Dickens Museum to close during bicentenary

On the face of it a strange decision for the Museum to close during Dickens bicentenary.

BBC News - Today - Dickens Museum to close during bicentenary

Into the mind of a Neanderthal - life - 18 January 2012 - New Scientist

Into the mind of a Neanderthal - life - 18 January 2012 - New Scientist

The Mystery of the 2nd and 3rd Century Roman Dodecahedron....Page 49

Strange objects that no one knows what they are


The Mystery of the 2nd and 3rd Century Roman Dodecahedron....Page 49: Roman Dodecahedron

London in your lunch break: the Old Operating Theatre - Telegraph

London in your lunch break: the Old Operating Theatre - Telegraph

Surevy of visits to visitor attractions 2010

2010

Visitor numbers to all UK attractions went up by 3% the Old Operating Theatre Museums visitor numbers went up by 3%.

Charges went up by 5% the Old Operating Theatre Museum charges went up 4%.


#Final report_tcm30-27368.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Taking Part 2011/12 Quarter 2: Statistical Release

the latest figures


Taking Part 2011/12 Quarter 2: Statistical Release

Running the Roman Home: Amazon.co.uk: Alexandra Croom: 9780752465173: Books

New book that explains in detail the economics and effort taking in running the Roman Home


Running the Roman Home: Amazon.co.uk: Alexandra Croom: 9780752465173: Books

Found - source for Blue Stones at Stonehenge

According to SALON - the Society of Antiquaries of London Online Newsletter 268

the source of the Bluestones has been found - in the journal Archaeology in Wales, Rob Ixer, of Leicester University, and Richard Bevins, of Amgueddfa Cymru — National Museum Wales,

‘We assumed that we might be able to pin down the source to an area of several hundreds of square metres’, Rob Ixer said, ‘but we can now pin it down unequivocally to an area of a few square metres, namely to a small single outcrop or couple of outcrops at Craig Rhos-y-felin’. The outcrop is some 70m long and has many tall, narrow slabs up to 2m high as the dominant feature, splitting off from the parent rock in blocks that are reminiscent of the Stonehenge bluestones.

They compared rocks here to a Box of rocks stored at Salisbury Museum.

One New Change - Jean Nouvel

How such a good architect can produce such a bland exterior is a surprise


One New Change - Jean Nouvel

Inside Alsop’s Palestra

It has just been announced that TfL's control centre will join the LDA in Alsop's Palestra in Blackfriars, Southwark.

Inside Alsop’s Palestra

History of Anatomy

International Journal of Morphology - El Teatrum Anatomicum en la Historia y Hoy

Asceplion at Pergamon.

Really good pictures and description of the Asceplion at Pergamon.

http://www.welcometohosanna.com/REVELATION/Pergamum.html

Shakespeare and Medicine

Interesting article


Shakespeare and Medicine

Destruction of Heritage at London Bridge Station redevelopment

London Bridge Station redevelopment gets green light from Southwark councillors [21 December 2011]: Although there are some disbenefits in terms of heritage, the merits of the scheme are considerable and clearly weigh in favour of approval

Ritzkrieg

Lovely idea this - the rich and wealthy fighting the war on the home front from the luxury of the First Class Hotel - hence the title the Ritzkrieg - Matthew Sweet's book on the Blitz

Nothing Tra La La?: Ritzkrieg

The Resurrectionist's Blog

This is a daily posting of Joseph Naples bodysnatching diary and it is being organised by Kirsty Chilton, Assistant Curator at the Old Operating Theatre Museum


The Resurrectionist's Blog

Amazing Bronze Age Boats found near Flag Fen

Bronze Age site offers first 'complete' picture of life in East Anglia 3,000 years ago - when we were skilled sailors, and even used cutlery | Mail Online

LOCATING LONDON'S PAST

This website allows you to search a wide body of digital resources relating to early modern and eighteenth-century London, and to map the results on to a fully GIS compliant version of John Rocque's 1746 map.


Home | LOCATING LONDON'S PAST

Southwark Workhouses - Google Maps

This is Chris Constable's google mapping of workhouses in Southwark

Southwark Workhouses - Google Maps

Southwark Burial Grounds

This provides interesting information on the Grave yards of Southwark - very useful and compiled by Chris Constable.


Southwark burial grounds

UP Projects | Secret Garden Project

UP Projects | Secret Garden Project

Lovers' Locks on Millenium Bridge

Padlocks on London Bridge - the custom has spread to London but the Corporation is deploying bolt cutters apparently.

John Clark in an email to Britarch pointed out that the lovers throw the keys into the River and in 2000 years archaeologists will have a puzzle.



The Mystery Of The Locks « Christopher Fowler's Blog

MoL bids for museum development | Monument Fellow aids Scottish HLF bid - kpflude@googlemail.com

This makes sense - and an end to all that nonsense of the hubs - but where does it leave the Horniman and the Geffrye Museum after taking them on a long labyrinthine meander around the Hub.


Google Mail - MoL bids for museum development | Monument Fellow aids Scottish HLF bid - kpflude@googlemail.com

Jean Nouvel - One New Change,WorldArchitectureNews, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, London, Urban Design

Read a piece saying that London had buildings by 5 of the winners of the most prestigious art prize:

the Pritzker Prize

The winners were Foster, Rogers, Stirling, Koolhouse and Jean Nouvel

So I looked up Nouvel and found he designed the terribly ugly building on Cheapside - its really very good inside and on the roof and has great views of St Pauls but the facade is awful and is absolutely no improvement on Cheapside.

One New Change,WorldArchitectureNews, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, London, Urban Design

Pictures of Tower Bridge during construction found dumped in a skip | Mail Online

Amazing pictures

Stripped down as you've never seen her: Pictures of Tower Bridge during construction found dumped in a skip | Mail Online

Free MP3 Audio Walking Tour of Bath - Jane Austen's Bath

Free MP3 Audio Walking Tour of Bath - Jane Austen's Bath

Free MP3 Audio Walking Tour of Bath - Jane Austen's Bath

Free MP3 Audio Walking Tour of Bath - Jane Austen's Bath

What Jane Austen Read

Article on the reading of Jane Austen

Jane Austen Society - Northern California Region

Carriages in Jane Austen

Interesting article going into detail about the type of horse drawn carriages used in Jane Austen.


Jane Austen Society - Northern California Region

Sex Pistols Graffiti discovered in Denmark Street

The discovery, behind a cupboard of Sex Pistols Graffitti in No 6 Denmark Street has caused small hissy fit amongst the smug.

Of course they should be preserved, and what is wrong with archaeologists studying them?

Anarchy in archaeology as Sex Pistols’ graffiti is rated alongside cave art - Telegraph

V2 rockets on London and surrounding counties - Google Maps

Great map of the V2 bombing of london


V2 rockets on London and surrounding counties - Google Maps

Training and elearning for charities and non profits - KnowHow NonProfit's Study Zone

This is a good e-learning site for non-profits - quite reasonably priced for the sector.


Training and elearning for charities and non profits - KnowHow NonProfit's Study Zone

Arts Council England confirms interim museum development funding | Museums Association

This seems like a really bad bit of planning to me - the hand over between ACE and the MLA seems to have been badly handled - a continues a long running farce started with the abolition of the Area Museum Services


Arts Council England confirms interim museum development funding | Museums Association

Southwark News - Southwark - Home

Thieves have stolen the statue of Dr Alfred Salter, pioneer of the labour party and of public health from a bench in Rotherhithe


Southwark News - Southwark - Home

Save the London Fire Brigade Museum - PetitionBuzz

Given the contribution of the London Fire Brigade and the wonderful building it occupies one wonders why on earth anyone would consider closing it!

Save the London Fire Brigade Museum - PetitionBuzz

Museums share experience

The London Museum Group has set up an innovative share system to encourage Museums to help each other with skill sharing

I hope it works.

Share London

London tourist board figures

London Tourist board visits show tourism still doing well despite economic climate

September 11 IPS Memo with charts_tcm29-27964.pdf (application/pdf Object)

taking-part-Y6-child-adult-report.pdf (application/pdf Object)

DCMS survey of culture and sport for 2010/11

taking-part-Y6-child-adult-report.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Ammyy Admin - Remote Desktop Sharing - buy.

I saw this in action the other day and it works very easily and is free to you.


Ammyy Admin - Remote Desktop Sharing - buy.

Virtual pin board - Spaaze - Collect, Organize, Share

Spaaze - Collect, Organize, Share

Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination

New exhibition at the British Library
Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination

Research into medieval scribes in the Guildhall

This study is very interesting - showing how modern research can give insights beyond the textx.

The following is from Salon 265

'Late medieval English scribes named

A new online catalogue has been launched by the team that is studying the handwriting of the scribes who made the first manuscripts copies of works by five major Middle English authors: Geoffrey Chaucer, John Gower, John Trevisa, William Langland and Thomas Hoccleve.

Combining the research of our Fellow Linne Mooney, Professor in the Department of English and Related Literature and the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of York, with that of Dr Estelle Stubbs, of the Universities of York and Sheffield, and Dr Simon Horobin, of the University of Oxford, the project has identified the characteristic letter forms of 524 scribal hands. Some individual scribes have even been identified, such as Adam Pinkhurst, Scrivener of London, who wrote the first copies of works by Chaucer, and to whom Chaucer addressed a tongue-in–cheek poem chastising him for careless errors.

The new website provides a description of each manuscript, including details such as dating and dialect, detailed descriptions of each scribe’s handwriting, and illustrations of a typical page written by each scribe. It also features illustrations of eight letter forms typical of each scribe’s writing so that further identifications of work by them can be made.

As part of the project, Professor Mooney and Dr Stubbs discovered that scribes in the civic secretariat at the London Guildhall were responsible for some of the most significant early copies of English literary manuscripts. The discovery was made by matching the handwriting of scribes copying literary manuscripts with the hands of Guildhall clerks copying documents and custumals (civic records). Professor Mooney said: ‘The clerks of the London Guildhall form the invisible link between medieval authors like Geoffrey Chaucer and their first audiences, the original owners of the medieval manuscripts we study today.’

They included John Marchaunt, the Common Clerk of the City from 1399 to 1417, who copied two of the four earliest manuscripts of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. He also copied parts of eight manuscripts of Gower’s Confessio Amantis and works by Langland and Trevisa. Richard Osbarn, the Clerk of the Chamber of the City from 1400 to 1437, copied two early manuscripts of Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde, Langland’s Piers Plowman and works by anonymous authors based in the north and west of England.

John Carpenter, Common Clerk of the City from 1417 to 1438, copied the manuscript of Chaucer’s Troilus and Criseyde that belonged to Henry V and two manuscripts of Gower’s Confessio Amantis. Carpenter was the principal executor of the will of London mayor Richard Whittington, with whose legacy he partly funded the building of the Guildhall Library, the first civic library in the country. He and his colleagues at the Guildhall had personal libraries including literary works, some of which may have formed the first collection in the Guildhall Library.

Michael Pidd, HRI Digital Manager at the University of Sheffield’s Humanities Research Institute, said that the website was ‘already attracting international recognition … and I anticipate that it will become a flagship resource for anyone undertaking research into the written culture of the late medieval period’.

Caesar Invading Britain by John Deare - Victoria and Albert Museum

This is a beautiful relief with an idealised impression of Caesar's troops braving the British resistance on a beach in Kent - looks like the White cliffs of Dover in the background from which the Brits are showering spears on the Romans.

Caesar Invading Britain by John Deare - Victoria and Albert Museum

Catwalk Exhibition

This looks like a really interesting exhibition on the Catwalk


Autumn Newsletter

Peabody Trust demolishing historic Jewish Maternity hospital

This is quite a shocking lack of care for historic houses and shows how little even a charity cares for the built environment.


Residents First

Roman settlement unearthed in Syon Park

The settlement is on the road to Silchester from London at the ford in the Thames

BBC News - Roman settlement unearthed in Syon Park, west London

Evidence for Roman Infanticide?

Over 100 bodies of new born babies buried around a Roman villa at Yewden have been interpreted as evidence for Roman infanticide - the thinking being that the large number of new born babies buried is an abnormal distribution of foetal and new born deaths so they are evidence of infanticide. Therefore might the villa have been a Roman Brothel?

The alternate explanation is that the Villa was a cult centre for a Mother Goddess cult and women came here to give birth. Bone cuts on the thighs of a baby may imply embrotomy where a baby trapped in the birthcanal is cut up in order to get the baby out and save the mother's life. These operations were carried out from 4th Century BC.


BBC News - Roman dead baby 'brothel' mystery deepens

Lunar alignments found in Iron Age mound in Germany's Black Forest

The mound shows evidence of being aligned to the lunar standstills which take place every 18.6 years

Early Celtic 'Stonehenge' discovered in Germany's Black Forest

Michael Rosen refers to the Old Operating Theatre Museum in The Family Friendly Museum Award

I'm very pleased to note that Michael Rosen, the poet, mentions the Old Operating Theatre Museum in his piece introducing the
The Family Friendly Museum Award - Telegraph: .

In response I would like to say how much I enjoyed Rosen's performance of his poem on the number 38 Bus at the Battle of Cable Street celebrations at Wilton's Music Hall. The poem is good but the performance was brilliant.

Deviance and power in late medieval London By Frank Rexroth

Deviance and power in late medieval London

By Frank Rexroth

Interesting article

Things that have got worst since digitisation

1. A Faceless Society - it is now the case that it is difficult to get to talk to someone on the phone, it is often difficult to even get an email.

2. Alienation from simple machines - once upon a time, with an analogue micro-wave you turned the timer to 5 minutes and the setting to 5.

Job done. Try it now! Another example, I have a new bread machine - there seems to be no way of turning it off once it has started on its programme. And that includes unplugging from the wall and taking it for a walk around the block, plug it right back in again and it starts off exactly from where you stopped it. Machine, I pressed the wrong button, will you forgive me? It ignores me

These are but two of many possible examples

3. Computer say no - my daughters have had no debts in their lives (except ofcourse to their parents), are first year students, can they get any bank to extend to them a student loan? No, because they have a poor credit rating!!!! One bank even said because they have no lived at their address for long enough (clue, they are FIRST year students having moved to a new City for the purposes of study)

4. Sending an email as opposed to a fax from a file - you used to be able to print to fax - quite useful, new system comes in, you can't print to email - why not?

SilchesterDig · River Song visits Britain's1st planned town

Silchester Excavation blog has fine pictures of Alex Kingston visiting the excavations - the site has revealed that the rectalinear town planning predates the Roman invasion.

SilchesterDig · Just another www.reading.ac.uk/blogs site

Model of lost Surrey Tudor palace unveiled

Nonsuch Palace on in Surrey was an amazing building and this is a new model based on archaeological and other evidence
BBC News - Model of lost Surrey Tudor palace unveiled

Tony Robinson: why I’m backing Winchester Palace garden proposal [2 October 2011]

Seems like a good idea to have a garden in the ruins of the Palace - at present it does not really attract that much attention from the thousands who pass by.
Tony Robinson: why I’m backing Winchester Palace garden proposal [2 October 2011]

London Walks and Badged Guides

Every so often some organisation or other wants to restrict guiding to City Guides, or Blue Badge Guides and it is rearing its ugly head again.

The problem is that some people believe that, after a course of instruction, that the Badged Tourist Guide becomes the sole repositories of accurate knowledge about Heritage in their area. They forget that lecturers, academics, PhDs, writers, actors, specialists and the like have knowledge that only the very best badged guides can match. They also forget that teachers, lecturers and group leaders are often trained pedagogues who know how to teach, and who know their group in a way that is not possible for a hired guided to emulate.

They want to return to the restrictive practices of the past and a system better suited to a Totalitarian state than a modern democracy.

There is of course a potential problem with control of standards and crowd control in certain places.

The Badge Guide solution to this problem is to restrict guiding to badged tourist guides.

Firstly, they need to recognise that a teacher, for example, has far better training in how to control their group in terms both of health and safety and in the imparting of information.

Secondly they need to accept that there are times when the teacher, lecturer, or group leader also know the curriculum they are teaching, and crucially they know how much of it has been taught and what the learning outcomes are for the visit. They may decide the knowledge of the badged guide is useful and can be used - however, they may also legitimately decide they themselves are the best suited to delivery it.

Thirdly, some walks by their nature call for a specialist guide with knowledge that cannot be reproduced by an available badged guide. For example, the tour guide might need to be a writer or a poet or an expert on English Baroque architecture - someone with expert knowledge

I can see no justification for a blanket ban on guiding by any but a badged tourist guide. Each place should, at least, allow that there are exceptions to the general rule.

However, it would be useful to provide short induction courses to non-blue badge guides so that the venues can train them in any special circumstances that might apply.

I also think that the badged guide organisations need to be trying to bring into the fold those specialists that do not see the relevance of a badge guide course.

For example, they might offer teachers, historians, archaeologists etc a short course on the principles of guiding - covering health and safety and how to deal with a walking group. There might be short courses for experts to be induced into guiding at a particularly place - perhaps a 3 day course for the Tower, and Abbey for example. 2 hour course for a small museum.

Or there might be a fast track course for converting expert guides into badge guides. Clearly, entry qualification for this would need to be stringent. A professional life spent in research or the heritage industry, a PhD or a lifetime of guiding.

It is surely not beyond the wit of London to find a way of reconciling different approaches to Guiding. But it is clearly absurd to stop lecturers or experts guiding in buildings they know better than any but the very best badged guides. Or to give priviledged publicity opportunities for badged guided tours as opposed to the many and excellent tours given by independent companies and organisations.

Kevin Flude gives occasional guided walks for London Walks, the Old Operating Theatre Museum, lectures at various London Universities and is Course Director for Road Scholar - the not-for-profit leader in educational travel.

Chelsea Archaeology

Although there has not been a definitive excavation in Chelsea, there have been sufficient finds to add to the documentary evidence to give a fairly clear picture of its development. It shows that Chelsea (or at least the River at Chelsea) was very important in the pre-Roman period, and that there was a significant settlement there in the Middle Saxon period - probably a Royal Vill (palace or Manor).

I have just updated my Chelsea walk to take account of the latest archaeological finds. I have not had time to properly record all the details but for the time being this will have to do:

Chelsea Walk

About the London Archaeological Archive Resource Centre Online Catalogue

Found the archives really useful to find out what has been happening in the archaeology of Chelsea.

About the London Archaeological Archive Resource Centre Online Catalogue

The Origins of Chelsea, Guided Walk 1 Oct 2011

My next walk is a walk around Chelsea

Oct. 1 The Origins of Chelsea 10.45 Sloane Square Underground Station

Renaissance major grants programme | Arts Council

This is the correct link for the new funding for Museums by the Arts Council

The key thing is:

Grants of between £500,000 and £2 million will be awarded for a period of three years, April 2012 - March 2015, and only accredited museums with designated collections will be eligible to apply.

Most museums are accredited, the designation system is, to my mind, very haphazard and so this restriction of major grants to these combination is very restrictive.

According to MLA: The (Designation) Scheme was launched in 1997 and now recognises 138 collections held in museums, libraries and archives.'

A look at the list of museums shows that in London at least a lot of important museums are missing and a lot of archives are present who have a very low public profile.

Renaissance major grants programme | Arts Council

Arts Council launch new major grants programme with broken link

The launch of the first Arts Council version of Renaissance gets off with a press release that provides a broken link.

Auspicious start.

404 error - page not found | Arts Council

writing's on the wall:

The great London graffiti ride revised

writing's on the wall: JOIN

Customer Reviews: Divorced, Beheaded, Died: The History of Britain's Kings and Queens in Bite-Sized Chunks

Some nice reviews!
Amazon.co.uk: Customer Reviews: Divorced, Beheaded, Died: The History of Britain's Kings and Queens in Bite-Sized Chunks: Bought this as my first down loaded book ever. I have always been a keen but amateur historian and this sounded fun to read on holiday. I completely enjoyed the easy flow of the book, keeping each king or queen to a paragraph made them easy but memorable. Also some of the lesser known stuff such as Cannut and the Jews.
I would recommend this to people who's children are daunted by the tomes that are normally presented to school kids to learn about our past. This is much more user friendly and will be sticking with me as a reference or just for a cheeky read from time to time.

I hope to find more like this as i go along.

Duchess of Cornwall to go guerrilla gardening at Elephant & Castle [4 September 2011]

I think this is good news?

Duchess of Cornwall to go guerrilla gardening at Elephant & Castle [4 September 2011]

Are books dead, and can authors survive? | Ewan Morrison | Books | guardian.co.uk

Excellent article on the future of the book

very pessimistic but seems to have a point.

My own feeling is that the way it will go will be books will be published which are really special physical objects. So books will become a souvenir. We read them electronically but true fans by the physical book (signed?) as an object to treasure with extra content?

The other thing is that like the music industry writers will move to live events and make money from other aspects of their work.
Are books dead, and can authors survive? | Ewan Morrison | Books | guardian.co.uk

List of regicides of Charles I - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So many stories in this list - one lot executed at Charing Cross, others at Tyburn, others fled to american, germany, belgium or holland, some forcibly repatriated to their deaths, others died, others pardoned, others imprisoned.
List of regicides of Charles I - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Elizabeth Pepys (wife, b. St Michel) (Pepys' Diary)

I looked this up because I thought she would have spoken with a french accent but with an english mum and being brought up in Somerset maybe the BBC's decision to give her an english accent is correct. (He dad was French)Elizabeth Pepys (wife, b. St Michel) (Pepys' Diary)

Extract from Jane Austen's The History of England: Pages 13 and 14

Virtual books (accessible version) - Jane Austen's The History of England: Pages 13 and 14

The London Omnibus - London's first bus service 1829

George Shillibeer's Omnibus The London Omnibus

Institution of Civil Engineers - John Rennie @ 250: Celebrating one of Britain''s greatest engineers

The builder of Albion Mills, London Bridge, Southwark Bridge and more is celebrated at an exhibition until Ag 31 2011

Institution of Civil Engineers - John Rennie @ 250: Celebrating one of Britain''s greatest engineers

THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY - mind-reading and cold-reading

1st Sept at 7.pm at the Old Operating Theatre Museum

THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY

At this exclusive evening of mind-reading and cold-reading performance,The London Magician will talk about, and demonstrate,

the mind-reading and magical effects that first flourished in the Victorian séances hosted by fraudulent mediums -people who were emulating genuine psychics in parlours across England.



Meeting the dead, past-life regressions, amazing mind-reading, apports - the fraudulent mediums were the forefathers of the cold reading prodigies of today. But more than being told, you will be shown: magic will be performed, minds read, tales and fortunes told.



Illusion, mentalism and conjuring meet, through a glass darkly.


£15 (available on the door or at lastminute.com)









~

BM confirms closure of Paul Hamlyn library | Museums Association

This is really bad news - this had the best collection of books on Museums I know of and it was easy to get to and easy to use. I used to send students there so they could get an easy overview of books on the subject.

The Library used to be housed in the Reading Room of the old British Library and this was opened to the public as part of the Great court project - then the BM got 'greedy' and closed it to house block buster exhibitions, and moved the library to somewhere noone could find easily, now they have closed it.

I suspect it helps them keep the Reading Room closed as a library - which is itself a disgrace - this is a really historic building and you can never seen the inside the way it should be because it is dressed for exhibitions. This really makes me angry! I wonder if they are breaching the spirit of the Grant applications they made which I assume must have mentioned making the Reading Room available to the public as part of it

Even the BM management can't be bothered to look after Heritage properly.

BM confirms closure of Paul Hamlyn library | Museums Association: "confirms closure of Paul Hamlyn library"

New Map o Roman London - Museum of London

Peter Rowsome's work on the new map of Londinium has born fruit and is now published available at the Museum of London.

Museum of London - Publications

Lister 2012 Conference Kings College

King's College London - Programme of events

Headless Chickens - ACE outlines new approach to Renaissance | Museums Association

I see the Museums Association are broadly welcoming the Arts Council demolition of the Museum structures that have underpinned strategy in the Museum world for the last 10 years work. The whole edifice of Renaissance in the Regions - misconceived at the very beginning, has now been abandoned not only by the Government and the Arts Council but also by the Museums Association and every other museum organisation.

It is quite pathetic. They destroyed the membership based Area Museum services, telling us that the new Byzantine system of Hub Museums and strategic Museum, Libraries and Archives boards would serve us better. Then just about at the time that we got used to the Hub, and little MLA's then they ransform it into the idea of Core Museums, and then when ACE don't like it abandon that too, and say they are broadly in favour! What on earth is going on - is the Museum world full of yes-people who just let the powers that be kick them around? Yes, I broadly support you kicking me in the guts.

Pathetic.

ACE outlines new approach to Renaissance | Museums Association

British Museum - Cost of living in the roman world

This is a small display on the cost of living in Roman times at the British Museum

British Museum - Cost of living

Two Temple Place - the Astor House reopens

Two Temple Place built by John Loughborough Pearson for Viscount Astor is reopened with an exhibition from the William Morris Gallery

London Bridge railway arches listed by heritage minister [9 July 2011]

This is a welcome decision as these arches are part of the world's first mass urban transport system

London Bridge railway arches listed by heritage minister [9 July 2011]

happymuseumproject.org | The Happy Museum paper

happymuseumproject.org | The Happy Museum paper: "The aim of this short paper is to begin a conversation about how the UK museum sector can respond to the challenges presented by the need for creating a more sustainable future."

UK museums hit by ‘devastating cuts’ | Museums Association

UK museums hit by ‘devastating cuts’ | Museums Association

Victorian Magic @ The Old Operating Theatre Musuem

on popular demand:

AGAIN!

Hurry, tickets going fast!

 

"Steampunkers should hail a hansom and head down to the Old Operating Theatre for Through A Glass Darkly , a wonderful night of Victorian era magic,mindreading and mediumship"

The Londonist

 

"This event takes the whole shebang a little further. In the excellently spooky confines of the Old Operating Theatre the London Magician will recreate, then explain, a Victorian seance, cold readings and spirit communication...Somenthing for everyone in fact."

Le Cool magazine

 

4th of August at 7.pm

 

THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY

At this exclusive evening of mind-reading and cold-reading performance,The London Magician will talk about, and demonstrate,

the mind-reading and magical effects that first flourished in the Victorian séances hosted by fraudulent mediums -people who were emulating genuine psychics in parlours across England.

 

Meeting the dead, past-life regressions, amazing mind-reading, apports - the fraudulent mediums were the forefathers of the cold reading prodigies of today. But more than being told, you will be shown: magic will be performed, minds read, tales and fortunes told.

 

Illusion, mentalism and conjuring meet, through a glass darkly.

£15 (available on the door or at lastminute.com)

 

 

 

More vents coming soon! Watch this space!

 

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The Old Operating Theatre Museum in Time Out's101 Things to do in London – Ultimate Guide

101 Things to do in London – Ultimate Guide – Time Out London

Cocoon | Natural History Museum

I visited the Cocoon, Darwin Centre at the Natual History Museum - strangely unsigned posted at the Museum. Its the museum store and offices for the collection of insects etc. Quite an interesting building and workspace - no one was working in the offices and laboratories you can look into as it happens, but it was good to see a display about the research Curators do - although to my mind the displays are a little lack lustre.

Cocoon | Natural History Museum

Divorced, Beheaded, died Amazon.co.uk Bestsellers: The most popular items in Biographies

Amazed to see that my book is now no 2 in Amazon's Kindle Bestsellers in Biographies list!

Must be because its only 99p!

Amazon.co.uk Bestsellers: The most popular items in Biographies

Death Rate in Workhouses

The Royal Commission on the Poor Law and the Relief of Distress -- 1 (2530): 1554 -- bmj.com

Urban Physic Garden Medical Health Walk July 8th

This is the walk around Southwark that I am doing on 8th July

Urban Physic Garden

BBC - History - British History in depth: The Foundling Hospital

Quite amazing death rate for children in the 18th CenturyBBC - History - British History in depth: The Foundling Hospital

The Old Operating Theatre Museum is on the 101 Things to do in London – Ultimate Guide – Time Out London

Its nice to be considered one of London's top things to do.
101 Things to do in London – Ultimate Guide – Time Out London

» The Old Operating Theater Museum and Herb Garret » The Everywhereist

Quirky review of the Museum

» The Old Operating Theater Museum and Herb Garret » The Everywhereist

Sculpture - Monument to the Great Fire of London

Some one pointed out the many breasted figure on the Monument which is a depiction of Artemis signifying nature who his held in the hands of a goddess representing science.

Sculpture - Monument to the Great Fire of London

Urban Physic Garden

This looks really good!

Urban Physic Garden

Dumbing down museums? Salon 256 debate

Salong 256 from the Society of Antiquities reports:

'Museums 6: further contributions to our museums debate

That is an argument that our Fellow Catherine Johns would support. Catherine takes issue with Fellow Nick Merriman’s comments on museum display in the last issue of Salon ‘because of the implicit accusation that those of us who are not wholly enchanted by some of the current trends in labelling DO NOT “wish to engage a wider public with museums”. This is not true. Like Nick, we all went into museum work because we wanted to increase and to share our knowledge and enthusiasm, and to enable people to learn more about the past and how to enjoy and appreciate it. In order to achieve that aim, it is important to make museums into places where the public can not only see the actual material remains, but can learn more about them than they could discover simply by looking at a book, or these days, by googling a Wikipedia entry.’

Nick also referred to the importance of working as part of a team, to which Catherine responds by saying: ‘All curators work with designers, conservators, scientists, editors and others, and always have done in the larger institutions. There’s nothing new in this. What is new, and dangerous, is trying to exclude curators from the team.’ Neither is the use of modern media along with traditional labelling a problem: ‘My concern rests with what the labels say and how they say it, whether the medium happens to be parchment inscribed with a quill pen, an iPad, or anything in between. I want the information to be reliable, up to date, full, not copied down from Wikipedia, and expressed in clear adult English that does not patronise museum visitors by assuming that they cannot understand words of more than one syllable. Museum displays and information specifically aimed at primary-school children are another matter entirely. My objection is to treating the adult visitor as though he/she were six years old.’

Another response to the points made by Fellow Nick Merriman in Salon 255 comes from Fellow Stephanie Dalley, who says: ‘of course we all agree that the intellectual background underpinning museum interpretation is a vital component of museum display — this is true regardless of how many objects are on display. But I must take issue over the displays at the new Ashmolean, because, contrary to Nick’s impression, several galleries have around one-third as many objects on display as they had formerly, and some posts at Assistant Keeper level have either been abolished or reduced from being permanent to short-term (three years). The reduction of such posts inevitably affects knowledgeable intellectual input. The thinking behind the latter is perhaps that the education department and the exhibition / display specialists (who are hired only for a particular job) can fill the void, but this is much mistaken. Some of the information panels in the new displays are evidence of this.'

What are museums for? | The Art Newspaper

interesting article that includes a report on an attack on post modernism's influence on Museums What are museums for? | The Art Newspaper

Blockbusters: too big to fail? | The Art Newspaper

Blockbusters: too big to fail? | The Art Newspaper

Marlborough mound mystery solved – after 4,400 years | Science | The Guardian

Marlborough mound mystery solved – after 4,400 years | Science | The Guardian

The London List Yearbook 2010 | English Heritage

This is a list of 'newly discovered' heritage assets in London listed by English Heritage. It contains some fascinating places - pubs, churches all over London. It can be downloaded for free.
The London List Yearbook 2010 | English Heritage

MA Creative Practice for Narrative Environments

Great stuff from our students and lots of other degree shows to see!

News & Events | MA Creative Practice for Narrative Environments

Divorced, Beheaded, Died - BBC audiobooks

Just found out the audio version of my book is published by BBC books.

The hard copy has sold 37,000 copies


http://www.audible.co.uk/pd?asin=B004EVMNYC

Urban Physic Garden - Lunchtime talk on the Old Operating theatre Museum 29th June and 2nd Aug 2011

This is a link to the talk I am giving on the Museum as part of the Urban Physic Garden programme on 29th June and also on the 2nd of Aug 2011

Urban Physic Garden

Literary London Conference

This is the programme for the Literary London Conference - I'm given a paper on Literary Guided Walks.

LL2011.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Reviews of Royal Wedding road Scholar Programme

Here is a review of the Royal Wedding programme of which I was the course director - pretty positive!

'Course director, Kevin Flude, is the greatest; imparting his vast knowledge.'

Road Scholar: Program Reviews: "Course director, Kevin Flude, is the greatest; imparting his vast knowledge."

Special event back on popular demand at The Old Operating Theatre

 

on popular demand:

 

30th of June at 7.pm

 

THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY

At this exclusive evening of mind-reading and cold-reading performance,The London Magician will talk about, and demonstrate,

the mind-reading and magical effects that first flourished in the Victorian séances hosted by fraudulent mediums -people who were emulating genuine psychics in parlours across England.

 

Meeting the dead, past-life regressions, amazing mind-reading, apports - the fraudulent mediums were the forefathers of the cold reading prodigies of today. But more than being told, you will be shown: magic will be performed, minds read, tales and fortunes told.

 

Illusion, mentalism and conjuring meet, through a glass darkly.

£15 (available on the door or at lastminute.com)

 

 

 

More vents coming soon! Watch this space!

 

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Vertical Expectations - documentary on the Shard

Documentary by Simona Piantieri on the Shard, with contributions from various people including Kevin Flude, the director of the Old Operating Theatre Museum Vertical Expectations on Vimeo

The Old Operating Theatre helping with the Urban Physic Garden

The Museum has been cooperating with the Urban Physic Garden.
Union Street’s Urban Physic Garden nears completion [5 June 2011]

Charles Dickens' Gads Hill to be opened to the public

This the house in which Dickens died in 1870.

BBC News - Charles Dickens' Kent home to be opened to the public

Workshop on the sensuous object (smell and touch, ambience, aesthetic, visual thinking, tacit knowledge, sound and seduction), 29-30 September

A very interesting workshop in Copenhagen

Workshop on the sensuous object (smell and touch, ambience, aesthetic, visual thinking, tacit knowledge, sound and seduction), 29-30 September: "Workshop on the sensuous object (smell and touch, ambience, aesthetic, visual thinking, tacit knowledge, sound and seduction), 29-30 September"

Free Guided Walks this weekend

 

 

 

 

sorry about the lack of notice but there are a lot of free walks this weekend given by walk London

To see them click here:

 

http://www.walk4life.info/events/*/1292/*/*

 

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Walk London - free walks around London this weekend

Here is a list of free walks around London this weekend

Walk London

Londonist - a web site for london

This is a website all about London it has some fascinating content including mental maps of London Victoria maps and much about things to do in an about London

About Us | Londonist

We didn't kill off Neanderthals!

New dating evidence suggests Neanderthal died out before homo sapiens reached Europe. So that's one genocide claim that won't be going to the United Nations!

Not such a bad species after all perhaps - us homo saps!Dating of Neanderthal fossil suggests they died out earlier than previously thought - University of Oxford

My next walk is the Archaeology of Roman London Walk 4th June

My next walk is the Archaeology of Roman London, St. Paul underground Station exit 2, 10:45, 4th of June 2011.

The walk will look at Life in Roman London as well as the rise and fall of Roman London

Current Fashions in Museum display by Salon 254

The following was reported in Salon 254 from the Society of Antiquaries

'Current fashions in museum display

Fellow John Blair’s thoughts in the last issue of Salon on new museum displays and the regrettable sidelining of people with real knowledge in their planning and execution, struck a chord with many Fellows.

Fellow Lucilla Burn (whose own much-lauded reorganisation of the Fitzwilliam’s collection of Greek and Roman antiquities was a model of how such things should be done) responded to say: ‘My impression is that a lively debate about museum displays, including many of the issues that exercise John Blair, is already in existence. But maybe it takes place too much amongst members of the museum community and within the pages of the Museums Journal, and not everyone who would like to voice an opinion feels he or she has a place to do so.

‘May I draw Fellows' attention to a conference we are holding in Cambridge on 23 September 2011, called “The Past on Display”, where academics and interested members of the public will be joining curators, designers and conservators to air their views? Details will be announced in mid-May, but meanwhile anyone interested in seeing the programme is most welcome to email me.’ (Salon will include further details of the conference in the next issue.)

Fellow Catherine Johns responded to say: ‘As I read through John Blair's comments about museum display, I found myself nodding and murmuring “hear, hear” at almost every line. No museum display is going to be perfect for everyone, from the primary-school pupil to the international scholar, but the people who can best create excellent exhibitions that interest and inform a wide range of museum visitors are the curators, who know their own collections and their own typical visitors well.

‘These days, people can find information on and illustrations of museum objects in many different sources: books, TV programmes and internet sites. These sources vary from good to appalling. Only in a museum can people see the actual objects in the flesh, and communicate with the curators who know that material and carry out the original research on it, and whose views on the artefacts are based on sound, up-to-date knowledge and experience. Inserting woolly, distorting layers of “interpretation” between curators and the public is a hugely retrograde step.

‘I have it on good authority that in one major museum, some website content has recently been written by individuals who obtained their information from Wikipedia rather than from the curators. What’s the point? Some Wikipedia articles are good, and some are not; but even the best articles MUST (by Wikipedia’s own rules) be based on reliable published information, which must be cited, and therefore MUST NOT incorporate original, unpublished research. Visitors to museums expect the information they are given to be authoritative and based on first-hand scholarship. The best and most up-to-date museum labelling contains new, original research, by authoritative scholars, often long before it is published.’

Fellow Martin Henig continues in the same vein: ‘Far too often one is spoon-fed with one view, one “story” about the evidence to the exclusion of others. We do indeed have biased and dumbed-down views of the Middle Ages, as John Blair says, but Roman Britain is not exempt by any means. It is impossible to take a party of engaged students to Bath for example and discuss with them different options concerning the development of the sanctuary; I far prefer taking them to Lydney Park with a site free from modern clutter and an old-fashioned but excellent site museum.

‘When I started to lecture on Greek art in Oxford early in my career, I could take students to the Ashmolean to see a magnificent assemblage of Greek vases chronologically arranged, and an accessible reserve collection. Now there are very few vases on display and the labelling is too often geared to modern (sometimes quirky) prejudice. From the Medieval display, one would not have supposed that Oxford has one of the finest collections of medieval pots, some of them excavated by Lawrence before “Arabia” was added to his name!

‘My conclusion is that museums increasingly discount scholarship and serious research in favour of entertainment or half-baked educational theories. It is sad and this decline in standards stretches far beyond museums touching every aspect of our cultural life. What do we expect in a country where culture is so seriously devalued in favour of football and other spectator sports?’'

Charity Giving by txt message

JustTextGiving

Mobile phone operator Vodaphone and online giving platform JustGiving have collaborated on the development of new software to enable free charity donations via text message. Donors will be able to donate up to £10 at a time under the scheme, which will be free for charities to sign up to and will redistribute 100% of the proceeds. href="http://www.justgiving.com/JustTextGiving?gclid=CJ_T9NXs5KgCFcOEDgodbk_-Cw">JustTextGiving

Source News Update for London’s Museums 16/05/2011

Late night culture club | Press Coverage of the Old Operating Theatre Museum

Late night culture club | Events

YouTube - Tim Minchin's Storm the Animated Movie

I wish I'd said this!

YouTube - Tim Minchin's Storm the Animated Movie

Free museum seminars in May

There are some interesting Free Seminars at museums and heritage show

11 - 12th march earls court.

kevin

Link: http://www.museumsandheritage.com/visitors/free-seminars (via shareaholic.com)

Science's First Mistake

Provocative lecture by Prof Ian Angell about the incoherence that is Science - lecture in Holborn

Science's First Mistake

Virtual privatisation of Central St Martins says the Guardian

Useful article on the future of the University of the Art,London.

Art schools face uncertain financial future | Education | The Guardian

Museums in Carcoar - Carcoar Hospital Museum

Museums in Carcoar - Carcoar Hospital Museum

UCL Centre for Museums, Heritage & Material Culture Studies

UCL training courses for museumsUCL Centre for Museums, Heritage & Material Culture Studies

Myths and legends of London, Sat 7th May, 10:45

Next Walk, Myths and Legends, the Origins of London, Tower Hill tube. 10:45, 7th May 2011 The Next Public Walk to be given by Kevin Flude: "Next Walk, Miths and Legends, the Origins of London, Tower Hill tube. 10:45, 7th May 2011"

BBC News - Crossrail archaeology dig unearths mass burial ground

Hundreds of skeletons found at Liverpool Street Station BBC News - Crossrail archaeology dig unearths mass burial ground

The Old Operating Theatre Museum in the London Museums at Night 2011

London Museums at Night 2011

BBC News - 'Oliver Twist' Strand Union Workhouse gets listing

They saw sense at last!

BBC News - 'Oliver Twist' Strand Union Workhouse gets listing

writing's on the wall: SHOUT

People talking about the 6am Graffiti bike ride
writing's on the wall: SHOUT

Museum of London in redundancy row | Museums Association

Discussion of the Cuts at the Museum of London - a 50% in History Curators is mooted.

Museum of London in redundancy row | Museums Association

Think Mobile — Media Trust

Presentations by Google on the subject of making sites good for mobiles

Think Mobile — Media Trust

Church Farm Museum - another victim of the Big Society

Conservatives are, I think, are getting rid of the one professional involved and hoping to run in on the cheap as an entirely volunteer run operation.

99% is ....... The Barnet Eye: Church Farm Museum - more details on Barnet Councils act of vandalism

Writing's on the wall - cycle ride around East End Street Art

Great cycle tour through east end backstreet looking at some of the amazing graffiti!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10150197131820410&set=a.10150197129005410.371047.769180409&theater
writing's on the wall

Threads of feeling The Foundling Museum Exhibition

What a great Collection - 5000 pieces of fabric which were used just in case a mother wanted to identify her child in years to come - in fact only 150ish of 16000 ever came back, but such poignancy just in a snippet of cloth.

This is on of those exhibitions which shows why people visit museums rather than reading the book or watching the documentary.


The Foundling Museum – Temporary Exhibitions

New video for the Old Operating Theatre Museum by Simona Piantiera

Just managed to load up Simona's video she kindly did for the Museum as a free add on to the Medicine at the Movies project. It is designed to encourage people to visit the Museum
Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret Web Site

Gabriel Orozco at Tate Modern

Really enjoyable exhibition. Orozco has a marvelous ability to edit - his photographs are stunning pictures of the nothing much, his sculptures really thoughtful and visually arresting, and his hangings are all beautifully executed and reward study. Visually and intellectually rewarding.
Tate Modern| Current Exhibitions | Gabriel Orozco

Theatre @ The Old Operating Theatre | Londonist

Whose Blood play at the Old Operating Theatre Museum review.

'Whose Blood could easily have been one of those “bringing the story to life” museum attractions, using jobbing actors and a hastily compiled script to enhance the visitor experience. But Alex Burger’s script, Karena Johnson’s direction and the excellent performances of the cast elevate Whose Blood beyond this. Whose Blood is a moving, touching, thought-provoking piece of theatre'

Theatre Review: Whose Blood @ The Old Operating Theatre | Londonist

So its begun already! - Re-introduction of admission charges at National Maritime Museum

Sooner than expected the Conservatives have managed to reintroduce museum charges. The NMM remains free as does the astronomy galleries at the Royal Observatory but surely this is a sign of things to come.

Watch this space while the rest follow suit over the next couple of years. Re-introduction of admission charges to Flamsteed House and the Meridian Courtyard : Press office & news : About us : NMM

Museum of London Cuts - cutting the Prehistoric and Roman Curators

The museum of London is proposing to cut (or not fill) 3 major curatorial posts in the prehistoric, roman and medieval aspects of the collection.

The Museum has a collection of international importance and cutting the early departments of such a high proportion of its senior staff is a short sighted disaster.

Ghosts: at the Old Operating Theatre Museum

This is the report of a group visiting the Museum to investigate ghosts. - Not something I have any faith in at all.
Ghosts: 100 Haunted Hours

Upcoming guided walks

Here are 2 walks for Sat morning

Sat Mar. 5th March

The Archaeology and history  of Rotherhithe Bermondsey Tube10.45

WOMEN'S HISTORY WALK
Saturday 5 March
11am; free; booking essential: 020 7021 1600 or
l.cowell@coinstreet.org
A walk around Borough and North Southwark looking at women
of historical significance from the area as part of
celebrations for International Women's Day. Both men and
women welcome to attend the walk.
Info & map: http://www.London-SE1.co.uk/whatson/event/10526

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Women's History Walk [5 March]

Women's History Walk [5 March]

'Non-hubs are the losers' in Renaissance in the Regions shakedown | Museums Association

Seems like a typical affect of a tory cut - It's the big museums wot gets the money, it's the poor museums wot gets the cuts.

But the whole thing is made worse by bad planning and premature cutting. It seems to me that it yet again underlines the strategic folly of destroying the area museum services and replacing them with MLAs and hubs.


'Non-hubs are the losers' in Renaissance in the Regions shakedown | Museums Association

Wonderful Things - free book on using objects

This is a free book on using objects for learning in museumsWonderful Things by Julian Vayne in History

The Invisible Artist - augmented reality tour

The Invisible Artist: "The Invisible Artist
An Augmented Reality tour of London's principle contemporary art galleries"

Mural of King Henry VIII uncovered in Somerset

BBC News - Mural of King Henry VIII uncovered in Somerset

Council destroying prefab estate

This seems unbelievably stupid - the destruction of over 100 prefabs built to house people made homeless in the warLargest postwar prefab estate to be demolished | Society | The Guardian

BBC Radio 3 Big Red Nose Show - Royal Albert Hall

BBC Radio 3 Big Red Nose Show - Royal Albert Hall

Exploiting the Social Web - focus paper for museums

This one of AIM's Focus Papers - free to download 32335677412072010134724.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Ken Arnold and Thomas Söderqvist: Museum Dogma a list of exhibition dos and don't

This is a dogme style proscriptive list of how to create engagin science, technology and medicine exhibitionsKen Arnold and Thomas Söderqvist: Museum Dogma 2010

Upcoming Walks

'HISTORICAL STROLL ROUND THE BLOCK'

 

Focusing on some of the famous names carved on the Freize. This great lunchtime walk will also cover places and anecdotes from Bloomsbury's colourful history

Wednesday, 23^rd February 2011, 1.00 pm - 2.00 pm

All walks are led by Dr Ros Stanwell-Smith, a Public Health Consultant who is also a Blue Badge Guide

The walk is free. Numbers are limited (20 places). If you would like to participate, please book with Ingrid James: Tel: 020 7927 - 2434 or email ingrid.james@lshtm.ac.uk

Walks are Funded by the Wellcome Trust

Aly Mir

Walks on the Wild Side

 

Sunday 6 March 2011 - The Holloway Road Experience

Meet 3.00pm outside Highbury & Islington tube station

It’s back to the Swinging Sixties as we visit sites associated with Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, Joe Meek and others. This walk lasts about 2 hours and ends at Manor House. £5

  

For more details and to find out about future walks please see www.walksonthewildside.net  

email: Walksotws@btinternet.com

or call 07913 563227 

 

Kids in Museums Manifesto published

Museum News reports on the launch of All-New 2011 Kids In Museums Manifesto

'The 2011 Kids in Museums Manifesto was launched on Monday 17th January. And this year, families have given a clear message who they want to visit a museum with - and why. The person they want to spend time with wandering amongst the glass cabinets of French porcelain, playing on the interactives, dressing up as a Tudor or fingering a dinosaur bone is a grandparent.
The 2011 Kids in Museums Manifesto - 20 ways to make a museum family friendly - is compiled entirely from hundreds of visitors’ comments. It gives a powerful voice to families throughout Britain. Hundreds of museums use it as a guide to becoming more family friendly, pledging their support.'

http://www.kidsinmuseums.org.uk/manifesto

Art Fund Prize 2011 Long List of Museums published

The museums and galleries are:
- British Museum, London, A History of the World
- Hertford Museum, Hertfordshire, Hertford Museum's Development Project
- Leighton House, London, Closer To Home: The Restoration and Reopening of Leighton House Museum
- Mostyn, Llandudno, Wales, Refurbishment and extension of Mostyn gallery
- People's History Museum, Manchester, The new People's History Museum 2010
- Polar Museum, University of Cambridge, Promoting Britain's Polar Heritage
- The new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Alloway, Scotland
- Roman Baths Museum, Bath, Roman Baths Development
- V&A, London, Ceramics Study Galleries
- Yorkshire Museum, York, Letting in the Light - Revitalising the Yorkshire Museum for the 21st  century
http://www.artfundprize.org.uk/2011/longlist.php

Get Legal - legal structure for the public domain

Legal guidelines for organisations working in the voluntary section

http://www.getlegal.org.uk

Funding the future for voluntary organisations - a report

Funding the Future
A 10-year framework for civil society

A4_Funding_Commission_Final_Report.pdf (application/pdf Object)

renaissance programme for Museums and the Arts Council

The following statement was posted on Museum News from the MLA 03 02 2011.

I'm filled with cynicism - over the years the Museum industry has allowed itself to be reorganised with the destruction of well tried and set up organisations and replaced by institutions upon which a huge amount of money was lavished and which are now not going to survive. The Hub is dead long live the Core Museum.

'1. Arts Council England and MLA announce 2011/12 funding and ‘road map’ for Renaissance
Arts Council England and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council today outlined plans for the funding of Renaissance in 2011/12 and the ‘road map’ for development of the programme in future years.
And in a move which signals the Arts Council’s intention to strengthen its expertise in museums and libraries, Sir Andrew Motion – current Chair of the MLA – has been appointed to its National Council as an observer. In addition, the Arts Council is committed to retaining the specialist knowledge and expertise necessary to fulfil its new responsibilities through the retention of key MLA staff.
Since the Arts Council agreed in December to assume responsibility for Renaissance in the Regions, the regional museums and libraries development agendas, and the cultural property functions, the two bodies have been working together to develop their transition plans and provide clarity for currently funded regional museums and other organisations as quickly as possible.
The emerging plans recognise the challenging funding environment for 2011/15 and are focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for regional museum and library users across the country with the resources available.
The two organisations are keen to provide clarity about funding in the short term (2011/12) while maintaining a collaborative and focused approach to funding for the following three years. Discussions have also centred on the future direction of the Renaissance programme and providing a ‘road map’ for change.
The principle agreements to date are:
1.      MLA retains responsibility for 2011/12 funding decisions, but decision-making on budgets with a longer-term impact will be shared with the Arts Council, to ensure that those decisions dovetail into the longer term objectives of the Arts Council
2.      To this end, the MLA will shortly release plans for the 2011/12 Renaissance budget that will enable nearly £35m worth of grants to go directly to regional museums, as well as the funding for priority projects such as the V&A Purchase Fund, PRISM, digital services, Museums at Night, Kids in Museums, Portable Antiquities and more. Details will be published by the MLA by Friday 11 February
3.      Arts Council England will announce its long term plans for Renaissance in autumn 2011, in time for the 2012/13 budget making process. Applications for Renaissance funding for 2012-15 will open in September and funding decisions will be announced by the end of 2011
4.      The Arts Council supports the MLA’s vision for a reshaped Renaissance and 2011/12 will be a transitional year.  The Arts Council will consult with the museums sector during the spring and summer before taking final decisions on the new shape of Renaissance. The aim is to establish the needs and expectations of the museums sector, and to create a coherent cultural offer that encompasses the arts, museums and libraries
5.      The Arts Council will review the role it expects Core museums to fulfil within the museums sector alongside the role of those organisations with whom the Arts Council will forge a strategic relationship in its new National Portfolio funding programme
6.      The Arts Council will continue the V&A and PRISM funds as part of its key museums activity, and invest in them via the Renaissance budget
7.      Alongside the discretionary museum and library functions Arts Council is inheriting from the MLA, the two organisations are committed to the continued delivery of the statutory services connected with cultural property, such as acceptance in lieu, export licensing and government indemnity.
Alan Davey, Chief Executive of Arts Council England said:  “Although there are considerably less funds available than in previous years, and we have some tough decisions ahead, there is room for ambition alongside pragmatism.  I am passionate about the importance of regional museums and libraries to the quality of our country’s cultural life and the Arts Council is committed to championing and developing them as a wonderful resource for future generations.  We will continue to collaborate closely with our MLA colleagues to ensure a smooth transfer of responsibilities and to preserve key expertise and I am thrilled that Sir Andrew Motion will be joining our National Council. His knowledge and eloquence will be invaluable as we assume the important duty of advocating for the interests of museum and library users in this country.”
MLA Chief Executive Roy Clare said: “There is a lot of work to be done, and tough decisions caused by very tight financial circumstances, but I am delighted that we have built a constructive dialogue that combines the need for pragmatic solutions with a shared long term vision for the best possible museum and library services and collections across England.
Sir Andrew Motion said: “I am heartened by the commitment that is being shown to making the transfer of responsibilities to the Arts Council work. I am grateful for this opportunity to work together with colleagues on the boards of both the Arts Council and the MLA, to help play a part in ensuring museum and library voices get heard at the table.”
The Arts Council and MLA recognise the essential contribution public libraries make to the cultural and wider life of the country and the challenging task faced by local authorities. MLA is continuing to prioritise work on the Future Libraries Programme while Arts Council is currently developing a focused plan for libraries that works within the reduced resources available. Further details will be announced in due course.'

More: http://www.mla.gov.uk/

Roman Life

Life in Roman Britain: every object tells a story



A one-day conference organised by the Museum of London in collaboration with the Roman Finds Group will be held on Saturday March 19th 2011 at the Weston Theatre, Museum of London



10.30am        Registration (Theatre Foyer)

11.00am        Life in Roman Britain

Lindsay Allason-Jones (University of Newcastle)

11.30am        Domestic life in Roman London

Angela Wardle (Museum of London Archaeology)

12.00pm        Lighting & heating

Hella Eckardt (University of Reading)



12.30-2.00     LUNCH (not provided)

There will be displays in the Clore Learning Centre during lunch and the opportunity to purchase the new book, Roman Artefacts, published by CUP



2.00pm          Medicine & hygiene

Ralph Jackson (British Museum)

2.30pm          Health in Roman London

Rebecca Redfern (Centre for Human Bioarchaeology, Museum of London)

3.00pm          Funerary rites

Hilary Cool (Barbican Associates)

3.30 - 4.00    TEA

4.00pm          Military life

Mike Bishop (Roman military specialist)

4.30pm          Writing & communication

Roger Tomlin (Wolfson College Oxford)

5.00pm          Roman London - the next story to tell

Jenny Hall (Museum of London)

5.30                CLOSE



Cost (including afternoon tea): £12, RFG members £9.



To book tickets please send your name, address, and email address together with a cheque for the correct amount made payable to the Roman Finds Group and a stamped, self-addressed envelope, to Jenny Hall, Department of Archaeological Collections, Museum of London, London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN.

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Science Museum Medical Resource

This is the science museum's medical resources - some interesting links - though I think not in enough detail to make it truly interesting.
Home

Museum Studies - Using a Mock Auction as a Teaching Device

This is a recent article I wrote in the Worcester Journal of Learning and Teaching, Issue 5. It is about a teaching session in which we organised a mock auction to teach students about the varied Collections Policies of Museums.

WJLTIssue5PersonalPerspectivesKFlude.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Measuring the value of culture: a report to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

Measuring the value of culture: a report to the Department for Culture Media and Sport: "Measuring the value of culture: a report to the Department for Culture Media and Sport"

British Museum - Visitor research

BM's approach to innovative audience research


British Museum - Visitor research

Decentralisation_and_Localism_Bill_briefing.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Paper discussing the governments next big idea - localism.

Or how to pass cuts down the line and pass the blame?

Decentralisation_and_Localism_Bill_briefing.pdf (application/pdf Object)

The essential Trustee

Charity Commission advice for the essential trustee

cc3text.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Hallmarks of an efficient Charity

Charity Commission advice for an efficient Charity
cc10text.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Walks Coming up

My next walk is:

 The Origins of London: Pre-history to 1066 Tower Hill Tube 10.45 Feb. 5 2011

And here are a few other walks of interest

 

LIVING MEMORY HERITAGE PROJECT EVENT AT CINEMA MUSEUM SE11
Saturday 29 January
11am-2pm at the Cinema Museum, 2 Dugard Way SE11 4TH
The event includes a tour of the museum, selection of short
films shown in the cinema and an exhibition of the history
of local housing estates. There is free hot soup and bread
and a cafe open to buy snacks. For the children there will
be popular cartoons screened in the cinema and a face
painter.
Suggested donation of £2 to the Cinema Museum. This is an
open event but if you are planning to attend then please get
in touch on 020 7021 1600 or  helpdesk@coinstreet.org


EXPLORING SEAFARING LONDON: FREE GUIDED WALKS
Saturday 29 January
Groups depart at 12 noon or 12.30pm outside City Hall, The
Queen's Walk; free
Free guided walk from Tower Bridge to Greenwich as part of
Walk London's Winter Wanders weekend. Meet Brunel and his
tunnel, Edward III and his Manor House, Turner and his
painting of the Fighting Temeraire, the Pilgrim Fathers and
The Mayflower, Queen Elizabeth I and Francis Drake and even
Tsar Peter the Great of Russia - all in just six miles.
Walkers may bring a packed lunch. Refreshments can be bought
at start of walk, cafe at Brunel Museum and Surrey Docks
Farm (lunch stop).
Info & map: http://www.London-SE1.co.uk/whatson/event/10310


LONDON'S HIDDEN TREASURES GUIDED WALK
Sunday 30 January
Meet 10.30am or 2.30pm at Exit 6, Waterloo Station, York
Road; free
This magnificent walk takes you along the south side of the
River Thames and visits some of London's unique venues and
hidden treasures. Exploring London's past this walk offers
everyone the chance to learn something new about the parts
of London you pass on a daily basis. A must for those who
enjoy history and unusual places. Part of the Walk London
Winter Wanders weekend.
Info & map: http://www.London-SE1.co.uk/whatson/event/10308


CITY HALL TO CANARY WHARF
Sunday 30 January
Meet 11am outside City Hall,  The Queen's Walk; free
Walk led by Peter Finch, chairman of the River Thames
Society. The walks crosses Tower Bridge, looks at St
Katharine Dock and follows the Thames Path past the former
London Docks, through Wapping, Shadwell to Limehouse, with
its historic Narrow Street. The walk also takes in a visit
to Limehouse Basin, before crossing Limekiln Creek to Canary
Wharf, with great views of the river along the way. Part of
the Walk London Winter Wanders weekend.
Info & map: http://www.London-SE1.co.uk/whatson/event/10309


THE AMAZING HISTORY OF THE BANKS OF THE RIVER THAMES
Sunday 30 January
Meet 2pm at Exit 6, Waterloo Station, York Road; free
2000 years of history, from the mudbanks of the Thames to
modernity, from bawdy houses to banking houses, from an
ancient cathedral to a cathedral of modern art. As you
stroll along one of the most historic and beautiful parts of
the Thames shoreline, you will also see eight iconic
bridges, two world-famous theatres, an infamous prison, a
palace, and a buzzing open-air market. All human life is
here! Part of the Walk London Winter Wanders weekend.
Info & map: http://www.London-SE1.co.uk/whatson/event/10307

Modern Cries of London traders

From Spitalfieldslife feature on Adam Dant

'Adam's print you will find, The Wifi Worker, The Japanese Hairscruffer, The Pizza Leafleteer, The DVD Hawker, The Belly Piercer, The Hen-night Girl, The Phone Unlocker, The Internet Cafe Man, The Cause Braceleter, The Loft Mouse, The Night Trolleymen, The Wedding Videoer, The Late Postie, The Shirt Shredder and The Bendy Bussenger.'

Adam Dant, artist | Spitalfields Life: "Here in Adam’s print you will find, The Wifi Worker, The Japanese Hairscruffer, The Pizza Leafleteer, The DVD Hawker, The Belly Piercer, The Hen-night Girl, The Phone Unlocker, The Internet Cafe Man, The Cause Braceleter, The Loft Mouse, The Night Trolleymen, The Wedding Videoer, The Late Postie, The Shirt Shredder and The Bendy Bussenger."

One Click Orgs - organising groups

This is a group dedicated to making setting up groups to self-organise and to set up bank accounts.

One step before a charity

One Click Orgs

MA Creative Practice for Narrative Environments's Photos - The Living Heritage Project at the British Museum

Some good photographs of the project at the BM done in cooperation with Camdeh Council, HLF and Hampstead School
MA Creative Practice for Narrative Environments's Photos - The Living Heritage Project at the British Museum (10)

London Councils axed its entire £3 million financial support for the Arts

MLA's News Update for London’s Museums 11/01/2011 reports:

London Councils to cull capital’s £3m arts support budget

London Councils is to axe its entire £3 million financial support for the arts across the capital. Theatre companies that will be affected include Theatre Royal Stratford East, Tamasha Theatre Company, the Tricycle Theatre and Clean Break.
The umbrella body for local authorities in the capital, London Councils raises money from individual boroughs which is then allocated to voluntary sector projects across the city. It currently spends £3.14 million a year on provision related to culture, tourism and the 2012 Olympics.
London Councils’ new list of strategic priorities will result in the majority of the cultural services it supports losing all of their funding by the end of June 2011.
Projects that will cease next summer include the promotion of access to cultural activities across the city, on which London Councils currently spends £1 million per annum. Another victim will be spending on education and outreach programmes for disadvantaged children, which it currently funds to the tune of £960,000.
A handful of arts services will be allowed to run until the end of their commission, but these will all stop by the end of January 2013.
As London Councils has decided that culture services should be local rather than city-wide, in theory individual London borough councils could continue to support these activities. However, there is no statutory requirement that they do so.
A spokesman for London Councils said: “It has been a natural progression with all the changes in powers that local authorities are being given and the new localism bill. It is unfortunate that, given the current situation, things are happening far, far more quickly than people would have wanted them to and unfortunately there are going to be casualties.”
Commenting on the theatres that will be affected by the cuts, Charlotte Jones, chief executive of the Independent Theatre Council, said she thought London Councils had made a “very wrong decision”.
Speaking about these companies, she added: “If you were looking for a list of the most instrumentally valuable, far-reaching, inclusive arts provision in the capital, this would be it.”
The decision follows the news of cuts to local council budgets across England, which the Local Government Association said would equate to a 12.1% cut in central government funding for local authority services next year. The LGA said this would “inevitably” mean cuts to services.

The Big Give

About Us, for charities | The Big Give: "The Big Give promotes the work of 7,000+ charities to philanthropists, foundations, companies and public donors. Your charity can register on the site for free, and use our matched funding services to inspire your supporters to give more."

First London Bridge, Vauxhall

This is a description of the finds which may be London's first bridge or 'just' a bronze age jetty.

First London Bridge, Vauxhall

Shakespeare’s London iPhone app [6 January 2011]

For a few pence - all the Shakespeare locations in London are at your disposal.


for a review read this Shakespeare’s London iPhone app [6 January 2011]

Oldest Structure in London found at Vauxhall

The THAMES DISCOVERY PROGRAMME TEAM report:

'The OLDEST STRUCTURE in LONDON

Archaeologists from the UCL-based THAMES DISCOVERY PROGRAMME have just announced the discovery of the oldest structure yet discovered in London. They have found a group of 6,000-year-old wooden piles on the open foreshore near Vauxhall Bridge, only revealed at very low spring tides. They have only just been exposed by increased tidal scour over the last two or three years. Radiocarbon samples from the piles have returned dates of between 4792-4610 cal BC; 4690-4490 cal BC and 4720-4540 cal BC. River levels were much lower at this period, and thus the structure (or structures) were probably built on dry land. The site lies in the shadow of the MI6 building, and thus access is not always easy.

A Mesolithic flint tranchet adze has also been recovered from the area, in addition to later Neolithic pottery and fire-cracked flints. The site is only a 100m from the Late Bronze Age pile-built 'bridge' or jetty, recorded by a joint UCL/ Museum of London team in 1993-5.

Mesolithic sites are very rare in London, and are usually only
represented by flint scatters, rather than by structures. Much more
study is required to make sense of the new find at Vauxhall, and the site should be closely monitored over the next decade, to allow the Thames to expose more of the site and its finds.

The work is being conducted by the Thames Discovery Programme team
(which is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund) in collaboration with the Museum of London and archaeologists from English Heritage and from UCL.'

Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design - Our move to King's Cross

This always seemed a long time in the future and now its nearly here - its going to be quite exciting!

Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design - Our move to King's Cross

Facebook link

Here is the link to the And Did Those Feet Guided Walks facebook page.

 

 

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The Story of Southwark Lecture 10 Jan 2011

THE STORY OF THE BOROUGH - ILLUSTRATED TALK BY LEN REILLY
Monday 10 January
7pm (refreshments from 6.30pm) at Starr Auditorium, Tate
Modern,  Bankside; free to members
Illustrated talk by local historian Len Reilly. Membership
of the Community Film Club is aimed at those living in
Southwark and Lambeth. To become a member (it's free) email
communityfilmclub@tate.org.uk or join at door.
Info & map: http://www.London-SE1.co.uk/whatson/event/10325

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