ARCHAEOLOGY & HERITAGE GROUP of the ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
No:7.
EDITORVictor.J.HEPPELTHWAITE ARPS. MARCH 23. APRIL 20.
ANAFTERNOON AT THECHALLONER CLUB. A.G.M. Challoner Club. MAY GROUPVISIT TO REMAINS OF GUNPOWDER FACTORY at TONBRIDGE.KENT. JUNE GROUPVISIT to STOKED'ABERNON CHURCH, JULY GROUPVISIT to AVONCROFT MUSEUM of BUILDINGS,Bromsgrove.Worc's. AUGUST GROUPSUMMER EXHIBITION 3&4th/10th&llth The HORNIMAN MUSEUM.London.S.E.23. SEPTEMBER GROUPSUMMER EXHIBITION at WAKEFIELD. SEPTEMBER GROUP VISIT TO a "DIG".at PETERBOR'O. OCTOBER GROUP VISIT to ROMAN BATH-HOUSE at WALL.STAFFORDSHIRE. OCTOBER GROUP ANNUAL CONFERENCE.Venue T.B.A. NOVEMBER GROUPEXHIBITIONat AVONCROFT MUSEUM of BUILDINGS.BROMSGROVE.WORC'S. DECEMBER GROUPCHRISTMAS PARTY. A provisional
Group
WHICH WILL
BE GIVEN
programme, FIRM
DATES DURING THE YEAR & 1\IJGJ~l:lli"FD.
please
support
Your group events.
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS FOR1985.
"
2,
2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8/9. 10. 121 14/15 16/17 18/19 22 . 24.
FROMOURYORKSHIRE CORRESPONDENT. MEMBERS LETTERS. A & H GROUP CONTINENTAL EXPEDITION PICTURES.FRANCE Sept84. GROUP EXHIBITION AT AVONCROFT MUSEUM. WHAT'SIN A PICTURE.By Grant THOMSON. PICTURESFROMTHEOCTOBER CONFERENCE 1984. HEZEKIAHSTUNNEL.By Jas.RAWLINGS FRPS.a short story. THE Hon.SEC'S page. FEATURE REPORTon the Group \.JORKSHOP.Greenwich Maritime Msm. CHAIRMANS ANNUAL PROGRAMME REVIEW.asidelong glance WALTHAM ABBEY---HEilITAGE. by Reg.MASON Hon FRPS. AN EXPERIENCE REMEMBERED. by Dr • SINHLRPS. LET SLEEPINGDOGSLIE.more experiences from members. ~ Huge increases in printing costs have given your &ii.tor ·many headaches lately. 'lHIS issue has been printed at 'material cost only by nenber Derek ~rfield ARPS.Weare. all very grateful to Derek for his time &effort. VIBlfPOIB'l,a regular oolWIU10£ comment and chat on the archaeological photographic scene, by Eric Houlder • .l JJw llyuin• , lfow that ve are the .lr~ology and ffe!:i!~_Group whole n- aubjeot areas open themselves to our eager lenses. One field not vell oO'f'eZ'ed'b7 our old title vas that of Local history, so I am glad to report the launch of a .Dev magazine LOCALHISTORYwhich will, I hope, become a -jor influe~ce in the promotion of photography in that eubjeot, The editors, Susan and Robert Howard, ask in the first iasue tor nevs ot Photographic involvement in local history. Your scribe llaa al~ sent a short piece describing the photographic work in hi ■ looal ■ ooiety, and hopes that other Group members will do the same, Write to s- 'Local Hietory,' 3,Devonehire Promenade,Lenton,
cont:
on ppl 1,
A letter
to
the
Editor By Dr Peter
is
too
:; •ew photographs
: expect
of
•-
it
Museum of wishing
try
confine
leaflet oration Avoncrott •
a
would
site
on
otherwise
:·tion
ed
from
roducing Quite shop,
There
the
stood as
is
in
the
chainmakers,
Avoncroft -raising
y_e
began been
at
about
You might
of
the
the
museum·,
be interested
Museum, and also
basic
its
existance
rebuilt
in
a number
on account
of
1967,
of
consists
old
neglect
buildings and disuse,
and so on.
"trade
mark"
now on the
building,
road
of
the
museum.
museum site,
it
is
The windmill working
was
most -·ays,
one time
inn
named "The String
farm
room,
of Horses",
lecture
room,
and had to be taken
improvements. buildings, is
nearby.
There
and others
the
merchants
are
also
are
in
house, several
workshops,
projects
from
near
-one of
and the
a
the
pipe-line.
15th.century, industrial
and a rack
of
last
which
once
exhibits,
saw, all
reconstruction
make way tor
to be demolished charity,
workers, sponsors
· became involved
three
years
:o
gave
me the
trouble,
the
to
registered
part-time finding
include
Tel ford,
the
Museum is
workers,
heart
plan
to posterity
building
completed
"Pre-tab"
ntary
which have
and nail-makers
( removed
century
here
fully
such equiped
order.
Recently
,
of
Bromsgrove,
ice-house
is
it
flour.
frame
and in working
not,
Summer Exhibition)
information
essentials.
has a site
the
and,
the
a group
timber
in case
now provides admin. offices, exhibition museum. It used to stand in Shrewsbury,
down to make way tor
Another
bare
new projects,
16th.century
tor
the
there
become
ground
so called,
etc.,
to
have been lost
has
a large
and still
just
(A&H Group
pages and pages of
Buildings, which
dereliction,
stone
but
exhibits
the exhibits.
to make way tor
e windmill -esc
"PROOF" ?l the
which
some of
Museum of
17 acre
--:c
:e
you with
my remarks
(enclosed),
about
(tor
some of
ARPS.Evesham.Worcs.
Buildings.
to bore
to
late,
G.H.Polli.tt
and for
ago.
an
18th.century and a 20th.
in Birmingham. and
the
of
the motorway),
efforts
therefore of
relies
its
heavily
Committee
in
on fund-
projects. Premature
time
retirement
from medical
to once more study
seriously
practice
my life
long
y - photography. The Museum had just lost a staff member who had been doing -,e o otography, and my otter of taking this over was accepted. : ..,a..,e found it most interesting, and much more varied than I ever expected. :: ~as increased my knowledge of a number of subjects, not the least being that • o o ography ! Not only are photographs required for records, but also for ::,-ogress
:~a, a ~ere
report ich
ont'
5,
newsletters,
.... ould
special details, ecessary,
expectand
brochures, old
stages
buildings of
explanatory in
reconstruction,
situ,
"boards". stages illustrating
of
And the
also
special cont:
all
dismantling skills
on pp21
A FEWGROUPMEMBERS"ENJOY" A ROolANFOOTBATH
"FOREIGN" expedition general views
of
available
Restoration
light
work being
pie tu re by C~,ai rman
"FRENCH" style.
VIEW_ OFAVONCROFT MUSEUM.
Group summer exhibition at AVONCROFT MUSEUM.members pictures a tine display.Photo: Dr Peter POLLITTARPS.
make
7 WHATS IN A PICTURE
Aerial photography can produce pictures with great artistic merit and aesthe· .. appeal; but more routinely, they are regar~ttci as a reliable documentary reco':: of use to Pf!Ople having specialist interests, many of which are science basec. To meet this need tor a clear documentary record the aerial photographer wL: have to minimise the effects of atmospheric haze, vibration and movement of t aircraft in flight, these factors being coupled with very small-scale images in the negative, all of which combine to reduce image quality and therefore use-tulness of the photography. Customarily the films used in aerial photography are processed to give hig e' contrast negatives than are normal in most pictorial applications, and the neg-atives shaded, "dodged" and "burned -in" during printing to give a pleasi ;; uniform result. Professional air-survey organisations usually contact-pri their 240mm x 240mm format roll film negatives on Milligan Electronic photoprinte-s that automatically achieve such "dodging" to a very high standard of contro_ over tone-reproduction (equivilent to unsharp masking techniques) in a matteof a few seconds exposure time. Some applications of aerial photography and airborne electronic imageifII sys-tems call tor a yet more rigorous approach however. As an example, the rapid -expanding area of applied aerial (and satellite) photography in remote sensi ;; tor natural resources demands that the radiometric properties inherent with a scientific record such as an aerial photograph are altered as little as possible, so that the experienced interpreter can appreciate image effects that are more related to the ground, and not to be misled into attributing an apparent change in reflection to natural phenomena when in reality it is a photographic artitacthat has caused the altered tonal values, tor example, by dodging a print ·o make a "nice picture" • There are of course many instances where skiltull handprinting with dodgi ; or the use of electronic photoprinters to enhance photography are essentia: but gradually the techniques being evolved in remote sensing are providing expe'-ience to show that the aspect of radiometric fidelity in aerial photograp., needs to be kept in mind, and that strict control over exposure, processing a printing must be exercised, especially when operating with multispectral phot()£-raphy or image radiometry linked with computers, to cite just two examples,
G.H.TH~ '9
Group summere~hibJtion
another view of m~mbers exhibition at AVONCROFT. Thanks are due to Dr POLLITTfor the organisation and the fine picture.
S.
PICTURES TAKEN ATTHEOCTOBER CONFERENCE.
Brian
a picture
planning
something
by Bria,~ Tremain
good with
FRPS showing
"ILFORD"Man,Bill
WISDE -
the "PERIPHERY" camera
58 ,-_
'The "ALl..-IN" ticket price at the .A&HGroup anrual CCNFEROCE includes a fine saturday night dinner ,with selected french wines. 'The Crystal Palace meals are fisrt class am the equal of most hotel meals. '00 views of the Saturday tables,pictures by Brian Tremain FRPS.
A team of expert photographers urrler Brian at the British ltlseum, volounteered their free tine to ''PRESENr" a great deal of the ''W)RI<SHJP"to delegates this year.
--:~ REEDfrom SILVERPRINT Ltd.Agents "NEW"Japanese "SEJ\GULL Paper
Thank IDT gardner & Parry,D.'W.'.>rrel.A.Cooke B.Wisden. J .~11. V.Croucher. K.Malone & K.Maclxmnell.In fact all that helped Victor µ.it on this Gram Teclmical Conference.
lO.
HEZEKIAH'S TUNNEL
Putting two and two together from what is written in 2 Kings XX20 and 2 Chronicles XXXl1 2 Hezekiah who was King in Jerusalem in about 7008.C. found himself in a difficult situation. Sennacherib, the King of Assyria had invaded Israel and was fast approaching Jerusalem where the only reliable water supply at Gihon, otherwise known as the Virgin's Fountain, was outside the City Walls where they then stood. So Hezekia set his men to work to dig a tunnel through solid rock many feet under the surface of the ground to bring water inside the wall to the pool of Siloam. They started at both ends. Some of the Hezekia people put a tablet on the tunnel wall Hebrew. The tablet is in a museum in Istanbul and is inscribed as follows:
inscribed
in
"Behold, this is the history of the excavation. While the excavators were lifting up the pick each towards his neighbour and while there were yet three cubits to excavate there was heard a voice of one man calling to his neighbour for there was an excess of rock to the right hand. And when on the day of excavation the excavators had struck pick against pick, one against the other, the waters flowed from spring to pool and distance of 1,200 cubits." I know it's right because with a Padre and a number of other Servicemen I walked through the 1,750 feet long tunnel on the Sunday before Christmas in 1942. We were a bit unpopular when attired in regulation army shorts we took oft our service boots and socks and stirred up quite a lot of mud to the inconvenience of Arab ladies doing their washing and collecting drinking water from the pool. When we got to the middle we went left and then forward again.
as I remember it
Amazing how they were able to plot rock all that time ago and meet practically
such a consistent in the middle.
for
a short
course
distance
through
solid
Although the height and width of the tunnel varied considerably the water hardly came above our knees untill we had almost reached the Virgins Fountain. The Padre who was leading insisted on doing the St.Christopher smallest member of the party through quite a deep pool, stubbed sharp piece of rock, and both disappeared under the surface. One soon dries off in the Middle Eastern sun. It was a case of love's labouir lost because Sennacherib's by some sort of plague and never attacked Jerusalem.
act for the his toe on a
army was affected
Jas Rawlings F.R.P.S.
1985.
YORKSHIRE NEWSLETTER. DefiDiUou. One disadvantage of living ibility ~ attendin« Group meeting9. I read a report on T.Herbert Jones• lecture repotted to have stated that archaeology beginning 1000 years ago, and that site
con.tinued
from
pp.2.
north of Watford ia the imposswas interested, therefore, to to the Group in which he i8 properly belongs to a period photography is difficult to
get into. I dispute both atatementa1 .lrohaeology- is a technique, not a period. It can equally be applied to nineteenth oent"IU"7sites as to ninth century ones, and is currentlybeing used on medieval and later sites all over the world. Site photography is not difficult to get into. Few of the local groups which exoava-\e have really- competent pho-\ographers whilst the C.B.A. Calendar of Bxoavationa usually- lists several sites needing photographers. Needless to sq, some knowledge of archaeology ia necessary; perhaps the work involved acquiring this puts off the lees committed. The Vallum. The author of a book on Roman Britain needeo a photograph of the Vall1111, the continuous earthwork which runs behind the Wall. When the enquiry- was made, a quick negative search proved fruitless, so rather than turn awa,y a prospective customer, a 10x8 Ciba vaa made and dispatched. The tranny used was of that section just east of Houaesteada where the military road dips into and out of the Vallum as the latter heads N\I towa.rds Sewin&shields Farm and Castle. It was taken twelve years ago when doullle yellows were just ap?earinr, and had not yet reached so f'ar north.
cont: "HEZEKIAHS TUNNEL"
on pp 20.
/ /,
/ 2..
THE Hon. Sec's
PAGE. (Jim .
----
Brown & John Spence)
-
----------------------
EXHIBITION '85
HORNIMAN MUSEUM - August AVONCROFT - November WAKEFIELD?
Last year the Group's Exhibition was displayed at the Horniman Museum, South London, and at the Avoncroft Museum of Buildings at Bromsgrove in the Midlands.
This year we are hoping to add the Wakefield Museum to our list of venues. This will extend our coverage to the North of England. Perha~s in 1986 we can add the West Country and Scotland.
The exhibition can only be a success if members submit prints. It becomes more interesting if your prints are on a theme. For example, in 1984 there was a set of pictures of the Avoncroft Museum and another of Spanish Churches. We need about 100 prints for a successful Exhibition, so please send yours to John Spence or Jim Brown before the end of June.
YOUREXHIBITION - make it
Remember, it's
a good one!
Dear Mr BROWN, Thank Palace. my plans
all
the
you
I thought at the last
tor
sending
I might moment.
Clifton.YORK. me information on the A&H groups meeting at Crystal be able to make one of the days but had to change
I hope the event is a great success, it certainly hard work you are evidently putting into it.
deserves
to
be,
with
Best ~vishes,
TERRY BUCHANAN.
----------------------------------
I.J.
Group members seen enjoying a chat at the Chairman's 84 GARDEN PARTY.
The CHAIRMAN Victor seen in concentrated scientific discussion with Frank Harrison. Or was it the vintage of the wine that calls for such mind bending analysis.
·-·
Members se_en enjoying the last .Christmas Party that was at lovely home of Dr Vernon Harrison Hon.FRPS.top pictures by Dr Vernon.
GROUP
WORKSHOP AT GREENWICH
Derek Merfield ARPS was well over an hour late. Anybody with an early-teens daughter to be ferried around on a cold January day between music lesson, gymnastic practice and home again after a last-minute hockey match cancellation will understand why! When I eventually did reach the superbly equipped and spacious photographic unit at Greenwich I found the rest of the group having their morning coffee break while waiting for their 5 x 4 Polaroid Instant Print negatives to dry after re-fixing and washing. I learned something immediately. Polaroid Instant Print is the preferred material as it gives both an excellent negative (after proper fixing and washing), while the accompanying instant print allows accurate assessment of exposure and lighting. If not completely satisfactory, the shot can be repeated there and then, saving much time and money should the shot be found unsatisfactory at the printing stage. Brian Tremaine, taking his last Greenwich Workshop before moving to the P.ritish Museum, pressed a cup of coffee into my hand and asked if I had any experience of large format cameras. I mumbled something about my father passing on his circa 1914 wooden whole plate camera to me in 1937, along with a box of Eclipse Ortho nry Plates. Overstamped in purple with the word "backed". It took me some time to realise that camera and plates were contemporary and the rated speed a most approximate guide to the actual exposure required. I still have the box - and the developed plates - but that is another story. • • . • . . • The imposing white marble bust of a Georgian gentleman had already been returned to the museum, so Brian suggested I "do my own thing". As a high-key subject had been tried, I suggested we now try the low-key response of Polaroid. A 21Jcm high black bust of Nelson was swiftly produced and I left to my own device~ while everybody finished their coffee. Carn ra movements seemed to work much as they did 40 years previously. Although the screen appeared smal I compared to the whole-plate I remembered, it was certainly much brighter, thanks to a modern! 5.1, Schneider ".ngulon lens in place of the old f9 Krauss on my plate camera. The rornplexities of using the special Polaroid back seemed a retrograde step after the simplicity of double wooden plate holders, but 1t ,·ertainly a voided the problem of dust on the emulsion surface arquired from blark velvet changing bags! An exposure of 30 ~eronds dt f12 was indicated for be~t reprociur.tion of the ebony surfa,·e ,,f thr statl!Ptle u~ine, 11,y \\'estnn \lt'tc-r and the :one'iv,1,,,11.
GROUP
WORKSHOP AT GREENWICH
Although recently overhauled, the Prontor shutter refused to co-operate. Permitting just two alternatives - one second or 100+. The problem was solved by reverting to the oldest method of all - uncapping the lens and capping it again after the required 30 seconds had beeJ read off on a watch. Trying to sort out the recalcitrant shutter took some time and wasted several sheets of Polaroid - but any thoughts of giving the shutter a hefty thump in retribution were soothed away by sounds from some superb hi-fi equipment whose massive speakers filled the barnsized studio with total ease. Until then I imagined that soft background music was solely for the benefit of the model! By the time my precious Polaroid negatives were safely in the film drying cabinet lunchtime was upon us. Brian's son was press-ganged in best naval tradition to bring us back a traditional maritime meal of fish and chips. As usual at group sessions meal times became a discussions forum on every aspect of producing archival negatives and prints. On one subject all agreed - the quality and permanence of an image produced by the traditional silver-rich emulsions on fibre based materials was superior in every way to their modern rapid-access counterparts. The introduction of llford Galerie paper was seen as a step forward rather than back, and the re-introduction of fibre based and PE monochrome papers by Agfa-Gevaert welcomed. Brian then delighted all by suggesting that we personally make further prints on various types of papers from our own negatives for side-by-side comparisons. One of the darkrooms was available immediately, so I seized the opportunity for more hands-on practice. The Durst 10 x 8 inch vertical enlarger looked massive compared to rny own Durst 11A900, but operated with the expected smoothness and in the same manner. For the first time ever I used a cold cathode mercury vapour light source, and was most surprised at the shortness of exposure required relative to apparent brightness when compared to tungsten-halogen light sources. Brian was at everybody's elbow throughout the day, giving valuable hints and tips on every aspect of large-format photography and monochrome printing. The final evaluation session and direct comparisons of results produced some most interesting and definite opinions before the group reluctantly dispersed into the freezing darkness. Thank you Brian, for re-awakening rny interest in large format camera work and monochrome printing after thirty years of using medium format and colour for archeological work. 1 am much looking forward to the last weekend in October.
£VALUATNG
RESULTS
r rorn
left:-
Brian T remalne, Vic Heppelthwaile,
Chris Russell & Jim Rrown
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PARTONE.
·column 1.
Later in the yeer,the group "foreign• tour, visiting the "sites of the Knights-of-Olde" got oft to e good start,elbeit with e suller group than planned due to 4 Nfflbers felling out at the lest 11001ent, t,,-.,er since it wes all booked For ell the long suttering -rs who, during 1984 Missed through no teult and paid for, e group of seven took off fer parts foreign on the 7th of Sept, & Heritage group, I ot their own the varied activities ot the Archaeological last, The choice of British rail to the coest was without the touch of luxury S0Cl8 ot 11y clearer ..-,ries ot the group -tings will attetDpt to revive just I knew we would all appreciate once we were on "French Reil" end w were not end group activities, to be dlssapointed. A short overnight stop at Avlgnon enabled us to visit that ancient township in coafort end to save e few pounds by leaving Britain on the Perhaps I should begin by apologising, to those -bers, who telt that group "Cheep-day" and not the deerer "Weekend period•, The ex-farehouse, (Gltel that activities were ot no Interest to theM, Or perhaps that we es a group neglect we shared was not expected to be e luxury dwelling et the t12 per each. certain ectivitias in tavour of -tings that they are not Interested in, or It was "h01119"end dry,end we eat very well (yes end found aoae superb "Corblere• even perhaps dissaprove ot, red wine, with just that touch of that -• so expensive In this country A hire car took care of 11C>Sttravel needs, and "Group• trips were augaented with So epologies end regrets aside, es group Cheiraen for the pest three years, en edditlonal voiture for e couple of daya. Dr Mike Apted heel considerable have teken the liberty (since no one else appears prepared to underteke the knowledge of M<>St of the architecture and got hieself elected •f.--• guide by not inconsidereble herd work involved.), to plan eccording to how I feel -r• the rest of the group. would wish, Ot the kn1ghts-ot-olde" 1 confess total toilure, ( I found out.Just before our leaving Britain, that 1110St records of the Knights on one Cruisede or the l()T how a tew with one eye on personel achiev-,t or reward would desire. other sto be of- you guessed It, "French" origin I> ,but we did find SON The large nu•ber of MW friends both in this country and ebroed tells N just rather splendid "Rofflan" stuff end even en excavation where we were not just one thing, that the Royal Photogrephic Society needs per110NJI contact, contact "thrown-out" os so ottan happens here. It was reely exiting to see in en open with channels tor feedback.even if it is through "readers write• colu•ns. trench the care being taken to unCOYer e "Ralen• period land droin, with a few yards owoy the "tip• conteining mosses of (used to be ■y favourite-with selact. My 1111nyyears in the Society have confiraed the notion that we are all photobetore,B.D.-betore 11y confounded diet) yes,"Scallop"shells I A Cathedral that -grephers under the skin, the Nre fact that ..arly everyone ( to begin with) only had aver been half (yes I) built, due to lend disputes.This heel en early joins the "Pictorial" group on joining the R.P,S, indicates that 11C>Stof us RoMn portal,the tiaber gates of which ere reckoned to be genuine. But the 110&t whatever our vocation, have an e~tistic bent, The 110re -,ndane (but really 110re exciting visit was once more (after 111tny years) Carcassonne, a COMPiete city exciting) aspect of record work will very often bring to the foN the hidden talent exhibiting many ancient building styles. Where we were prlviliged to be escorted for "ertistic" style, Looking et the records of group Exhibitions In recent years tor two days by the chief guide, e dyna•ic trench lady who had long learned all 11C>Stphotographs show e doMinant display ot good "Plctoriallsa" under the gul* there was to know of the City of Carcassonne end its history, not to Mntion of "Record• work I English history which we learnt can best be understood frca the •French" history books I We were asked if we cared to see the •-..n• -,sale floors burled d.ap With this fin1ly in eind, the technical conferences that I organise each _ beneath the City 1 an offer we could not refuse, only to be bitterly dluppcrinted year, and the yearly progrof -,thly -tings too, contains e strong el_,t that the enor110Us bunch of ancient keys our guide wu eraed with would not llllke of "SONthing-for-ell-our-testes• Hopefully culeinatlng In aoae good photographs the entrance door at the opening to the vault yield, celling upon ell •Y experthat will for11 the foundation of our next group "exhibition" -ience (as a "footpad 1" in the last life) I asked if I ■ ight have a-go, wll 11y luck held,end we were privy to the "Rcaen 11C>Saicfloor• that had accidently The group Su-r 6xhlbition et "Hornluns 111-• tln the llltch Bern in the remained unseen I understand for 40 years I· All because of thet funny "French perk>, s-s set to becoae en ennuel event, we shell again exhibit _,.rs work lock". there ( thanks to the fine efforts of John Spence and his friends et the Ills-), The group exhibition will then travel north to "Avoncroft• building .,..,., thanks Everyone found 1t good friend In MedLilly, our guide, without the to Or Peter Pollitt ARPS. who very ably organised this v.,_, our grateful thanks V.I.P.traatll8nt,it was en experience we shall ell treasure I• certain, ere due also to the Avoncroft ltlsstaff ,both for penolaalon end the herd work in 110Unting this exhibition, (see the pictures taken by Dr Peter Pollitt elsewhere My dedicated readers who plough thro their copy of "P!IDOF" pest the halfway Do you recall in the last issue,your Cheinoen scooped the press (?l by mark, 119Y recall 11y reference to 1t "HASSEIJiOF• , Well it did get pest the think-tank stage,ln fact I built it (frca scrap ■eteriels,on the kitchen table would obtaining a first hand account of The Men that found the only known •-Ins of a "Flesh Eating" dinosaur, well, we ..,nagec1 to organise e group visit to his you believe?), end took it out thro "Custcas• to France, where I obtained SON really Interesting results. h0lne and to be introduced to his private collection, with e guided tour.
m-~
0
,..
PARTTWO. column +-' C 0
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3.
column 4.
Cercassonne provided the opportunity to fl• ■y skills with the Technical of the age. aligning turret and curtain walls, -t and drawbridge alike. shots calling for ■inutes long •posure and e,ct,fle,clbillty of the ho■e ■ade bellows (I said aede fro■ "Screps• end the bellows I fro■ en old Agfe bro■ ide paper black inner packet, old,beeause the ■odern black liner hos e stiff silver base and would not -e es a bellows should, the very eerly polythene Inner whilst ■ore difficult to feshion into bellowa,did heve the essential floppy cherecterl. c.era Night
with one 120 roll fil■ beck end the 80■■ stendard optic, which ■ounts correctly with all functions nor■ally llllde with the 500Qo carried out with the "Hasselhof" an old stereo sliding heed, plus tM OM2 for e,cpoeure det■ r■ inatlon, a superb ■agni tier lho■e llede fro■ e Super six end bits) -r•l happy hours were spent obtaing Just one or two "Tricky" exposures of the City at night. I lost ■y super 11119nifier when stopping Just outside Cercessonne to edaire the ·view I So you ■ ight i■agine the difficulty trying to focus the ._11 ,._ aede plastic) screen, after a good -1, without the ■egnltier l hed planned to UH. Araed
Maver before heve l ventured out on a photographic foray with the intention of only taking a few shots, well about two rolls ectuelly,but t.ing stereo ■y point I still ■eke. I hope thet ■any of you take the opportunity it it occurs to see and critisize •Y efforts thet night, I belii.. its pl-,I also believe the technical c.era should not be underestiaeted, •~lbl■d" technical c:.era-with those superb optics-l«lW I end I ■■de it I
»-
a
No doubt about it, it was a superb "foreign• ,,...ture,end very coat effective into the bargain, I know for a feet thet there ere a few Engliall !Cllights buried at "Sarlat• but would now expect thet these elao will be fro■ orlgfMl "French" stock. Returning to tM yeers progr-, ■Y return to England landed • right in the ■id le of the Group Conference tMt I had thought I had arranged down to the lest detail bafor■ the "French" trip. But !I!, If things c.-. ID •ry, they surely will end calM»llations end forgetfulness talce there toll of tM beet arran-ged progr-, But tM OC"RlllER confereno■ wall publlciaad end highly organ-ised by tM tiae St opened with a sherry reception on the Friday
-Ing.
Members will be fully Oallmeyer-the programme list
~ .....
aware of
the programme, Hasselblad-Olympus-DJrstthe pages out of a photographic "Who'sWho" heel there been more delegates then it would have been too meny tor conifort, but truly where were all those budding photographers ?. a Conference of this calibre should have had a hundred applications tor residential places at that price 1 look whet you heve to pay et 11Pic 11 group meeting with "Nocon" on the dias-t6.00 odd per hour I Per Hour I ~ nearly had Mr Nocon at said conference by arrangement the Japanese "Oriental Seagull" paper Co: only there just was not spece tor more lecturers that weekend ! Most will recall perhaps, the event wes apart from lectures of general interest to Archaeologist and Heritage buff, aimed et discovering what went into the "Perfect negative" end the "Perfect Print". read
like
Needless to say, Brian Tremain (Chief photographer at the British ltlseum) • a ..id your Chairman were not the only casualities I (we, seperetely, both got our fingers
trepped
in the confounded
rack
mechanism of
the
"Free
Loan DURST enlarger"
Blood and foul army language everywhere>. the other casualities being the "Perteet-Negative" and the "Perfect-Print" I Well you didn't really expect that we could produce, did you ? even with overwhelming talent in ebundence the point of the exercise wes to make the attempt, and to whet the appetite for more.
Before the Conference a member from Kansas (U.S.of A.) who your Editor likes to think of as a good friend, donated a fine book by 0.0.0UNCAN esq: either to give es a door prize,end since some members were residential and some not, we ln a br let Coovnittee meeting thought that rather than invite complications with unregistered members & etc: it would not hurt to save for another occassion or perhaps be considered tor the "Group Archive" further to which, Or Sinh LRPS. t1lso donll!ted en excellent book, in appreciation of the fine time he had as a delog&te at the conference, not finished yet with donations, Our man trom Olympus Optical Co (who demonstrated every piece of Olympus Equipment, inc. ()14) Allen Cooke, also donated a tine book-(One 1D001&ntin time) as a prize tor the bosl "Perfect Print" I As and when It was exhibited. trouble was, nobody had time to get down to making their prints, whet with Bill Wisden-Dennis Worrall,Vivian Croucher & Kevin Macllonnell and a host of other celebrity lecturers little time was left remaining between exemplary meals.not to mention the quite notable wine at "the DINP-ER". So "The Olympus" copy has also entered the Group "archive" for the moment I thank you Allen Cooke and Olympus Optical, we shall be in touch again I If YOUmissed the conference, and l know a lot of you did. then you missed the best yet- If l have to be Chairman in 85 who knows I may do another along similar lines if asked. But it cannot possibly be as good. Somewhere before
the
French
trip,
there
was the
Cheirmans
Annual
event-
the
"Chairmans Garden Party" at Chislehurst., in Kent. always held indoors due to the english weather I Members were invited to a "HORNlMANSp,fJ$ElJ,4" Studio evening in Sept. The Foreign Party" had not at that time yet returned from ater, but it is understood that those members attending congratulated Hornimans on their torsight and welCOlll8 lead in this field of photographic / Archaeological study group. Thank you Hornimans. November sew the first colour slide evening since my taking the "Chair" not normally given to "Pretty color pictures"on e screen members were able to see a selection of slides taken on the Group expedition to France. Finishing the Year with a Christ11111s Party at my place once again. the year has been mildly successful I like to think I 11
/$.
WALTHAM ABBEY - ANIMPORTANT HERITAGE .... rt C 1/)
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Essesx is famous tor its churches and few can be more interesting than Waltham Abbey which is one of the oldest and most beautiful to be found anywhere.
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A parish church built by Tovi the Proud, a high official under King Canute, was extant in 1030, but it reverted to the Crown soon after Tovis son, Athelston, succeeded him. Edward the Confessor gave it to his brother-in-law Harold Godwinson, later King Harold, who built a larger religious house or abbey·during the 1050's.
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! A small
tributary of the river Lea runs nearby and this was used to bring bargeloads of stone from Caen in France and it has worn well.. Probably masons from France were also employed. As every schoolboy knows, Harold was killed at Hastings in 1066 and it is believed that that Harolds bcx:ly was returned to Waltham and buried behind the high altar However, this has never been proved and excavations have tailed to find his remains. When Thomas-a-Becket was murdered in 1170, King Henry 11 performed various penances to salve his conscience and one of them was to enlarge the Abbey church to three times its length. The church was in two parts divided by a low wall. One side, the existing part, was regarded as a parish church and not as part of the monastic establishment, so it was spared from destruction at the dissolution. In tact, the monastic church was the last to be destroyed in 1540. It is thought that Harold was buried behind the high alter in the abbey church which was destroyed, and this accounts for the supposed site being outside the East End of the present building. Waltham, which was a collegiate of canons and not an enclosed order of monks as such, was a vast establishment and the remnants of the walls still visible, not only show its plan, but provide food for much archaeological study.
WALTHAM ABBEY- AN IMPORTANT HERITAGE However, it is the church, now known as the Abbey Church of Waltham Holy Cross and St.Lawrence, which is of prime interest and such a wonderful part of our national heritage. It teems with items of historical interest both inside and out. In 1284 when repairs were needed a lot of the Norman fabric was altered to conform to a contemporary sty.le, but some of the Norman arches remain and the nave has been virtually unaltered since church was destroyed it caused the tower at were used to build the present tower at gable end. This is the only remaining tower
that date. When the east, or monastic, that end to collapse, but the stones the west End in front of the Norman built in the reign of Mary 1,
One of the especially interesting items was found during excavations. It is a matrix showing a husband and wife kneeling in adoration and dating from the 15th century. It is now to be seen on a wall in the church, and it is believed that it was carved by Alexander of Abingdon who carved the original statues on the Eleanor Cross at Waltham Cross. These are now in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Incidently, Waltham Abbey does not derive its name from Queen Eleanor's cross but from a holy cross which Tovi brought from Montacute in Somerset. Another important discovery during an archaeological dig by the Waltham AbbeyHistorical Society in the 1970's was a beautiful statue of the Madonna which is dated by its clothing to about 1390. It had been buried in a grave in the churchyard but can now be seen in a window arch of the sanctuary. A tablet commemorates Sir Herewald Wake, a descendant of Hereward the Wake, and nearby is the only tombe of an Abbot which has survived. It was found during a dig on the site of the cannons' is dated to the latter part of the 13th century. It is de Maidenhyth. The
Abbey
built
about
1370,
was
part of the church and attributed to Reginaldcont:
over leaf!
cont:
from
YORKSHIRE
pp 11.
lO.
LETTER
For some reason in mono; a mistake
duplicated
anywhere near,
as now it
and anyw93 the double yellow
There was obviously
a need for
the picture
is imposnible lines
a negative
ruin
oft
was not
to stop a vehicle any picture.
e val_u.",
the whole road is now double-yellowed
eor,1e cunnin1; was called
I finally
to ta.ke tac risk
do it
decided
instyle
that
if
and choose the best
know, is the stretch northerly south
point
running
~hie
Here the blocks
arose
to The './all.
or!'ler(the
were
The ca~era
was rea:y
lenn.
As t.,e coacn stoppe,i
coac~ ir1ver
with
Luckily
all
sor:iething
reproduced
burial
in five
n
pi?
a call
of natural
film)
and with
here.
Diffuse
minutes
I dec1 ed
I dived back into
(FP4 is a wonderful
how to photograph
c!.-va 1,
the criver
I had been answering
see one picture
from a medieval Lighting
was coming up behind.
the negs were usable
Next Issue;
three,
~~
2
fie
Baa--
,luicdy
After
indicated
a •4vi•a.r
ou-:., crosi:::e tl:e
I dive
to look as if
luck you should
opportu.~ity
na:-:.et in the
~ro~~inc
a Y2 fil~~r
a good spot and beGan ta.~in~ pictures. that
the en£iineers
c.S
:=e act=:
ru:,hed to the norti1 edce of the Vallur.i ditch.
the coach trying
alon.; the
runs
c~: i::.s;
will
cost
at ;:i.e en•: of J•..u:e w=.en ::: _e• -·· .ir1.--:ualfield-
The cooperative
spot.
to indicate
I might as well
, as =os" readers
them on the edge of the vallum-<iitct.
for the photoaraphy trip
bit!
west fro•.1 Limestone
of the Ror:ian Bmpire) where the va::u:i
of the road.
side
had left
I was going
and as for.
Idiopathic
flat
using
Skeletal
Hyperstoeis
the Rima-Blitz
Ma.oro
gadget. oOo WALTHAMABBEY. cont:
A really
striking
Edward Poynter It
is
based on a 13th
The
value
navy
of
captain
Gibbons, border in
the
worn
day.
great
the
splendid
of
the
Royal
painted
ceiling
Acadamy with
br Sir-
John Millais.
is
exempl it ied
1697. detail
a vessel and
point
in
in
that
The elaborate tools the
in
full
which
church
ot
carving, sail show
there
Robert
Smith,
thought
a merchant
to be by Grinling-
surrounded clearly
by an elaborate
how they
is a small
window
were
through
made which
be seen. This is part ot a passage enclosed in the thickness through which steps climb and the steps are almost completely spite of the tact that the passage was sealed over 400 years ag:> I console
ot work
in
one
is
version.
equipment At
organ
and careful
in
Abbey
president
up
in
"Father
the
page.
can
wall
restoration sitting
in
days.
out
On the the
many tombs
sailing
some steps
of
century
who died
shows of
those
ot
feature
who was a joint
from previous
is
English in
removal judgement.
the ot
a plaque Music" 19th
the
commemorating
was organist century
plaster
Few such
the
there
tor
a "Doom Painting" has revealed
frescoes
have
a 15th survived
fact
that
Thomas Tallis,
many years. or
fresco
century
During
some
was uncovered,
tableau
ot Christ
so well
to
the
cont:
bottom
present next
page •.
cont:
2/,
from pp 3.
All this takes up quite a lot of my time, especially as I do all my own proc-essingb/W. E6, C41, etc. and I make up all my own "brews" {except Cibachrome bleach I -who knows what is in that? !) Yes, aspirants
I have noted having "done
that the Distinction Panels it himself" - shame I
no longer
give
credit
for the
Ever since I took up photography, in my 'teens, something like almost 50 {Oh, crumbs ! ) years ago, I have have thought how nice it would be to submit a set of prints tor the LRPS. But time seems to pass so rapidly, and I still have done nothing about it. I doubt if that which I am doing now - simple record photography - would impress the penel much; and my landscape photography is pretty awful, I have never been able to make good portraits, and my natural history pictures are but few. I joined the R.P.S. and should be supported. under the circumstances,
out
Forgive ribbon.
me tor
two years ago, because I felt that it was a good cause, I am new to the A&H group, which I feel that I should, also support.
rambling
on like
this,
also
the terrible
typing,
and the worn
I have written a few explanatory remarks on the backs of the photographs if you do not want the bother of returning the prints, please don't. But I enclose some stamps in case you insist. Kind regards, Yours sincerely,
PETER POLLITT. FROMTHE EDITOR,
Will you forgive me Dr Pollitt tor publishing your letter,(lt was headed to the "Editor" you may recall) and Whilst I also wear the Chairmans hat, !feel so very strongly that ~ ties with RPS membership a re so very very important not only to our Group, but important to the future strength of the Society too. And when a letter so full of human interest, and news ·of members activities in OUR "field" comes to hand, well, do I realy need an excuse to "publish" ? VICTOR. I would recommend all archaeologists and historians who can to visit Waltham Abbey but, be warned, there is so much to see and study that many hours will hardly suffice. A group visit with facilities to photograph in the interior could praobably be organised.
R.H.MASON. January 25th.
cont:
1985.
frombottom
last
page.
r
"ANEXPERIENCE REMEMBERED" It from
is very
satisfying
her village A few years
paralysis. victim
ot
then,
ago I joined
polio
to
was maintained
air
the
years
into
the
lungs)
60 minutes
by using
the
her
money Line
paint
give
from
be the
-ces,
and
long
face
in
On her
year patient
her
told
to
the
her
for
the
day
their
wish I
when she heard
two
the
of
the
us)
took
escort
led
-tk
jams._. a doctor
responsibility, patient
settled
The
happiest
period
to
down,
press
in it
the
ot ship's
of
also
down part time
to
her find
a
the
ot without
us
to
this
out
the
about
at
Her
bed,
res-
by bus
at
Amsterdam.
-
The
she might
parents,
she never
enginer
however,
port
venture, in aid
frog the
of
and
consisted
cabin
was
the
the
that well and tact
respirator.
vibration
interesting
which
ot
which At
Cin
though
trip.
tears
patient,
This
and two
which
250 miles
about
traf-
was a great to
plan
paint remained was most
moved the
the
were seating
it
to
she
Gothenburg
the
My wife
according that
was
and
was about
began
along
trip
was possible.
ambulance
felt
her
breathing.
thought
and where there
went
town,
reaction
and we had no worries
I All
her
proposed
and myself.
Immingham port, the
the
joyful
caravan-type
journey
her
trip
make
we might
a cancellation
The group
challenge.
movement in
applian-
a specific
and
and wheelchair, us to
the
asked
of
problems
Commerce ot
her
trip
A big
comfortably
sailing
assisting
were eager
charge was
forget
arrived.
respirator
allot
enough by Tor-
We had to
the
misery.
birthday
mechanical
me.
A police
of
her
charge
was organised
Chamber ot
never
trip
tor
all
accomodate
event
to
Commerce
raised
consultant in
boat
type
paintings
a cruise
respirator,
a canal
ahappy
news ot
accompanied the
the
her
the
the
A trip
the
and
about
daughter.
shall
nurses,
bed,
in
for touch
Chamber of
included
officer
would
add
members of to
present.
the
as
the abroad
and back.The
captain.
only
of
which
of
also
Cie.swallowing
beautiful
and discuss
which and
would
came
daughter
and
nursing
oxygenation
and even produce
medical
ship
the
centre,
surprise
parents,
due
complete
how to
members
charge
the
cabin
London.
longer
Since
respiration
She learnt
present,
in
see
from
view.
polio
became a
career. her
advantage
home and also
withthe
with
this
The at
engineer
her
maintain
respirator.
and Amsterdam
arrangements
the
to
she could
mouth.
beforehand,
and
had her
As
breathing"
birthday
special
birthday, as
old
needed
the
liaison
a disabled
Eventually her
a
parents,
happiness
and
and she
post
and
nursing
respirator,
paintings
in the
up
was not
announced
her
However,
in her mouth,
a surprise
Immingham
to
were aware of
ot
in her
power supply,
and
her
the
with
many years,
neck.
method
she placed
brush
disappointed
with
without
with
to
fixing
patient
a time
sold
her
also
Gothenburg be
this
organiser
trip
-pirator
was a patient tor
commencing
below
learnt"frog
Immingham to Gothenburg,
me to a
there
hospital
after
a
and by
that
home town to
with
she
at
a stick
holding of
months
asa present
trip.
to be fed and clothed.
Over 40 to
the
paralysed
who had been given,
a wonderful where
of
ten
completely
artificially
having
a patient
ago,
a hospital
in-patient
eight
about
some time
She was an
She became
care,
to write
community
and
the
a
likely
diaphragm
and Amsterdam cont:
sea
for
botom next
up the page.
J
.A LOSTCAUSE.~3.
LETTERS.
c·,Renfrew, F,R.rc.s. Bury Bank.
Burton on the Water, Cheltenham,
GL542EN
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])ear Mr, Heppelthwaite, I was very interested to recieve your letter of Dec, 6th, I discovered and 11ade extensive excavations on my site since 1971, · revealing extensive stone foundations and ditches etc. As you have stated I have had no financial or practical support, except friends The burden of preserving itated
in-filling,
work has necessnow to
photograph. Should I find more interesting stonework next summer I will let you know. You will be welcome to come without·cost,
G)
~ ltJ G) ..c u .c. ..,
5 I... 0)
HOweverI have at home,the above address,an
exceptional
coll-
ection of pottery,ironworks,bronze bone and sundry artifacts including some complete pots and 70 complete profiles of pots, I am woadering if you would have any interest· in photographing these,
---ttahtM11 ~'.'-'"l,.~"b-e
:l:ooldng--forward· to your~reply.-\'Ou
··
.;;:1re:.injerested:=io-:know··thl(1: IIIJ father in cOlijunction with Mr, ·parttldg~ Sdiithi!-ll~e~; the first persvns to -cake,.i.n Fnglanc Autochrome pictures before the 1914/18 war, A magnificient collaction remains in the possession of my Nephew, In 1908 my father won the Bindngbam Photographic Society Medal, so you see I have been among the art for a long time, Too long; I am past 79,
·o;:
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stoneyork and controlling
Since there is nothing on the field
g> ~
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Roaan Rmains Circa ADS0-380,
-,
.c. e ~ <I) -0 ltJ ltJ .c. ::, .... e>. w <I)
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Yours sincerely
J: ..,
C,Renfrew
I had one fear during the trip when we were returning to the ship by the boat after our canal trip at Amsterdam. The smell of oil on the surface of the water made the patient breathless and we had to force air into the lungs through the mouth to wash out the fumes of oil. This process was continued until she was put on the respirator in the cabin. The captain and crew of the ship were very co-operative, and took her to the navigation room and showed her the various instruments used. The patient enjoyed and that continued
trip ended -after four days and the captain and his crew presented the with an oil painting of the ship, and a gold necklace. She had not only the trip, but had felt proud that she had been regarded as somebody special, people cared. from previous
page.
By Dr A.K.Sinha B.Sc.M.B.B.S.(Cal) U.C.H.(Lond)D.T.M.&H.(L'Pool) L.R.P.S.
LETSLEEPING PHOTOGRAPHERS LIE.
There -quish of
was a time
the
much
7666655 It
held
was part in
surface
each of
I
the
frame
a
the
film
100ft
pivoted
in the
assume
the
I was forced grandiose
to
relin-
appellation
Army Pay Corps.
process
lengths
of
on a suitable
a
wooden
side
of
containing
tank
the
filled
tank
35mm.film. stand. with
keeping
The
tilm
The frame developer,
the
frame
was
was then a wooden
beneath
the
of
it
immersed
in
of
become a bit
sultry
City the
clock
into
the
my slumbers
still
plumb
necessary by mid-day
wakened me when I would
about
film.
soldier's
the
dunk
fix.
and without
and
developing
and coarse
the
times
light film
and
is
so
apparently, opaque
carried
appeared
become so stale it
the expiration
Holy
until
was situated
my day
off
are
off
to declare
and quickly
interrupted the
a perfect
to
the
Three oaths
thinking
18 inches fell
or
I
above
four
upon
switched the
minutes the
open later
unhappy
one
my slumbers.
!switched in due course
in
dozing
a rinse
which
shattered
There
of
into
bulb
tank
developer
was provided
Darkrooms
some clot
100watt
clock
clock
a habit
of
who had disturbed
inch
while
68°f.
formed
topped
to
frame against
alarm
at
One day on
my job
on my part
and
the developer.
minutes
and
"Mister"
Roayal
position
end
A ringer 8
of
a wooden
no ambition
ot
C.J.
a vertical
at
status
Sgt.Rawlings
wound onto wedge
when through
loved
that
when there brownn
on as
without
the is
if
a lot
and oxidised
a searchlight
nothing
slightest
would
to that not
had happened trace
of
be gained a depth tog
the
and
by allowing of
lo
fog.
about
fastest
the
half
! Jas.Rawlings,F.R.P.S. Hornchurch-in-Havering
Photographic
an
emulsion
Society.
