Industrial Heritage Networks

Royal Society ‘Places of Science’ Grants Scheme for Small Museums Open Until November 19th 2023

October 16, 2023mikenevell

The ‘Places of Science’ grant scheme, run by the Royal Society, is now open for applications. Applications will close at 12pm on Friday 17 November 2023. The scheme provides grants of up to £3,500 to small museums, funding projects that tell the stories of science and scientists relevant to communities across the UK.

Through the ‘Places of Science’ grant scheme in 2022, 36 small museums across the United Kingdom have received up to £3,500 to run projects that tell stories of science to their local community. This included Industrial Heritage Network members Coldharbour Mill, Head of Steam in Darlington, and the Brunel Museum, as well as the Moira Furnace. The Royal Society is particularly interested in projects that:

explore the experiences of historically underrepresented people
are led by organisations that don’t normally feature scientific content
involve partners that can enhance the project’s outcomes, impact or quality
reach audiences who do not normally engage with science
enable possibilities for digital engagement, either as a main feature or as part of a contingency plan

For further details on how to apply follow this link: https://royalsociety.org/grants-schemes-awards/grants/places-of-science/?li_fat_id=13f5f414-63b0-4451-9f08-ed0c212c9d03

RAAC & Industrial Heritage Sites

October 13, 2023October 18, 2023mikenevell

Guidance on Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) has been published by several organisations in the last month. The most relevant to Industrial Heritage Network members at the moment is that provided by the 20^th Century Society.

AAC is the acronym for “autoclave aerated concrete”, first developed in the 1920s, RAAC, is AAC with added steel reinforcement-hence the “R” at the front. AAC is a special form of pre-cast concrete, that is concrete made in a factory, rather than cast on site. By aerating the mix to provide a bubbly structure, which has been accurately compared to an Aero chocolate bar, the overall weight of the concrete is hugely reduced. The aeration is caused by a chemical reaction initiated when water is added to the mix. Poor initial construction and a lack of maintenance appear to be the main problems, at the moment, leading to the potential collapse of structures using such concrete.

Since most Industrial Heritage sites preserved and open to the public in England pre-date the widespread use of this type of concrete (1920s to 1990s) its unlikely to be found in many industrial structures on display or in use. However, buildings added to industrial heritages as part of their conversion to visitor attractions in the later 20th century (such as interpretation centres or stores) might be affected.

If you are concerned, then the 20th Century Society’s guidance covers the history of RAAC, its relevance to different types of heritage, and potential solutions. Their guidance can be found here. Your local authority may also be able to provide advice, and the Local Government Association has now produced their own guidance which can be found here: https://www.local.gov.uk/topics/housing-and-planning/information-reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac?mc_cid=ec8acda62e&mc_eid=c1aec993c2

AIA Revamp Their Events Programme for 2024

October 9, 2023mikenevell

Following the Autumn 2023 Council meeting of the Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA) at Ironbridge, the AIA are pleased to announce their events programme for 2024. There are some changes to their Conference provision compared with previous years, which the AIA hope will make it much more affordable and accessible to their members.

The revamped programme includes moving the conference and AGM to early October, which will be as Cardiff. This will avoid clashes with regional industrial archaeology events and Heritage Open Days in September, as well as the European Archaeology Association (EAA) and The International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage (TICCIH) conferences. Importantly, the shorter, hybrid, AGM and conference will be more affordable for members.

There are also lots of exciting new online and in-person events on offer throughout the year including the AIA’s inaugural CPD workshop on ironwork conservation in January, a CBA Festival of Archaeology event with IGMT at Ironbridge in July, and a brand new offer of summer tours in partnership with Heritage of Industry which will take you behind the scenes at some of the best industrial sites in Newcastle and the North East.

The AIA is the leading UK and European specialist society on industrial archaeology and heritage. For more information about the Association, and details on how to join and secure your member’s discounts for 2024’s events, visit https://industrial-archaeology.org

IGMT Joins Forces with Leicestershire County Council on New Museum Development Midlands Partnership

October 7, 2023October 6, 2023mikenevell

*The mine headstocks at Blists Hill, Ironbridge. Copyright Dr Michael Nevell*

The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust has announce that IGMT, in partnership with Leicestershire County Council, has been awarded the Arts Council England (ACE) contract to deliver the new region-wide Museum Development Midlands programme from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2026.

Museum Development UK (MDUK) is a network of all national Museum Development providers and practitioners in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. MDUK’s overarching goal is to support diverse, inclusive, and innovative museums that welcome people from all backgrounds. The networks are an important resource for industrial heritage museums and sites.

IGMT are currently the providers of the West Midlands Museum Development programme. From April 2024 their team will join with the team at the East Midlands programme to create a new Midlands team, to provide continuity to the sector.

Arts Council England has said that it will give this new Midlands programme a grant of £571,420 per year for two years (2024-26)to fund its work providing business development support to museums and their workforces across the Midlands.

This is part of a wider re-organisation of the UK Museum Development Network that will see mergers of the existing services across England. The new Area programmes will be known as:

Museum Development London
Museum Development Midlands
Museum Development North
Museum Development South East
Museum Development South West

It will bring the various partner organisations together to share insights and learning through a national programme, known as Museum Development England.

Further details about the new structures can be found via this link: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supporting-arts-museums-and-libraries/supporting-museums/museum-development-programme/museum-development-2024-26

Newcomen and the Engines that Changed the World Exhibition

October 4, 2023mikenevell

Dartmouth’s latest exhibition is all about the Newcomen steam engine. This new exhibition adds another two rooms to Dartmouth Museum and increases permanent display space by almost a third, when it opens in October 2023. The new exhibition focuses on the evolution of atmospheric steam power at the birth of the Industrial Revolution, as experienced through the David Hulse Collection of eight atmospheric steam engine models.

Each model has been chosen as it builds on Dartmouth engineer Thomas Newcomen’s installation of the first working “fire” engine in Dudley in 1712. There were no significant improvements in Newcomen’s design until James Watt’s Smethwick engine in 1779 , which precipitated others in the collection, ending with Trevithick’s 1804 engine which used high-pressure expanded steam and was small and light enough to enable steam-powered transport. David Hulse has spent 50 years bringing these engines to life in 1/16^th scale models. David designed and manufactured every component in each engine, including the ceramic bricks for the buildings that housed the engines; each engine has taken about 6,000 hours of work. They are testament not only to David’s extraordinary skills as a model maker – and his inexhaustible patience – but also to his profound scholarship, as he has scrupulously researched every detail of their construction and operation in museums and archives throughout the country. The collection is known around the world for the quality of its modelling. David has generously donated the collection to Dartmouth Museum, where it will be on permanent display.

*David Hulse and his steam model collection*

This collection will be a wonderful resource and inspiration for students, specialist modellers, and those who simply want to know more about the machines that powered the industrial revolution and changed the world. The exhibition goes on to show the impact of steam power on Dartmouth and the lives of its people and opens on October 21^st.

Dartmouth Museum is a community museum, committed to preserving and exhibiting the fascinating and rich history of Dartmouth and surrounding villages. It is housed in a merchant’s house in the historic Butterwalk and was built in the 1640s. The Museum welcomes over 7,000 visitors annually from all over the world and is one of the few museums in the South Hams that is open throughout the year. A charity, it is run entirely by volunteers, including 30 stewards, who keep the Museum open 7 days a week.

For further details visit their website:

Dartmouth Museum

You can also see a video of David Hulse talking about his engines in the film ‘Mechanical Wonders’.

ABTEM One Day Seminar Date Changed to 14th November 2023

September 29, 2023mikenevell

The date of the ABTEM 2023 seminar focussing on how transport collections are facing the challenge of climate change and sustainability, has been moved from October to November 14th 2023. This is to avoid any disruption from tube strikes in London.

The ‘Going Green: Carbon Reduction Challenges for Transport Museums & Collections’ seminar will run from 10:15am to 16:30pm at the London Transport Museum’s Depot at Gunnersbury Lane, London, W3 9BQ. The speakers will include Tim Bryan (Chair of ABTEM), Nicola Grahamslaw (SS Great Britian Trust), and Daniel Miles (Historic England). The emphasis of the day will be on best practice solutions that can inspire curators, volunteers and others to help address climate change and embed environmental sustainability into their operation and work.

For details on how to book this event follow this link to Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/going-greencarbon-reduction-challenges-for-transport-museums-collections-tickets-708550974037?aff=oddtdtcreator

North-east Derbyshire Industrial Archaeology Society (NEDIAS) Autumn Talks

September 27, 2023September 26, 2023mikenevell

The North-East Derbyshire Industrial Archaeology Society are a friendly Society discovering much about the rich industrial history and archaeology of the broader Chesterfield and north-east Derbyshire area. They hold monthly meetings with talks on fascinating local heritage, and members receive quarterly Newsletters and full of details about “What’s On”. They also run sites visits, and carry out surveys and limited excavation within the area.

NEDIAS meets on the second Monday of the month, at St. Thomas’ Church Centre, Chatsworth Road, Brampton, Chesterfield S40 3AW, at 7.30 from September to May, and visitors are warmly welcome to their regular talks. The Autumn 2023 meetings are as follows:

Monday 9 October 2023 at 7.30: “Riddings oil refinery, Derbyshire, 1848. 175 years ago this year” by Cliff Lea

Monday 13 October 2023 at 7.30: “The Iron Industry in the Rother Valley in the Canal Age, 1780—1840” by Philip Riden

Monday 11 December 2023 at 7.30: CHRISTMAS Meeting

For further details about the society see they website: https://nedias.co.uk/welcome-to-nedias/

or email Cliff Lea: cliff@nedias.co.uk

Rewley Road Swing Bridge Restoration Recognised

September 19, 2023mikenevell

Tom Hassall (OPT Vice-President), Andy Savage, Debbie Dance, and Baron Hendy of Richmond Hill (Chair of Network Rail) at the opening ceremony for the newly restored Rewley Road Swing Bridge, in September. Image courtesy of Oxford Preservation Trust.

The Oxford Preservation Trust is celebrating receiving a National Railway Trust Award for its restoration of the Rewley Road Swing Bridge. A plaque commemorating the work of many individuals in saving and restoring the bridge was unveiled on 7 September 2023.

Debbie Dance, Director of OPT was joined by Andy Savage and Tim Hedley Jones from the Railway Heritage Trust, and representatives of Network Rail and Historic England together with the judges, funders, and the specialist experts all of whom made a significant contribution to the project. And so good was their work that OPT was awarded the top national prize for railway heritage conservation. Later in the day Debbie was also joined by the Baron Hendy of Richmond Hill, Chair of Network Rail taking to the water to see the mechanism from below.

The London Midland and Scottish Railway Swing Bridge is a disused railway bridge over Oxford’s Sheepwash Channel and is one of only two moving bridges on the Thames – the other being Tower Bridge in London. The bridge was designed by engineer Robert Stephenson and built in 1850. A Scheduled Monument, the bridge holds a unique place in the history of England’s first railways, narrow versus wide gauge, and the battle between giants Brunel and Stephenson.

By 1951, it was no longer in use and closed to passenger traffic, and to goods by 1984, which led to its suffering from severe decay of the plating and paintwork which were protecting its surviving parts, including the original mechanism. The bridge had fallen into disrepair and was added to the national Heritage at Risk Register in 2013 where it remained for nearly ten years, until it was removed last year, as the restoration progressed.

“We are so delighted to have been recognised in this way and cannot thank the team enough for their part. The fact that it was recognised at a national level shows the importance of the structure which could have been so easily lost with its significance somewhat lost beneath its rusty exterior” This winter we will make the final touches with interpretation boards to go up and the sowing of a wildflower meadow to increase
biodiversity.” Debbie Dance, OPT Director.

Further details of the work of the OPT can be found here: https://www.oxfordpreservation.org.uk/

Industrial Heritage Snap Survey by Historic England Now Open

September 13, 2023mikenevell

Historic England’s Industrial Heritage Network is focusing attention on the knowledge and skills needed to care for our industrial heritage. They want to inform discussions on what training is needed and how Historic England can help.

If you work with industrial heritage or feel you need to upskill in this area, please share your thoughts in this short survey.

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/IHTraining/

*Iron casting at Blists Hill, Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust*

New Funding for Repairs to Gunns Mill Furnace in Mitcheldean

September 12, 2023September 26, 2023mikenevell

Historic England has awarded a grant of £31,020 to the Forest of Dean Building Preservation Trust to help repair Gunns Mill furnace in Mitcheldean. Gunns Mill is considered to be the best-preserved charcoal blast furnace in Britain.

The current furnace structure dates from the mid-17th century when the Forest of Dean was one of the most important centres for iron production in the country. It was converted to a papermill in 1743 but had fallen out of use by the 20th century.

The Forest of Dean Buildings Preservation Trust took on the ownership of Gunns Mill in 2013 and since then has undertaken a number of repairs to the structure with support from Historic England. This most recent round of funding will enable architects and engineers to design a structural solution to repair the timber frame of the roof of the bridge house and provide a usable space within.

The surviving lower tier of the building is a blast furnace built in 1625 on the site of earlier fulling and corn mills. That furnace was destroyed in the Civil War and was rebuilt by 1682, evidenced by cast iron lintels with cast dates of 1682 and 1683. The charge house roof on the upper tier north side has been dendro-dated from this time. It continued as a blast furnace until 1738.

More details here: https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/in-your-area/south-west/gunns-mill-forest-of-dean-gloucestershire/