As July draws to a close the glowing warmth of a ruby is somehow mirrored by stunning summer sunrises and sunsets. The dance that light does in and out of different gemstones changes according to the light source, and I feel that sunlight in rubies create an intensity and complexity of colour that few other… Continue reading Laser ruby
Tag: industrial heritage
List of industrial World Heritage Sites
45 industrial heritage sites, centres and lanscapes have been designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO since 1978. 44 currently hold WHS designation as Dresden Elbe Valley, Germany, was delisted in 2009, having only achieved designation in 2004. Liverpool Mercantile Maritime City is currently on UNESCO’s danger list. I am in the process of revising… Continue reading List of industrial World Heritage Sites
Cornish heritage is a man’s game
Cornwall Councillor Bert Biscoe today published a really thought-provoking article on the recommencement of mining in Cornwall: To manicure or mine, Cornwall’s modern dilemma. Amongst other points he raises the issues of the tensions between preservation, environmental sustainability and economic gain; he also makes the point many of us have been thinking about not really… Continue reading Cornish heritage is a man’s game
Artistic licence: misrepresenting (Cornish) history
Last week the temperature under my collar was raised twice over. Both times it concerned a poor representation of the past. One probably down to lazy journalism (but with no real excuses) and the other possibly down to poor editing choices and an over-reliance on a ‘pat narrative’. Here I discuss the first of these,… Continue reading Artistic licence: misrepresenting (Cornish) history
New report on Swansea copperworks: An industrious future from an industrial past
I have recently completed consultancy and research work for Swansea University. In addition to undertaking research on digital heritage in Wales and the potential for creating a digital heritage, history and archaeology hub in Swansea (more on this soon), the university commissioned a report that would provide a vision for the heritage‐led regeneration of the… Continue reading New report on Swansea copperworks: An industrious future from an industrial past
Old pilchards and Cornish industrial fishing heritage
Industrial heritage in Cornwall is completely dominated by mining, and most of that is heavily focused on tin mining and china clay extraction as opposed to that of other metals and minerals such as copper, arsenic and so on. Even more neglected is Cornwall’s fishing and fish processing heritage. The Cornish Quaysude gallery in the National… Continue reading Old pilchards and Cornish industrial fishing heritage
Industrial heritage education at risk?
In this post I outline some of my ideas for better education in industrial history, archaeology and heritage. There are currently no dedicated Masters-level programmes in industrial heritage/history/archaeology and I wanted to find out why (with no agenda either way as to whether or not they ought to exist as specialist programmes). In the first… Continue reading Industrial heritage education at risk?
Reconstructing the historic global copper industry from business archives
On 9 November I will be participating in the Historical Metallurgy Society‘s Research in Progress meeting in Sheffield. The day promises to be extremely varied where experimental archaeologists, historians, scientists and others will be getting together to share various aspects of their work. Subjects will range from the excavation of a medieval smithy in Oxfordshire… Continue reading Reconstructing the historic global copper industry from business archives
My Top 5 for Promoting Industrial History and Heritage
Having had the opportunity to work on various industrial heritage projects over the years and now focusing both my research and professional work in this area, I am publishing what I consider to be five key areas that should be addressed as part of any industrial heritage project. They are particularly aimed at groups and… Continue reading My Top 5 for Promoting Industrial History and Heritage
Turning History into Heritage: Shaping Perceptions of Copper’s Past
The ESRC-funded Global and Local Worlds of Welsh Copper Project achieved its third milestone on 30 June when the gallery exhibition Byd Copr Cymru-A World of Welsh Copper was open for preview at the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. The exhibition will run until 15 October 2011 and a travelling version will tour Wales and other… Continue reading Turning History into Heritage: Shaping Perceptions of Copper’s Past