DY25004 Metal Working after the a Romans V01 120925

 The Times Copyright (120925)

Britain forged ahead without the Romans

---

Rhys Blakely - Science Editor

---

What did the Romans ever do for us? Alongside the familiar aqueducts, sanitation and wine, archaeologists can now add another legacy: an economy that kept on motoring long after their legions marched away.

For the first time, researchers have examined a five-metre sediment core from Aldborough in Yorkshire, once the Roman town of the Brigantes and a major centre of metalworking. The work has revealed that Britain’s industry did not, as was widely believed, grind to a halt with the end of Roman rule around AD410.

“The core has provided the first unbroken continuous record and timeline of metal pollution and metal economic history in Britain, from the fifth century to the present day, at the heart of a major metal-producing region,” said Professor Christopher Loveluck of the University of Nottingham, lead author of the study published in the journal Antiquity.

Until now, it was generally assumed that industrial-scale production declined after the Roman retreat, as written evidence for lead production petered out after the third century. The new findings, based on pollutants from metal production that became trapped in layers of mud that accumulated over almost two millennia, turn that thinking on its head. “Not all industrial commodity production ended in the early fifth century,” Loveluck said. “At Aldborough, it is possible metal production expanded steadily using the ores and coal-fuel of the Roman period.”

The research team found that metal production carried on well past AD400, only collapsing more than a century later, around AD550–600. The cause remains uncertain, though historic sources suggest Europe was being ravaged by bubonic plague, which would have affected economic activity.

More broadly, the findings reveal how Britain’s metal industry waxed and waned in tandem with history: there was a dramatic slump after Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries, when it became uneconomical to make fresh metal because it was cheaper to rip it from religious buildings, then a revival under Elizabeth I, fuelling her wars against Spain and France.

The Romans first invaded Britain under Julius Caesar in 55BC, though the full conquest was not until AD43 under Emperor Claudius. Over the following decades they wove Britain into their imperial economy.

Far from an abrupt collapse, the new data suggests that early medieval Britain was more industrious and economically resilient than the “Dark Ages” label might imply, the researchers said.

“The results offer a revolutionary new insight into the economic history of Britain, which contradicts previous thought that all industrial-scale commodity production collapsed at the end of the Roman period,” Loveluck added.

DY25003 Pillar to Post V01 090925

 From Pillar to Post by Osbert Lancaster (1948)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y1ba3gqSzS-erzoi8VM6u8AHqiwq0PjO/view?usp=share_link

DY25002 Lamp Posts of Stratford Website V01 240825

The Historic Lamp Posts of Stratford upon Avon. 

 http://sonaheritagelamps.org.uk/index.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4D739lrBS_E036tFPiTUSQSXVbHeq7i_6CZcsPU-kEW2pvpMusugz8rBSx6w_aem_id3Y5dP7Zay1C3XTf6Q7Cw

DY25001 Eleanor Coade (1733-1821) V01 210825

Eleanor Coade (1733–1821) was a brilliant Georgian entrepreneur who ran the Coade manufactory in Lambeth and made Coade stone (also called Lithodipyra, “twice‑fired stone”) a go‑to material for architects and sculptors because it kept its crisp detail and shrugged off London weather. 

She lived in Lyme Regis leaving a lasting mark in the form of its finest Georgian house called Belmont House, Pound Street. One of the gate piers that flanked the entrance to Belmont House is in the Lyme Regis Museum. 

The “recipe” for Coade stone

Modern analyses of authenticated pieces converge on a clay‑based ceramic with specific additives. A commonly cited formulation is:

• 60–70% ball clay (Dorset/Devon)

• ~10% grog (pre‑fired, ground ceramic)

• 5–10% crushed flint

• 5–10% fine quartz

• ~10% crushed soda‑lime glass

The mix was kneaded and fired around 1,100 °C for several days (about four) to vitrify it—key to its durability. Percentages vary a little between studies and over time, but the components are consistent. 

Where to see her finished works today

Here are well‑known, visitable examples:

• South Bank Lion (1837) – at the south end of Westminster Bridge, London. Cast in Coade stone by W. F. Woodington; a textbook display of how well the material survives outdoors. 

• Covent Garden Market Building (East Pediment, “Flora”), London – R. W. Sievier’s pediment group is Coade stone; recently conserved. 

• Bedford Square, Bloomsbury, London – door surrounds and keystone heads across the square are Coade stone, showing its use on Georgian townhouses. 

• Ham House (River God statue), Surrey – an imposing outdoor figure in Coade stone in the garden. 

• Stowe, Buckinghamshire – multiple garden features; notably lions on the Cobham Monument. 

• Croome, Worcestershire – the two sphinxes flanking the south front portico and other elements. 

DY24015 Stratford District Council Guide Book 1976

Click the link below to access a free copy of the old Stratford District Council Guide Book (1976). Its a large file so allow it time to load up. As always being over 48 years old all the old Advertisements, Hotels and Retailers can be the highlights when you read it.   

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y1Z8ETJNihVuUkxQTPzPKTKSFGI5Ipop/view?usp=sharing

The Stratford on Avon District Council was created in the 1974 by the reorganisation of local government. It has always surprised me how large an area it covers. Warwickshire was divided into five District Councils

1.    Stratford on Avon District

2.    North Warwickshire District

3.    Nuneaton and Bedworth District

4.    Warwick District

5.    Ruby Borough

What I particularly like about this old Guide Book is it covers all the villages and towns within the Stratford on Avon District Council area but logically divides them up into the following areas so you can read about all the surrounding towns and villages centred on these key towns.

Stratford on Avon Rural Area

Henley in Arden Area

Alcester Area

Shipston on Stour Area

Southam Area

The guide covers many villages that receive no media attention these days and therefore remain unknown to most people. This no doubt suites the locals living there quietly beyond the normal hustle and bustle of modern life.

Although many of these are referred to and would have been more popular in the time of the Domesday Book (1086). If you want to learn how to lookup whether the village is included or not my book below tells you how to do this where by coincidence I cover doing a Local Research Project based upon Stratford upon Avon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0950871869

Stratford on Avon District Map - Boundary 

Warwickshire County Map

DY24014 - The Birmingham Jewellery Quarter 1987 V01 130824

The Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, United Kingdom 

Click on the link below to view an old  History Tourist Guide for the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, United Kingdom. (circa 1987)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p-JIT3WoJF5Z3xiaTvDvFNjuw0sQg6IH/view?usp=sharing

 

I have always been an enthusiast for the locally created history tourist guide especially when its A5 (148 x 210mm) size and less than 50 printed pages preferably folded and stapled. A fast read and a concise summary of a historic location ideally with adverts included relevant to the time of publication. Yes, it is 37 years old published in 1987, but in those days, before the web and social media destroyed historic narrative, a lot of effort and research went into creating these type of guides.

For example no social media post is going to dedicate this much narrative to John Baskerville (Page 20/21) the famous 18^th Century printer and typographer best known for designing the Baskerville Typeface in 1757.

Here is a bit of his Baskerville typeface.

 

JOHN BASKERVILLE -

(The Birmingham Printer)

We tend to take the print in booklets like this for granted and forget that somewhere, sometime, someone needed to design the letters we read. One of the most famous men to design letters is buried here in the Jewellery Quarter. That man is John Baskerville, the Birmingham Printer, he was born at Sion House, Wolverley, Nr Kidderminster in 1706. Little is known of his early life except that he worked as a footman for the Rectory at Kings Norton where he developed his interest in Calligraphy and taught writing. This love for writing led him to set up a writing school near the Bull Ring, where at the same time he engraved tombstones to earn a little extra money.

Japanning items made from hard black gloss, was becoming fashionable in England at that time, where they were introduced from France. Baskerville saw his chance and set up a factory in Moor Street. The trinkets and knick-knacks he produced made him a fortune which enabled him in 1747 to lease a piece of land, which he gave the name 'Easy Hill'. Baskerville House now stands on this land in Broad Street.

While his wife managed the Japanning business, he devoted his time to designing a type for printing, which took years to draw and cut by hand. The first book in this type was the poems of Virgil in 1757. The next year, the University of Cambridge made John their printer, where he produced some of the finest bibles.

On January 8th 1775, John Baskerville died, and in keeping with his wishes, he was buried in the grounds of his house in a conical shaped building which had formerly been a windmill. This had been repaired by Baskerville in his lifetime, so that he could be placed in the vault beneath it on his death. The old windmill was demolished and the body beneath forgotten, until discovered in December 1820.

In May 1821, because of the need to extend the wharf, the coffin was removed to Gibsons Warehouse in Cambridge Street, where it was opened and the body brought to view. It was reported to be in a 'singular state of preservation' considering it had been underground for about 46 years! The remains were later removed to the shop of Job Marston, a plumber and glazier whose shop stood where the present day entrance to Snow Hill Station is, in 1829, and again exposed where Marston is reported to have charged one shilling a time to view.

It became obvious that the coffin and remains were becoming an embarrassment but here the story takes on an air of mystery and it was another fifty years before the truth of his re-internment came to light and that his remains were in Vault No. 521 in Christchurch Catacombs. Once again he was brought to view in 1893 when the coffin was again opened.

In view of John Baskerville's flamboyancy while living, one would think that he would find all this controversy highly entertaining and it was not to end there, because when the church was demolished, he was again on the move. This time to his present resting place in the Catacombs in Warstone Lane Cemetery where he was placed on 26th February 1868, but his real epitaph is in the letters that he designed so long ago and which are still used in many books today.

The End

Show me a social media post that would include that amount of detail without the community complaining it conveyed the wrong “vibe” for the site. It doesn’t fit the Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, YouTube or TikToc community but it does fit Blogspot and the blogging vibe. So although it fits Blogspot nobody reads blogs any more other than you now this minute reading this one because I dragged you her under false pretences. The vibe of a social media platform can vary greatly depending on its community, content, and purpose. See below the description of the vibes of different social media platforms:

Twitter: Fast-paced, conversational, opinionated, news-driven, reactive        

 Instagram: Visual, aspirational, curated, trendy, aesthetic.

 TikTok: Energetic, creative, playful, viral, informal.

LinkedIn: Professional, networking-focused, aspirational, business -     oriented,  motivational.

WhatsApp: Instant,energetic, reactive, message orientated

Facebook: Social, connected, communal, nostalgic, multifaceted.

YouTube: Informative, entertaining, diverse, educational, creator-focused.

Blogspot: Topical, educational, long narratives, story like, takes time to read the content, not so rushed, thought provoking content

 

But none of this social media posting achieves what reading a structure document achieves be it on paper or digitally like PDF or Kindle in a booklet format. Read the linked to The Jewellery Quarter booklet on here and I am sure you will agree. It terms of the experience and the knowledge transfer and memorability nothing beats a structure document rather than a post. By a structured document I mean its got book like design and content but digitally delivered. 

    

Changing Track.   

Changing track like you can do in a blog. The Jewellery Quarter holds a special place in that both myself and girlfriend (appreciate it sounds dated but that was the terminology of the 1960’s) made a special trip there for me to purchase our Engagement Ring for our engagement on my 21^st Birthday in April 1969 leading to our marriage on Battle of Britain day, a Monday, on the 15^th September 1969. It cost £20 with a tiny sapphire stone surrounded by even smaller diamonds.   I was a student. The Jewellery Quarter at the time, the 1960’s, was not a tourist attraction but a busy industrial network manufacturing and selling jewellery in what looked like a domestic setting of normal housing but undergoing a major transformation. If you lived in the Birmingham or the Midlands it was where you went to buy jewellery at wholesale rather than retail prices but knowing it was a very legislated environment administered by the Birmingham Assay Office with its local hallmarking services. But always carry a powerful magnifying glass when buying jewellery or a smartphone does the same these days. 

Photo of our Engagement Ring

Afterword.

It would be interesting to see a photo taken now (2024) of the Hairdressers assembled in their 1987 photo on page 36. I bet their hair remains perfectly styled and in excellent condition being a members of “The Ultimate Hair Design Team.” 

DY24013 Avro Aircraft Company (Manchester) V01 010824

I always get great satisfaction out of seeing someone who has made the effort to publish a local history book in their spare time and at home. Part of the so called Indie Publishing movement which started in the United States in the 1980s with the advent of desktop publishing software packages. Indie being the mnemonic for independent. Although I personally would have liked it to be just called simply Independent Publishing.  This satisfaction of mine increases when it is on one of my favourite subjects being published like aviation. So back in 1993 Neil Richardson must have been motivated to make this effort. He did an excellent job. Just so sad to now see it discarded in a pile of books in a local Charity Shop. I wonder if Neil is still with us and what else he went on to publish. It is over 30 years ago. Also sadly Avro is no longer an aircraft company being one part of the dismantling of the British Aircraft Industry which once lead the world in aviation. It takes you back to the days when around the United Kingdom different cities or towns had their own local aircraft manufacturing factory with considerable rivalry between them. In Manchester's case it was Avro.   

Avro manufactured a variety of aircraft which occupied my youth when I went plane spotting.

Avro Anson

Avro Lancaster

Avro 707

Avro 748

Avro Vulcan

Link to The Story of Manchester's Aircraft Industry (Avro) Booklet.

The Story of Manchester's Aircraft Industry (Avro)

                                                                    Avro Vulcan