ST ALBANS & HERTFORDSHIRE ARCHITECTURAL & ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 206 November 2017

What has this commemorative stamp to do with St Albans? See page 22

Some of the items included in this edition

President’s Message Society Visits Annual General Meeting Museum and Gallery Clock Tower Books for sale Library Lecture Programme Page 2 Contents President’s Message 3 SAHAAS and Social Media 4 175�� Anniversary 5 Annual General Meeting 2017 6 Membership 8 Publications Report 9 Library Report 10 Library Notes 11 Sir John Evans: 12 Do you have any expertise in old clocks? 13 Computer wanted 13 Clock Tower Report 14

Dennis Owen 1923 - 2017 15.1 Visit to Samuel Pepys Library Cambridge 16 Planned Coach Outing to Colchester 17 New Museum and Gallery Site Visit 18 St Michael’s School Dig 19 More Improvements in George Street 20 St Albans Network Conference 21

Sir Ernest Shackleton and St Albans 22 Alban, Britain’s First Saint 24 A Fire on Holywell Hill in 1653 26 Hertfordshire Regiment Memorial 28 Top Heritage Education Award for Verulamium Museum 29 Digitisation of A Bedfordshire Bibliography 29

Lecture Programme 30 More Books for Sale 35

NEW EDITOR SOUGHT

After five years as your editor and due to other commitments, I have decided to pass the baton on after the publication of the February 2018 Newsletter (207). The Society is therefore seeking another to take over the role. Currently, I both edit the copy and prepare the Newsletter for print using basic desk top publishing software – it may be that the job can be divided into two?

If you are interested in filling this rewarding and interesting post please email me at [email protected] or Bryan Hanlon at [email protected].

John Humphreys www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE thread of history and making sure that I write this having just attended the people understand annual civic service at St Albans Abbey the context in which in the presence of both the new we go forward. Mayor and the new Lord Lieutenant for the county. Iqbal Zia is the 474th We have just pub- mayor of St Albans. Robert Voss is lished Chris Green’s only the 27th person to have held the history of the Old lieutenancy in a very similar time Town Hall with its beautiful produc- period. Lords Lieutenant have a tion quality and illustrations – I am greater longevity than mayors! hugely grateful to Pat Broad for guiding this into harbour! After a One is Muslim, the other is of the great deal of effort by our library Jewish faith. We were in St Albans team, our new online library cata- Abbey in an Anglican service presided logue has gone live – see page 10 for over by Dean Jeffrey John with the more details. Bishop of Bedford. Rather than having a traditional sermon, the Mayor’s Dave and Gill Girdziusz’ lecture pro- Chaplain, Imam Abdul Muhit from gramme has also had a cracking start. London Colney Islamic Centre, and the We’ve had home-grown talent – Bishop of Bedford conducted a public Louise Fowler was educated and dialogue on Muslim and Christian brought up in St Albans, Jon Mein is interpretations of Mercy and Commu- of course an invaluable member of nity. Then we all sang the National Council – and two speakers of national Anthem before processing out. renown, Carenza Lewis and Christian Wolmar. So far the move of our It could not have been a more power- Tuesday lectures to the Marlborough ful expression of diversity, completely Road Methodist Church seems unimaginable to our predecessors, to have been a great success. The and really rather wonderful. History new venue is comfortable and is made every day in our extraordinary accessible and has plenty of room. community. My fascinating first few However, our New Year Party will, weeks as President of the Society have as always, be held at Verulamium emphasised to me what an important Museum. role we must play in tracking that Photo: John Humphreys

While every care has been taken in the preparation of this newsletter the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein or any consequence arising from it www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 4

I was particularly struck by Professor setting up a Publicity Group and Lewis’s lecture. It recounted how our would be very pleased to hear of any understanding of the impact of the appropriate skills among the wider Black Death has been enhanced by membership. mobilising thousands of ordinary householders to dig trial pits (under In two years time we have our 175th proper supervision) on their proper- anniversary. A small team is consider- ties and record the pottery finds, thus ing how best we mark this significant demonstrating the ebb and flow of milestone. Again please come forward population across the Eastern Region with your ideas – see page 5. We are since Roman times. I would love it if looking for suggestions, big and small, we too could find a project that mobi- from all of our wide membership. lised our wider community in a similar way. We stand on the shoulders of giants, the Society has made an extraordinary Our light is rather hidden under a contribution over the last 173 years. bushel! I am struck by how many With the opportunities provided by people say they have never heard of new media, a local population the Arc & Arc and are duly astonished amongst the most highly educated when I tell them about the lecture in the United Kingdom, a Council programme, the library, the clocka- and membership brimming with teers and all the projects. There is a knowledge and talent, it will be our gratifying increase in membership fault if we don’t make the most of this already this year but there is still a opportunity. huge untapped market out there. We do need to think how we communi- Sandy Walkington cate using every kind of media. I am

SAHAAS AND SOCIAL MEDIA

We are very aware that new forms of social media, Facebook, Twitter and others are transforming communication and information sharing. The Society does have a presence on Facebook and Twitter but we need to be cleverer in reaching out to people who are not looking for us. We would welcome someone to lead this, please contact Sandy by email ([email protected]). www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 5

175TH ANNIVERSARY

As many of you will be aware, it will be our 175th anniversary in 2020 and your Council feels that this should be celebrated in due fashion – the question is how? A ‘steering group’ (currently Sandy Walkington, Peter Burley, Helen Bishop, David Moore, Pat Broad, and Bryan Hanlon) will coordinate the implementation of any projects that we undertake, but we need suggestions as to what we shall be doing.

2020 may seem a long time away, but it is now little more than two years and we all know that projects can take a great deal of time and effort before they bear fruit. We do have some initial ideas but with over 500 members within our Society, we believe that there will be a good number of sugges- tions that can be put forward so, please, start thinking now.

Please send your ideas to:

Bryan Hanlon 24 Monks Horton Way St Albans AL1 4HA Tel: 01727-851734 email: [email protected]

Closing date: 31st December 2017 – or of course earlier!

Bryan Hanlon Hon. Secretary www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 6

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2017

The Annual General Meeting was held on 12th September 2017 at Marlborough Road Methodist Church. Eighty seven members attended.

1. Apologies for absence were received from Doreen Bratby, Jenny Burley, Romaine Byers, Caroline Howkins, Rosemary Knight, Andy Lawrence, Ian Martin, Alison Metcalfe, Beryl and Donald Munro and David Smith.

2. Helen Bishop, President 2014-2017 welcomed members to the new venue for Tuesday meetings, Marlborough Road Methodist Church, and thanked the Church for having us. She referred to the achievements of the Society over the past few years: publishing two books, moving its library to Sandridge Gate and fund raising for the New Museum and Gallery. Her speech was met with applause.

3. Election of President for 2017-2020. Bryan Hanlon referred to the August Newsletter where Council recommended Sandy Walkington as the next President. There being no comments from the floor, Bryan Hanlon proposed and Pat Howe seconded that Sandy Walkington be President of the Society. All members present voted in favour and Sandy was duly elected. He then spoke a few words on his pleasure at being elected, and the future challenges for the Society.

4. On behalf of Council, Sandy Walkington made a small presentation to Helen Bishop and thanked her for all her hard work for the Society. Geraint John, President of the St Albans Civic Society, also made a short speech thanking Helen for her work over the past three years, and her cooperation with the Civic Society.

5. Minutes of the meeting held on 13th September 2016 had been circulated. Their adoption was proposed by John Cox and seconded by Jane Gardiner and agreed unanimously.6. Accounts for the year ended 31st May 2017 had been circulated. Adoption of the accounts was proposed by Helen Bishop and seconded by Gill Girdziusz and agreed unanimously. www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 7

7. Subscription Levels: The Treasurer referred to the August Newsletter where the reasons for increasing the subscription had been set out. After some discussion, Roy Bratby proposed and Roderick Douglas seconded that the annual subscription be increased to £20 for a single membership, £30 for a joint or family membership and £10 for students, with effect from 1 June 2018. This was agreed unanimously.

8. Reports from groups had been published in the Newsletter. Adoption of the reports was proposed by Ann Hobson and seconded by Jane Gardiner and agreed unanimously.

9. Honorary Membership: It was proposed by David Girdziusz and seconded by Peter Burley that Doreen and Roy Bratby be elected as Honorary Members of the Society, in recognition of their many years service for the Society, particularly in organising the lecture programme. The motion was carried unanimously and Doreen and Roy duly elected.

10. Election of members of Council: The following members were elected en bloc, having been proposed by David Lasky and seconded by Anthony Oliver and agreed unanimously.

Bryan Hanlon Secretary David Moore Treasurer Pat Broad Publications Officer Mike Carey Clock Tower (jointly with Caroline Howkins) John Cox Publicity Officer Maggy Douglas Minutes Secretary Roderick Douglas Website David Girdziusz Chairman, Programme Development Committee Gill Girdziusz Lecture Secretary Pat Howe 17th Century Research Group Caroline Howkins Clock Tower (jointly with Mike Carey) John Humphreys Newsletter Editor Frank Iddiols Technical Assistance www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 8

Christine McDermott Hertfordshire Archaeology and History Jon Mein First World War Project Group Roger Miles Archaeology Group Donald Munro Library David Smith Membership Secretary

11. Election of an Independent Examiner: The election of Mr Chris Hall as Independent Examiner of the accounts was agreed unanimously.

The meeting was followed by a talk on Doctors, Dissection and Resurrection Men by Louise Fowler. Bryan Hanlon Hon. Secretary

MEMBERSHIP

The Society welcomes the following new members:

Stephen Irwin & Deborah Spring Radlett Mr Giles Harrison Chiswell Green Mrs Amanda James St Albans Mr Andrew Johnstone St Albans Mrs Janet Lynch St Albans Dr Trevor Roberts St Albans Dr Martyn & Mrs Jenny Stroud St Albans Francesca Weal Welwyn Dr Robert James Wiggins Northchurch Elaine and Martin Hudson Croxley Green,

David Smith Membership Secretary www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 9

PUBLICATIONS REPORT Methodist Church. Since then, we have been out and about at other Our public launch of The Old Town events to promote and sell the book. Hall, St Albans took place at Water- These included the Civic Society’s stones on Saturday 2 September in Awards Evening and the St Albans the form of a book-signing event. The Local History Network conference. We response was excellent, with many have been pleased with the level of customers spending a few minutes sales and thank everyone for their talking to Chris Green about his book. help and generous support. One customer said that she had known nothing about the book until A fresh supply of copies has just been she saw the publicity display in the delivered to Waterstones, in time for window, and came in and bought a Christmas shoppers and hopefully will copy. Traditional publicity still works! encourage more sales. The book can We were delighted that Cllr Annie also be purchased at Verulamium Brewster came along to congratulate Museum, HALS and SAHAAS Library Chris personally on his achievement. (personal callers only) or direct from me by email: A second successful book-signing [email protected] event took place ten days later at the or by phone: 01727 863340. AGM, held at Marlborough Road Pat Broad

Helen Littlewood discusses the book with the author, Chris Green

Photo. John Humphreys

Follow us on Twitter: SAHAAS@stalbanspast www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 10

LIBRARY REPORT tions and corrections. Many thanks are due to our own group of data The library has been really quite busy checkers, note-takers, and logo with numerous visitors over the tweakers – Tony Cooper, Di Dunn, summer mainly, but not exclusively, Susan Smith, Caroline Howkins and consulting image collections. We have John Ridge – and Portal Page input also had a considerable number of and linking SAHAAS Library page Internet and other queries which Tony upgrades from Jon Mein. Great Team! Cooper has been very ably fielding whilst my own attention has been The implementation took consid- occupied by family, health and erably longer than expected, but after Soutron migration demands. the frustrating delays of a difficult summer it is very good to have it up SAHAAS Library online catalogue and running and now widely access- I am very pleased to confirm that, as ible. The Library Team are now looking announced to most of you in an to organise volunteers in an active eNews in mid-October, our new programme for tackling the wide SAHAAS Library online catalogue is range of resource discovery tasks now live. This really is a significant awaiting attention. With the ability development for the Library and for now to work on several machines at the Society. The online facility is a once, after an initial Library Team major step forward in terms of making training period, we expect to make our research resources accessible. rapid progress over the next 12 SAHAAS members and the world months. in general can now look at our hold- ings from home on their personal Library Tasks Volunteers computers or mobile devices. We already have a sizeable volunteer group but if any more of you, particu- You do this by going to the SAHAAS larly amongst the members who have website (www.stalbanshistory.org) joined in the past year to 18 months, and clicking on the ‘Library catalogue’ are interested in becoming involved link in the right hand column. in the work of the Library please do get in touch. We are particularly Matt Saxe of Soutron, who handled interested in hearing from members the migration, has been very easy to with experience of handling an auto- deal with and receptive of our sugges- mated Library system, but many of www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 11

the tasks needing attention do not Library and the St. Albans Museum require any particular experience, and project. The stall at the AGM was very there are plenty of jobs to do. Contact successful, and other lists will be cir- [email protected]. culated (see page 35).

We would like to hold a follow-up Donald Munro meeting of volunteers in November to LIBRARY NOTES firm up on a programme for tackling the Tasks identified in an earlier New acquisitions meeting last summer. The Old Town Hall, St Albans, by Chris Green. St Albans: SAHAAS, 2017. Other Library News 48pp, illus. Frank Iddiols acquired and installed a A detailed history of the Town Hall, large drop-down projector screen. It from before its construction to the has already been used in meetings. 21�� century, describing its changing functions and alteration, generously Malcolm Merrick continues his ever- illustrated. Our most recent publica- useful work in optimising our ageing tion. To obtain copies, see page 36. computer facilities. I would echo here our appeal for discarded but reason- [We will feature major acquisitions ably up-to-date computer equipment from the Beardsmore collection in the (see page 13). Malcolm has added next SAHAAS Newsletter. DM] further materials to our digitised image collections and, in the absence Recent journal articles of prospects of a viable local internal In The Alban Link, no 87, Autumn 2017 network, he has put the main SAHAAS Pp 4-8. “The Abbey’s air raid precau- files on a portable hard drive which tions in World War 2”, by Sheila Green. can be linked to any SAHAAS compu- ter in the Library as and when Pp 9-13. “An Abbey parishioner required. travels back in time”, by Peter Godwin. Sally Pearson has been busily listing The author explores how a 15th and seeking to sell surplus century parishioner would have expe- Beardsmore stock and other library rienced worship in St Andrew’s Chapel duplicates for the benefit of the and in the Abbey nave. www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 12

In Herts Past and Present Autumn 2017 fieldwork, the author has been able Pp 2-7. “’A happy people’: a study to locate its medieval landscape. from the early years of Letchworth Garden City”, by Philippa Parker. SIR JOHN EVANS: Julia Reckitt, a philanthropist, Sarah Most eminent of the Society’s early Birch, an artist, and Hope Rea were luminaries early residents of Letchworth, inspired by the ideals of Ebenezer John Humphreys’ interesting article Howard. Their lives, closely con- on Sir John Evans in the August News- nected, cast light on the social life of letter has whetted appetites among the young garden city. our readers to know more about him. We have in the library a substantial Pp 8-9. “Barnet Battlefield Survey: the biography by Arthur MacGregor, Sir story so far”, by Phillip Sheail. John Evans 1823-1908: commerce and An account of the archaeological natural science in the age of Darwin survey attempting to identify the loca- (Ashmolean Museum, 2008), and tion of the battle, long a matter of some of his own publications which dispute. reflect his wide range of interests and expertise. He was a Fellow of both the Pp 10-18. “A singular friendship: a Royal Society, and of the Royal Society study of the letters from Charles of Arts, President of both the Egypt Darwin to Sir Edward Lytton”, by Jean- Exploration Fund and the Geological ette Kruger. Society and for 34 years of the Numis- The two writers exchanged letters for matic Society of London, and Vice 30 years, which provide interesting President of the Society of Antiquar- insights into their curious friendship, ies. He held many other conspicuous each coming from such different positions, in institutions both private social worlds. and public, and in 1872 was Vice President of this Society. He formed Pp 20-26. “Exploring the medieval important collections of stone and fields of Wheathampstead, c. 1315”, bronze implements, fossil remains, by Mike Smith. and Anglo-Saxon and English coins. It is rarely possible to identify the Some of the implements from his medieval geography of a location with collections are in the Ashmolean any confidence, but Wheathampstead Museum, Oxford. He was a friend of is an exception. Using documents and Charles Darwin, and corresponded www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 13

with T H Huxley and Charles Lyell. lectures were published by other soci- With his friend and fellow geologist eties, but others from this period Joseph Prestwich he undertook seem to be lost. Some of his later archaeological investigations which lectures were published in the Trans- contributed to the mid-19th century actions once they started in 1883. He debate on the antiquity of man. was an expert on water supply and collaborated with Joseph Prestwich in Among his works in the SAHAAS research which led to the latter’s book library are The ancient stone imple- A geological inquiry respecting the ments, weapons and ornaments of water-bearing strata of the country Great Britain published in 1872, and around London, published in 1851. a number of papers by him, many on Courtesy of the Beardsmore Gift, ancient coins. He delivered twelve we now have from Evans’ own library, lectures to our Society between 1848 carrying his bookplate, a handsome and 1864, the texts of three of which copy of this work bound together are in the library, on coins from Veru- with several other related works by lamium, Hertfordshire tokens, and Prestwich. Jewish coinage. All are available for Tony Cooper members to borrow. Some of his

COMPUTER WANTED Do you have a newish (2-3 year old) desktop computer (Windows not Mac) that you are looking to dispose of? If so, please bear the Society's Library in mind as we are looking to replace one of our computers. Contact [email protected]

DO YOU HAVE ANY EXPERTISE IN OLD CLOCKS? If so, can we interest you in looking at our small collection of photos of clocks made in St Albans in the 18th century to see what more we can learn from them? Please contact [email protected] www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 14

CLOCK TOWER REPORT ground floor and we had to drill It was with great sadness that we through one of learned the news of the death of these big timbers. Dennis Owen. From the late 1970s It was now dark he was very involved with the running and I was drilling of the Clock Tower, becoming the through with a Chair of the Joint Clock Tower long, long, long Committee in 1981. An obituary is drill to get the appended at Page 15.1. rope through one of these things. Dennis Owen depicted in Over the summer of 1988 a very jolly We thought we front of the Clock Tower and enthusiastic Dennis was inter- had measured very carefully but unfor- viewed by the Editor of Newspaper tunately, we hadn’t realised that the for the Blind. I came across a record- wall was a different thickness on the ing of that interview a few months ago floor above and so we were just a little in the SAHAAS library and sat and bit out. And, as luck would have it, I listened for a full half hour to Dennis managed to hit an electrical cable and regaling the listener with story after there was a great bang. I’m still alive, story about the Clock Tower and of course, but the whole tower went revealing fact after fact. into complete darkness, you see. I then heard this voice drawling through the At one point during the interview outer darkness somewhere, ‘Well, I Dennis was explaining that he and guess, that’s time we went home.’ an American friend of his were (laughter). ” attempting to install a bell-rope from the Market Bell all the way from the Although frail, Dennis attended the belfry to the entrance floor. The work Clockateers’ Party in his ninetieth year included drilling through the timber when he was thanked for all that he flooring. The following is an excerpt had done for the Clock Tower and St from the interview: Albans. He, and his knowledge, will be greatly missed. It is the enthusiasm “…one evening, with an American and work of the likes of Dennis Owen engineer friend, I was putting this and Geoff Dunk in the late 1970s and rope down, which as I said wanders all 1980s that helped keep the Clock over the tower on its way down to the Tower open to the public. We today www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 15

continue in their footsteps, welcom- at the end of ing visitors over the summer months September, was to the tower just as they did. an interesting and beautiful 2017 was another successful year: not display inspired only was the Clock Tower awarded a by fragments of “Certificate of Excellence” by Trip glass found in Advisor but we also had just over the Museum’s 13,000 visitors, including 697 for Her- collection. Abi created an installation itage Open Days and 784 for the that ran for five days and was housed Artist-in-Residence, Abi Spendlove’s in the entrance room and on the first “Fragments” exhibition. floor of the Clock Tower and played with light and colour. It was well During Heritage Open Days the Clock attended both by local residents and Tower formed part of the Three numerous members of the artist’s Tower Challenge, along with St Peter’s family. Church and the Cathedral. Partici- pants had to climb the 93 steps to the It is with joy and great relief that the top of the Tower, followed by the 122 Tower clock was finally repaired a few steps to the roof of St Peter’s Church, days before the end of the season. concluding with the 187 steps of the Better late than never - but at least it Cathedral. It proved to be great fun should be working for the countdown and good exercise. The successful to the switching on of the Christmas climbers were all rewarded with a lights, on Sunday, 26 November. The presentation of a medal at the Cathe- Clock Tower will be open for the after- dral. The opening of the Clock Tower noon from 2pm until 6pm during on the Sunday of Heritage Open Days which time the St Albans Christmas for sunrise photography at 5.30am Lights will be officially turned on. was not so successful though – one drunk and only one, but very keen, As always, Mike and I would like to photographer! thank all the Clockateers for giving their time to keep the Clock Tower Following on from the success of last open for the public to enjoy. year’s Artist-in-Residence, the Clock Tower played host again to an exhibi- Caroline Howkins & Mike Carey tion by a local artist. Abi Spendlove’s exhibition, “Fragments” (see photo) www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 15.1

DENNIS OWEN 1923 - 2017 13 with their two daughters. Dennis cared deeply for our city, its archi- tecture and heritage. He and his late wife, He was disap- Margaret, featured in many aspects of St pointed that St Albans’ life. With Geoffrey Trevelyan, Albans did not show Bernard Cox, George Atkinson and others, off its heritage but he supported institutions and causes concentrated on which shared his concerns. Throughout the few centuries of the Roman occupa- his time in St Albans he was a member of tion and he felt the small museum in our Society and a long serving Clockateer. Hatfield Road was inadequate. In 2007 he He was, also, a member and Chair of the gathered together like-minded colleagues St Albans Civic Society and served a term from both the Arc and Arc and Civic as a Labour Councillor. Society and began his successful campaign “A new Museum for St Albans” Dennis, the son of a London taxi driver, subtitled “the legacy of the City’s history was born in 1923 and while at Durham reborn”. Unfortunately, he will not be University was a member of the Officer with us to celebrate the opening of the Training Corps. He joined the Royal Air new museum and gallery next summer. Force in 1943, trained in South Africa and spent the war patrolling the skies over A gifted artist (his painting of the Abbey Egypt and Italy in his beloved Spitfire. at Christmas remains a best-selling Christ- mas card each year), a potter and Dennis and Margaret were married in researcher. His interest in all things 1947 and in 1956, they bought a house in regarding the city and its heritage was Woodstock Road North following a long infinite., a correspondent and author, and wish to live in St Albans. In 1959, Dennis very proud of his house at Number 13 was sent to Trinidad to work as the archi- (See Newsletter 192 page 16) to which he tect in charge of a hospital building invited not only his friends but anyone programme and the family lived there for who showed an interest was taken on a two years. guided tour.

His friend, Bernard Cox, had bought the His passing at the age of 94 on 25�� August Old Crow in Fishpool Street and was intent is a sad loss for our City his family and on saving the street from destruction, and many friends. perhaps it is no coincidence that in 1973 the Owens moved next door to number John Humphreys www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 16

VISIT TO SAMUEL PEPYS LIBRARY at that stage that he would go on to CAMBRIDGE order eleven more. All are virtually identical and are staged internally in the On a beautiful October day, 25 explor- same way. The lowest portion of the ers ventured to Magdalene College to bookcase door was designed to slide see the Samuel Pepys Library. We were upwards to avoid obstructions at floor greeted by the Librarian, Jane Hughes, level and housed the largest books. who proved to be a most knowledge- able and enthusiastic guide and who The bookcases were made from Aus- clearly loved sharing her work with us. trian Red Oak which could be carved more deeply and ornately. Pepys would Initially we were introduced to the Inner arrange books from sales in order of size Court of Magdalene College, which so that each row was symmetrical opened in 1428 and is a beautiful medi- throughout the twelve cases. Every eval building. In the dining hall we were book would include his portrait at the told that dinner is served every term front and the back. His albums of time evening by candlelight as the manuscripts were compiled from medi- college has, by choice, not installed eval tomes from which he would cut electricity. Going through to the second and paste items of interest. Post Disso- court we were faced with the impres- lution, manuscripts were frequently sive neo-classical Pepys Library building; disregarded and recycled in bindings. It its colonnade graced with stunning was not until the later sixteenth century hanging baskets which took our breath that collectors began to preserve them. away. Amongst the Library’s treasures are 60 medieval manuscripts, collections of The Library itself is housed on the first prints, ballads, maps and calligraphy. floor of the Pepys building and consists We were amazed at the tiny, perfect of three thousand books in twelve mag- calligraphy. nificent bookcases designed by Pepys himself and constructed by ship’s car- Of particular interest to us was a small penters. The first bookcase is reputed book printed in 1486 by one 'school- to be the earliest of its kind to be master printer of St Albans' on the third glazed. Each bookcase was numbered printing press in the country. Although at the top in gold leaf. Pepys had no idea some controversy surrounds Dame www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 17

Juliana Berners as author of the “Boke book form. It includes a beautiful of St Albans”, she does seem to have coloured illustration of the Mary Rose. been an historical person and Prioress of Sopwell Nunnery later in her life, Pepys was a lifelong bibliophile who having spent her early years at Court carefully nurtured, catalogued and where she would have learnt about indexed his large collections. It is one hunting, hawking and arms, which are of the most important surviving seven- the subjects of the Boke. teenth century private libraries. In his time he was a Member of Parliament, Amongst its many treasures the President of the Royal Society and Library includes six original bound Secretary to the Admiralty. His manuscripts of Pepys’ famous diaries. bequest to Magdalene College stipu- These were written between 1660 and lated that none of his books “may be 1669 in Skelton’s shorthand and not in sold or added to” which makes this code as originally imagined. library unique and of special interest to us all. An early sketch of the Library shows a unique ‘partner’ desk for two persons After the very enjoyable tour we were to share. Its large flat top enabled given free time to enjoy a leisurely maps and charts to be rolled out. One, lunch and the treasures of Cambridge such, the ‘Anthony Roll’, lists the itself. Our thanks to Pat Howe for “ships of the line”. In 1546 Pepys, organising a very memorable day out. however, when Secretary to the Admi- ralty, had the Roll cut up and bound in Teresa Wood

PLANNED COACH OUTING TO COLCHESTER

We are planning a coach trip on 1 May, 2018, to what is claimed to be the oldest recorded town in Britain: Colchester. As well as enjoying Iron-age and Celtic history, it was, for a time, the capital of Roman Britain. We do not have an itinerary yet but will plan for a tour guide with visits to historic sites and museums during the day.

If you would like to register an interest, please reply by email to: [email protected] Tony Berk www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 18

NEW MUSEUM AND GALLERY to the elderly or disabled, although the SITE VISIT original staircase remains.

On 24�� October, inside the old Town Hall Everywhere, workers were busy plaster- for the first time since it closed its doors ing, wiring, plumbing and painting, skil- in November 2015, our party of four, plus fully utilising their many trades to breathe Mike Gray and Caroline Eldred from the life back into this old and much-loved Trust and Museum Manager, Kate building. Two pillars which had previously Warren, assembled. Once we had been been covered over have been revealed kitted out with protective boots, gloves, and cleaned. Notices throughout the site hard hats and high visibility jackets, advise workmen that this is a listed build- Robbie Hazelhurst, the site project man- ing and that care must be taken. ager, led us into the building to begin our tour. From the entrance hall, which will house a visitor information centre, gift shop and The first impression was of space. The kitchen with servery, it is possible to walk basement area includes a new gallery to the Court Room, where visitors will be providing 180 square metres of exhibition able to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, or space. This maximising of space continues visit the learning centre. In the basement, throughout the site with light and airy as well as the Vault Gallery, there is access galleries created above ground level and, to the prisoners’ cells, where old graffiti unlike the old Hatfield Road Museum, has has been carefully preserved. level access throughout. A lift with a capacity for up to seven passengers will On the first floor light floods in through make the whole of the building, from the the glass walls of the connecting galleries. basement to the roof galleries, accessible Views of the many roof tops of the inner

View from new glass connecting gallery on 1st Floor

Photo: John Humphreys www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 19 city give way to miles of open countryside. are compiling a screen show of a selection The Assembly Room remains intact. but of photos we took on our tours for our with new secondary glazing on the members to see. windows and under floor heating; features which will make it comfortable Our thanks to Mike Gray, Chairman of the for visitors to exhibitions, and events such Museums and Galleries Trust, for arrang- as weddings and conferences. ing the visit for two parties of four, and to Robbie, Caroline and Kate for answering This visit was reassuring. The old Town our many questions. Hall has been preserved for the future and not destroyed and the Museum staff are John Humphreys busy preparing their first exhibitions. We

ST MICHAEL’S SCHOOL DIG late Roman coin, pottery, glass, ceramic building material and mortar. Buried soils Several members of the Society were and pits dating to the Roman period were interested to learn more about the recent also recorded to the north-west end of dig at St Michael’s School. Many thanks the trench. to James for providing the following short report and also to Simon West, the The Roman archaeology was sealed by District Archaeologist. medieval and post-medieval layers which probably relate to the Bell inn (see “Between the 12 and 15 July 2017 Oxford SAHAAS Newsletter no. 203 p. 20) and Archaeology East carried out a small exca- subsequent maltings that once stood on vation in advance of an extension being the site. Finds of pottery, stamped clay added to the mid-19th century St pipe and large amounts of roof tile were Michael’s Infant School in St Albans. A recorded in these upper layers. small north-west, south-east trench was excavated to the south-west of the school The overburden within the area of the building and close to the assumed course new extension was removed to a depth of the Verulamium to Camulodunum of approximately 0.30m. This provided (Colchester) road. further evidence of post-medieval activity on the site in the form of truncated Although only 1m wide the trench was surfaces and dumps of possibly heated excavated to a depth of 2.2m. The lower material.” extent of the trench provided evidence of extra-mural Roman building foundations James Fairbairn with associated layers that contained a Oxford Archaeology www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 20

MORE IMPROVEMENTS IN In return for replacing the protruding window Thomas Clarke, the inn- GEORGE STREET keeper, asked the trustees to pay for In the previous newsletter we the cost of bricking the front of the described improvements made to the inn. Agreement was eventually junction of George Street and Rome- reached for the ground floor only and land Hill. Completed in 1814 these the resulting brickwork is visible in involved the demolition of what is Oldfield’s drawing dating to around now no. 16 George Street. The trus- 1800 (Fig. 1). Clarke was following tees of the local turnpike had origi- fashion. nally proposed this work in 1792 but the then owners of no. 16 weren’t willing to sell up. Rebuffed, the trus- tees focused instead on other issues including a problematic window at the George Inn. This is the building further up the street, next to what is currently the ‘Thai Square’ restaurant.

According to the trustees’ minute book (HALS TP5/2), the kitchen Fig. 1: the George Inn, c.1800 (Reproduced courtesy of HALS, ref. Oldfield vol. 8, p. 471) window jutted into the street but by how much was not recorded. Assum- As other Oldfield drawings demon- ing it was canted like those depicted strate, several inns had previously on the first floor in Fig. 1, it perhaps been re-faced in brick to attract had a projection of 2ft, maybe more. custom with at least an outward aspect of modernity. There are still According to our survey, the road at timber-framed buildings, like the this point is, and was then, around George, in the medieval core of St 24ft wide measured from wall to wall. Albans lurking behind often impres- This was the narrowest part of the sive brick frontages. street making the window, even with that small projection, a significant A fully referenced version of this impediment. In particular pedestrians article is available in the Society’s would have to dodge it by walking in Library. the increasingly busy and dangerous carriageway. Jon Mein and Frank Iddiols www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 21

ST ALBANS NETWORK Kate Morris set the record straight on Ivy House, that it had been commis- CONFERENCE sioned and lived in by the Rev Robert The Conference was held at the Veru- Rumney (vicar of St Stephen’s) and lamium Museum on 14�� October. not Edward Strong (Wren’s master SAHAAS was represented by our Vice mason). President, Peter Burley who reported as follows: Sue Mann told us about the role of children in the First World War, espe- “We had eight full conference ses- cially those exempted early from full- sions – two of them spin-offs from the time education, and Julie Moore Home Front Project - and eight 5 presented her research on rediscover- minute “soapbox” sessions over a very ing the identities and biographies of full day. women who contributed to the war effort but who had remained anony- We started with a comparison by mous to date. Peter Burley between the very differ- ent stories of the two royal burials at Finally, Jeff Lewis told us about the the Abbey (of Humphrey Duke of project to rescue and preserve the Gloucester in 1447 and of Edmund station at Smallford and promote the Duke of Somerset in 1455). Alban Way with the tantalising prospect of a café there one day. We heard about a career in the impor- tant Fleetville coat manufacturer The soapbox sessions updated us on AJ Nicholson from Alan Cannon Jones. projects at the cathedral, the new museum and Highfield Park amongst Frank Brittain told us what the scouts others. had been doing in St Albans in the First World War, including making a Congratulations and thanks to the feature film at Marshalswick Manor, Network and to the Museum for such and in which Baden-Powell took part. an informative and enjoyable day.”

Patrick McNeill told us the story of the Peter Burley 27 pubs in Wheathampstead from 1830 to 1915. Why did Gustard Wood Editor’s Note: A full report of each item need seven of them? on the Agenda is published on the SAHAAS web site. www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 22

SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON AND ST ALBANS In 1914, explorer Ernest Shackleton made a third voyage to the Antarctic, planning to cross the continent via the South Pole. Early in 1915, his ship, Endurance, became trapped in the ice and ten months later sank, but not before Shackleton's crew abandoned the ship to live on the floating ice. In April 1916, the crew set off in three small boats, eventually reaching Elephant Island. Three days after their Photograph courtesy of National Maritime Museum arrival, on the very last day before the pack ice once again, sealed them in, remains one of the greatest journeys Shackleton, with five crew members, ever accomplished in an open boat. set sail for South Georgia in a 23-foot lifeboat, the James Caird, to seek help, Shackleton is said to have relied upon a leaving behind the remainder of the Thomas Mercer marine chronometer, crew, Number 5229, throughout the expedi- tion. Mercer 5229 (photo above) is now Using only a sextant and a chronometer in the possession of the National Mari- for navigation, the six men spent 16 time Museum. days, crossing 800 miles of turbulent and icy ocean, to reach South Georgia. Thomas Mercer was born in St Helens, Then, Shackleton, with two compan- Lancashire, in 1822 and was introduced ions, trekked across the island to the to clock making by his grandfather. whaling station. The remaining men Moving to London (supposedly en-route from the Endurance were rescued in to America) Thomas became appren- August 1916. Not one member of the ticed to John Fletcher, a well-known expedition died in the South Atlantic. chronometer maker, after having seen Fletcher’s work in his shop window. The voyage of the James Caird from Elephant Island to South Georgia In 1858 Thomas founded Thomas Mercer Chronometers in Clerkenwell, www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 23

and in 1874 relocated his business as A staff photograph of 1880 shows a Thomas Mercer & Co to Verulam Villa, workforce of 16 , although much work a five-bedroom house at 18 Prospect was done by out-workers. A 1952/3 Road, St Albans. As business expanded, Herts Advertiser article ‘Where St a two-storey building was constructed Albans goes to work’ reported that in the garden to house additional work- Thomas Mercer & Co employed 250 shops and machinery. The building was workers and there were branches over- known as the Power House. seas.

Ships relied upon chronometers to In 1984, unable to compete against determine longitude. Mercer’s instru- cheaper quartz timepieces, Thomas ments met the highest standards and Mercer & Co was broken up and Thomas Mercer & Co was contracted by sold. The factory in Eywood the Royal Navy and commercial fleet Road/Griffiths Way was replaced with owners to provide marine chronome- office buildings. However, the company ters. Business was good, and in 1912 name survived and is still trading, the company moved to a purpose-built albeit under different ownership, factory premises on the corner of making chronometers for the luxury Eywood Road and St Stephen’s Hill. market. (www.thomasmercer.com). In Unused, the Power House became der- St Albans, Mercer Row, built on part of elict and in 1968 was converted into the old factory site, commemorates the housing. name.

Thomas Mercer & Co was family run, Recently, a Mercer chronometer was imaginative and prolific, a world leader used by a Royal Navy and Royal Marines in its field. Apart from over 10,000 team in the Antarctic Endurance 2016 chronometers, the company designed expedition to navigate using a sextant and manufactured instruments for and a chronometer alongside a modern customers at home and overseas; such global positioning system. things as telegraph tape machines, elec- tric time keeping systems and measur- John Humphreys ing equipment. In its lifetime, Mercers manufactured 30,000 pieces of all types. References: As an example, all 700 clocks on the National Maritime Museum RMS Queen Elizabeth, from the Sopwell Memories captain’s cabin to the cocktail bar, were Herts Advertiser Mercers. Mercer Chronometers by Tony Mercer www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 24

ALBAN, BRITAIN’S FIRST SAINT

Update for SAHAAS Members

Many of you will have seen the archaeological work happening outside the Cathedral since December 2016. The dig is one of the first steps of our exciting Heritage Lottery Funded project, Alban, Britain’s First Saint, which will transform the Cathe- dral visitor’s welcome over the next Canterbury Archaeological Trust team at work few years. This project will deliver: ptember 2017 ● Improved physical access ● A new welcome centre and cathe- throughout the Cathedral. dral entrance at the top of Sumpter Yard; Archaeological work began last year ● a compelling new presentation of when the team from Canterbury the story of Alban and the Cathe- Archaeological Trust, under the guid- dral; ance of Cathedral Archaeologist Prof ● a wealth of interpretive materials Martin Biddle, performed a dig on the in the Cathedral and its grounds; site of the new Welcome Centre. The ● the restoration of the Shrine of St purpose of this initial dig was to dis- Amphibalus; cover as much as possible about what ● a refreshed programme of events lies there, to ensure that the archae- and activities to engage new visi- ology is not damaged or disturbed by tors; the building of the new Welcome ● a new learning space for children, Centre, and vice versa. They dug a families and adults in the Chapter series of trenches that brought to light House; an incredible amount of 20th century ● new opportunities for volunteers services as well as a good number of to take part in their heritage; burials from the post-reformation ● new improved facilities including parish graveyard. As many of these new toilets, new retail space and burials were closer to the surface than refurbished and more accessible expected, it was decided that a full café; site excavation was needed in order www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 25

to remove and reinter these burials in structure and the large apse ended the North Churchyard. Norman chapels as the dig continues. In a recent interview with archaeolo- The second and full site excavation gist Ross Lane, he explains what the began this summer and work will team hope to learn by the end of the continue for the next month. Most of dig: the graves uncovered date from the 1750-1850s when the site served as “As we’re going through, we hope to the parish graveyard and they repre- add to the story of how the Cathedral sent the full range of the town popu- was conceived, altered and ultimately lation from infants to elderly people. used during its life to date as it fulfilled Some of the artefacts found dating to its purpose as a place of pilgrimage this period include a decorated clay and worship. We hope to have evi- pipe, ornate coffins with metal plates dence of some of the earliest Roman on top, and several coins. These items graves in order to prove just how have been used as educational extensive the beginning of the Chris- objects, which the team has been tian cemetery was across the hill top happy to share in conversation with (Holywell Hill). All the artefacts we visitors and over 400 school children. recover will help bring us closer to the Earlier burials are also being uncov- people who made and used them and ered; a 13th century grave was found we hope to have material from the recently and they hope to find Roman through to the most recent Norman and Roman burials as work events to have taken place at the continues. Cathedral.”

Another exciting aspect of the current To keep updated on all aspects of the dig is the uncovering of original project (and read the complete inter- Norman apse ended chapels project- view with Ross Lane) you can sub- ing from the east side of the south scribe to the Cathedral’s Alban, transept. These were demolished in Britain’s First Saint blog by visiting the 13th century and replaced by a albanbritainsfirstsaint.wordpress.com large rectangular building. There is no or visit the Cathedral’s website. existing record of this building any- where but it may have been part of Laura Bloom the Abbot’s Quarter. The archaeolo- Development Administrator gists are very excited about the oppor- St Albans Cathedral tunity to learn more about this www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 26

A FIRE ON HOLYWELL HILL IN With around 30 inns in the town it was 1653 a competitive trade at the time. This must have compounded the fire’s While the risk of fire to timber-built disruption as a threat to long-term early modern towns is welldocu- livelihoods and it is clear from the mented, we know little about fires in average claim per petitioner of £290 St Albans. This note considers the that losses were significant. effects of the only fire in the town for which we have any idea of scale. It Somewhat surprisingly then, evidence occurred in 1653, the same year as the from the 1655 Abbey parish poor rate so-called ‘Great Fire of Marlborough’, papers suggests that any disruption which destroyed around 250 houses, was short lived. All four were still and smaller scale events at places occupying the same properties and such as Bungay and Newmarket in none of them was in receipt of parish Suffolk. relief. Perhaps they never had been, instead quickly securing enough The House of Commons Journal for 22 capital and credit to get, and then August 1653 recorded “… the humble keep, their heads above water. Petition of Thomas Dalton, John Burton, Samuell Sureties, Thomas This fire was not significant in national Briggs, Samuell Jewell, and Margaret terms. Assuming it was localised to May, Widow, of St. Albans, in the the properties of the six petitioners, County of Hertford, who suffered Loss it was of a lesser magnitude than the by Fire … to the Value of [£1,738]; … other three fires mentioned above. Collections be made for their Relief Compare the damage to six properties within the Counties of Hartford, with around 250 in Marlborough or Bucks, Berks ...” the claim for £1,738 with £6,384 at Bungay and £2,565 at Newmarket. Thanks to the work of the Society’s 17th century group, we can quickly That alas is as much as we know about identify who these petitioners were. the fire at the moment. A search of As the plan in Fig. 1 shows, they were other sources has not borne fruit. The neighbours on the east side of Holy- late John Smith’s study of the one well Hill and four of them were inn- building still surviving in anything like keepers. This was, of course, before its original form doesn’t help. This is the construction of London Road. the Swan, otherwise no. 1 Holywell www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 27

Hill, a brick-fronted, timber-framed as well as the development of technol- building. Smith noted three phases of ogy to contain it. improvement but the fire doesn’t obviously tie in with these. While we can’t be certain that the 1653 Holywell Hill event was one of In the key source, the Borough the ‘sudden fires’, the 1655 agree- records, there’s no express indication ment marks a watershed in the history of the fire either. But there is probably of fire service provision in the town. a later, oblique reference. At their With the presence of an engine meeting on 13 June 1655, around two recorded for the first time at incidents years after the Holywell Hill incident, at the Crow inn (Fishpool Street) and the Corporation agreed to the follow- Christopher inn (French Row) in the ing: “Many sudden fires having hap- late 1650s, the Corporation must have pened, to the undoing of some and raised enough money to purchase at great impairing of the estates of divers least one appliance. There appear to others, the sum of £40 was ordered have been fire engines in the town to be collected by means of a rate … ever since. for the buying of two substantial engines of brass and their carriages A fully referenced version of this for the purpose of ‘beating and article has been deposited in the Soci- drowning’ of fires.” The agreement ety’s library. Thanks to Pat Howe, Kate to purchase these fire engines, at Morris and Alan Smith for comment- significant cost to a town the size of ing on an earlier draft. St Albans, points to the seriousness with which fire was now being treated Jon Mein www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 28

HERTFORDSHIRE REGIMENT MEMORIAL

At 11:00sm on 31st July 2017 more than 200 Hertfordshire residents including many descendants of those who fought, were present just outside the village of Sint Juliaan (St Julien) in Belgium to unveil a new memorial, the first and only one to the Hertfordshire Regiment in the Great War outside the UK. This memorial, unveiled by Countess Verulam, Lord Lieutenant of The Countess of Verulam, representing Hertfordshire was unveiled at 11am H.M. The Queen, lays a wreath after local time, 100 years to the moment unveiling the Memorial on 31 July that the men of the 'Herts Guards' had 2017 attacked and reached that exact loca- and maintain the memorial into the tion. Over the next hour a century future. We would like to take this before, the Battalion, having been opportunity to offer our most sincere unable to make further advances, thanks to all of you who took part, in facing unbroken wire and withering one way or another. machine gun fire, were forced to retire, leaving behind every single The memorial, which contains a dedi- Officer and 75% of Other Ranks, killed, cation to the Battalion for the entire wounded or captured. Today the Great War, not just that one day, also memorial stands in that spot, proudly contains a map and explanation of remembering the sacrifice made by why it was placed where it was and of our own local men that day. what happened to the Battalion that day. The memorial was designed, sup- ported and paid for entirely by the For more information about the people of the local community. From project see: www.hertsatwar.co.uk. the incredibly generous donations of local companies, organisations, family (Extract from article on Herts At War and individuals, we were able to Project web site. Ed) exceed our target of £5,000 to build www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 29

TOP HERITAGE EDUCATION summer. The visiting judge joined school children as they stepped back into Roman AWARD FOR VERULAMIUM Britain for a range of engaging and inform- MUSEUM ative sessions, praising the learning programme as ‘inspiringly taught’. We have received the following note Schools travel far and wide to Verulamium from the Museum. Museum, from across the Eastern region to take part in its learning programme On behalf of our members. I congrat- which supports History curricula. The ulate Kate Warren and her team. museum also welcomes groups studying Well done. Latin and Classics and runs a lively out- Sandy Walkington reach service taking artefacts into schools.

Verulamium Museum has won a prestig- The award celebrates the dedication and ious award celebrating the excellence of teamwork of the whole museum team its heritage education programme for and they look forward to collecting the schools. The Sandford Award for heritage official certificate at an award ceremony education excellence is presented annu- at the Fashion Museum and Assembly ally to historic sites, museums, galleries, Rooms in Bath in November. archives and collections. The award lasts for five years and follows an assessment Thank you for supporting us and spread- of formal, curriculum-linked education ing the good news! opportunities offered to schools by herit- Best wishes age sites. Eleanor Eleanor Payne The award follows a successful judging Learning and Interpretation Officer day at Verulamium Museum earlier in the St Albans Museums

DIGITISATION OF A BEDFORDSHIRE BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bedfordshire Historical Record society is pleased to announce the completion of its pilot digitisation project. The Bedfordshire Bibliography and its three supplements, long out of print, are now available to view on the Society’s website at www.bedfordshirehrs.org.uk under the 'Publications' tab. The Bibliography was an initiative of the Society in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. There is some useful material for Hertfordshire researchers. www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 30

LECTURE PROGRAMME be considered to be Romano-British November 2017 - February 2018 in character.

Isobel worked for Ros Niblett at St Albans All lectures commence at 7.45pm from 1995 to 1998, compiling the St Tuesday lectures will be held at Albans Urban Archaeological Database, Marlborough Rd Methodist Church. and then went to the Historic Environment team at Hertfordshire County Council. She Friday lectures will be held at is now Historic Environment Record St Albans School. Officer but for the past two years has worked part-time, making it possible for Late changes of venue will be notified on our web site and via e-news. her to do some research.

Friday 24 November Tuesday 14 November Transforming historical buildings How Hertfordshire entered the St Albans old Town Hall Roman Empire Katherine Watts Dr Isobel Thompson Katherine will talk about John Late Iron Age Hertfordshire was an McAslan & Partners' approach to and interesting place, with a ‘friendly king’ implementation of plans for the trans- at Verulamium whose territory stood formation of historical buildings with aside from the Roman invasion in AD particular reference to the refurbish- 43 and was still in place when the new ment and adaptive reuse of St Albans city of Londinium was founded in AD Old Town Hall. Katherine will explain 48. the process by which the project will showcase the rich history and heritage The great amount of excavated data of St Albans while also helping to from both places is beginning to make transform the building into a major it possible to compare them and cultural destination for the City. explore their relationship, both before and after the Boudican destruction in Katherine is a Project Architect at John AD 60. This illustrates how gradual the McAslan and Partners and is registered transition was from being ‘late Iron with RIBA, ARB, AABC and SCA. She is a Age’ to being ‘Roman’; it was not until specialist conservation architect with at least AD 70 that Hertfordshire could authoritative knowledge of conservation www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 31

practice and extensive experience in the Kris became interested in archaeology at alteration and repair of historic buildings. the age of 10 when he visited Verulamium She was involved in the redevelopment of on a school trip. He joined the Welwyn King’s Cross Station for a number of years, Archaeological Society when he was 11, taking the project from design develop- and excavated with Martin Biddle on the ment to completion, including working Chapter House site at the age of 13. closely with the contractors for three years Having undertaken a BA at Durham, an as their heritage advisor. She has been MSc in Archaeological Computing in Project Architect for St Albans New Southampton, and then a PhD at UCL, Kris Museum and Galleries since 2015. took up a post at UCL where he is now a senior lecturer. He returned to live in Tuesday 5 December Hertfordshire in 2002, and was able to Verulamium Revealed develop his love of the archaeology of the Kris Lockyear county. Since 2009 he has been director of the Welwyn Archaeological Society, and The Roman city of Verulamium was in 2013 he founded the Community the third largest in Britannia. It is also Archaeology Geophysics Group. the largest Roman city in Britain which does not have a modern settlement Friday 5�� January 2018 built over it. Since 2013 the Commu- NEW YEAR PARTY – nity Archaeology Geophysics Group 7.30pm Verulamium Museum has been conducting a series of surveys in the town. When Kris last Tuesday 9 January spoke to the Society in March 2015 180 Years of Policing in St Albans the group had completed the magne- Nik Pringle tometry survey of Verulamium Park. Since then, the group has completed Nik will cover the history of St Albans the magnetometry survey of the Borough Police (later St Albans City Gorhambury side of the town, as well Police) from the foundation of the as undertaking Ground Penetrating force in 1836, its amalgamation with Radar and Resistance surveys. This Hertfordshire Constabulary in 1947 talk, after a brief lay-persons introduc- and its development to the present tion to the techniques, will review day. these latest findings including the results of the surveys undertaken in After 30 years as a police officer in the August 2017. Hertfordshire Constabulary Nik retired www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 32

from the force in October 2010. During reputation. He will give hints and tips his time with the police he worked in a on writing your first book. number of roles and utilised his skills in some of the major critical incidents such John Morewood read Modern History at as the Potters Bar and Hatfield rail disas- Oxford University. He specialises in ters and the Buncefield incident. He has the 18th century, specifically the period of also been active in the Hertfordshire Con- the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic stabulary Historical Society for many years Wars and in particular the British cavalry and is currently working on a book about and the Royal Navy. He is Secretary to the Hertfordshire murders since 1700. 500 strong Waterloo Association dedi- cated to increasing knowledge of the Tuesday 16 January period and helping preserve the Waterloo Waterloo General battlefield. John lectures widely and John Morewood guides historical tours. His first book "Waterloo General, the Life, Letters and On 18th June 1815 Napoleon nearly mysterious death of Sir William Ponsonby won the Battle of Waterloo. However 1772-1815" was nominated by Professor in 30 minutes his main planned attack Andrew Roberts in The Evening Standard was defeated as a result of the as one of his "Best Buys of 2016". He decisions made by one man, begins his PhD on "The Slavery Emancipa- Major General Sir William tion Act and the role of Lord Brougham" Ponsonby, commander of the Union at the Institute of Historical Research in Brigade of British heavy cavalry. Sir the autumn. William died during the French counter attack and his actions were Friday 26 January subsequently criticised by armchair The People of St Albans and their historians. No biography had been Abbey written about him and secondary Professor James G Clark works simply repeated the same accounts. John decided to produce a The archives and manuscripts surviv- book to get closer to the truth. In ing from St Albans Abbey have pro- this talk John will talk about the vided a vivid picture of the medieval approach he followed to uncover Sir church and monastery and its artistic, William's story and re-establish his literary and learned culture. Yet these www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 33

sources also have much to tell us Tuesday 6 February about the people beyond the abbey London Underground precinct, the people of the town and Mark Pardoe the surrounding villages, who lived and died, worked and worshipped in The history of the London Under- the sight of the abbey, and whose ground began in the 19th century with contributions – and challenges – to the construction of the Metropolitan the great abbey left as much of a mark Railway. Opened in 1863 using gas-lit on its history as the church commu- wooden carriages hauled by steam nity itself. Drawing from the pages of locomotives, it was the world's first the richly illuminated books of bene- underground railway. This talk will factors, as well as other recently deal with the first 120 years of the recovered sources, this talk will bring history of the Underground. into focus the generations of men, women and children who Mark was the Chief Archivist of the British shaped St Albans history from Railways Board until he retired at the age Saxon Warlamcaester to the Reforma- of 49. Since then he has undertaken tion town of the sixteenth century. private work as a genealogist and histori- cal researcher. Although he comes from James Clark is Professor of History at the Nottingham he has had a life- long inter- University of Exeter. A medievalist, his est in the London Underground and he has research focuses on religious and cultural spent the last 45 years reading and life in England between the Black Death researching (and forgetting) about the and the Break with Rome. He has pub- system. lished widely on these topics and makes regular contributions to TV and Radio, Tuesday 13 February including BBC Radio 4’s Making History. The M Room Trent Park He was historical consultant for the BBC Helen Fry TV series Tudor Monastery Farm (2013). His edition of the medieval chronicle The During World War Two, British Intelli- Deeds of the Abbots of St Albans will be gence bugged the conversations of published in 2018. He is currently com- over 10,000 German Prisoners-of-War pleting a new history of the Dissolution of at three clandestine stately houses. the Monasteries. Trent Park was reserved for Hitler’s Generals who were housed in luxuri- ous conditions in Sir Philip Sassoon’s www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 34

former home. By the end of the war, a history of M.I.9 – Escape & Evasion in there were 59 of them under one roof. WW2. The Generals relaxed and became unguarded in their conversations. Friday 23 February They inadvertently began to give History and Architecture of 18th some of Hitler’s most closely guarded century Gorhambury secrets, including discussions about Viscountess Grimston the V1, V2 and atomic bomb pro- gramme. For over 60 years the secret Gorhambury House was commis- listeners who bugged the conversa- sioned by the 3�� Viscount Grimston tions, never spoke about their work, and was designed by Sir Robert Taylor. not even to their families. Having Construction commenced in 1777 and worked through the declassified files, was completed in 1784. It is now a historian Helen Fry sheds light on one Grade II listed building with significant of the little-known, but greatest restoration and renovation work cur- deceptions of the Second World War. rently in progress. Viscountess Grim- ston’s talk will illustrate the history Historian Dr. Helen Fry has written numer- and development of the house and ous books on the Second World War with estate over the years. Her talk will particular reference to the 10,000 include a film recently made at Germans who fought for Britain, and also Gorhambury by Steph Trowel. British Intelligence and espionage. Her book “The M Room: Secret Listeners who Rosie Grimston has always had a passion Bugged the Nazis” was the subject of the for history, historical houses and their Channel 4 documentary Spying on Hitler’s contents. From 2004-2009 she worked in Army. Helen has appeared in numerous and latterly ran the Russian works of the TV documentaries and in live interviews Art Department at Sotheby's. Until Febru- with Huw Edwards in Normandy for the ary of this year Rosie continued to value BBC’s coverage of the 70�� anniversary of Faberge and other Russian articles includ- D-Day. She has written over 20 books – ing silver, vertu, bronze and porcelain her most recent is “The London Cage: The from late 18th C to the early 20th century. Secret History of Britain’s WW2 Interroga- An impending building project at Gorham- tion Centre”.. Her new research is focusing bury has focused all her attention on the on espionage, World War Two and the house and its contents. Cold War. She has been engaged to write Gill and David Girdziusz www.stalbanshistory.org SAHAAS NEWSLETTER 206 Page 35

MORE BOOKS FOR SALE

First, and most importantly, a big thank you to all members who supported the sale of surplus Hertfordshire history books at September’s AGM. We raised just over £200, to be divided between the Society and the New Museum and Gallery project. Book Sale on 12 September 2017 Further sorting of the Beardsmore Col- and composer Michael Balfe, artist lection of books donated to the SAHAAS Myles Birket Foster, playwright George library has identified a number of Bernard Shaw, essayist Charles Lamb, volumes of biography/autobiography and a reflection on his childhood by which are either duplicates or unrelated poet Herbert Palmer. A good number to the Society’s work, and these too are are about women’s lives, for example: now offered for sale. A full list of titles Emily Davies, co-founder of Girton and prices can be found on the Society’s College; author Mary Carbery, writing website (www.stalbanshistory.org) but about her Victorian childhood at Child- here is a brief taster. wickbury; and contemporary Victoria Glendinning reflecting on the life and They are an interesting mix! Not sur- death of a Quaker daughter (her great prisingly, the majority describe the lives aunt). of people with Hertfordshire connec- tions. The great and the good are there, Finally, there are a couple of quirky of course, so Edward I, Lord Melbourne, tales. One about Peter the Wild Boy, a and several members of the Lytton and feral child found by George I while Cowper families. A number of ecclesi- hunting in Hanoverian woods, who is astical characters too: Bishop Thomas buried at Northchurch. And, another Ken, Dr Thomas Fry, hymnwriter Isaac eighteenth-century story from the Watts, Bishop Samuel Wilberforce. ‘Library of Imposters’ about the aston- Also, soldiers: Frank Rhodes, brother of ishing adventures of John Daniel – not Cecil, and double VC Martin Leake. sure how much truth there is in this one! There’s a scattering of works about Sally Pearson artists, writers and musicians: singer Page 36 RECENT PUBLICATIONS

The Old Town Hall, St Albans

Chris Green

‘A truly wonderful book clearly reflects Chris Green's great passion for the Town Hall … It is a fascinat- ing read,’ Cllr Annie Brewster, SADC

This short illustrated book charts the architectural history and past uses of St Albans iconic old Town Hall since its construction in 1832. Support SAHAAS with a book for yourself or the SAHAAS, September 2017 historian in your family £6.99 (£6 to members)

St Albans: Life on the Home Front 1914-1918

Jonathan Mein, Anne Wares and Sue Mann

‘Local historians wishing to tell the story of their area in wartime will be inspired.’ Herts Past and Present

This book explores what life was like for the people of St Albans during the First World War.

UH Press £18.99 (£14.00 to members)

[Both publications are available at Waterstones and other local outlets (at full price) and from SAHAAS library]