North East Vernacular Architecture Group NEWSLETTER No 81 Summer 2018 Apologies for long delayed newsletter. This is a June will be well known to anyone with a keen very busy year for me, hopefully I’ll have more interest in County Durham’s history and heritage, time next year. especially in Durham and Weardale. As a young The major item to report, is one most of you will woman she came to Durham University to study already know about – the death of June Crosby history and it was there that she met her future earlier this year, just a month short of her husband Jack (who was to become a noted ninetieth birthday. She was a long-standing botanist) and with whom they had three children, NEVAG member, committee member, stalwart Matthew, Vicky and Alison. June began her recorder, provider of epic refreshments and one career as a teacher and later returned to Durham of the most selfless people you could ever be University at St Hild’s College, training future lucky enough to meet. history teachers. Here she was instrumental in getting local history onto the training curriculum despite departmental opposition. Through her passion for history she was deeply involved with the protection of our heritage becoming closely involved with the City of Durham Trust, serving as Chairman for many years and leading the campaign for the restoration of the city’s early eighteenth-century statue of Neptune. In 1981 June and Jack retired to Stanhope, where she felt the absence of an amenity group such as Durham enjoyed, and so, with others, founded the Weardale Society. She was also an active supporter of many societies, including the Weardale Museum and the NEVAG (she was our first member!) Besides her organizational and fund-raising activities, June was, of course, an accomplished researcher and author. She produced two volumes of Weardale in Old Photographs and is best known for her biography, and indeed advocacy, of the early nineteenth century Durham architect, Ignatius Bonomi. These then are the bald facts of a long, full and fruitful life. But to those of us fortunate to have known June, there was so much more. Firstly, if perhaps flippantly, an accomplished baker, her heaving tables of cakes, scones and lashing of tea are fondly remembered. Quiet kindness and generosity combined, very deceptively, with a 1 steely determination. The good teacher’s gift of possible if they are intending to go to any of the encouragement and, when needed, only positive remaining meetings of the 2017 programme. criticism. And always, above all, a deep devotion 2. Apologies for Absence to her family. Hugely missed, June will live long These were received from Martin Roberts, Lindsay in our memories. Allason Jones, Grace McCombie, Michael Atkinson, Sylvia and Michael Graham, John and Gisela Wheeler Martin Roberts and Christine Ruskin. Now brief reports on past meetings in 2017 and 3. Minutes of 2016 AGM 2018, and details of future events for the rest of The minutes were accepted. the year. 4. Matters Arising There were no matters arising which were not covered by the agenda. Saturday 1 April 2017 5. Secretary and Recording Secretary’s Report Fitzhugh Library, Middleton-in-Teesdale 2016/17 Programme Just under twenty members enjoyed an excellent Healthy attendances in the past year for our main ‘visit’ talk and tour of the Fitzhugh Library. Thanks to meetings – May 2016: Wooler AGM (24), June: Friarside and clocks (30), Sept: Durham (20), Oct: Kiplin with NGT library trustees for hosting the event. (30)…today (29). We had two recording days planned. July 2016: Kepier attracted 20 members, and April 2017: Marwood Farms, which fell through when the farmer, at the last moment, denied access (first time in 30 years). So, Saturday 6 May 2017 AGM 15 members went to the Fitzhugh Library at Middleton in Alnwick Abbey and Hulne Priory Teesdale for an exploratory visit. Special thanks to Sue To Alnwick for the AGM and a good attendance Ward and Belinda Burke of our neighbouring societies for of over 30 members. After the formalities at St circulating our meetings to their members when numbers appear to flag. James (United Reform) Church Centre on Pottergate, lunch then a visit to Alnwick Abbey Recording work has largely been put on hold pending and a guided tour of Hulne Priory, both in the catching up with the considerable backlog of outstanding Alnwick Castle estate. Thanks to reports. Building Studies Vol 2 nudged a little further forward, but only a bit, for which I apologise to members. Northumberland Estates staff for guiding us on the day. To ensure that the archive of past NEVAG recording work is shared out and not sitting uniquely on one computer (mine) I have gathered all the recording work together and on receipt of three 8GB memory sticks next week, I will send them to the committee for them to hold and update as the archive grows. The hard copy is held by me but clearly marked. Remaining 2017 Programme As always it would be helpful to know a few weeks in advance if NEVAG members are attending, as if numbers are down, say three weeks away from a meeting, I would usually ask Sue and Belinda to circulate to other societies, something I’d rather not do regularly. Often there are then last-minute surges in attendance. Future 2018 Thoughts for venues? So far, we might try Tudhoe and Byers Green Halls again. I think we have never done Hulne Priory. South Shields? Provisionally NEVAG and NGT will do another joint meeting to Hamsterley Hall (currently under restoration). NORTH EAST VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE GROUP MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Chairman suggested that we could consider paying 11.00 am Saturday, 6th May 2017 for professional services to assist Martin to speed up the held at St James Church Centre, Pottergate, Alnwick, production of the recording volumes as he is so busy, and Northumberland this has been a concern for some years. 6. Treasurer’s Report 1. Chairman’s Welcome The Group continues to be solvent with a steady increase The Chairman welcomed twenty-eight members, stating in numbers. The interest on the bank balance was 78p, he was very pleased to see a good turnout. He then small but welcome. Surprisingly the cost of insurance had outlined the programme of events to follow the AGM. He decreased. appealed for people to let Martin know as early as 2 Interest on Deposit Account £0.78 Peter Fletcher suggested that members could sign an indemnity and refrain from claiming against the Group Subscriptions £546.00 in the event of an accident. However, this could incur legal costs in the event of a claim and did not protect Meetings: day fees NEVAG against claims by property owners. The 7 May AGM Wooler £96.00 Chairman was concerned that NEVAG officials could be 3 Sept Durham £40.00 personally sued and abandoning insurance cover should 1 Oct Kiplin Hall £431.40 not be considered due to the litigious conditions of our country now. Access to some properties was only Publications: sales available as the Group carried insurance. Bricks and Brickwork £177.00 Sales of books remain small but steady. About one sixth of the cost of publishing Bricks and Brickworks had been TOTAL £3,983.82 recovered from book sales and wider publicity was required. EXPENDITURE Dick Graham asked whether NEVAG would have a Newsletters 77-79: £150.42 presence at Yesterday Belongs to You to be held this year Recording Secretary's expenses: £18.60 at Beamish. Margaret said that this had not been done yet Affiliations as it had not proved very productive in the past, but it Vernacular Architecture Group £20.00 needed to be discussed by the committee. Co Durham Forum (2 years) £30.00 7. Subscriptions Meetings: hire of hall, tokens to speakers, photocopying The treasurer saw no need to increase subscriptions and 2015 2 meetings (tokens) £60.00 this view was accepted. 7 May AGM Wooler £28.80 3 Sept Durham £40.00 8. Website 1 Oct Kiplin Hall £431.40 The website had attracted a few followers and provided good publicity. It had also provided a few book sales Publications: post and packing including one in the USA. Ian Forbes had volunteered to Bricks and Brickwork postage £10.35 help Margaret updating the website and she would take up his offer in the near future. Yesterday Belongs to You meeting £20.00 Insurance £322.76 9. Library The books owned by NEVAG were at Brancepeth Castle Barclays Bank Deposit Account 31/3/2017 £2,117.06 and it was suggested that they be moved to the Fitzhugh Barclays Bank Current Account 31/3/2017 £734.43 Library at Middleton in Teesdale with the exception of the VAG Journals which could be housed in a more centrally located library. Margaret Maddison thought it Saturday 3rd June 2017 would be advantageous to find out exactly what was in our library at Brancepeth and she offered to assess the Whickham walks with Richard Pears collection as no one knows what it contains. Elspeth About 25 members were guided around Gould, Peter Fletcher and George Hodgson offered to Whickham, his home village, by Dr Richard accompany her. Pears, one of the region’s most distinguished 10. Election of Officers architectural historians, and a NEVAG member. Colin raised two major concerns: he was leaving the area as soon as his house was sold and could no longer continue as Chairman and Margaret, whilst prepared to continue for a further twelve months but would not be able to remain in office after this.