Monthly Archives: June 2014

Buffalo Bill in Swansea – talk at the Waterfront Museum, Saturday 21 June

On Saturday 21 June, at 11.00 in the National Waterfront Museum, John Ashley will give an illustrated talk on the visit of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West to Swansea in 1903. The Wild West was a spectacle and a logistical marvel, hardly rivalled even today. Learn about the show, the personalities – and how to shift a 20,000 seat stadium, 800 men and women, and 600 horses overnight to give two shows a day, every day, in different towns!

The talk is sponsored by the Swansea Branch of the Historical Association. Admission is free, all are welcome. Please check firearms at the door.

Medieval Swansea, 20/21 June

www.medievalswansea.ac.uk

City Witness Exhibition

An exhibition linked to the ‘City Witness’ project will run at Swansea Museum from 21 June, 2014. Events and activities linked to the exhibition include:

Friday 20 June

7.30-9pm: Launch event, including overview of the research, introduction to the digital resources and Q&A with the project team, and Private View of the exhibition with refreshments (by invitation)

Saturday 21 June

10am-12pm: Mapping Medieval Swansea workshop
What can maps tell us about medieval Swansea? This interactive workshop will introduce participants to sources and research techniques for reconstructing historic landscapes.

12.15-1.15pm: Medieval manuscript workshop
The strange tale of William Cragh, hanged in Swansea in 1290, survives in a manuscript in the Vatican Library. This workshop explores the hidden clues and evidence in this fascinating medieval source.

2.30-4.30pm: Medieval Swansea tour
Join the research team to explore traces of medieval Swansea in the city today, and walk in the footsteps of William Cragh and other medieval characters.

(Please contact Swansea Museum for further information regarding these events – booking required.)

Conference Presentations

The ‘City Witness’ project will be represented at a number of conferences in 2014, including:

  • ‘Beyond Engagement: Creating Integration, Innovation and Impact’, University of Victoria, Canada, May 2014
  • Leeds International Medieval Congress, University of Leeds, UK, July 2014
  • Digital Heritage 2014: Digital Communities in Action, University of York, UK, July 2014
  • ‘Urban History: Cities in Europe, Cities in the World’, Lisbon, Portugal, September 2014

 

White Rock conference, 11 June

The White Rock project is holding a mini-conference on Wednesday 11 June at Swansea University. Team members including our invaluable students will present the results of their research and activities, and we will finish by laying plans for the next stages of the project. The programme is below. Lunch will be provided.

Wednesday June 11 2014, Glyndwr A 0930 – 1600
11.00 Introduction John Ashley
11.10 Digital Trails MEng teams
11.30 White Rock site history Rob Hulme
11.55 White Rock lease Dominic Williams
12.10 Schools Pack Rosemary Crahart
12.40 Anthropology and industrial heritage Sarah Rojon
13.00
13.40 White Rock Ferry an oral histories Tudor and Janet Price
14.00 Oral histories Rachael Lovering and Sarah Daly
14.20 Our Heritage funds John Ashley and Kate Spiller
14.30 Discussion – next steps All
15.00 Finish

 

White Rock talk, Cymmer 4 June

John Ashley will give a talk on White Rock to Cymmer Afan and District History Society on Wednesday 4 June at 7pm. The venue is the English Methodist Chapel, directions below.

 

“If you are coming from Swansea the easiest was is along the M4 to junction 40, just after the speed camera. Down the slip road and turn left, following the road sign to

“A4107 Cymmer. Go along the road to the mini island, turn left and up the hill. Follow the road along the A4107 to Cymmer. Do not turn off this road.

“After about 8 miles, you will come into the village of Cymmer. On the left are some new houses, on the right a bowling green and tennis courts. A little further on the right is a bus turning circle and on the left Phil’s DIY. This is Brytwn Road. Follow the road along the flat then up the hill. At the top of the hill STOP. The road bears to the left, but you need to turn right, across the flow of traffic. In front of you is the swimming pool and on your left is the English Methodist Chapel, where we meet. Turn right up the hill and on your left is the entrance to the car park for the swimming pool, park in there (the car park not the swimming pool). Come out of the car park down the hill and cross the road.”