Ponteland Historian - January 2024

 

Ponteland Historian - October 2020

 Ponteland Historian - October 2020

Andrews Liver Salt at Discovery Museum until 30th June

Known as the effervescent health salt, Andrews Liver Salt was first made in Newcastle in 1894 and was taken to relieve constipation and heartburn.
Thanks to a kind donation from pharmaceutical company Sanofi in 2015, Discovery are able to display a range of nostaglic old packaging, advertisements and images from their years at Fawdon Manufacturing Centre.

History of power generation et al conference at Discovery Museum

Conference on the history of power generation, distribution, utilisation and other engineering specialisms

Conference

Why not join this FREE event on 6th June 2015 and hear presentations about our engineering heritage. An optional visit to Cragside House on 7th June is also planned (Free entry for National trust members)

Register before Sat 9 May via the IET website or contact ed_dinning@yahoo.co.uk  alocker@theiet.org

robert.martinroyle@btinternet.com

Date and Time

06 June 2015 - 09:00 to 07 June 2015 - 17:00

Location

Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom - Newcastle Discovery Museum

Organiser

Organised by the History of Technology TPN. Contact alocker@theiet.org for more information.

About this event

The History Weekend event commences on 6th June with a free to attend one day conference where papers will be presented reviewing the history of power and other engineering specialisms relevant to the IET. There will also be the opportunity to visit the Discovery Museum's 'Arcs and Sparks' collection. Those who stay for the whole weekend can join the optional visit on Sunday 7th to Cragside House, a National Trust property which was the first private residence to employ hydroelectric power. There is an entry charge to Cragside House for non-National Trust members. Depending on demand it may be necessary to hire a coach for travel to Cragside House in which case a charge will have to be made. Further details about Cragside House can be found at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cragside 

Programme

Provisional programme details are as follows:-

Saturday 6th June

09.00-09.30hrs arrival and final registration

09.30-17.30hrs presentations and visit to 'Arcs and Sparks' collection

Sunday 7th June 

Optional visit to Cragside House - details and timings to be arranged

Reasons to attend

Are you interested in our engineering heritage ? Then this free event on 6th June is for you. As well as hearing presentations on a range of historical topics there is the opportunity to visit the 'Arcs and Sparks' collection at the Discovery Museum. If you decide to stay for the whole weekend you can join the optional visit on Sunday 7th June to the National Trust property Cragside House, the first private property to employ hydroelectric power 

Additional information

For the Saturday 6th June day at the Discovery Museum light refreshments e.g. tea/coffee will be provided throughout the day for attendees.Light lunchtime snacks can be purchased from the Discovery Museum cafe.

When you register please indicate if you wish to join the optional trip to Cragside House on Sunday 7th and if you require transport. Once numbers are finalised the organisers will advise you if it is necessary to hire a coach and the cost. If numbers are low it may be possible to arrange car sharing

This History Weekend is organised by the History of Technology TPN in conjunction with the Local Network. Weekend History Conferences started in 1973 and have been held regularly ever since. The aim is to capture and record the history of engineering relevant to the Institution based on the direct knowledge, experiences or researches of members. Papers presented are preserved and published in Proceedings, reference copies of which are held in the IET Library. In that way a substantial historical record of our profession and its achievements has been, and continues to be, established  

   

Registration information

To register please contact Anne Locker IET Library and Archives Manager on alocker@theiet.org .

When you register please indicate if you wish to join the optional visit on Sunday 7th June and if you require return transport from Newcastle to Cragside House

Culture and Cake

DISCOVERY MUSEUM
Come along to Culture & Cake, the first of many events to run from Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums new 'Platinum Programme' - a culture and heritage programme of activities and experiences for people aged over 55.
Have you ever fancied going behind the scenes at Discovery Museum and having an in-depth look at the vast costume collection? Well Culture & Cake will allow you to do this as well as listening to one of our experts and having a cup of tea or coffee and cake in the Turbinia Cafe after.
Sessions take place every Wednesday starting from 13 May and will be on a different theme each week (see below for details). Each session is £6, however you can block book for all six sessions for just £30. Sessions run 11am - 12noon followed by tea/coffee and cake in the cafe.
Please book in advance by contacting joanne.charlton@twmusuems.org.uk (0191) 277 2297.
Session themes
13 May - Early dresses
20 May - Fans and samplers
27 May - Later dresses
3 June - First World War clothing
10 June - Shoes
17 June - Hats

To make the people smile again

International Brigade Banner embroidered by the Women of Barcelona, 1938. Courtesy of the International Brigade Archive at the Marx Memorial Library, London

 Laing Art Gallery
Sat 16 May, 2pm – 3.45pm.
Free, Function Room.
This is a chance to hear to the fascinating 2007 BBC radio drama/documentary on the Spanish Civil War and the British Contingent of the International Brigades. It follows the story of a British brigade survivor, George Wheeler, who fought in the last great battle of the Ebro and was taken prisoner.
The drama is intercut with interviews with American, Spanish and British survivors, with comments by Professor Paul Preston who has written a definitive account of the war. The production will be followed by talks by the drama producer, Steve Chambers (University of Northumbria) and Martin Ellis (Zymurgy Publishing), publisher of the book on which the drama was based. (drama 1 hour, break, talks 30 mins)

Parsons Marine Steam Turbines: From Destroyers to Dreadnoughts 1898-1918 at Segedunum

Geoff Horseman, Chief Turbine Engineer at Siemens and the keeper of the historic archive at the CA Parsons Works in Newcastle, will deliver this double talk, which coincides with the exhibition Coal, Ships and Zeppelins: North Tyneside in the First World War.

K Class Submarines: the Suicide Club
In 1913, it was decided to build submarines which were fast enough to keep pace with surface ships. These were powered by steam turbines to produce sufficient power and they were as large as modern nuclear submarines. The engines were a success but the submarines were an ill-conceived design in other regards. In this short talk, Geoff will describe the series of accidents and mishaps which led to these submarines becoming known as the ‘Kalamity Class’ and the ‘Suicide Club’.

Parsons Marine Steam Turbines: From Destroyers to Dreadnoughts 1898 - 1918
This talk will look at the evolution of the Parsons steam turbine for naval duty up to 1918. After the success of Turbinia, steam turbines were quickly adopted as the main engines for the fastest and most powerful ships in the navies of all major industrialised countries. This talk will describe how Parsons turbines evolved from rudimentary direct drive engines of 2,000hp to multi-cylinder geared turbines producing up to 100,000hp capable of propelling the largest battleships of WW1.
11am-12.30pm. £4 per person; free for students with valid ID.
Please reserve a ticket by contacting Marleen Vincenten (0191) 277 2166 marleen.vincenten@twmuseums.org.uk or you can Book Online.

Castle Re-opening

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 Dordoy, Pod 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.

A Tale of Two Cinemas

 

 

Talk by John Matthews, 18th October 2012

Report by Margaret Appleby

John told a fascinating but sad story about the rise and fall of the Paramount and Odeon Cinemas in Newcastle. John is Vice Chair of the Tyneside Committee of the Northumberland & Newcastle Society and has been very involved in trying to save the Odeon for 10 years. Being in the construction industry all his life, John actually worked for the company Stanley Miller, who built the Paramount in 1931.

‘Movies’ arrived in London in 1891 and 5 years later in Newcastle. They were very basic black and white flickering pictures (hence the name – the flicks!) and were shown in various buildings as part of a variety performance. 1917 -1930 was the golden age of cinema construction across the country and in 1931 the Paramount was built in Newcastle. The architects were Beverly and Verity. The site was originally a garage which was cleared to build the cinema at a cost of £250,000.

As John’s talk was delivered with excellent accompanying pictures, we were able to see the true grandeur of the original building. Externally it was imposing buff stone with balconies, box office and a massive (57 ft) flashing Paramount sign – originally lit with 2500 light bulbs but later replaced with neon lights. Internally it was spectacular with terracotta silk panels on the walls, frescoes, chandeliers, ornate balustrades, deep seats, lovely carpet, orchestra pit and Wurlitzer. The stalls and circle held 2604 people. The curtains shimmered, fresh flowers were provided daily and the first film was shown in September 1931. In 1932 other buildings including the Carliol House, Fire and Police Stations were all built which enhanced the importance of this area of Newcastle. In 1939 Paramount sold the building and it became the Odeon.

The cinema continued throughout the 2nd World War and in the 60’s well known groups and stars visited, although in 1951 it had been refurbished and sadly the silk and frescoes painted over. Audience numbers fell with the advent of television so 3 screens were created in 1975 and the famous Paramount/Odeon sign was removed. The introduction of multiplexes in Gateshead and Manors further affected the Odeon and in 2001 the Odeon moved to the Gate. The building had been listed in 2000 but in later years it was delisted on appeal much to many people’s amazement as a part of Newcastle history was then at risk. The new owners were, and are now able to develop the site despite the sterling efforts of John Matthews and many others.

Many in the audience had fond memories of the Odeon and were fascinated but sad to hear John’s tale of two cinemas, which does not appear likely to have a happy ending.