Mine Society - talk by Peter Burgess Saturday 20 July 2013 Reigate Community Centre at 14:00 Details in the July Newsletter

Diary May 26 Sun Rural Life Centre & Old Kiln Light Railway: May Bus Rally. Diary June 1 Sat - 2 Sun Rural Life Centre & Old Kiln Light Railway CSVAC Club Rally. Diary June 1 Sat - 2 Sun Rural Life Centre & Old Kiln Light Railway CSVAC Club Rally. 22 Sat Guildford: Old Industries Walk, Tunsgate Arch, 11:00, free. Diary July 20 Sat Surrey Industrial History Group: AGM + Award Presentation; Reigate Community Centre, 14:00, details in July Newsletter. 27 Sat Guildford: Old Industries Walk, Tunsgate Arch, 11:00, free. 28 Sun Rural Life Centre / Old Kiln Light Railway: Rustic Sunday. Venues, Times & Contacts are on page 4.

Cover image: Schneider Trophy in the Science Museum -http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schneider_Trophy_2006-2.jpg Newsletter 193 May 2013 3 SIHG Newsletter No 193 May 2013 DIARY 38th series of SIHG Industrial Archaeology Lectures at Guildford starts on 1 October * Full programme enclosed * Alternate Tuesdays, 19:30-21:30, Single lectures at £5, payable on the night, are open to all. Education Centre, The Cathedral, Guildford The Education Centre is the first building on the left near the top of the road up to the cathedral; enter by the first door you come to There is easy parking and almost step-free access - Maps at www.sihg.org.uk. Thursday Morning Lectures at Leatherhead Autumn 2013 Series Places still available! (Enrolment is for the whole course only) 3 Oct Stourport: Terminus of the Staffs & Worcester Canal - Gordon Knowles, SIHG 10 Oct Calshot: The Flying Years - Colin van Geffen 17 Oct The Building of St Pancras Station - Douglas Irvine, Structural Engineer 24 Oct History of the Bus - David Mulvey, London Bus Museum, Brooklands. 31 Oct The History of London Underground - Geoff Roles, SIHG 7 Nov Half Term Visit - details to be announced 14 Nov Haulage as the Crow Flew: The Development of Commercial Road Transport - Richard Mellor 21 Nov The Supply of Water to Surrey - Rob Baldrey, East Surrey Water 28 Nov The History of Ropes and Knots - Howard Denyer - IGKT 5 Dec The Mary Rose Story - Edward Sutton, The Mary Rose Trust 12 Dec Members’ talks Enquires to Programme Co-ordinator Bob Bryson: [email protected].

Venues, Times & Contacts Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre: by Amberley Railway Station on the B2139; www.amberleymuseum.co.uk, £9.80. Ancient Technology Centre : Damerham Road, Cranborne, Dorset BH21 5RP, www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk. BIAG, Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group: Watlington House, Watlington Street, Reading; 19:30; £2.50; www.biag.org.uk. Brooklands: Brooklands Road, , Surrey KT13 0QN. Brunel Museum: walks from Bermondsey Tube; just turn up, £8, www.brunel-museum.org.uk. Bursledon Brickworks: Coal Park Lane, Swanwick, Southampton SO31 7GW, www.bursledonbrickworks.org.uk, 01489 576248, £3. Chatham Historic Dockyard: Chatham, ME4 4TZ; 10:00-18:00, £15; www.thedockyard.co.uk; 01634 823800. Chatley Heath Semaphore Tower: Ockham Common, off A3, S of junction 10, M25. Park at Boldermere or Pond car park on Old Lane. Crofton Beam Engines : Crofton Pumping Station, Crofton, Marlborough, Wilts SN8 3DW; 10:30-17:00; £8; www.croftonbeamengines.org, 01672 870300. Crossness Pumping Station : The Old Works, Crossness STW, Belvedere Road, Abbey Wood, London SE2 9AQ; www.crossness.org.uk, 020 8311 3711; 1030-1600, £5. Railway Centre: Didcot Parkway railway station, Didcot, OX11 7NJ. Honeywood Museum: Honeywood Walk, Carshalton SM6 3NX; 020 8770 4297. £3.50. Kempton Great Engines: Feltham Hill Road, Hanworth, Middx TW13 6XH (off elevated section of A316), www.kemptonsteam.org, 01932 765328, 1100-1600, £6 Kew Bridge Steam Museum: Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, Middlsex TW8 0EN, 11:00-16:00, £9.50; 0208568 4757, www.kbsm.org. London Bus Museum: at Brooklands, Brooklands Road, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0QN. London Canal Museum: 12/13 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RT. Talk: 19:30, £3. 0207 713 0836, www.canalmuseum.org.uk. Depot: 2 Museum Way, 118-120 Gunnersbury La, London W3 9BQ; tours at 1100 and 1400; must be pre-booked, £12; 020 7565 7298, www.ltmuseum.co.uk. London Underground Railway Society: Upper Room, All Souls Clubhouse, 141 Cleveland Street, London W1T 6QG; 19:15; www.lurs.org.uk . Lowfield Heath Windmill: Russ Hill, Charlwood, RH6 0EL (TQ 234 407). 1400-1700. Free; donations welcome. Markfield Beam Engine and Museum : Markfield Road, SouthTottenham, London N15 4RB; [email protected]. 01707 873628. Newcomen Society Portsmouth: Room 0.27, Portland Building, University of Portsmouth, St James Street off Queen Street, Portsea; 18:30; free, free parking from 16:30. Portsmouth Historic Dockyard : HM Naval Base, Portsmouth PO1 3LJ, 10:00-17:00, 02392 728060, www.historicdockyard.co.uk. Rural Life Centre: Old Kiln Museum, Reeds Road, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 2DL; 01252 795571. Shirley Windmill: Postmill Close, Shirley CR0 5DY, 13:00-17:00, free, www.shirleywindmill.org.uk SIAS, Sussex Industrial Archaeology Society: Meetings at West Blatchington Mill Barn, Holmes Avenue, Hove; 19:30. STEAM - Museum of the : Kemble Drive, SN2 2TA; 1000-1700, £6.40; 01793 466 646; www.steam-museum.org.uk. Twyford Waterworks: Hazeley Road, Twyford, Hampshire SO21 1QA; 11:00-16:00; 01962 714716, www.twyfordwaterworks.co.uk. , Mid Hants Railway: Station Rd, Alresford SO24 9JG / Station Rd, Alton GU34 2PZ. Wealden Cave & Mine Society: Reigate Caves in Tunnel off High Street, Reigate, 10:00-16:00, £3, www.wcms.org.uk/index.shtml.

Surrey Industrial History Group Officers Chairman & Lectures Organiser: Robert Bryson, [email protected] Secretary: Alan Thomas, [email protected] Treasurer: Anne Lea , [email protected] Membership Secretary: Pam Taylor, [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Jan Spencer, [email protected] Newsletter 193 May 2013 4

SIHG Lecture Series 15 January 2013 Industries of the Tillingbourne by Alan Crocker report by Elizabeth Owen Alan started his talk by noting that in 1980 he was one Alan described in detail the early method of paper mak- of the speakers and leaders of visits at a weekend con- ing, and mentioned William Cobbett’s detestation of the ference on “The Tillingbourne and its History”. He and manufacture of banknotes and gunpowder in Chilworth, others have done a lot of research on the subject, and his expressed in his Rural Rides. We learned about the very audience, which nearly overflowed the room, benefited rare and efficient Poncelet waterwheel at Vale End from his wide knowledge and easy style. pumping station, and about the ingredients of gunpow- der and its manufacture. We saw screen presentations of old maps, drawings and paintings depicting Tillingbourne mills from the six- In reply to a question, Alan noted the constant supply of teenth to the nineteenth century, and were regaled with water from the chalk springs, with the mills at the head the dates of operation and the uses to which the water of the valley starting up first in the morning, and lower power was put. There were mills at Friday Street, mills using the water later. He said the gunpowder pro- Crane’s Hill, Paddington, Abinger Hammer, Gomshall, duction was known from the number of barges used to Netley, Albury Park, Albury Vale End, Postford, Chil- transport it down the River Wey, which was converted worth, East Shalford and Shalford, a total of 30 mills into a navigation (with locks) to transport timber in the with 50 waterwheels, some of which are mentioned in seventeenth century. ¤ the Domesday Book. The industries they powered were Map from Peter Brandon's book, The North Downs, corn milling; iron forging, copper beating and wire pull- Phillimore, 2005, page 124. ing; wool fulling, flock making and leather tanning, timber sawing, gunpowder and cordite manufacture, paper making and drinking water pumping.

The Burbach Pillars at Redhill Station by Gerry Moss Editorial Note (correction) Many thanks to all who have sent in contributions.

Please send in reports or photos of holiday visits or thoughts on local, national or Portrait ofDavid Reeves international Industrial Archaeology by 5 July 2013 >>Please note the early date<< (Last month’sarticle showed for the July 2013 SIHG Newsletter! an incorrect portrait.) Newsletter 193 May 2013 5 News from Brooklands for cold-weather testing of diesel engines, Artic clothing report by Gordon Knowles and fishing trawlers. Snow and blizzards could be creat- ed, with temperatures between -65 °C and +40 °C. The The museum has recently received two significant fi- air pressure could be evacuated down to one-twentyth of nancial grants. Firstly, the Heritage Lottery Fund has that at sea-level. Some of the operating equipment will given an initial allocation of £410,000 to assist the mu- be restored and new exhibits displayed. The original seum in making an application by 2015 for a full grant Control Room, which had never been open to visitors, of £4.85 million to relocate, restore and reinterpret the will also be restored and opened up. ¤ Grade II listed Wellington hangar. It will be known as ‘The Brooklands Aircraft Factory’ and will house more of the museum’s historic aircraft and restore the section of the racing track - the former Finishing Straight - on which the hangar currently stands. See the designs illus- trated on page 20. The project will also include en- hanced learning opportunities, a training scheme in his- toric aircraft restoration and other new activities on the race track. The hangar display will show how aircraft from the ear- liest types to Concorde were designed, built and devel- oped at Brooklands over an 80 year period. The ‘Factory’ will be an interactive learning centre in which visitors will be able to soak up the atmosphere of an aircraft factory and try for themselves some of the many skills used at Brooklands in its heyday. The adjoining new ‘Flight Shed’ will hold the museum’s active aircraft which will be rolled out onto the restored section of track for both static and taxying demonstrations. New workshops underneath the building will be devoted to the training of volunteers who will learn aircraft restora- tion skills. The second grant is one of £120,000 from the Associa- tion of Independent Museums to restore and interpret Barnes Wallis’s Stratosphere Chamber, a huge laborato- ry building dating from 1947. It was designed for re- search into high-altitude and high speed flight. It operat- ed until 1980 and was 25ft (7.6m) in diameter and 50ft Projects in the pipeline. ‘The Brooklands Aircraft Factory’, top, (15.2m) long, taking a complete fighter aircraft, or the and the restored section of the racing track - fuselage and cockpit of larger aircraft. It was also used the former Finishing Straight, above.

Surrey Steams Ahead - New ‘Surrey Railway Archive’ DVD is out now!

If you have links to Surrey, and have an interest in the wants to know more! Narration is not included - the county’s railway heritage or just like steam trains, then pictures speak for themselves! this silent DVD offers a fascinating look back to a by- The last chapter of the DVD features a 5 minute guide gone era in the history of Surrey’s railways. Almost to visiting and using collections at Surrey History Cen- every station and railway line within the modern bound- tre, winners of the 2012 Archive of the Year Award. aries of the county is represented Staff will walk you through how to book through a superb array of colour and in, how to use the fantastic array of ar- black and white photographs (the ear- chive and local studies material and give liest taken in 1867) complemented you a taster of the historic gems which where possible with rare archive 8mm any member of the public can come and colour cine film from the 1960s and see. Whether you are interested in family 1970s. The DVD captures magnifi- or local history, military ancestors or cently the railway network as the age railway research, Surrey History Centre of steam drew to a close. can help you discover more. Each photograph and cine footage The DVD is available from Surrey His- sequence is captioned on the film itself tory Centre, priced at £15.95 (plus £2.80 and in addition a printed guide is in- p&p). cluded which gives details of each Format: DVD-R (UK-PAL), Silent photograph and cine film sequence DVD Region: all regions, used. Where known, the date, place 16:9 widescreen format and photographer and observations are Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes noted to better explain the scenes - a Researched, produced and edited by must for any railway enthusiast that Bob Bridger and SVS Film, Newsletter 193 May 2013 6 SIHG Lecture Series 27 November 2012 Growth of Railways in Mid-Surrey (part 2) by Peter Tarplee report by Allan Wheeler The LSWR’s 1859 Raynes Park-Epsom-Leatherhead ing. The line diverged from the 1845 line from Woking route was extended in 1867 to Dorking and Horsham; it north of Guildford station. was operated beyond Leatherhead by the LBSCR, Other pictures showed both Leatherhead stations and the whose line had joined at Epsom. viaduct taking the Leatherhead-Effingham route over the As already indicated, the Epsom-Leatherhead section River Mole. Between Guildford and Effingham (with an intermediate station at Ashstead) was jointly Junction, stations were provided at London Road, operated by the LSWR and LBSCR, and served separate Clandon and Horsley. The original 1859 LSWR station stations in Leatherhead. Between here and Dorking, the at Leatherhead was replaced in 1867 by one nearer the owner of Norbury Park laid down conditions that the town and was a terminal until the branch from line would be tunnelled under his land with decorative Effingham Junction entered it from the south. The SR portals provided. An impressive bridge was built over closed this station in 1927 and the line from Effingham the River Mole as part of the conditions. Box Hill sta- Junction was diverted to join the Dorking line further tion (now Boxhill & Westhumble) was built on the land- south so that both lines could be served by the former owner’s insistence even though it was close to Dorking. LBSCR station, which has continued to serve the town to date. Navvies’ welfare was a consideration on the Dorking extension, and close by, the Railway Arms (now the In the same year (1929) that the Southern Railway Stepping Stones) was built. Dorking LBSCR station, the closed Epsom Town station, it rebuilt the LSWR’s sta- town’s third station, became Dorking North, and the Star tion which serves Epsom today. All signalling in the and Garter Hotel was built nearby. Today, the station is Epsom area was transferred to Wimbledon. incorporated into an office block. Electrification began with an overhead system of 6.6 kV South of Dorking, Holmwood, opened in 1867, later AC constructed by the LBSCR involving nearly 25 route served a nearby munitions works in World War II. The miles in South London. The programme was begun in buildings at Ockley are now out of railway use. 1909, reaching Sutton in 1925 and was coined the Horsham, rebuilt in SR 1930s style, is a junction with ‘Elevated Electric’. In 1926, the SR, as part of a large the 1865 line from Three Bridges on the Brighton main electrification project, announced that the overhead sys- line via Crawley. Trains which ran via Sutton and Leath- tem would be converted to third rail operation; this fol- erhead to the West Sussex coast and Portsmouth were lowed the widespread adoption of the third rail system diverted to this line in the 1980s to serve Gatwick Airport. by the LSWR, initially on its inner suburban routes. The last overhead electric train ran in 1929. Power for the South of Horsham, Christ’s Hospital station was built in LSWR electrification was provided by the former 1902 at a junction with a line from Guildford which Durnsford Road power station in Wimbledon. Sir Her- opened in 1865. Stations were provided at Bramley & bert Walker was appointed General Manager of the SR Wonersh, Cranleigh, Baynards, Rudgwick and Slinfold, in 1923 having previously been GM of the LSWR from of which Bramley and Baynards survive. The latter was 1912; he oversaw the LSWR’s electrification pro- named after Baynards Park, owned by Lord Thurlow, gramme which would now continue on a larger scale but had little traffic, though there was a works nearby. under the auspices of the SR. He also introduced the Originating as the Horsham & Guilford Direct Railway, clockface timetable and both this and the spread of elec- it was absorbed by the LBSCR but there were problems trification led to a large increase in the issue of season with the LSWR over access to Guildford as trains would tickets. The first electric train to Guildford ran in 1925 need to run over their metals north of Peaslake Junction. over the New Line. This was only partly resolved in the 1890s and was not fully so until the formation of the SR in 1923. The line In the 1930s the SR proposed to build a new line to closed in 1965. Leatherhead leaving the 1859 Raynes Park-Epsom- Leatherhead route at Motspur Park, to serve suburban By 1867, most connections were open. In 1885, the development south of Surbiton. Stations were provided LSWR opened a line from Guildford to Leatherhead and at Malden Manor, Tolworth, Chessington North and another via Cobham from its main line at Hampton Chessington South and have distinctive art-deco con- Court Junction, the two lines joining at Effingham crete architecture. Construction took place in 1938 and Junction. The Cobham route grew out of a Guildford, 1939 but was halted by the war after the line had Kingston & London proposal that would be operated by reached Chessington South. Some construction took the District Railway but the LSWR retaliated with Bills place beyond here nearly as far as Malden Rushet which for Leatherhead-Guildford and Guildford to its main line was to have a station, with another planned at Leather- at or near . Cobham residents voted for the LSWR head North. The works included an embankment which at a public meeting; main reasons being quicker access was built as an exercise by the Royal Engineers. After to central London than the District could provide, and the war Green Belt legislation put a stop to any resump- that LSWR’s route would be cheaper and better serve tion of work. It was to join the Epsom-Leatherhead sec- local centres of population. As well as at Cobham, sta- tion of the Horsham line but the junction site and part of tions were provided at and . Pictures the planned route was obliterated by the M25. However, showed that the main buildings of Claygate, Oxshott and this extension is now again under consideration.† ¤ Cobham were of very similar design. This route became known as the ‘Guildford New Line’. A station at † – was added in 1930 to serve new hous- Expanding Access to the Rail Network, Appendix 3, Association of Train Operating Companies, 2009.

Published by the Surrey Industrial History Group and printed by YesPrint 3 Leafy Oak Workshops Cobbetts Lane Yateley GU17 9LW © SIHG 2013 ISSN 1355-8188 Newsletter 193 May 2013 7 Industrial Archaeology News 164: Spring 2013 report by Gordon Knowles There is information in this issue regarding the urgent need public buildings in Britain holding eighty double deck bus- to set up a nationwide heritage photo archive; see es at a time and with a 1,100 car park and bus offices on www.heritagephotoarchive.co.uk. Ken Howarth, a museum upper floors. It has since deteriorated over time and in De- and archive professional working in north west , cember 2012 Preston City Council announced that it was to recommends that both individuals and groups should seri- be demolished, but this has been delayed so that proposals ously consider depositing images before they are lost for from heritage bodies to refurbish it can be presented. ever. He agrees that it is not a simple task to scan and index Meanwhile in Slough the 1975 Brunel bus station has been images, and recommends using www.zenfolio.com who demolished. It too was a good design but lack of mainte- give a professional, quality and friendly service at an af- nance has led to its deterioration. A dramatic new bus sta- fordable price. (I have no experience of this organisation tion has been built nearby, opened in 2011. The wavy archi- but can see the advantages. Perhaps the SIHG Committee tecture is said to be based on different wavelengths of light, should consider organising something. The obvious deposi- and although interesting in its structure, with aluminium tory would at Woking of course. GK) shingles to reflect the light and changing character with The European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH) is seek- varying light conditions, it is said to be less popular with ing to create a new Regional Route in the East Peak which the travelling public as the waiting areas are more exposed would cover the rural communities of West Barnsley, North and less comfortable than the old station. Sheffield, Kirkburton and Denby Dale. The area had strong Robert also writes on the two hundredth anniversary of the links with the iron and steel industries, coal mining, glass start of work on the Regents Canal in London. He states and textiles. More details can be found at www.epip.org.uk. that it was the M25 of its day, built outside the then built-up Prof. Marilyn Palmer and Ian West describe their research areas and took a semi-circular route allowing 2 boats at a into the impact technology has made on the country house. time through the 14 feet wide locks. These estates dominated the rural landscape for centuries When fully opened in 1820 it was nine miles long and pro- and from the 18th c onwards; technical improvements were vided a through route from the Grand Junction Canal at introduced to improve the supply of water, gas, and later Paddington to Limehouse on the Thames. Construction electricity, and the provision of effective sewage disposal. started in 1812 and in 1813 Lords Cricket Ground was The Country House Technology project based at the moved 250 yards to the northwest to make way for the ca- University of Leicester since 2008 has studied the ways in nal. The section as far as Camden Town was opened in which house and estate owners adopted the new technolo- 1816. From there onwards the canal ran into difficulties, gies. Communication within the house was speeded up by financial and structural, as well as opposition from affected the introduction of bells, speaking tubes and then tele- landowners. The Islington tunnel, almost a thousand yards phones: hoists, lifts and even railways moved goods long, passed under a built-up area and was opened in 1818 around: and central heating and plumbing systems raised with the final stretch to the river in 1820. the comfort levels and eased the servants’ work load. On- site production of gas and electricity was common as the Endangered Sites in 2012 are discussed by Amber Patrick. estates were usually in the country and far from existing The CBA weekly-issued sheet has now been replaced by a public services. searchable database, only a few of which are usually of IA interest. Last year one of the most interesting cases was the A conference was held in in 2010 and a book has Marconi works in Chelmsford. Whilst the listed 1912 build- recently been published. Essays on specific technologies ing and the water tower were to be retained the AIA point- are supplemented by case studies on some of the more ad- ed out that the whole site was visually important and in- vanced properties such as Holkham Hall and Lanhydrock. cluded the unusual barrel vaulted roof to building 720. Re- Preparation of a comprehensive book is under way on be- grettably the application to demolish was approved. half of the National Trust and is due to be published in 2014. Heritage of Industry organised a study tour in south- On a positive note the application to renovate the Dye and west England in April, see www.heritageofindustry.co.uk. Stove House at Ditherington Flax Mill, Shrewsbury was Further information on the project can be found at approved. Two other sites where the AIA have been suc- www2.le.ac.uk/departments/archaeology/research/centre- cessful are the Working Mast House at Sheerness, a Rennie for-historical-archaeology/research-1/country-house- building and listed GradeII*, and the locomotive shed and technology. store at Newhaven Harbour. E-FAITH (European Federation of Associations of In- The TICCIH XVth Congress, held in Taiwan, is reported dustrial and Technical Heritage) held an international by Mark Watson, the GB National Representative. Sir Neil conference in London in October 2012, hosted Cossons was a keynote speaker (“Industrial Heritage: by GLIAS. Robert Carr describes the lectures and visits. Treasure or Trash”) and there were some 50 papers given Speakers included Prof. David Perrett (GLIAS) and the on a wide range of topics, plus workshops and special inter- new President of the Newcomen Society, Geoff Wallis of est meetings There were the usual series of visits to varied GW Conservation (Dorothea), who gave a review of health sites, including railway workshops, a tobacco factory, a and safety practice in working museums. Kevin Bates sugar mill, Kaosiung port, a coal museum and Taipei water spoke on Cornish mining and Prof. Jennifer Tann on the supply. diminishing number of mills in the Valley. Dr. Peter Jarvis spoke about the Ffestiniog railway and Edith Joseph Among notifications of recent National Heritage Land- introduced delegates to the Neuchatel and three lakes re- marks Partnership Scheme Awards (sponsored by Biffa with the Association of Independent Museums), is one in gion in Switzerland. Surrey. The has been awarded Other speakers described activities in Holland, Belgium, £120,000 for the restoration and interpretation of Barnes Italy and France on a wide range of topics from muscle- Wallis’s Stratosphere Test Chamber and Control Room, to powered paddle boats in Amsterdam museum to the early provide increased visitor access and an educational experi- petrol docks in Antwerp, a concrete airship hanger at Au- ence using Barnes Wallis as a role model (see the report on gusta, Sicily and the Federation des Moulins de France. page 18). Also in the southeast, the Kew Bridge Engines Visits were made to Kirkaldy Testing Museum in South- Trust has been awarded £80,364 for restoration and refur- wark, the Musical Museum in Brentford and Kew Bridge bishment of the Museum of Water Supply. The next conference will be held Babcock Room as an exhibitions space with audio-visual in Switzerland in the autumn of this year. presentation and interpretation of London’s water supply. Robert Carr tells the Tale of two Bus Stations, in Preston Various future events are previewed including the annual and Slough. When the Preston station opened in 1969 it AIA Conference to be held this year in Dundee, ‘Tayside to was the largest in Europe and was one of the most dramatic Deeside’, from 9 to 15 August. ¤ Newsletter 193 May 2013 8

SIHG Lecture Series 12 March 2013 The Changing Face of the Chemist’s Shop in the 20th Century by Tony Yoward report by Anne Lea

A large audience enjoyed an informative and amusing Tony also explained the production of cachets, enclosing talk about life in the chemist’s shop and how it had the drug within an edible case. Plasters were made using changed during the life of the speaker. Mr Yoward’s a special heated iron. Powders were enclosed within father had been a chemist in the 1930s and his son papers, precisely folded to fit within a box. If the ap- joined him as an apprentice in 1944. He later attended prentice didn’t get this exactly right, the task would all college in Bristol. Following national service he began have to be done again. All bottles had to be wrapped work in a chemist’s shop, a role he was to continue until perfectly in white dimity paper and sealed with wax - the retirement. The changes over the period in question wax must not be visible. Ointments were sold in beauti- were astonishing. ful porcelain jars before the introduction of the tube. The filling of a tube was demonstrated. Pictures of the chemist’s shop in1900 showed glass- fronted cases and coloured carboys - the colour was de- Originally it was the monastery herb garden that provid- signed to protect the contents from the effect of sunlight, ed medicaments. After the dissolution, the option for the shape allowed liquids containing sediments to be most people was to consult the local ‘wise woman’. This poured without disturbing the latter. Apprentices wasn’t always a disaster, willow-bark tea, comfrey and cleaned the glass, inside and out, every week - not a foxgloves were remedies that have since proved their popular job. Tony had brought with him a fine collection worth. For a time ‘doctors’ or ‘surgeon barbers’ believed of other equipment commonly in use and he explained in ‘balancing the humours’ by bleeding, purging, etc. and demonstrated the purpose of each strange gadget. Leeches still have their place in modern medicine. The The pestle and mortar and medicine glass was recog- Victorians suffered extremely from constipation, owing nisable to all. Different bottles were used within the to lack of fluid. Beecham’s pills made from aloe, ginger pharmacy for liquids, syrups, powders and solids. and soap; sulphur tablets and liver pills were just some Ribbed bottles were introduced to allow those with visu- of the remedies used. Chemists sold trusses when the al impairment to identify poisons. constipation resulted in hernias. The pill machine and the different pill ‘rounders’ and Chemists have always sold a wide range of products, not ‘coaters’ took more explaining but our expert speaker just medications. In 1900 it was possible to buy cinna- was able to clarify these for us. Pills were made with a mon sticks, chillies, carbon, shellac, isinglass, senna, base of liquorice powder or soap, plus the drug. They poppy heads, liquorice, candy, sauces and petrol. By the could be coated in chalk or varnish. He told us of a pa- 1930s new technologies were often introduced by the tient who found that her pills were more efficacious if chemist. Tony’s father had a window display containing coated in silver! Ointments were made with a pallet cameras, wireless parts and vacuum flasks. Tony saw the knife on a tile. He also described the production of sup- introduction of paper hankies, baby foods and sunglass- positories, with cocoa butter as the mass ingredient, be- es. Less well known and less welcome was the introduc- fore presenting us all with our own ‘suppository’ - of tion of stamp duty on medications, in the 1780s, to fund Belgian chocolate! the war with France. Running at 6d (2.5p) for products costing 2/6 to 4/- (12.5p-20p), and 1/- (5p) for those He explained that pills and tablets were NOT the same. between 4/- and 10/- (20p-50p). The tax later became Pills were made from a paste, whilst tablets, invented in purchase tax and ultimately VAT. 1860, are compressed powders, easier to mass produce. In the British pharmacopoeia of 1900 there were 50 pills Finally, I now know the difference between a chemist and 1 tablet, by 1950 the situation was reversed with 1 and a druggist, the former deals with minerals and the pill and 80 tablets. In 1914 there were still 14 ointments latter with plant extracts. A pharmacist, of course, is an available that contained mercury - teething powder was expert on both, as our speaker proved. ¤ made of mercury and chalk!

SIHG Newsletter #193 May 2013 Web Edition This edition of the Surrey Industrial Group Newsletter has been reformatted so that it is more easily read online or printed out as a PDF. Diary entries have been curtailed to cover SIHG, or SIHG related, events only. Other editorial matter is practically as originally published, but some pictures have been replaced by coloured versions. Readers are advised that the views of contributors are not necessarily the views of SIHG ©Copyright SIHG and individual contributors 2013.

SIHG is a group of the Surrey Archaeological Society, Registered Charity No 272098 Castle Arch Guildford Surrey GU1 3SX, Group President: Prof AG Crocker FSA