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2009/2008 Roundup
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RECENT MEETINGS
Thursday 24 September 2009
Dr Alan Dowling gave a talk on Grim, Havelok and the founding of Grimsby. Archivist John Wilson kindly brought along the seal of Grimsby to illustrate the talk.
Tuesday 24 March - Paul Genney, barrister and author of Pleading Guilty, gave his personal view on Crime, its causes and statistics.
On Thursday 29th January, members heard about
'The Longitude Harrison Foundation- The Story So Far'
Christina McGilligan-Fell gave a talk and slide show presentation on Barrow-on-Humber's John Harrison, who successfully produced the first accurate marine chronometer. John Harrison was a local genius who achieved world renown. The Foundation is working to raise the profile of this Lincolnshire man.
Free Slide Lectures by Dr. Alan Dowling
Thursday 12th February, 2.00pm.
'DEVELOPMENT OF VICTORIAN GRIMSBY' at Fishing Heritage Centre Grimsby. The talks at the Discovery centre have been extremely popular with an extra session having to be laid on. Therefore, advance booking is advised.
For an update on our historic pub crawl with the re-opening of the Corporation Arms, see our item at left.
Jean Howard on Georgian Louth.
Blue Badge guide and former curator of Louth Museum Jean Howard tempted over 40 members to ignore the baleful warnings of the weather man for our December meeting.
Braving the unrealised threats of snow and ice, our members were rewarded with an illustrated journey back to Georgian Louth.
Warmed up with tales of the vicar who rivalled Laurence Llewellyn Bowen with his interior designs created by snails ( and wondering how English Heritage would have restored the decor if it had survived)the audience was taken back to a time before tarmac and UPVC.
Jean Howard's slides showed the surviving buildings, and pointed out the surviving features which can be seen from the streets. Even more susprisingly, some of the private dwellings are still open to the public thanks to English Heritage grants.
At the end of the lecture, Jean Howard handed round examples of Louth carpets which had been recreated by specialist manufacturers.
After a break for tea, the audience responded with an enthusiastic question and answer session regarding planning and preservation matters.
06 12 08
See details at left on our Heritage Days (Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September) and the Civic Society's contributions to NE Lincs council's "Big Conversation".
Grimsby in Bloom won first prize in two categories at Cleethorpes Carnival - more details at left.
See all about our July and June Events ( including the Free Guided Walk) at left. We're trying out a new way of showing you photo's in these items, so please let us know if you have any problems following the links.
As part of the region-wide events of the First Civic Societies Week, Grimsby, Cleethorpes & District Civic Society staged a guided walk of the new Cleethorpes Heritage Trail on Sunday 22nd June. Around 30 souls braved the Saharan breezes to follow Ernie Brown and Alan Dowling on the trail.
Open Meeting: Thursday 12 June 2008. Kevin Booth of English Heritage spoke on the history and renovation of Thornton Abbey.
14 July 2009
AGM - Thornton Abbey Talk
Vice Chair Pauleen Bridges stepped in at the last minute to host the Annual General Meeting after chairman Paul Genney lost his voice.
Pauline thanked Malcolm Hoole and Sheila Seifers who had retired from the Executive, and welcolmed Alan Dowling as our new Vice-President. Kevin Booth of English Heritage spoke on Thornton Abbey.
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Thornton Abbey: Dr Kevin Booth of English Heritage disillusioned some attendees at an otherwise interesting lecture on Thornton Abbey when he revealed that the tale of naughty monks being bricked up behind the walls of Thornton Abbey is nothing more than a myth.
Nevertheless, there was plenty of interesting detail in the slide show. Among the more surprising revelations; one of the carvings in the gatehouse interior is used as a standard project by digital imaging companies, which compare their 3D renditions of the stonework as a test against previous versions.
The imposing 69 foot high gatehouse of Thornton Abbey, has survived since the 14th century. Ironically it has outlived the buildings it was created to protect. Nothing remains of the 12th Century abbey, while the Early Gothic abbey from the 13th Century exists only as three walls of the chapter house and part of the cloister.
Given over to the Ministry of Works by the fifth Earl of Yarborough in 1938, the site is currently in the care of English Heritage and is open to the public. A lavish new exterior oak staircase gives access to the gothic interior which includes new features revealed during extensive renovation.
Thornton Abbey was founded as a priory in 1139 and elevated to an Abbey in 1148.
It was a home for the Augustinian order.
The Gatehouse is 21 metres (69 feet) high
After the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381, the Abbot was given a “license to crenellate”, enlarging and fortifying the gatehouse.
The Abbey was closed in 1539 by Henry VIII as part of the dissolution.
A recent grant from Yorkshire Forward has allowed English Heritage to renovate the site. Although there is now for the first time an admission charge, the site now includes a visitor centre.
March 2008 Meeting
Walks Talks and Flowers was the title of a multimedia presentation during the first Open Meeting of the year.
Hosted by Ernie Brown, Chairman of the Heritage sub Committee, the evening outlined the Society’s development of a series of Heritage walks around Grimsby and Cleethorpes, and detailed its part in the launch of Grimsby in Bloom and its ongoing support for the award winning Cleethorpes in Bloom 2008 campaign.
Members also learned how the Civic Society hoped to reward good design in local architecture and shared open spaces, by sponsoring a Civic Award scheme to be nominated by members.
Humberstone Fitties: The Story of a Lincolnshire Plotland. The open meeting saw the unveiling of this reprint of Alan Dowling's 2001 history of this Cleethorpes landmark. The first edition sold out very quickly and the Society was supporting this reprint in response to popular demand.
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