Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
14 August 2022
18 August 2020
John Turner, President PLHS
The News of the death of History Society President, John Turner has been met with great sadness not only by Society members but by the many local organisations which he supported and the community in which he was so active.
John was Chairman of the Society for 25 years and contributed a great deal to the recording of local history through his meticulous research and numerous entertaining and detailed publications. His 'Ponteland: Images of England" is a local best seller with all royalties being donated to Ponteland local History Society. He promoted local history widely and was Secretary of the Group which facilitated restoration work on the Ponteland Vicar's Pele Tower as a Millennium project.
His passing leaves the whole community poorer and it is hoped that his family and friends can take comfort in the fact that John's life has been appreciated by so many.
16 October 2016
Rocket Man with Cousin Jacks, Robert Stephenson in Colombia 1824-1827
The Robert Stephenson Trust has just published this book. You can find out more at robertstephensontrust.blogspot.com
This book reveals for the first time in nearly 200 years the details of Robert Stephenson’s great Colombian adventure. It sets out the reasons behind his decision to abandon his father George, his friends and the management of the embryonic locomotive factory in Forth Street, Newcastle upon Tyne which bore his name and of which he was the Managing Director, for a speculative venture in South America in which he would be responsible for finding and extracting silver from mines first started during the Spanish occupation. The year was 1824 and he had yet to reach 21 years of age.
Robert did not return to England until 1827, but that event triggered a burst of creative energy and flair for a series of ground-breaking locomotive designs, starting with the ‘Rocket’ in 1829 for the competitive trials for the choice of engine for the Liverpool & Manchester Railway which his father had engineered and constructed in his absence.
The narrative uses many extracts from Robert’s original letters to his boss Richard Illingworth, who was based in Bogotá, courtesy of the University of Indiana, whose Lilly Library holds the originals. They describe vividly the difficulties he encountered, the anxiety he felt about what was happening in England in his absence, the problems of managing some of the workmen all of whom were from Cornwall, the lack of materials, the regular bouts of illness, and the frustration with the Mining Company in London who questioned his judgements.
On the journey home he was shipwrecked and very nearly drowned.
The character of one of England’s greatest mechanical and civil engineers cannot be fully understood without appreciating the impact his three years in Colombia had on him. In his lifetime he played down the trials and tribulations, but this new insight is essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand how great men use adversity to advance their creative brilliance.
The book is illustrated with the water colour paintings of Charles Empson, who accompanied Robert as an interpreter and companion. His own anecdotes have been included as a counter-point to Robert’s more formal correspondence.
Most of the mineworkers were from Cornwall, and there are many references to them, not always flattering. The book describes their circumstances in the 1820’s and explains what attracted them to sign up for 3 years and embark on a voyage to a far-away country. Anyone who might have had Cornish ancestors in Colombia should read this.
18 September 2015
A Pictorial history of Jameson Family
17 September 2015
Ponteland Historian September 2015
Ponteland Historian
Newsletter of Ponteland Local History Society
“CLIFFORD’S FORT &THE LIFE BOAT
CONECTION”
Dorothy Brownlee, our speaker this evening is a
retired school teacher from North Shields.
She is secretary to FISH, a community group closely involved in the Fish
Quay regeneration programme and is also a Trustee of The Net, which is a new
heritage centre recently established in the Old Low Light within Clifford’s
Fort on the Fish Quay.
ANLHS NEWS
Saturday 3rd October 2015
URC Hall, Warkworth
‘Magna Carta & King John’
To commemorate the 800th
anniversary of Magna Carta a facsimile of one of only four surviving 13th
century copies of the original document will be on view in St Lawrence’s Church,
Warkworth.
There will three excellent speakers - Professor
Nicholas Vincent, Dr Hugh Doherty and Michael Thomson:-
Professor Vincent, from the University of
East Anglia, is the UK's leading scholar on Magna Carta and is also leading a
major research project into its background.
Dr Doherty, a medieval historian, is also from the University of East
Anglia.
His talk will be about Eustace de Vescy,
Northumberland’s leading baron and one of the more implacable opponents of King
John.
Michael Thomson, well known to ANLHS members, has a passion for medieval
history. His talk is entitled “The Events in
Northumbria leading up tp Magna”.
Annual General Meeting
Saturday 7th November 2015
Stannington Village Hall
10.30; Arrival & Coffee
11.00: AGM
12.00 – 1.30: Lunch
1.45:-Introduction to Book Launch
A number of noted historians have been
invited to contribute essays to be published as a memorial to Dr Constance
Fraser and her significant contribution to local history. The limited edition
entitled Northumbrian Miscellany: Historical Essays in Memory of Constance M.
Fraser will be on sale for only £10
3.00:- Celebration
Drink & Cake and opportunity to buy a
copy of the book.
Tyne & Tweed
The Association’s latest annual journal,
Volume 69, has just been published and a copy will be on display this evening.
SOCIETY OUTINGS
In May, June & July members enjoyed very successful and interesting visits
to Wooler, Ushaw College, Chester le Street and Durham.
In Wooler members of Glendale LHS accompanied us on afternoon guided tours
visiting, the old Victorian Police Station (complete with original Magistrates’
Court), the URC Church (to see the famous stained glass windows possibly
attributed to one of Rennie MacIntosh’s apprentices), and the former WW2 Land
Army Girls’ Hostel.
The journey south in June provided a morning tour of Ushaw College, near
Durham followed by an afternoon guided tour of the Parish Church of St. Mary
& St. Cuthbert in Chester le Street, where we had the opportunity to spend
some time in the unusual unique museum of the adjoining Anchor’s House
Our return to Durham in July included a morning guided tour of the
Castle and an afternoon visit to the Magna Carta exhibition in the Place Green
Library.
COMMUNICATION
Have you got an email address? If so then please provide detail as it allows
us to keep in touch with you between meetings.
If you have already done this then please keep us updated with any
changes.
XMAS
SOCIAL EVENING
Entertainment this year is “Robson’s
Choice” – an evening of Northumbrian music.
Tickets, price £8, will be on sale from the
October meeting.
07 September 2015
28 March 2015
01 September 2014
Pont Island News 2014 published
The Ponteland Local History Society has just published its 11th edition of "Pont Island News" which is being distributed free to members. The edition is also available to others price £4.00 including postage or electronically as a PDF file price £1.00
This edition includes a "Dissington Hall" history by Michael & Gill Brown, an item entitled "The Curate, a Vicar and Five Engineers" by J Michael Taylor and a biography of the engineer "Robert Nicholson" by Michael Money
Readers will also find interesting Michael Taylor's item entitled "RAF Woolsington and RAF Ponteland" and the rev. Peter Barham has written an item "Commemorating the First World War- A few local churches"
Other items relating to the First and Second World Wars have been written by Patricia Stephenson and Muriel Sobo: "Two War Veterans", "Caterpillar Club", "Family loss in the wars of the twentieth century" and "The Somme"
© The copyright of each article remains with the author and of each illustration with the artist.
ISSN 1468-1390
19 September 2012
Pont Island News 2012 just published
14 August 2012
The story of a village school
The Story of a Village School
The story of a Village school is the history of Ponteland First School produced by local historian Muriel Sobo.
It is full of photographs, anecdotes and stories of its 93 year history from 1914 - 2007.
It is full of photographs, anecdotes and stories of its 93 year history from 1914 - 2007.
The Book costs £6 from the First School office or the Town Council Office or £7 by post from Muriel Sobo on 01661 871969
Proceeds from the book go the school PTA.
Proceeds from the book go the school PTA.
22 April 2012
30 December 2011
Catching the Eagle
At the time it was the biggest heist the county had ever known, and led to the arrest and conviction of impoverished farm labourer Jamie Charlton.
The perceived miscarriage of justice caused a public outcry in the region, after a trial which devastated a family and divided a community.
Catching the Eagle was written by teacher Karen Charlton, who lives in Marske, Cleveland, and started when she began researching her husband Christopher’s family tree in 1994.
She discovered that Jamie Charlton was a direct ancestor of her husband, and quickly became intrigued by the Kirkley Hall crime.
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