The Proof No. 7

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

/5'.

r

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w

:r: t-

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3

w 1---4 > w 0:::

c::C U)

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w 1---4

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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

u (/) Q.)

•..-I

+-'

•..-I

>

•..-I

+-'

u

co

a... =>

CJ 0::::: c.!)

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.

3 0l

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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.

rt '::T (I) 1/)

~

]

!

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;:

.., .., .c. ltJ ..c ~.., .., ....en .... ......c o ltJ

stoneyork and controlling

Since there is nothing on the field

g> ~

.... <I)

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Roaan Rmains Circa ADS0-380,

-,

.c. e ~ <I) -0 ltJ ltJ .c. ::, .... e>. w <I)

(0451)20327

<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.