Friends of the Centre for West Midlands History Newsletter Issue 2 December 2009 Sharing the Past with the Future Matthew Boulton Discovery Day at Aston University 17th September 2009 the event featured a variety of lectures by among others the Birmingham By Paul Finegan. supported by a number of displays and Astronomical Society (which is based at interactive workshops held in the Aston University) and the Jewellery The Friends took the opportunity to have University's Great Hall. Industry Innovation Centre from a stand at one of the latest Matthew Birmingham City University School of Boulton Bicentenary events in Between events, participants had the Jewellery. This team were responsible for Birmingham. Hosted by Aston University, chance to visit stands and displays set up the replica Boulton Candlesticks which featured in the recent exhibition at the Gas Hall. Representatives from Soho House Museum were also on hand to answer questions about Boulton. The Friends stand gave participants the opportunity to promote Friends membership, the MA in West Midlands History and the popular day schools programme for 2009/10. A number of new members were recruited to our ranks as a result of this publicity. Interest in the day schools was high, both in terms of those who have attended in the past and wished to know what schools were running in the future, and those who were unaware of the day school programme. A number of suggestions for topics for future day school events were received. Copies of the Friends newsletter were also available and proved to be very popular Pictured above at the Matthew Boulton Day are (from left to right) Graham Fisher MBE, Professor Julia King, Vice-Chancellor, Aston University; Dr Malcolm Dick, Sue Tungate and Barbara Fogarty, University of judging by how few were left at the end Birmingham; and Dr Michael Jepson, previously a Visiting Fellow at Aston University. of the event! Commemoration'. This presentation is a University campus is free after 6.00pm. The Death of Matthew joint activity between the contemporary There will be a charge of £5.00 for a Boulton 1809 Lunar Society and the Centre for West variety of refreshments. Midlands History. As Matthew Boulton's commemorative year Please book in advance by sending a is coming to an end, it seems fitting that the The evening will begin at 6.30pm for cheque for £5.00, payable to 'The legacy of 2009 continues with an event refreshments, and the lecture will start at University of Birmingham' to Dr Malcolm which looks at his death. On 21st January, 7.00pm. The occasion will be held in Dick, School of History and Cultures, Dr Malcolm Dick will be presenting a Lecture Room 3 of the Arts Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, lecture entitled 'The Death of Matthew Edgbaston Campus, University of Birmingham B15 2TT. Boulton 1809: Ceremony, Controversy and Birmingham B15 2TT. Parking on the Are you reading this but are not a member of the Friends? If you would like to join contact Dr Malcolm Dick, Centre for West Midlands History, School of History and Cultures, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT or email [email protected] for further information. Book Matthew Boulton (1728-1809) was one of the leading figures of the Next Friends’ Event Reviews early Industrial Revolution. His Soho Manufactory in Handsworth, On 10th December 2009, guest speaker Graham 'The Historic Gardens of on the outskirts of Birmingham, Fisher MBE will give an exclusive talk entitled England: Staffordshire' produced silverware, ormolu, By Tim Mowl and Dianne Barre 'More Miles than Venice' for Friends for the buttons and, 'toys'; the small metal Centre, which will reveal the story of canals in the Published by Redcliffe Press, objects which were characteristic of West Midlands. priced £19.99. Birmingham's industry. He was responsible, with his business This is the ninth volume in the partner, James Watt, for supplying Graham is an excellent and exciting speaker as Historic Gardens of England series, steam engines for Britain and well as a broadcaster on the local radio station and it looks at some 90 gardens in Europe, and as far afield as 102.5 FM 'The Bridge'. He is also an Outreach the county, ranging from Australia and the Americas. He Worker at Broadfield House Glass Museum and Elizabethan to modern. The book also developed revolutionary took part in one of the successful Black Country includes the well known minting processes at his Soho Mint History Days at the University of Birmingham. Shugborough, Trentham and and sent coins, medals, tokens and Biddulph Grange gardens and mints to all parts of the world. The event will take place in Lecture Room 2, Arts important, but little known lost Flocks of early industrial tourists gardens such as Gerrard's Bromley, Building, University of Birmingham, from 6:30pm were attracted to his works as part until 8:30pm. The talk will be followed with time Ingestre and Fisherwick. of their 'Grand Tour'. to chat with other Friends of the Centre. Mince The authors reveal that there is Boulton's interests ranged far and pies, wine and soft drinks will be served. much more to 18th century wide over the natural sciences and landscapes than Capability Brown the arts. He was particularly This event is free to 'Friends' but anyone who parks. The book features examples attracted to the new fashion for wants to join is also welcome, and can become a of gardens that include mock naval landscape gardening, and from the member on the day. Non-members will be charged battles, automated hermits, Chinese 1760s he set about creating his own an admission fee of £2. pagodas and classical grottos. The landscape near his Manufactory Earl of Shrewsbury's huge and and home at Soho House, with Please let Elaine Mitchell know if you intend to eclectic 19th century gardens at water features, garden buildings attend. Alton Towers still have amazing and walks, woodland, lawns, temples, an orangery and pagodas colourful flower beds and borders. today, but the site is perhaps better If you require further information please contact: known today for its somewhat After his death his son, Matthew brash theme park! Robinson Boulton, continued to [email protected] or call 0121 427 develop the garden. His notebooks 8163; [email protected]; or Dr As Staffordshire potters became contain much of interest to Malcolm Dick at [email protected]. wealthy they and their families historians and to growers of early created gardens at Etruria, Maer, varieties of many fruits and and Hawkesyard. Later, Clarice vegetables. Following his death, Cliff made a colourful flower Joseph Chamberlain attempted to garden near Stoke - on -Trent. Even turn Soho's gardens into a public today modern entrepreneurs park, but the idea was rejected in continue the tradition, as can be favour of building leases, and bit seen with the folly garden at by bit Matthew Boulton's Consall Hall. In short, the book landscaped park was eaten up, as reveals that Staffordshire has a Birmingham's industrial wealth of unusual and unexpected heartland spread outwards. A features in its many historic number of drawings and landscapes. watercolours made by John Phillp in the 1790s provide the only The authors hope that local surviving contemporary visual historians should find much of evidence for how the garden once interest and new material here, for looked. In the 1990s Soho House example many of the maps and and the remaining small garden illustrations have not been printed were restored and developed as a before. museum. This book, the first history of the garden, throws A Lost Landscape: Matthew surprising light on a lost and Boulton's Gardens at Soho intriguing aspect of the city's By Phillada Ballard, Val Loggie heritage. and Shena Mason Graham Fisher MBE Published by Phillimore, priced Sue Tungate £16.99. ARTISTS IN BIRMINGHAM AND THE WEST Introduction to the MIDLANDS, 1800 TO THE PRESENT Friends' Committee By Christine Mann We look forward to meeting you at forthcoming events. On Saturday, 10th October a group of almost 30 people enjoyed five Dr Malcolm Dick is Director of the Centre for illuminating insights into the lives of local artists. Research student West Midlands History at The University of Connie Wan began by demonstrating how instrumental the Lines Birmingham. family had been in the establishment of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists. Dr Sally Baggott has been involved in heritage in the Jewellery Quarter for five years. She is currently Curator at the Birmingham Assay Office Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Curator Brendan Flynn and Vice-Chair of the Jewellery Quarter followed Connie's talk with an account of how teaching at the Association. Municipal School of Art became focused on art with function, whereby the students' skills could be transferred to the city's many Roger Bruton qualified as a chartered accountant in 1971 and spent almost 30 years in financial trades such as stained glass manufacture, metalwork, book binding management in industry. In 2000, he pursued his and printing. interest in history by undertaking a BA via distance learning with Exeter University, which he The careers of some of the female students at the Municipal School completed in 2007. Roger recently completed the were described by Sally Hoban while contemporary artist Robert MA in West Midlands History at the University of Birmingham and is now interested in undertaking Perry revealed his inspirations and how his work has evolved over PhD research. time. Paul Finegan has a degree from the University of The final contribution by research fellow Martin Killeen left us with Birmingham in Family, Local and Community a mystery to ponder.