Halloween Creation...

My Halloween vase; a study in bad welding :) To get the gloopy, melty wax look, I turned up the mig welder all they way---way too hot for good welds; but it looks cool :) Lots of heat & lots of weld; so hot I did the top of the vase just by burning through the steel: the weld is so hot, it melts the metal & it just drips on the floor if you hold it in the same spot: makes lots of sparks when globs fall on the floor...

Happy Halloween :)

Photo-Shoot Today with Alysa

Alysa, my husband's almost 15 year old daughter flew in from Spokane for a photo-shoot here in Nampa today. She is just starting out in the modeling world; signed with Urban Talent: see her pics here: http://www.urbantalent.com/ We spent the day with Craig of C. Frame Photography & had a really great time! It was freezing cold & snowing a bit, but got some great shots :)
The first location was Rocky Mountain Steel here in Nampa: one of the places I go to buy steel for special projects...we wanted something industrial, & their huge steel warehouse was perfect; comeplete with the train tracks out back :)

Check out those shoes :) The train cars were lots of fun :)

After spending a few hours at the steel yard in the freezing cold, we headed across town to the Brass Razoo: my fav. place to shop :) Owner Elise was kind enough to let us take over the shop for a few hours & let Alysa & Annie play dress up. (Annie is also with UT-just starting out) We had a ball looking through all the fun & funky clothes & accessories; it was really more like shopping...I think that was Elise's plan all along, cuz we left the store with a few new things :)
It was a fun day & the preview pics that Craig showed us turned out amazing! Will post some when we get them back.

Thanks again to everyone at Rocky Mountain Steel; special thanks for making sparks for us :) And the Brass Razoo; it was perfect! We'll be in soon to show & tell with the finished pics!!

More later....it's been a long day: fun, but long. Thanks so much Craig, for all your time & hard work: the pics are amazing!

Amber

AGC Project; the last piece :)

Yesterday, we added the final piece to the AGC wall; another set of plaques listing the boards of directors.... All in all, I think the whole thing turned out great :)

Now the wall looks full & finished...

Apples & giant steel springs...

You wouldn't think apples & steel springs go together, but in my world they do...
So, for the last month or so I've been canning stuff; extra tomatoes & cukes from the garden, pickled some beets, made a few jams, etc. A few weeks ago, I decided that I need to expand the collection, so after finding a Craigslist add for farm apples, I bought a bunch. Made some sauce, some apple butter, & some apple pie filling out of the 1st batch with pretty good success: loved the way the pie filling looked in jars, & the apples were crisp & delish! Must get more apples, I decided; thinking about holiday gifts: back out to Marsing to get 2 more bushels... For the last week or so, I've been making small batches of apples & canning in the evenings. One night the syrup was too thin; watery in the jars, the next night it was way thick-like caramel thick; had to mix the apples in the syrup & spoon into jars. Took forever, but the jars look pretty. The next night, I learned about why one must mix cornstarch with cold water--not hot...then I learned about over-filling of the jars, under filling of the jars, apple peeler malfunctions, etc etc.
Finally, I used up every last apple; then it was onto designing cute labels for the jars--of course I can't be satisfied with buying pre-made labels; had to spend hours on photoshop making my own custom labels so the jars look good... Labeled the jars, including all the pickles & everything else I made earlier. The jars all look great, but one small problem: my dining room table is completely covered with jars stacked 3 high....pantry is already full, hmmmmmm...need a cabinet for all this stuff.

Found a country-ish looking cabinet thing at a cute store in Nampa; & convinced husband to help me load it up & bring it home...Filled with jars; looks really cute & works great. Now the kitchen table doesn't really fit. Kitchen table got demoted to the patio outside. Which brings us to the steel spring....the base for my new small kitchen table that I made today :)
The spring is from a train; it's huge & way heavy; been sitting in the garden for a year or so... I just happened to have a lovely concrete saw blade thats the perfect size for the table top; weld to the spring, add a base of plow disk & nifty bolts & whalla! New table :)New dining room :) Its got a bit of a country vibe right now, not sure about that: but with some more industrial art & accessories I think it'll be ok. Maybe different chairs...hmmmm...

Yes, everyone is getting jars of apples for the holidays :)

Amber

New Nampa Discovery-Karcher Ranch Market

About a week ago, I convinced Husband to drive me out to Marsing to buy fresh picked apples for canning...we stopped in at the Karcher Ranch Market to check it out & OMG: what a discovery!! I always thought it was just the produce under the tent out front: but not so: there is a whole store full of local & organic goodies, canning supplies, old fashion soda pop & candy, & lots more!
We must have spent an hour at least, wandering about---lots of time was spent in the bulk spices section, where Husband discovered the powdered soup bases & dehydrated butter & such (for the emergency food supply). I scored some nice pickling spice mixes, an assortment of whole peppercorns (for a custom blend), & organic cinnamon, nutmeg, & ginger for baking.
I also picked up an old fashion apple peeler/corer/slicer thing (which works great, btw), a few bags of organic flours in different varieties, & a hand cranked juicer thing :)
If you haven't been in before, I highly recommend stopping in to browse. If you are into organic/local, baking, canning, or anything related: this is the place for you :) They also carry local milk, eggs, cheese, & a selection of meats in the freezer.

I'm so glad we discovered this place: with the bigger garden this year, I've been canning the excess, & also adding in some locally purchased fruits--for the pantry & holiday gifts.... With the new gadgets, the job has been way faster...I might even have to go get s'more apples :)

-more on the apple canning saga later-

Karcher Ranch Market is located at: 2302 W. Karcher, just past the Edwards Cinemas, driving toward Marsing.

Allan Burnett

Diana Rimel writes:

There will be a Memorial Service for Allan (who died in July of this year) on Saturday 7 November at 2pm, the Welling Baptist Church, Axminster Crescent, Kent - www.wellingbaptist.co.uk

Allan was for many years a Customs Officer with the PLA, hence his love for and knowledge of the River Thames and the City. After he retired he became a qualified City of London Guide Lecturer. He gave talks and guided tours both round these areas and also Highgate (his former home area). Many of us in Greenwich, the river boroughs and Kent have heard his well-researched, humorous and fascinating studies of the places he loved.

I have a list of books in good condition, mostly of London and some of Greenwich, which he left which I can send to anyone interested. Also a screen, stand, 8 carousel drums of slides (City of London and Highgate areas) and slide boxes. Proceeds to Allan's named charity, the Mildmay Hospital Mission. Anyone interested please contact me on diana@historytalk.fsnet.co.uk

Just arrived today - history of Siemens Engineering Society

First I should explain to any readers under 60 that Siemens was a large factory near where the barrier is today. Like so much of Greenwich and Woolwich industry it was a world leader in expertise and innovation in its field of electrical engineering - much of what we take for granted in telecommunications today was pioneered there. After the factory closed in the 1960s the group of young apprentices continued with a programme of lectures and technical visits - and now, all OAPs, have published a history of their Society.

The book is fascinating - but I am just going to quote some of the letter that comes with it from Secretary, Brian Middlemiss.

"The Engineering Society was founded in October 1897, its first President being Alexander Siemens. The Society flourished until 1968 when the Company was taken over by GEC and closed. The feelings of loyalty, memories and fellowship were such that reunion meetings began in 1969. The 40th Anniversary of this reformed Society has provided the spur to produce this history.
Ever since the Society embarked on this project our object has been to recored, as far as has been possible, the pioneering research, development, engineering and manufacture of Electrical Cables, Telegraph, Telephone, Signalling, and Measuring Apparatus, Wireless Equipment, Lamps, Lights and Batteries undertraken by Siemens Brothers and Co., Ltd for over 100 years.
The age profile of the members of the Society suggests we will not be undertaking any more major projects.
I hope you find reading our history informative and enjoyable."

The history is indeed amazing - and it is very very touching to find the devotion they have to the achievements of an employer which went out of business over forty years ago! The book will be on display at the GIHS meeting next week - and would be available to loan to anyone who promised to bring it back. And the Heritage Centre has a copy. I do not think copies are to go on general sale - but we are happy to pass contact details on if anyone asks for them.

Current archaeology - Sub Brit

On the last page of the current Current Archaeology is a note about Subterranea Brittanica. This is headed 'Odd Socs' - which suits Sub Brit - I remember a meeting when the Chair announced himself as 'an odd sort of chap - aren't we all' - to general approval.

It also notes that Sub Brit contains many women - and was founded by Sylvia Beamon - who I once heard describe how she persuaded the NHS to let her take her chronic bronchitis to a hospital in a Polish salt mine where the main treatment was a lot of energetic communal singing.

Several Greenwich blogs have referred to underground features locally - and we would love some of their protagonists to come and talk to GIHS. Paul Sowan - for many years Sub Brit Chair - has been to talk about Gilbert's Pit. Their web site is www.subbrit.org.uk

Water power in Medieval Greenwich

We have just been sent a copy of "Current Archaeology" (Nov 2009 Issue 236 www.archaeology.co.uk). This has in it an article by Simon Davis on the tide mill remains found last year on the Lovell's site. This has lots of previously unused pictures as well as a diagram and many fascinating facts about the site. To quote some of the captions "It is a nationally unique discovery the only example of an Early Medieval waterwheel known" ... "Massive in scale the Greenwich Tide Mill must have served a major estate" .....

Simon is to give a presentation on the find to Greenwich Historical Society on 25th November (7.30 Theatre, Blackheath High School, Mycenae Road entrance, SE3)

also Archaeology 2010, British Museum 27-28 February in a session on Old Technology

Programme

This is our programme for the next year or so:

Please note NEXT TUESDAY

20th October Duncan Hawkins on Waterfront Archaeology of Greenwich and Lewisham

then:

17th November: Edward Sargent on The Grand Surrey Canal

19th January: Mike Jones on current work at Crossness Engines.

23rd February: Peter Guillery & Joanna Smith on The Survey of Woolwich – a progress report and a case study: Woolwich Polytechnic.

16th March: Ken Mcgovern on Pitcher’s Northfleet Dockyard

13th April Diana Rimel: The Ashburnham Triangle - a Reappraisal.

18th May: Jonathan Clarke on The Survey of Woolwich – some new light on Woolwich Dockyard.

22nd June: Jim Lewis on London's Lea Valley, Britain's Best Kept Secret

20th July: David Watts on The glass industry in South London

All meetings at The Old Bakehouse, Bennett Park, SE3 7.30

AGC Wall--Install Today

It's done!!! Check out the pics; I think it looks amazing in place!! Very industrial, & very appropriate for the building & the AGC-Associated General Contractors of Idaho. I hope they all like it!
There are lots of construction-ish details; a plumb bob, wrenches, concrete cores, concrete diamond sawblades, angle iron, threadstock, turnbuckles, cables, etc.

The whole thing is suspended from a beam in the ceiling; hanging from cables. The plaques are then suspended from the i-beam with shackels & little spreader-bars....a fun detail.
This was a fun project, & the install today was relatively easy (compared to some...) I still have one more smaller peice to finish up & place on the same wall--will be done this week, hopefully....

The AGC headquarters Building is located at 1649 W. Shoreline Dr. in Boise. This piece hangs in the entrance lobby; stop in to see it anytime during business hours :)

About the Idaho AGC: The Idaho AGC has served as the voice and choice of the commercial construction industry in Idaho since 1934. With more than 1000 member companies, AGC is the only trade association representing the full range of commercial construction from industrial to building to heavy highway to multi-family residential.

The AGC offers a full array of services: innovative health insurance and pension plans, workers' compensation programs, lobbying on the local, state, and federal levels; management training programs, and safety training programs. AGC is working today to meet Idaho's future construction needs. Workforce development is a targeted priority - efforts are currently underway to recruit and train highly skilled, diverse workforce through development of craft training, high school recruitment, and training programs.

For more info, & membership details, please visit: www.idahoagc.org, or stop in at the office.

Amber

Glass in South London

David Watts writes:

I thought that you might like to know that I have just self-published a book entitle A History of Glassmaking in London and its development on the Thames South Bank. It covers some 17 or so of the early glasshouses between Woolwich and Vauxhall (of a total of about 34) as well as a summary account of the Southwark glasspainters and how the early glass industry came under the control of Sir Robert Mansell etc.

You will find an account of my book on The Glass Circle web site www.glasscircle.org in the Book Reviews section. It has 180 pages A4 full colour and costs £25 inc p+P from me. Or if you are interested in selling it I can supply them at £20 per copy for a number of not less than five leaving you to retail them at what price you wish.

At the moment I have 3 or perhaps 4 Southwark sites for more recent glasshouses that are not included in my book including the UGB in Charlton.

A Thames Painter Talks.. and exhibits

A talk by Terry Scales entitled;

The Thames: A Painter's Paradise

will be held at 'The Theatre', Blackheath High School on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 7.30pm. Donation £2.00. Entrance in Mycenae Road, Blackheath, London SE3. For more information contact 020 8854 1716 or visit the Greenwich Historical Society website. Non-members welcome.

Terry will show and discuss slides of his Thames paintings, observed and painted over the three decades, from the busiest times to the present. With its spacious vistas and contrasts, it always has, and always will, hold an immense appeal to those painters who specialise in landscape art. At the end of his presentation Terry will be signing copies of his book, Visions of Greenwich Reach. Terry Scales trained at Camberwell School of Art in its finest post-war period. He has had a distinguished career ever since, exhibiting throughout in both public and private galleries. His works are in many collections in Britain and abroad.

Follow–up Christmas Exhibition

Terry Scales and Cristiana Angelini present;

A Christmas Exhibition of Small Paintings; landscapes, still lifes, Thames scenes and flower pieces.

Dates: November 2nd - 14th, 2009

Venue;

The Paul McPherson Gallery
77 Lassell Street
East Greenwich
SE10 9PJ
Tel: 020 8269 2990
http://www.paulmcphersongallery.com/

Open: Monday – Friday, 11.00am – 5.30pm. Saturday, 11.00am – 2.30pm. Entry is free.

Special event

There will be an artist day on Saturday, November 7th, 2009.

Further Information;
http://www.blueforce.demon.co.uk/terry.scales/
http://www.blueforce.demon.co.uk/cristiana.angelini/

Terry is an ex-docker and has spent most of his life painting the working Thames. This exhibition will include Thames scenes but also some rarely-seen other subjects.

AGC wall--s'more teasers....

AGC Project-Teaser Pics

A sneek-peek at some of the details.... The project is coming along nicely, I'm really liking the mix of materials & finishes so far.... I'm planning on being finished up by this weekend, to install on Tuesday (Wedsday at the latest)

Valentines

People who venture north of the river may be aware of Valentine's House, north of Ilford. The house has recently been renovated with a lottery grant and was the subject of a talk at Walthamstow Local History Society on Thursday evening.

Why should Greenwich historians be interested in a house in Ilford? Well, Valentines House was the home of a Greenwich industrialist, Charles Holcome.

In 1841 Morden College granted a lease on a large site on the Peninsula - 'Further Pitts' - to Charles Holcombe. He acted as a developer, leasing part of the site to a network of other companies.

Holcombe was obviously at least middle aged by the time he invested in the Greenwich sites – it is likely that he had previously been the tenant of Hatcham Manor Farm at New Cross and had operated a chemical works there. By the time he came to Greenwich he had already taken occupation of Valentines Park and his family were local benefactors in the Ilford area. A road alongside Valentine's House is named after him 'Holcombe Road'. Strangely, the adjacent road is 'Bethell Avenue' - and this is unlikely to be a coincidence – does this reflect a connection with Bethell, the most famous of the coal tar distillers of his generation? .

The Greenwich site is shown on the 1843 Greenwich Tithe map as that of Charles Holcombe ‘ house, premises, tar factory, sheds and yard’. When he took over Great and Little Pits Morden College made it quite clear that he must spend at least £300 per acre on improvements.

Initially he applied to the Commissioner of Woods and Forests for an embankment to his wharf and Morden College comments that the permission was ‘accompanied by restrictions of a very unusual and prejudicial character’. What ever that means!

In Greenwich directories his Greenwich works is listed as a 'brass foundry, tar and Asfelt works'. He is also described as a 'refiner of coal tar, spirit, pitch and varnish'.

A footpath is shown from Blackwall Lane to the river – this was soon to be diverted and changed to become Morden Wharf Lane, or Sea Witch Lane, which for many years has been a private road through the glucose refinery. Holcombe then built Morden Wharf - the area which today juts out into the river downstream of the silos. It is not known why he named it this - perhaps he had a special relationship with Morden College, or wanted to curry favour with them. Morden Wharf Road led to a pub – the Sea Witch – also built by Holcombe. He obtained permission to build houses from Morden College who also provided designs and specifications – and riverside cottages by the pub and terraces of houses sprang up on the borders of the area he was leasing. The houses were, inevitably, designed by George Smith the Morden College surveyor.

He later asked Morden College for permission to lay asphalt on the river path. He also asked permission to build a draw dock and complained when permission had been given to someone else to deposit rubbish on the riverside. These activities gradually added to the local amenities and made the area more attractive to other incoming industrialists.

After his death Holcombe's leases on the sites at Morden Wharf and the sub-tenants who occupied them continued in the ownership of his widow and descendents. They were members of the Ingleby family - and it is them are best remembered at Valentine's House.

A web site for the Friends of Valentine's House can be found at http://www.valentines.org.uk/ where there is also a great deal of information about the house and its owners over the centuries. It is a place well worth a visit - a beautiful house in a sensational park.

Breakfast with Scott-Behind the Menu

Kevin & I joined Scott Nickleson of Behind the Menu for a lovely breakfast & chat at Le Baron's in Nampa. Scott sent me a Tweet the other day asking if I would be interested in joining him for a quick bite & interview, so we settled on a locally owned place in Nampa. It's always interesting meeting someone who you have only talked to online: we had chatted a bit through Twitter & Facebook, but never met in person...

It was fun to chit chat about online networking, Twitter, local businesses, & Behind the Menu; a new website/project Scott is involved with that promotes locally owned restaurants, eateries, & markets in the Treasure Valley: check it out at BehindtheMenu.org. All the twitter talk makes me want to go buy a new phone!!

Anyway, thanks for breakfast Scott: hope to see you at the next TweepUp!



Here is what he had to say....

Amber Conger, artist & sculptor, Refinerii (http://www.Refinerii.com) along with
her business partner and husband, Kevin, met us at Le Baron's Honker
Cafe this morning to discuss their artistic endeavors and to also talk
about one of their favor...ite Nampa restaurants.

Refinery was selected to create "Origin" (http://industrialrevelations.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html)
which is the centerpeice in the new City of Meridian City Hall. It's a
wonderful piece of art and you are encouraged to go see it. Amber told
of her utilization of her blog to keep the stakeholders updated on the
progress, a very creative use of blogging.

We first became aware
of Refinerii's work through Twitter, another social networking tool, as
she discussed both her art works and her creative jewelry (which we
admit to having acquired a few pieces of). You can find Refinerii on
Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Refinerii. You can see her etsy shop at http://bit.ly/3Te6W9
where you can see she uses salvaged metals & found
industrial objects and transforms them into one of a kind works of art.

Amber selected Le Baron's Honker Cafe because she enjoys the homey feel and
home cooking available there. We all had great farm style breakfasts.
After we finished our meal, we were able to meet with Ronald Le Baron,
who, along with his son, Ryan, own and operate the cafe. It was
apparent Ronald was very busy finishing up with the breakfast rush and
preparing for the lunch rush, but he was kind enough to spend a little
time with us to discuss his cafe. Ronald covers the morning - noon
shift and Ryan takes it from there - a great father / son team, preparing
affordable home-style fare.

You can find Le Baron's Honker Cafe at 1210 2nd Street South, Nampa, Idaho. The are open from 6:30 am to 8:00 pm.

Woolwich educated Nobel Prize winner - for research done on Greenwich Peninsula

Newspaper reports outline the Nobel prize won by Charles Kuen Kao's for his work on fibre optics - which had paved the way for the current broadband. The papers report on his education at Woolwich Polytechnic. We note that the Times includes a quote from Baroness Blackstone because they say 'the University of Greenwich includes the former Woolwich Polytechnic".
(of course the Times should note that the University of Greenwich IS Woolwich Polytechnic but stripped of those departments which educated Dr. Kao and made it so prestigious).

However, the newspaper report also points out that Dr.Kao's research was done at STC. Was therefore their work done in Greenwich at what is now the Alcatel works? We would be grateful for information. In 2000 Alcatel published a book - in an attempt to show that the technology driving the internet was developed only a short distance from the Dome, where it had been decided to ignore local industries. The booklet includes a photograph of Dr.Kao and makes a strong case for much of the optical fibre technology being developed here. They also say that in 1986 the Greenwich factory secured the first order for an international fibre optic cable.

So - anyone who has any information please add it here

New Ashburnham Triangle book out

Diana Rimel has now published the update of her Ashburnham Triangle book - and this is a real tour de force. It lovingly charts the general history of the area and then lists street by street houses, pubs and other buildings. Of course, we are an industrial history society and would like to see a lot more about the industry of the area - but it has not been neglected. .

Even the name of 'Ashburnham' is industrial - it reflects the great Ashburnham furnace of the Wealden iron industry - and their later alliance with the Crowley ironmasters whose 18th century warehouses stood on Ballast Quay.

There is a chapter on the industrial buildings along this part of Deptford Creek - with a (much too short) section on Merryweathers and another on the LESC building, by Richard Cheffins (and first published by GIHS). Other information about Greenwich industry turns up in the description of many residential streets. For instance an item chosen at random is a note about Thomas Pottle's pottery in Blackheath Road under 'personalities'. However, I looked in vain for mention of the London and Greenwich Railway under both 'Blue Stile' and 'North Pole' - perhaps their first entry into Greenwich it is hidden somewhere else.

The book was launched at an event at Davy's Wine Bar by Cllr. Maureen O'Mara. In introducing it she said " Local history is one of my own great interests so I was very pleased and flattered to be asked by the Association to introduce Diana. As a Triangle resident now for over sixteen years I have always been fascinated by its history and I congratulate Diana on this new edition of her book"

In his introduction to the book Mick Delap, Chair of the Ashburnham Triangle Association, talks about the vanishing industrial landscape and points in particular to the demolition of the Merryweather buildings.

This is a an important book which records the past of this key area and at the same time allows us to see it at a time of great transition. And whether you know the Triangle or not the book is still a good read.

Copies and info available from Richard Cheffins, richardcheffins@aol.com. Cheques payable to the Ashburnham Triangle Association - £5 - not sure if that includes post and packing.

AGC Project Update

Well, it's coming along...not as much progress yesterday as I was hoping for, but moving along. This one takes a lot of digging for stuff, placing stuff with the plaques, rearraging stuff, adding s'more, rearranging again, & then either permanently attaching said stuff or gathering it all back up to try again.
Added some cool copper things to this one, along with copper rivets & brass washers. Not quite done; will be adding some smaller saw blades & a few other tidbits....
Stainless steel mesh peeks through the letters; love this look :)

Will be putting in some hours today; check back for more updates. Hoping to install later this week (we'll see how it goes)

Amber

AGC Entry Wall

The beginnings of a new project....This is going to be a large, multi-layered wall installation for the Idaho AGC Headquarters in Boise. As you enter the building, there is this big concrete wall in the atrium area where the work will go; it will highlight all the businesses who donated to the new AGC building. The main installation will be about 12 feet wide & 6 feet tall, & there will be a smaller piece next to it too; only about 1/4 the size.
I'm going to be using all kinds of metal, lots of cable, and lots of construction related accents: concrete, re-bar, wood, some tools, etc. I'm excited to really get into the mixing of materials; this one is going to be fun!

I'll be posting updates as it goes together; check back to see :)

Amber

Sculpture Move....

Sculpture collection moved...whew! Everything looks great in the new location; we spent the last couple days installing pieces at Galerie Belle Ame in Eagle: I'm excited to have things closer to home :) The gallery is right on Eagle road; so everyone driving into Eagle can see my stuffs---just before Rembrants: next to the arch that says welcome to Eagle.
We showed up in the morning with the truck & trailer loaded: they had to stop traffic on Eagle road while I backed in next to the building...there were cars lined up for blocks! Fortunately, I got it backed in on the first try without taking out the mailbox...
And then we started the unloading & installing process. It took me & Kevin all day to install the 3 larger pieces & we had to go get the crane for the big one, but in the end I think it looks great :) That many big pieces together really transforms the patio area.
Stop in sometime to see everything; grab a coffee at Rembrants & walk down... There are a few of my things displayed inside the gallery as well, including a jewelry collection.

Tonight is First Friday in Eagle; stop in if you're out & about: I'll be there from about 6-8 to answer questions & talk about the new pieces. See you there :)