The Proof

EDITORVictor.J.HEPPELTHWAITEARPS. No:7.

MARCH23.

APRIL 20. MAY

JUNE

JULY

ANAFTERNOON AT THECHALLONERCLUB. A.G.M. Challoner Club.

GROUPVISIT TO REMAINSOF GUNPOWDER FACTORY at TONBRIDGE.KENT.

GROUPVISIT to STOKED'ABERNONCHURCH, GROUPVISIT to AVONCROFTMUSEUM of BUILDINGS,Bromsgrove.Worc's. AUGUST GROUPSUMMEREXHIBITION 3&4th/10th&llth The HORNIMANMUSEUM.London.S.E.23.

SEPTEMBER GROUPSUMMEREXHIBITION at WAKEFIELD.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

GROUPVISIT TO a "DIG".at PETERBOR'O. GROUPVISIT to ROMANBATH-HOUSE at WALL.STAFFORDSHIRE.

GROUPANNUALCONFERENCE.VenueT.B.A. GROUPEXHIBITIONat AVONCROFTMUSEUM of BUILDINGS.BROMSGROVE.WORC'S. GROUPCHRISTMASPARTY.

A provisional Group programme, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN FIRM DATES DURING THE YEAR & 1\IJGJ~l:lli"FD. please support Your group events. PROGRAMME OF EVENTSFOR1985.

ARCHAEOLOGY & HERITAGE GROUP of the ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

2. FROMOURYORKSHIRECORRESPONDENT.

3. MEMBERSLETTERS.

4. A & H GROUPCONTINENTALEXPEDITIONPICTURES.FRANCESept84.

5. GROUPEXHIBITIONAT AVONCROFTMUSEUM.

6. WHAT'SIN A PICTURE.By Grant THOMSON.

8/9. PICTURESFROMTHEOCTOBERCONFERENCE1984.

10. HEZEKIAHSTUNNEL.By Jas.RAWLINGSFRPS.a short story.

121 THE Hon.SEC'S page.

14/15 FEATUREREPORTon the Group \.JORKSHOP.GreenwichMaritime Msm.

16/17 CHAIRMANSANNUALPROGRAMMEREVIEW.asidelong glance

18/19 WALTHAMABBEY---HEilITAGE. by Reg.MASONHon FRPS.

22 . AN EXPERIENCEREMEMBERED. by Dr • SINHLRPS.

24. LET SLEEPINGDOGSLIE.more experiences from members.

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 looal and hopes that other Group members will do the same, Write to s- 'Local Hietory,' 3,Devonehire Promenade,Lenton, cont: on ppl 1, "

Huge increases in printing costs have given your &ii.tor ·manyheadaches 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.

A letter to the Editor

By Dr Peter G.H.Polli.tt ARPS.Evesham.Worcs.

: expect it is too late, (tor "PROOF" ?l but just in case it is not, here :; •ew photographs of some of the exhibits (A&H Group Summer Exhibition) at •- Museum of Buildings.

wishing to bore you with pages and pages of information about the museum·, try to confine my remarks to the bare essentials. You might be interested leaflet (enclosed), which has a site plan of the Museum, and also basic oration about some of the exhibits.

Avoncrott Museum of Buildings, which began its existance in 1967, consists • a 17 acre site on which there have been rebuilt a number of old buildings --:c would otherwise have been lost to posterity on account of neglect and disuse, :e :·tion to make way tor new projects, and so on.

e windmill has become the "trade mark" of the museum. The windmill was -esc ed from dereliction, and, now on the museum site, it is working most -·ays, roducing stone ground flour.

Quite a large 16th.century building, one time inn named "The String of Horses", and still so called, now provides admin. offices, exhibition room, lecture room, shop, etc., tor the museum. It used to stand in Shrewsbury, and had to be taken down to make way tor the road improvements.

There is a group of farm buildings, and others are in the pipe-line. Another timber frame building is the merchants house, 15th.century, which once stood in Bromsgrove, nearby. There are also several industrial exhibits, such as the chainmakers, and nail-makers workshops, and a rack saw, all fully equiped and in working order.

Recently completed projects include the reconstruction of an 18th.century ice-house ( removed from near Tel ford, to make way tor the motorway), and a 20th. century "Pre-tab" -one of the last to be demolished in Birmingham.

Avoncroft Museum is a registered charity, and therefore relies heavily on , ntary workers, part-time workers, and the efforts of its Committee in fund-raising and the finding of sponsors for projects.

· became involved three years ago. Premature retirement from medical practice y_e :o heart trouble, gave me the time to once more study seriously 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 report 5, newsletters, brochures, explanatory "boards". And also all :~a, ich ont' ould expect- old buildings in situ, stages of the dismantling a special details, and stages of reconstruction, illustrating special skills ~ere ecessary, cont: on pp21

A FEWGROUPMEMBERS"ENJOY" A ROolANFOOTBATH

"FOREIGN" expedition general views of

available light pie tu re by C~,ai rman

Restoration work being "FRENCH" style.

VIEW_OF AVONCROFTMUSEUM.

Group summer exhibition at AVONCROFTMUSEUM.memberspictures make a tine display.Photo: Dr Peter POLLITTARPS.

WHATSIN A PICTURE 7

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-pritheir 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. PICTURESTAKENATTHEOCTOBERCONFERENCE.

Brian planning something good with "ILFORD"Man,Bill WISDE -

a picture by Bria,~ Tremain FRPS showing the "PERIPHERY" camera 58 ,-_

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REEDfrom SILVERPRINTLtd.Agents

- "NEW"Japanese "SEJ\GULLPaper

'The "ALl..-IN" ticket price at the .A&HGroup anrual CCNFEROCEincludes 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. 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.

HEZEKIAH'STUNNEL

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 inscribed in Hebrew.

The tablet is in a museum in Istanbul and is inscribed as follows:

"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 as I remember it for a short distance and then forward again.

Amazing how they were able to plot such a consistent course through solid rock all that time ago and meet practically in the middle.

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 act for the smallest member of the party through quite a deep pool, stubbed his toe on a 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 army was affected by some sort of plague and never attacked Jerusalem.

Jas Rawlings F.R.P.S. 1985.

YORKSHIRENEWSLETTER. con.tinued from pp.2.

DefiDiUou. One disadvantage of living north of Watford ia the imposs- / /, ibility attendin« Group meeting9. I was interested, therefore, to read a report on T.Herbert Jones• lecture to the Group in which he i8 repotted to have stated that archaeology properly belongs to a period beginning 1000 years ago, and that site 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: on pp 20.

"HEZEKIAHS TUNNEL"

EXHIBITION'85

HORNIMANMUSEUM - 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.

Remember, it's YOUREXHIBITION - make it a good one!

Dear Mr BROWN, Clifton.YORK.

Thank you tor sending me information on the A&H groups meeting at Crystal Palace. I thought I might be able to make one of the days but had to change my plans at the last moment.

I hope the event is a great success, it certainly deserves to be, with all the hard work you are evidently putting into it.

Best ~vishes, TERRYBUCHANAN.

I.J.

Group members seen enjoying a chat at the Chairman's 84 GARDENPARTY.

The CHAIRMANVictor 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.

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.

For ell the long suttering -rs who, ot their own the varied activities ot the during 1984 Missed through no teult Archaeological & Heritage group, I just S0Cl8 ot 11y clearer ..-,ries ot the group -tings will attetDpt to revive end group activities,

Perhaps I should begin by apologising, to those -bers, who telt that group activities were ot no Interest to theM, Or perhaps that we es a group neglect certain ectivitias in tavour of -tings that they are not Interested in, or even perhaps dissaprove ot,

So epologies end regrets aside, es group Cheiraen for the pest three years, have teken the liberty (since no one else appears prepared to underteke the not inconsidereble herd work involved.), to plan eccording to how I feel -r• would wish,

l()T how a tew with one eye on personel achiev-,t or reward would desire. The large nu•ber of MW friends both in this country and ebroed tells N just one thing, that the Royal Photogrephic Society needs per110NJI contact, contact with channels tor feedback.even if it is through "readers write• colu•ns.

My 1111nyyears in the Society have confiraed the notion that we are all photo-grephers under the skin, the Nre fact that ..arly everyone ( to begin with) joins the "Pictorial" group on joining the R.P,S, indicates that 11C>Stof us whatever our vocation, have an e~tistic bent, The 110re -,ndane (but really 110re exciting) aspect of record work will very often bring to the foN the hidden talent for "ertistic" style, Looking et the records of group Exhibitions In recent years 11C>Stphotographs show e doMinant display ot good "Plctoriallsa" under the gul* of "Record• work I

With this fin1ly in eind, the technical conferences that I organise each year, and the yearly progr- of -,thly -tings too, contains e strong el_,t of "SONthing-for-ell-our-testes• Hopefully culeinatlng In aoae good photographs that will for11 the foundation of our next group "exhibition"

The group Su-r 6xhlbition et "Hornluns 111-• tln the llltch Bern in the perk>, s-s set to becoae en ennuel event, we shell again exhibit _,.rs work 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 to Or Peter Pollitt ARPS. who very ably organised this v.,_, our grateful thanks ere due also to the Avoncroft ltls- staff ,both for penolaalon end the herd work in 110Unting this exhibition, (see the pictures taken by Dr Peter Pollitt elsewhere

Do you recall in the last issue,your Cheinoen scooped the press (?l by 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 h0lne and to be introduced to his private collection, with e guided tour.

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 and paid for, e group of seven took off fer parts foreign on the 7th of Sept, last, The choice of British rail to the coest was without the touch of luxury I knew we would all appreciate once we were on "French Reil" end w were not 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 "Cheep-day" and not the deerer "Weekend period•, The ex-farehouse, (Gltel that we shared was not expected to be e luxury dwelling et the t12 per - each. It was "h01119"end dry,end we eat very well (yes end found aoae superb "Corblere• red wine, with just that touch of m-~ that -• so expensive In this country A hire car took care of 11C>Sttravel needs, and "Group• trips were augaented with en edditlonal voiture for e couple of daya. Dr Mike Apted heel considerable knowledge of M<>St of the architecture and got hieself elected •f.--• guide by the rest of the group.

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 other s- to be of- you guessed It, "French" origin I> ,but we did find SON rather splendid "Rofflan" stuff end even en excavation where we were not just "thrown-out" os so ottan happens here. It was reely exiting to see in en open 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 favourite-with selact. betore,B.D.-betore 11y confounded diet) yes,"Scallop"shells I A Cathedral that only had aver been half (yes I) built, due to lend disputes.This heel en early RoMn portal,the tiaber gates of which ere reckoned to be genuine. But the 110&t exciting visit was once more (after 111tny years) Carcassonne, a COMPiete city exhibiting many ancient building styles. Where we were prlviliged to be escorted tor two days by the chief guide, e dyna•ic trench lady who had long learned all there was to know of the City of Carcassonne end its history, not to Mntion 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 _ beneath the City 1 an offer we could not refuse, only to be bitterly dluppcrinted that the enor110Us bunch of ancient keys our guide wu eraed with would not llllke the entrance door at the opening to the vault yield, celling upon ell •Y exper-ience (as a "footpad 1" in the last life) I asked if I have a-go, wll 11y luck held,end we were privy to the "Rcaen 11C>Saicfloor• that had accidently remained unseen I understand for 40 years I· All because of thet funny "French lock".

Everyone found 1t good friend In Med- Lilly, our guide, - without the V.I.P.traatll8nt,it was en experience we shall ell treasure I• certain,

My dedicated readers who plough thro their copy of "P!IDOF" pest the halfway mark, 119Y recall 11y reference to 1t "HASSEIJiOF• , Well it did get pest the think-tank stage,ln fact I built it (frca scrap the kitchen table would you believe?), end took it out thro "Custcas• to France, where I obtained SON really Interesting results.

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PARTTWO. column 3.

Cercassonne provided the opportunity to fl• skills with the Technical c.era of the age. aligning turret and curtain walls, -t and drawbridge alike. Night shots calling for long •posure and e,ct,- fle,clbillty of the bellows (I said aede "Screps• end the bellows I - en old Agfe paper black inner packet, old,beeause the black liner hos e stiff silver base and would not -e es a bellows should, the very eerly polythene Inner whilst difficult to feshion into bellowa,did heve the essential floppy cherecterl.

Araed with one 120 roll beck end the stendard optic, which correctly with all functions llllde with the 500Qo carried out with the "Hasselhof" an old stereo sliding heed, plus tM OM2 for e,cpoeure a superb tier llede 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 super 11119nifier when stopping Just outside Cercessonne to edaire the ·view I So you the difficulty trying to focus the ._11 ,._ aede plastic) screen, after a good -1, without the l hed planned to UH.

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 point I still I hope thet of you take the opportunity it it occurs to see and critisize •Y efforts thet night, I beli- »- i.. its pl-,I also believe the technical c.era should not be underestiaeted, a technical c:.era-with those superb optics-l«lW I end I it I

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 orlgfMl "French" stock. Returning to tM yeers progr-, return to England landed • right in the le of the Group Conference tMt I had thought I had arranged down to the lest detail 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 - wall publlciaad end highly organ-ised by tM tiae St opened with a sherry reception on the Friday -Ing.

Members will be fully aware of the programme, Hasselblad-Olympus-DJrstOallmeyer-the programme list read like the 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 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".

column 4.

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 11 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

/$. WALTHAMABBEY - ANIMPORTANTHERITAGE

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.

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, 1/) 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. ]

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.

WALTHAMABBEY- AN IMPORTANTHERITAGE

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 that date. When the east, or monastic, church was destroyed it caused the tower at that end to collapse, but the stones were used to build the present tower at the west End in front of the Norman gable end. This is the only remaining tower 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' part of the church and is dated to the latter part of the 13th century. It is attributed to Reginaldde Maidenhyth. cont: over leaf!

The Abbey built about 1370, was

cont: from pp 11.

lO.

YORKSHIRE LETTER

For some reason the picture was not duplicated in mono; a mistake as now it is imposnible to stop a vehicle anywhere near, and anyw93 the double yellow lines ruin any picture.

There was obviously a need for a negative oft e val_u.", and as the whole road is now double-yellowed eor,1e cunnin1; was called for. I finally decided that if I was going to ta.ke tac risk I might as well do it instyle and choose the best bit! ~hie , as =os" readers will know, is the stretch running west fro•.1 Limestone or!'ler(the cost northerly point of the Ror:ian Bmpire) where the va::u:i runs alon.; the south side of the road. Here the blocks were c~: i::.s; c.S the en£iineers had left them on the edge of the vallum-<iitct. :=e act=: opportu.~ity for the photoaraphy arose at ;:i.e en•: of J•..u:e w=.en ::: _e• -·· .ir1.--:ualfieldtrip to The './all. The cooperative coac~ ir1ver na:-:.et in the indicated spot. The ca~era was rea:y with a Y2 fil~~r ~ro~~inc a •4vi•a.r 2 lenn. As t.,e coacn stoppe,i I dive ou-:., crosi:::e tl:e Baa-- fie c!.-va 1, ru:,hed to the norti1 edce of the Vallur.i ditch. ,luicdy I dec1 ed n a good spot and beGan ta.~in~ pictures. After three, the criver pi? to indicate that sor:iething was coming up behind. I dived back into the coach trying to look as if I had been answering a call of natural Luckily all the negs were usable (FP4 is a wonderful film) and with luck you should see one picture reproduced here.

Next Issue; how to photograph Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperstoeis from a medieval burial in five minutes flat using the Rima-Blitz Ma.oro Lighting gadget.

WALTHAMABBEY. cont: from previous page. A really striking feature of the Abbey is the splendid painted ceiling br SirEdward Poynter who was a joint president of the Royal Acadamy with John Millais. It is based on a 13th century version.

The value of many tombs is exempl it ied in that ot Robert Smith, a merchant navy captain who died in 1697. The elaborate carving, thought to be by GrinlingGibbons, shows in great detail a vessel in full sail surrounded by an elaborate border of sailing equipment and tools which show clearly how they were made in those days. At one point in the church there is a small window through which some steps can be seen. This is part ot a passage enclosed in the thickness ot the wall up through which steps climb and the steps are almost completely worn out in spite of the tact that the passage was sealed over 400 years ag:> I

On the organ console is a plaque commemorating the fact that Thomas Tallis, the "Father ot English Music" was organist there tor many years. During some restoration work in the 19th century a "Doom Painting" or fresco was uncovered, and careful removal ot the plaster has revealed a 15th century tableau ot Christ sitting in judgement. Few such frescoes have survived so well to the present day. cont: bottom next page •.

cont: from pp 3. 2/,

All this takes up quite a lot of my time, especially as I do all my own proc-essing- b/W. E6, C41, etc. and I make up all my own "brews" {except Cibachrome bleach I -who knows what is in that? !)

Yes, I have noted that the Distinction Panels no longer give credit for the aspirants having "done it himself" - shame I

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. two years ago, because I felt that it was a good cause, and should be supported. I am new to the A&H group, which I feel that I should, under the circumstances, also support.

Forgive me tor rambling on like this, also the terrible typing, and the worn out ribbon.

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,

FROMTHE EDITOR,

PETER POLLITT.

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. cont: frombottom last page. January 25th. 1985.

"ANEXPERIENCEREMEMBERED"

It is very satisfying to write about a patient who had been given, asa present from her village community some time ago, a wonderful trip.

A few years ago I joined a hospital where there was a patient with post polio paralysis. She was an in-patient of the hospital tor many years, and became a victim ot polio eight to ten months after commencing her nursing career. Since then, She became completely paralysed below the neck. However, her respiration was maintained artificially with a respirator, and she needed complete nursing care, having to be fed and clothed.

Over the years she learnt"frog breathing" to her advantage Cie.swallowing air into the lungs) and by this method she could maintain oxygenation for about 40 to 60 minutes at a time without the respirator. She learnt how to touch type by using a stick that she placed in her mouth, and even produce beautiful paintings holding the paint brush in her mouth. The members of the Chamber of Commerce of her home town sold her paintings at home and also abroad and raised enough money to give her a surprise birthday present, which included a cruise by TorLine from Immingham to Gothenburg, and Amsterdam and back.The consultant asked me to be the organiser in liaison withthe medical officer in charge of applian-ces, and also with the engineer in charge of the respirator, We had to make a long trip to Immingham to see the ship and discuss all the problems we might face in fixing up a special cabin which would accomodate a specific bed, res-pirator and power supply, with the captain. A trip was organised by bus atGothenburg to a disabled centre, and also a canal boat trip at Amsterdam. The patient was not told beforehand, as in the event of a cancellation she might be disappointed and this would only add to her misery. Her parents, however, were aware of the surprise for their daughter.

On her birthday, the members of the Chamber ot Commerce ot her town, along with her parents, came to wish her ahappy birthday and the proposed trip was announced as her present. I shall never forget her joyful reaction and tears ot happiness when she heard the news ot the trip she never thought was possible.

Eventually the day of the trip arrived. The group consisted ot the patient, and her parents, two nurses, the mechanical enginer and myself. My wife and two year old daughter accompanied me. A big caravan-type ambulance Cin which the patient had her bed, the respirator and wheelchair, and where there were seating arrangements tor allot us) took us to Immingham port, which was about 250 miles from London. A police escort led us to the port and we had no worries about traf-tk jams._.

As a doctor in charge of this venture, I felt that though it was a great responsibility, it was also a challenge. All went well according to plan and the patient settled down comfortably in her cabin and began to paint the sea view. The happiest part ot the journey was the tact that she remained for a longer period ot time without the aid of the respirator. This was most likely due to the ship's sailing movement and vibration which moved the diaphragm up and down, assisting her in her frog breathing. At Gothenburg and Amsterdam the press were eager to find out about the interesting trip. cont: botom next page.

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LETTERS.

.A LOSTCAUSE.~3.

c·,Renfrew, F,R.rc.s. Bury Bank. Burton on the Water, Cheltenham, GL542EN Tel (0451)20327

Roaan Rmains Circa ADS0-380,

])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 stoneyork and controlling work has necessitated in-filling, Since there is nothing on the field now to photograph. Should I find more interesting stonework next summer I will let you know. You will be welcome to come without·cost, HOweverI have at home,the above address,an exceptional collection 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~ ·o;: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,

Yours sincerely

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 trip ended -after four days and the captain and his crew presented the patient with an oil painting of the ship, and a gold necklace. She had not only enjoyed the trip, but had felt proud that she had been regarded as somebody special, and that people cared.

continued 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.

LETSLEEPINGPHOTOGRAPHERS LIE.

There was a time when through no ambition on my part I was forced to relin-quish the much loved status ot "Mister" and assume the grandiose appellation of 7666655 Sgt.Rawlings C.J. Roayal Army Pay Corps.

It was part of my job to process 100ft lengths of 35mm.film. The tilm was wound onto a wooden frame while pivoted on a suitable stand. The frame was then held in a vertical position in a wooden tank filled with developer, a wooden wedge at each end against the side of the tank keeping the frame beneath the surface of the developer.

A ringer alarm clock was provided to declare the expiration of the necessary 8 minutes at 68°f. Darkrooms in the Holy City become a bit sultry by mid-day and I formed a habit of dozing off until the clock wakened me when I would dunk the frame of film into a rinse and quickly into the fix.

One day some clot interrupted my slumbers and without thinking I switched on a 100watt bulb which was situated plumb and about 18 inches above the open topped tank containing the still developing film. Three or four minutes later the clock shattered my day and coarse soldier's oaths fell upon the unhappy one who had disturbed my slumbers.

!switched off the light and carried on as if nothing had happened and lo in due course a perfect film appeared without the slightest trace of fog.

There are times apparently, when there is a lot to be gained by allowing the developer to become so stale brownn and oxidised that a depth of about half an inch of it is so opaque that a searchlight would not tog the fastest emulsion immersed in it !

Jas.Rawlings,F.R.P.S. Hornchurch-in-Havering Photographic Society.