21 October 2013

Heritage tour of Stephenson works

Heritage Tour of Stephenson Works
– Michael Taylor, The Robert Stephenson Trust.

FREE, Saturday 26th October 2013
– Meet at Sussex Street entrance to Stephenson Works at 12pm

In 1823 George Stephenson along with four other people - his son Robert, the
Quaker businessman Edward Pease, Pease’s cousin Thomas Richardson and
Michael Longridge who managed Bedlington Iron Works - opened the world’s
first purpose built locomotive factory at South Street on Forth Banks, Newcastle
upon Tyne. Locomotives built at these works were exported to developing railways
all over the world and were often the first locomotives to be seen and used in
those countries. At Robert’s death in 1859 the firm was the largest employer on
Tyneside and by the early 1890s the works had expanded to occupy all available
land on Forth Banks. The old works finally closed in 1904 and the site was taken
over by automotive manufacturers George and Jobling who remained active in the
building until the early 1970s, producing bicycles, automobiles and airplanes. After
a period of dereliction the site was restored in the last years of the 20th century.
Following this restoration, when the Robert Stephenson Trust used the building as its
office, volunteers (including Michael Taylor) presented public tours illustrating the
building’s history.

Michael Taylor is a Trustee, Exhibitions Curator, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster of the Robert
Stephenson Trust. He is a Chartered Civil Engineer, Past Chairman of the North Eastern branch and
Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation and is North East Representative for
the Panel for Historical Engineering Works, Chairman North East Heritage Panel, and Chairman ICE NE
Senior’s Group. Michael was chairman of the Millennium Ponteland Pele Tower Restoration Group, Vice
Chairman, Magazine Editor and webmaster of Ponteland Local History Society. A lifelong member of
the Scout Association he was awarded a MBE for services to young people in 2006.

This event is made possible by the kind support of the Robert Stephenson Trust.

16 October 2013

ANLHS Newsletter

ASSOCIATION OF NORTHUMBERLAND
LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETIES
Registered Charity no. 251179
NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2013

DO YOU KNOW YOUR ONIONS? (Or rather your French Onion Man?)
ANLHS regularly receives queries from historians around the country, but a recent one was particularly unusual:
'I live in the South of England and have come across 2 photos of 9 French Onion men plus an English gentleman named Sgt. Baker (not in uniform) photographed in Northumberland – year unknown. My question to your members is, ‘is there any known history regarding French onion men in the Northumberland area?’ My reason for writing, the 2 photos I have in my possession could be displayed in the Roscoff, French Onion Museum, France which has recently opened.'
If you knew Sergeant Baker, can recognise anyone in these pictures, or have any recollections of French Onion men working in Northumberland, please let us know,via email,localhistory@virginmedia.com
or letter to 11 Beverley Terrace, North Shields.
We will pass the information on, and who knows, your story may finish up in a museum in France!

ANLHS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2013
1.15 Saturday 9TH November
Stannington Village Hall, Northumberland
ALL WELCOME

MEDIEVAL NEWCASTLE
The development of Newcastle’s medieval port facilities will be the focus for Dr Tony Barrow, our guest speaker at this year’s Annual General Meeting. Tony is an authority on North East maritime history and will be known to many Local History Societies. Come and hear this talk and be amazed by what is now partly under the quayside’s Tesco Express!
This talk will be a fascinating introduction to the ANLH Spring Study Day (see below

SPRING STUDY DAY?
Regrettably, due to unforeseen circumstances, the Study Day on things Roman has had to be postponed. We are now looking at alternative topics and at the time of writing the likely subject is to be Newcastle Quayside. It is hoped the day will include a number of speakers and visits to some of the buildings which have a crucial role in the history of the quayside.
If such an event proves possible, full details will be included in the January 2014 mailing.

DR CONSTANCE FRASER MEMORIAL LECTURE
One way in which we hope to remember Dr Fraser’s enormous contribution to local history is to establish an annual memorial lecture. And we are delighted that the inaugural lecture will given by Dr Max Adams of Newcastle University. One of Dr Adams’ main interests is Early Medieval Northumbria, which was also a key focus of Constance’s research. His talk will relate tohis recently published book about Oswals of Northumbria.
The lecture will be held on Saturday 20 September 2014 at The Mining Institute, Newcastle. Full details will be given in the next maili

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Saturday 9th Nov 2013 ​ANLHS AGM, Stannington Village Hall.
Saturday 22nd Feb 2014​ Members Group Meeting, St Nicholas Church Hall, S. Gosforth.
Saturday 5th April 2014 ​Study Day – arrangements to be confirmed.
Saturday 21st June 2014​ Round the County Day to be hosted by Glendale LHS.
Saturday 20th Sept 2014 ​Dr Constance Fraser Inaugural Memorial Lecture, Mining Institute, Newcastle upon Tyne.

09 October 2013

Exhibition at Stephenson Works - AND associated tours

CIRCA Projects
Space Release #18
DOES THE IT FIT
Joanne Tatham & Tom O'Sullivan

 





Joanne Tatham & Tom O'Sullivan, John Smith, David Dye, Fiona Jardine, Alexander Harmon, Lothar Götz,
Alex Dordoy, Nadia Hebson, Alan Michael, Chris Evans

Preview: Thursday 17 October, 6pm

17 October-14 December 2013
Thursday-Saturday, 11am-6pm

The Stephenson Works
Sussex Street Entrance
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 3PD



CIRCA Projects invited Joanne Tatham & Tom O’Sullivan to work with them on the final instalment of their Space Release programme at Newcastle upon Tyne’s Stephenson Works. The exhibition responds to the Stephenson Works and the surrounding area, a site currently undergoing major redevelopment by Newcastle based property developers Silverlink Holdings. DOES THE IT FIT is an interrogative response to this situation that, amongst other things, considers the complex and nuanced relationships between re-generation and art.

The Stephenson Works is an historically significant building currently being used by a range of different organisations. A number of design companies have offices there and the space also provides a venue for cultural and food events. CIRCA Projects programme of exhibitions itself fits within a wider cultural agenda promoted by Silverlink Holdings.

DOES THE IT FIT positions a new work by Joanne Tatham & Tom O’Sullivan alongside a curated programme of works and talks. This schedule of exhibitions and events has been devised by Tatham & O’Sullivan, working with CIRCA Projects, as a response to both the context of the site and the commission.

In common with many of Joanne Tatham & Tom O’Sullivan’s works, their new commission comprises of a number of choreographed elements and uses a range of forms and approaches. Two constructed structures, sited on the factory floor and the mezzanine echo the recent and original architecture of the site and engage with the buildings current use and status. A second presentation comprises of a series of photo-works of composed subjective encounters with civic space within Newcastle. Finally, a printed text re-positions information relating to places, people and organisations connected both directly and indirectly to DOES THE IT FIT at the Stephenson Works. These seemingly disparate facts build a narrative that becomes increasingly coherent as a more complex picture emerges around the relationships between art and public space.

DOES THE IT FIT will be accompanied by a series of talks and screenings from Nadia Hebson, Fiona Jardine, Lothar Götz and Chris Evans. Each of these will follow through a theme or idea relating to the space and the commissioned work, from mural painting to corporate identity. Alongside this programme will be a cumulative exhibition of work by David Dye, Alex Dordoy, Alexander Harmon and Alan Michael. This series of presented works encourage a viewer to consider modes of art-making quite different to the demands of public engagement and the redevelopment of urban space.

Close by to the Stephenson Works and just visible through the windows of the factory floor is a high rectangular water tower. Given the vicinity of this structure, John Smith’s The Black Tower functions as a wilful curatorial device, drawing attention to the site and the choreography of the project.


DOES THE IT FIT Programme
Thursday 17 October, 6pm: Preview - DOES THE IT FIT Joanne Tatham & Tom O'Sullivan
Thursday 24 October, 6pm. Factory Floor: John Smith, The Black Tower
Thursday 07 November, 6pm. Mezzanine Space: David Dye,
Pod Event: Fiona Jardine
Thursday 14 November, 6pm. Mezzanine Space: Alexander Harmon, Pod Event: Nadia Hebson

Thursday 21 November, 6pm. Mezzanine Space: Alan Michael,Pod Event: Lothar Götz
Thursday 28 November, 6pm. Mezzanine Space: Alex DordoyPod Event: Chris Evans

Heritage Tours lasting around one hour will take place at 12 noon on:
Saturday 26 October by Michael Taylor, Robert Stephenson Trust 

Saturday 07 December by Ian Ayris, Urban Design and Conservation Team at Newcastle City Council.