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News In Brief - Week Ending May 25 2008
By 24 Hour Museum Staff
19/05/2008
Welcome to the 24 Hour Museum news in brief page for the week ending May 25 2008.
Image: Advert for Younger's Beer
23.05.2008 - University toasts brewing archive
A major archive containing records, materials and images of the Scottish brewing industry has been saved for the nation.
The University of Glasgow will now house and protect the several thousand volumes of records and books from Scotland’s brewing companies as well as extensive advertising materials, a collection of Tennent’s ‘Lager Lovelies’ and brewing equipment.
The decision was made by the board of the Scottish Brewing Archive to gift the collection to the University in order to ensure the preservation of these important historical artefacts.
23.05.2008 - Natural History Museum moves 2.2-tonne Darwin
The Natural History Museum in London has replaced a 2.2-tonne marble statue of Charles Darwin back to its original position, where it stood in 1885.
The move to the top of the staircase in the museum took eight people and 26 hours. A one tonne statue of Museum founder Richard Owen had to first be moved, up to the balcony of the museum.
Darwin's figure has been moved in time for his 200th anniversary and a programme of celebratory events.
Image: Photo of two people celebrating
23.05.2008 - National Media Museum Celebrates 25 Years In Bradford
Former directors of the National Media Museum, Bradford, were reunited on May 22 to celebrate the museum's 25th anniversary.
Colin Ford CBE and Amanda Nevill joined current Director, Colin Philpott, alongside former Director of the Science Museum, Dame Margaret Weston, at the special event, where they thanked other key supporters of the museum.
Also present were five members of staff who have been at the museum since it opened in 1983.
A week of celebratory events for the public will commence on Saturday May 24, with a host of 1980s programming across the museum.
23.05.2008 – Pop-up heritage in Savernake ancient woodland
A new pop-up map has been produced to highlight the spectacular veteran trees of Savernake Forest in Wiltshire.
The forest, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, was laid out in the 18th century with avenues of beech, oak and sweet chestnut, but its history stretches back much farther. It was known even in Henry VIII's time for its aged trees, and was a royal forest in medieval days.
Some of the trees probably date back to the Anglo Saxon period, when the area was grazed, resulting in the forest's interesting flora and lichens. This tradition is being reintroduced now, with a herd of 12 White Park Cattle being brought in.
The pop-up map of Savernake showing points of interest and its oldest trees is available from the campsite at PosternHill and from the Tourist Information Centre at Marlborough Library (£1.50).
23.05.2008 – Home of the Elizabethan fleet in Kent to be restored
Upnor Castle near Rochester in Kent is benefiting from a £250,000 conservation project by English Heritage and Medway Council.
The grant will help to fund repairs to the castle's towers, which originally provided accommodation for the gunners protecting Queen Elizabeth's naval fleet anchored in the Medway.
Karen Richardson, English Heritage's Estates Surveyor for the South East, said: "Upnor Castle made an enormous contribution to British history, protecting our naval forces against invasion. After nearly 450 years it is time for us to repay that debt and we are delighted to be able to fund these essential repairs".
Image: Photo of a wellington boot
22.05.2008 - Give it some welly at Belsay Hall
Belsay Hall in Northumberland is inviting visitors to give it some welly over the half term holiday, when it hosts Welly Week.
Events in honour of the weatherproof rubber boots will include a wellington fashion show on May 28, a welly design competition with the chance of having you own design made into a pair for you to keep, and a history of wellies exhibition.
22.05.2008 - Artist to march across Loughborough
On May 26 Scottish artist Craig Coulthard will lead a procession across Loughborough that will consist of a band, handmade flags and banners, decorative costumes, floral displays and a wooden hut, constructed by hand and decorated with political posters inspired by those that covered the streets of Paris in 1968.
It's part of Radar's series, Life Is Interesting...When You're Furious, a programme of projects celebrating the 40th anniversary of the student protests of 1968.
The procession begins at Fearon Hall Community Centre, Rectory Road, moving onto Market Place (due 12-12.15pm), through Queens Park and finishes at Loughborough University. The banners will be displayed at Charnwood Museum from May 27 – June 15 2008.
Image: Black and white portrait of a child
21.05.2008 - AOP Student Photographer of the Year announced
The Association of Photographers (AOP) announced the winner of its competition, Student Photographer of the Year, on May 20.
The winner was Michael Carroll, who is studying photojournalism at London College of Communication, for his moving series depicting victims of the chemical weapon, Agent Orange.
A selection of 77 images from the competition will be on show at the AOP Gallery until May 30 2008.
Photo © Michael Carroll
21.05.2008 - British Library acquires Fay Godwin archive
The British Library (BL) has recently acquired the archive of the celebrated late photographer, Fay Godwin (1931-2005).
Renowned for stunning black and white landscape images of the British countryside and coast, she also produced an extensive set of portraits of literary figures.
The archive was given to the BL under the Acceptance in Lieu scheme which allows those who inherit objects of cultural value to give them to the nation in place of inheritance tax.
21.05.2008 - Funding announced for listed buildings in Northern Ireland
Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland's Minister for the Environment, has announced two major funding initiatives for the country's historic listed buildings.
The historic buildings grant-aid scheme will receive an extra £1.5m, taking its total budget to £3.9m. Secondly, up to £500,000 a year will be set aside for rescuing listed buildings at risk. The latter will go to building preservation trusts and similar community based organisations.
21.05.2008 - Search is on for the nation’s top ten threatened buildings
The annual hunt for the ten most endangered Victorian or Edwardian buildings in England and Wales begins this week, led by the Victorian Society, the national charity campaigning for quality architecture built between 1837 and 1914.
Following the success of last year’s Top Ten Endangered Buildings list, which threw the spotlight on such threatened gems as Shadwell Park in Norfolk and the Frank James Hospital on the Isle of Wight, the Victorian Society is once again asking members of the public to scour their local areas and send in photographs and details of any good quality Victorian or Edwardian buildings at risk that they find.
The ten best and most threatened buildings will be published in the November issue of The Victorian, the Victorian Society’s magazine, and used to inform the charity’s campaigns.
For more information about the Top Ten Endangered Buildings hunt or to nominate a building, please email community@victoriansociety.org.uk or write to The Victorian Society, 1 Priory Gardens, London, W4 1TT
Image: an old photograph of servants at Melford Hall
21.05.2008 - Melford Hall hosts family history day
The National Trust’s Melford Hall is hosting a Family History Day on Saturday May 31 to offer help and advice to people researching their ancestors.
One of Suffolk’s hidden jewels, Melford Hall is a beautiful Tudor mansion situated at the heart of Long Melford.
Last year staff began a project to find out more about staff who worked at the hall before 1942, when the house was devastated by a fire which led to the loss of many important documents.
The results and skills gained from this project will be used to help people research their own family histories - with the help of the Society of Genealogists, Suffolk Records Office, Suffolk Family History Society and Long Melford Local History Society.
There will be advice sessions throughout the afternoon from 1.30pm to 5pm. If you have any old photographs relating to Melford Hall in the early 20th century contact Anna Pizzey on 01787 379228, alternatively bring them along.
20.05.2008 - Museum vintage bus comes out to support aviation museum
Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service is supporting a family fun day hosted by Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum, Flixton, this bank holiday Sunday by laying on a vintage bus to ferry people back and forth to the event.
There will be over 50 historic aircraft to see, exhibitions on civil and military aviation in East Anglia throughout history as well as open cockpits and Link Trainer simulator flights together with stalls and demonstrations.
A 1964 Eastern Counties coach belonging to Ipswich Transport Museum will depart in the morning from Ipswich Transport Museum to Flixton and then back again at the end of the day.
To book a place call Ruth Gillan at Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service on 01206 506936.
Image: a photo of a man smelting metal
19.05.2008 - Bronze Age smelting at Geevor Tin Mine
A series of practical workshops illustrating Bronze Age technology and recreating the first metal used by man 3,000 years ago, kicks off this weekend at Geevor Tin Mine in Cornwall.
Bronze Age metalworker and Celtic craftsman Neil Burridge will be at Geevor on May 28 to demonstrate the working of bronze as it was done thousands of years ago.
He will be smelting copper and tin from naturally-occurring outcroppings of copper ores, and then smelting those ores to cast bronze, pouring the bright orange molten metal into moulds and showing how a sword would have been cast during the Bronze Age.
Neil’s demonstrations are at 11.30am and 2.30pm. Normal admission applies.
19.05.2008 - Falconry programme launched at Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is launching a summer falconry programme at properties across Scotland, as part of its living history series of events.
Throughout June to September, historic attractions across Scotland will play host to falconry displays, demonstrations and talks that promise to entertain and enlighten visitors.
The events will take place at Stirling Castle and Doune Castle in Central Scotland, Aberdour Castle in Fife, Linlithgow Palace and Blackness Castle in West Lothian, Tantallon Castle in East Lothian, Crichton Castle in Midlothian and Bothwell Castle in the west.
The shows are being held in conjunction with experts Falconry Scotland, who have centres in Jedforest and Dalhousie. For more information see the Historic Scotland website.
19.05.2008 - Royal Armouries acquire rare flintlock gun
The Royal Armouries Museum has added a historically important 17th century flintlock gun to its collection.
Valued at £115,000, the gun is the earliest known English silver-mounted long-gun by a specialist silversmith in existence. It was subject to a temporary export bar by the government so that funds could be raised to keep it in the country.
The gun was made in 1688, having been commissioned by George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth, from Henry Crisp, Gunmaker to the Ordnance and Furbisher at the Tower (1680–1707). The firearm has strong ties with the Armouries as George Legge was Constable of the Tower of London, 1685-88.
It was acquired with the help of grants from the Art Fund and National Heritage Memorial Fund.
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