22 February 2019
21 October 2018
08 April 2018
06 March 2017
Prestwick - an ordinary Northumberland Mining Village
Talk given at St Mary's Church Hall
7.30pn Thursday 16 th March 2017
Visitors welcome. £2.00
The talk will be given by Michael Taylor whose family ancestors have been resident in Prestwick Village for over 250 years.
The highly personal talk will not only give a history of mining in the area but also cover the draining of Prestwick Carr and cover some surprising facts about the village.
03 March 2017
Event at Elsdon
Date: 25th March 2017
Time: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Tales of the Forgotten North
Join us in Elsdon, one of the most historic villages of Northumberland National Park for an afternoon to stir your imagination and spark your creativity…..
Chris Jones, Historic Environment Officer for Northumberland National Park, will begin the afternoon talking about the wealth of history and archaeology of Elsdon. This will be followed by a story created and told by professional storyteller Pascale Konyn, inspired by the history and archeology of Elsdon, and drawing on Celtic traditions. There will be an opportunity for discussion/Q & A and, of course refreshments to be consumed. To finish off the afternoon Chris Jones will lead a short walk of the village.
To avoid disappointment we recommend you book your tickets in advance online as places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
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.
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