Old Sarum Landscape Project 2018

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Alex Langlands, Archaeology, Old Sarum, Stratford sub Castle, University of Southampton, University of Swansea, volunteer

Alex Langlands

We were lucky enough at the museum to have Alex Langlands speaking twice last month on the Old Sarum Landscape Project. He gave a talk for Volunteers on 18 July to nearly one hundred, and again over the Festival of Archaeology weekend to possibly 50 or more members of the public. This blogger went to both talks and hung on every word!

The Project took off in 2014, a re-evaluation of the nature and extent of the archaeology of Old Sarum and its environs, with a focus on Roman, Saxon and medieval phases. A video of Alex Langlands talking about the project in 2017 is available here. Part of this season’s work (a collaboration between the University of Southampton and the University of Swansea) involved an investigation of the western suburb of Old Sarum. There was what was described as “a fair settlement” in a 16th century document, and early maps show buildings at ‘Newton Westgate’ (new town by west gate!). It looks as if there was a small but busy ‘town’ both sides of what is now Phillips Lane, and in the area of Stratford Road,  probably serving the old Cathedral and the clergy at Old Sarum. An area to the east of Old Sarum has been better excavated but little is so far known about this western development.

These days, archaeologists often rely largely on archive material (such as the 16th c document and old maps mentioned above) and on non-intrusive surveys (eg field walking and magnetic surveys, sometimes known as ‘geophys’!) However they still like to excavate, if necessary, and given the chance, even though, ultimately of course, digging is destructive. Excavation has revealed medieval and earlier, Roman, building and 10th – 13th century pottery.

Surveying at the beginning of the season – remember a chilly wet spring?

 

Surveying at the site continuing

 

Excavations below the outer walls of Old Sarum

Some of the finds – a lot of pottery always indicates domestic buildings

(all photos above from the Old Sarum Landscape Project facebook page. Video is from the Stratford sub Castle village website.)

Salisbury Museum PAS volunteer Alix Smith assists the excavation by using a                         metal detector over the spoil heaps, to see if anything has been missed.

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VISIT TO DEVIL’S DEN, MARLBOROUGH by Volunteer Alan Crooks

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Art, Devils Den, Marlborough, volunteer, Wiltshire

Continuing my quest to visit every site featured in the 2017 temporary exhibition, ‘British Art: Ancient Landcapes’, last week my wife and I visited the Devil’s Den, near Marlborough. This is a neolithic passage tomb, thought to be about 5000 years old, and featured in at least two of the artworks in the exhibition. One was John Piper’s 1981 cartoon for the stained glass window in Wiltshire Museum, Devizes (Fig. 1) and the other was in a cabinet in Gallery 1 which, if I recall correctly, was A.C. Smith’s ‘Cromlech in Clatford Bottom – The Devil’s Den’, (Fig. 2).

Fig 1

Fig 2

The Devil’s Den was first recorded in 1723 by the antiquarian, William Stukeley, whose illustrations show a long barrow of considerable length with several large sarsen stones, of which only three remain today, arranged similarly to a Welsh cromlech.

As pointed out by various commentators on ‘Trip Adviser’, the Devil’s Den is not easy to find and it’s difficult to get to as it’s on private land, albeit with permissive access, and with no convenient parking. Not having an appropriate Ordance Survey map to hand, I had to rely on an aged Readers Digest/AA Book of the Road, on which the Devil’s Den wasn’t marked.  Hence I downloaded the route from the AA Classic Routefinder, which instructed us to leave Salisbury on the A345, turn right onto the A4 towards Marlborough and then take the first left towards Fyfield Farm.

This particular lane was marked ‘No Public Vehicular Access’, so we parked on the verge at the start of the lane. I walked back to a finger post to check that it directed us to the Devil’s Den, but it was just a ‘bald’ sign with no directions to anywhere marked!

We walked up the incline to the end (Fyfield Farm).  En route we met a delivery van coming the other way and stopped him to ask if the lane led to the Devil’s Den and were surprised to hear he’d never heard of it. This was another experience shared with commentators to ‘Trip Adviser’! At Fyfield Farm we again asked directions and this time were directed along a u-shaped track between hedges. The lady confirmed that there were no signposts to the Devil’s Den, and further assured us that we would be the only people there!

At the end of the track was a gate into a field warning us to ‘Beware of the bull’ (Fig. 3) … but the cromlech was nowhere in sight!

Fig 3

Climbing a hillock, I was relieved to see the cromlech, still some distance away across a field. This field was dotted with large boulders (Fig. 4) of which we’d seen several more on the approach lane and track – a classic glacial boulder field, and presumably the source of the Stonehenge sarsen stones. As noted by others on ‘Trip Adviser’ the paths leading to the cromlech/dolmen¹ are not well worn and, in fact, are very indistinct, indicating that the monument is not frequently visited.

Fig 4

On arrival we found an impressive structure consisting of two standing stones, a capstone and two fallen stones (Fig. 5) , these being all that remain of what was the entrance to a long mound thought to have been about 230 feet long. The capstone is believed to weigh in excess of 17 tons.

Fig 5

As might be expected with an ancient tomb, there is much folklore associated with the Devil’s Den. Indeed, the Devil himself, is said to yoke up four white oxen in an attempt to dislodge the capstone. Another local tradition says that if water is poured into hollows in the capstone (Fig. 6), the water mysteriously vanishes during the night having been consumed by the demon who haunts it. Yet another tale concerns the eerie baying of a hound at night.

Fig 6

When we visited, these hollows contained evidence of substances having been burned in them, as I’ve witnessed still happens at Stonehenge during the solstices.

Having spent a good half hour at the Devil’s Den we made our way back, lingering to harvest a good 2lb of blackberries in the lane, which we’d spotted earlier, and later that evening made into a delicious blackberry crumble.

Also on the way home we stopped to take photographs of the White Horse at Alton Barnes, another site which featured in British Art: Ancient Landscapes.

1. The word ‘dolmen’, is thought to be a derivative of ‘dillion’, meaning boundary mound.

 

 

A “thank you..”

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Tate Britain, volunteer, Volunteering

A comment sent in by a fellow Volunteer, responding to Christine Mason’s blog ‘Tate Britain’ (see 5 June):

Thank you, Chris for this encouraging, interesting and beautiful word-painting of the day you shared. It seems there was a good mix of roles represented from Salisbury and a valuable opportunity to share and learn from others within the Partnership.
PS The hospitality afforded by Tate Britain sounds just about bearable too!
Proud to be a very tiny, occasional cog. Thank you all.

Recommended

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Cafe, Museum, volunteer

An unsolicited recommendation from one of our Volunteers:

“The Café at Salisbury Museum is an ideal venue for meeting friends and enjoying good beverages, cakes, etc, either before or after visiting the amazing Museum.
I wish the new franchisee all the very best with their venture.
Hope to see you soon!”

HAROLD IRA COUCHMAN, RFC, RAF (1897-1961) by Volunteer Alan Crooks

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RAF, volunteer

This week, being the week that the Royal Air Force officially celebrates the centenary of its formation,  from the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service, seems as good a time as any to relate part of the story of the father of my late step-mother, who was a member of both the RFC and RAF.

Although I had known part of his story from my step-mother, who was very close to, and proud, of him, my interest was particularly stimulated when, in conducting her house clearance, I came across several artefacts including his khaki tunic complete with RAF Flying Wings (Squadron Leader John Sharp, Project Director at Boscombe Down Aviation Collection commented that, although he was aware that such artefacts existed he had never seen one), his forage cap, his RFC Aviation Certificate and his Flying Log (Fig 1). Intriguingly, with the collection there was also a pen or pencil sketch of the R34 airship, signed ‘Frank Boorman’ (Fig. 2).

Fig. 1. Collection of artefacts belonging to Harold Ira Couchman

Fig. 2. Pen/ink drawing of R34 Airship

The 1901 and 1911 censuses show that Harold was born at Crockham Hill in Kent, his father being Samuel Herbert Couchman, a butler who was living at Chartwell. His date of birth, shown on a Royal Aero Club Flying Certificate (Fig 3) was 18^th February 1897.

Fig.3. Royal Aero Club Flying Certificate

His profession at the time of taking this certificate is given as ‘Motor Coach Proprietor’. Indeed, around 1925, Messrs Newton and Couchman, trading as Wylye Valley Motor Services, took over a bus service operating from Chitterne via Codford and Sutton Veny; this business itself being taken over by J&O Withers in 1955.

The vehicle he was thought to have been using at the time he sold his business to Withers is a 1942 Bedford OWB with a Roe utility body (Figure 4), which he bought second hand in 1948¹.

Couchman’s vehicles had red livery. A 1934 timetable is reproduced in Figure 5²

It is thought that Withers didn’t acquire any of Couchman’s buses as they purchased a Bedford OB from another bus company and Couchman’s OWB would have been too old by this time¹.

Fig.4. 1942 Bedford OWB bus of Wylye Valley Motor Services

Fig.5. Timetable for Wylye Valley Motor Services

Harold appears to have first gained a Royal Aero Club Aviator’s Certificate on 12^th March 1918, when he was a sergeant serving with the Royal Flying Corps, and this is shown in Figure 6.

Fig. 6. Harold Couchman’s Royal Aero Club Aviator’s Certificate (1918)

 As mentioned above, on the 6^th October, 1932, he took another flying certificate with the Wiltshire School of Flying on a Redwing aircraft.

The Wiltshire School of Flying was founded in 1931 with a membership of 120 and was based at High Post Aerodrome, Middle Woodford (Figure 7). This airfield featured in the recent film ‘Secret Spitfires’ which tells the tale of how over 2000 Spitfire aircraft were built in Salisbury and test-flown at Highpost. This airfield closed at the end of 1945 as it lay directly in line with the new runway at Boscombe Down).  Wiltshire School of Flying was equipped with one Robinson Redwing and one Spartan Arrow aircraft. The Chief Instructor was E.G. Hordern and Harold was one of the original members.

Fig. 7. High Post Aerodrome, Middle Woodford, ca 1930s.

The Robinson Redwing was a British two-seat single-engined biplane, which had folding wings, and first flown in 1930. Twelve were produced, selling mostly to clubs, of which one survives, G-ABNX (Figure 8).

Fig.8. The last surviving Robinson Redwing, G-ABNX

An article from a local newspaper from October 1932 makes fascinating reading and is reproduced here in toto:

HIGHPOST ‘PLANE CRASH

CODFORD PILOT’S EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE

MACHINE FOULS OVERHEAD WIRES

The first accident to any machine from the Highpost Aerodrome, near Salisbury, which occurred at Highpost Hill on Wednesday evening, was marked by the extraordinary escape of the pilot, Harold Couchman, a motor services proprietor of Codford.

Mr Couchman, an experienced pilot, who served with the Royal Air Force in the war, was flying solo in a Redwing aircraft, belonging to the Wiltshire Flying Club, to which he belongs. His machine had been in the air only about twenty minutes, when flying above the by-road which leads from the main road to the Club’s aerodrome, it struck some overhead electricity high tension wires, tore down telephone wires on the other side of the by-road, travelled a short distance with the wires entwined about it, and crashed on its nose.

The craft turned turtle and was twisted, and the front portion was wrecked.

An attendant from a near-by garage dashed to the machine and found that the pilot was already out of the cockpit and was lying on the wing, dazed. He had received only minor facial injuries and a broken knee. A nurse who was playing golf on the Highpost-Course hurried to render first-aid.  Motorists went for other assistance; the telephone wires being down, and ambulances from the R.A.F. Station at Old Sarum and the Salisbury City Fire Brigade were quickly on the scene.

Mr Couchman was taken to a Salisbury Nursing Home in the Air Force Ambulance. He had been a member of the Flying Club since it was formed twelve months ago, and had been frequently piloting machines.

 This accident happened on Wednesday 12^th October, 1932.

Tragically, in November of that same year, Harold and his wife, Greta’s, son, Peter, died from septicaemia, aged 7 years. He had fallen over in the school playground, cutting his leg, but didn’t tell his Mum until he was in the bath later that evening. His grave is at Codford St Mary.

Harold Couchman died on 31^st March, 1961 and his grave is in the ANZAC War Graves Cemetery in Codford St Mary (Figure 9).

Fig. 9. Harold and Greta’s grave at the ANZAC War Graves cemetery, Codford St Mary

Harold Couchman’s personal items, depicted above, have been donated to Boscombe Down Aviation Collection at Old Sarum. Also among Harold’s artifacts is his ‘The Ideal Royal Flying Corps Loose Leaf Note Book’ containing his training notes, Lecture 1 being on ‘Map Reading’.  BDAC inform me that the RAF Museum at Hendon is very interested in this because, although they have details of the training syllabus for RFC pilots, information on how the course was delivered is scant.

BDAC intend to put use these artifacts as part of a new display on the Royal Flying Corps..

References

1. Phil Groocock for the Warminster Vintage Bus Running Day Team (Personal Communication).
2. Motor ‘Bus & Coach  Proprietors of Wiltshire in 1933. Roger Grimley; and https://warminstervbrd.wordpress.com/history/withers/

 

 

 

 

 

AUGUSTUS AND GWEN JOHN by Volunteer Alan Crooks

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Augustus John, Collections, Gwen John, Poole Museum, volunteer

Earlier this month (12 June) I was one of a party of Salisbury Museum volunteers privileged to be taken to see the ‘Augustus John – Drawn from Life’ exhibition at Poole Museum.

As such I was intrigued to read that Augustus John was born in Tenby; intrigued because I was aware of a Blue Plaque to Augustus John in my wife’s home town of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. This stimulated me to check on my ‘Blue Plaques’ Pinterest site, from which I recalled that Augustus John once lived in Haverfordwest in the house in which his sister, the artist Gwen John, was born.

In this connection, the local J D Wetherspoon pub is The William Owen and this has many Augustus John reproduction paintings/prints on the walls. On discussing this with the landlord he informed me that Wetherspoon’s take a lot of trouble to integrate their pubs in with the local history. This was reinforced for me last year when I was listening to a ‘Word of Mouth’ programme on BBC Radio 4 about ‘Pub Names’. Here, one of the interviewees was Eddie Gershon, long time publicist for the J D Wetherspoon chain, who explained that Wetherspoons open about 20 new pubs per year, the vast majority of which have individual names based on the local history. An individual, Ray Colvin, is employed for the purpose of researching the local history.

Returning to The William Owen pub, this has information on the wall, in English and Welsh, about Augustus John:

“The leading portrait painter of his generation, Augustus John was born in Tenby, in 1878, but spent his early years in Haverfordwest. He and his sister, Gwen, were looked after by two aunts, Rose and Lily, both officers in the Salvation Army.

In the summer of 1897 Augustus hit his head on a rock whilst diving into the sea. The incident seems to have radically changed his character. A bohemian lifestyle followed, which made him one of the most talked about figures of his day. Many distinguished people had their portraits painted by John, including Dylan Thomas and Winston Churchill.” However, Lord Leverhulme was so upset with his portrait that he cut the head off it. Augustus John died in 1961, aged 83.”

And this about Gwen John:

“The highly acclaimed artist Gwen John was born in Victoria Place, Haverfordwest, in June 1876. Gwen painted and drew from an early age, later studying at the Slade School of Art in London.

In 1913 Gwen converted to Catholicism, saying “my religion and my art, these are my life”. Most of her paintings depict single figures, typically nuns, set in interiors and sensitively painted.

For many years her work was eclipsed by that of her brother, Augustus. However, he prophesied that one day his sister would be thought of as a better artist. Gwen John died in 1939, since when “his star has fallen and hers has risen”.

‘Girl Reading at the Window’ 1911

For completeness, one should mention that William Owen, after whom the pub is named, was appointed county surveyor in 1824, and was four times mayor of Haverfordwest.  He was the driving force behind the improvements made in Haverfordwest in the early 19th century and  designed several buildings in Haverfordwest.

HENRY LAMB’S PAINTING ‘AN INSTRUCTOR…’ by Volunteer Alan Crooks

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Museum, volunteer

Henry Lamb’s painting:  ‘An Instructor of the Royal Air Force Co-operation School’ (Imperial War Museum)

As a person with a long-standing interest in aviation, my favourite pieces in this exhibition are those created when Lamb was attached to the School of Army Cooperation at Old Sarum.

I was particularly struck by the oil on canvas painting entitled ‘An Instructor of the Royal Air Force Co-operation School, 1941’ .

A check of the Imperial War Museum’s website (from whom the painting has been loaned) describes the painting as a “portrait of a young man in RAF uniform and a sheepskin jacket” and identifies the sitter to be Flight Lieutenant Caradoc Bowen-Davies who was killed aged 24 in a flying accident at R.A.F. Old Sarum on 22^nd September, 1941. Henry Lamb subsequently wrote to the War Artists Advisory Committee, “I am terribly dashed by the death this week of that delightful airman […] C. Bowen-Davies. He was night flying. I had palled up with him considerably: he used to come often with his charming young wife”.

An online Bowen-Davies family tree shows that Caradoc’s wife was Betty Nash, and they had a daughter, Cara Patricia, who was born in 1942, i.e. after Caradoc’s death.  His parents were Elystan (1883-1947) and Katie Guinlan.

Caradoc Bowen-Davies had been a pupil at Oundle School, an independent school in Peterborough,  as he features in the Old Oundelian Memorials on the school heritage website.

 Oundle School Memorial to Caradoc Bowen-Davies

Flight Lieutenant Caradoc Bowen-Davies’ name is recorded in Flight Magazine (November 13, 1941) under the heading, ‘Killed on Active Service’. This was Air Ministry Casualty Communique 89.

It appears that Flight Lieutenant Bowen-Davies (Service No. 33302) may also have been involved in an earlier incident as a thread on a Royal Air Force Commands website (thread  concerning ‘Unaccounted Airmen’) states:

“F/Lt (Pilot) Caradoc BOWEN-DAVIES – 33302 – the Graves Registration Report Form gives his unit as 41 O.T.U.

The Western Mail of June 7th 1940 had reported the following:

Reported Missing: Now in Hospital
Flight Lieut. Caradoc Bowen-Davies, Cardiff, who a few days ago was reported missing, is in a South of England hospital suffering from wounds to both arms and legs.”

Flight Lieutenant Caradoc Bowen-Davies is recorded as being Buried/Commemorated in St Andrews Churchyard, Laverstock, as listed on CWGC (the Commonwealth War Graves Commission).

TATE BRITAIN by Volunteer Christine Mason

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Constable, Tate, volunteer

Christine and Nicola Trowell

Aspire Partner Seminar – Tate Britain, Friday 1^st June 2018

Tate Britain hosted a full day seminar involving all the partners in the five year project, Aspire,  surrounding John Constable’s 1831 painting, ‘Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows’, and its journey round the UK.

Salisbury Museum was represented by Adrian Green, Louise Tunnard, Nicola Trowell (Aspire Trainee), and later in the day Katy England, and exhibition stewards Chris Frost and Chris Mason.  Getting its priorities right, the Tate first served a buffet lunch in the elegant Grand Saloon of sandwiches and salads, which gave everyone the opportunity to circulate, renew acquaintances among the Tate staff, meet representatives from the other centres and look at the two screens showing a continuous film of scenes from all the locations, including, of course, our own contemporary shot of the water meadows from Constable’s viewpoint with the sheep behaving very nicely.

The first session was open discussion, chaired by Caroline Collier, around four topics, the first being the Aspire Vision, the aim of which had been to equate Constable with Turner as the major figure in 19^th century British landscape painting, and to bring new audiences to view the iconic painting.  The painting’s first location was the national Museum of Wales, Cardiff, and it was also shown at the visitor centre of Oriel y Parc, St David’s Pembrokeshire, where it caused great interest as visitors to the National Park, had not expected to see such a painting there, and queried if it was the REAL thing, but returned in their thousands for another view.  Salisbury had the advantage of being the actual spot where it was created, which made for a powerful experience, and the reproduction in Lego brought in a whole new audience.  The Scottish National Gallery was the only other partner to pursue the Lego theme, and removed a painting to accommodate it, which caused complaints by regular visitors to the gallery, but that was resolved by putting the Lego in the gallery’s foyer.

The second topic was Partnership Working, with everyone in agreement that it was successful, partly as five was a manageable number with which to work together.  Ipswich and Colchester felt they had moved to a new level of knowledge and new skills, after having had hard work convincing their Council of the worth of having the painting.

Thirdly, Workforce Participation was the subject, and it was widely agreed that the partnership had shown how to work in different situations, with different colleagues, with the benefit of others’ expertise, and all learnt from one special painting.

The last section of this session was devoted to how, over the five years of the project, changes have occurred in staffing, building works, organisational priorities, etc. and what lessons could be learnt from running a five year programme.

After a cup of tea and biscuit the second session was a panel discussion, again under four headings, with representatives from each partnership giving a short account beginning with Star Works and Tourism. Ipswich and Colchester Museums, based at Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich, felt they were rather off the beaten track of tourists, so they needed the local community to visit regularly , and having a ‘star work’ helped this aim. The Welsh National Park was in agreement with this, and said how much the painting had caused conversation and brought in locals.  Salisbury said to isolate a star work from its usual surroundings made it shine.

In the marketing section Tate said the ambitious project had exceeded all targets, and all participating had done well in bringing in new audiences.  Salisbury said to help achieve this all schools in the area had been sent flyers and the Lego had brought many families in as they had actually been engaged in putting in the tiles.

Under Access Training there had been Visual Awareness sessions headed by the Tate.  Cardiff had done and continued to do work with the visually impaired and had a guide dog blogger.

The fourth subject in this session was the all important subject of curating Constable, which had been organised differently by each partner for their own particular venue.  As Ipswich has a collection of early Constable paintings of his home ground, these were grouped with the Salisbury Cathedral painting.  Scotland teamed it with works by William McTaggart, 1835-1910, Scottish landscape painter, who as Constable was to Suffolk and Salisbury, McTaggart was to Kintyre.   Tate Britain has taken it back to its original Royal Academy hanging of 1831 and it has one wall to itself, but Turner either side of it.

The next move was to view Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows in its shiny new frame and hanging in splendid isolation, but with the Turners nearby.  The meeting then shifted to the Clore part of the building for a luxurious celebratory tea, with champagne and a welcoming address from the Tate Britain Director and a representative from the Art Fund.

The final session of the day was in the Clore Auditorium and a short film of the reframing of the painting.  The Tate’s framer, Adrian Moore, and two young members of staff were in the film and present for the discussion after.  It was decided to reframe the painting as the previous frame was in the style of the early 18^th century, so would not have been what Constable himself would have used.  The current frame is a design that would have been familiar to Constable in 1831.  The film showed the plain wooden frame, the mouldings being attached and the gold leaf applied, a lengthy and painstaking business.

Three of the four Aspire Trainees, including our own Nicola Trowell, then spoke of how the training had helped them further their careers, and all felt the educational part rewarding.

After a summing up, we were invited to enjoy ourselves at Late at the Tate.  The Tate’s young people groups were in the galleries with creative workshops, music, etc., Aspire themed.  We had been given vouchers for the street café, which had opened in the Tate’s café, and we relaxed with a delicious supper and glass of wine outside on the terrace.

It was a wonderful day, and brilliantly organised by the Tate, but of course we couldn’t leave without saying, ‘Hello’ to our very own Rex Whistler’s self portrait which hangs at the entrance to the restaurant he decorated so beautifully.

It Will Be a Treat!

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Collections, Photo archive, volunteer

 

Alan Clarke is well known to us here on the Volunteer blog. He is a regular contributor, treating us to his observations of the fascinating detail in some of the photographs in the museum collection.

Now join him for his talk, which will be a real treat, in the Lecture Hall, on Thursday 7 June at 6.30pm. The Salisbury Museum holds an incredible archive of old images. These include the Salisbury Journal photographic negatives archive dating back to 1953, and 60,000 negatives which form The Austin Underwood collection. Photographer, museum volunteer and blogger, Alan Clarke will talk about how the image collection has been scanned, recorded and ordered, and the work that remains to be completed. In the process of putting the archive into order, some fascinating images have been unearthed and this is a unique opportunity to see these. Discover how this vast resource is being used and the search techniques available.

I KNOW HER! by Volunteer Alan Clark

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Collections, Museum, volunteer

My great joy of living in Salisbury is that I have been here since birth and thus know so many people.  So it is, as I help, with others, working our way through scanning all the museum’s negatives, we discover photos of people we know.  The negative is slowly scanned and there,  before our eyes, appears a face we recognise.

The photograph here is of a very young lady, as she was when the photograph was taken in 1973.  She was in the same class, at school, as my wife.  But there, in the background of the photograph, is the plumage of a bird and its head.  To me this bird can be no other than a Salisbury Museum Great Bustard.  The archway on the left, and possibly more displays beyond, appear to confirm that it is the museum.  But what is she doing?

The photograph is not clear enough to enable me to read the notice above her head or the poster in front of her.  The contraption she is working on appears, at first sight, awfully modern for a museum.  Was she a volunteer?

A copy of the Salisbury Journal around the end of January 1973 might give the answer. On examining the contraption in detail, one finds, at the top, the famous Salisbury Museum chess knight.  Foremost there is a transparent dome over a possible display of neck pendants.  One of these pendants is hanging over the front, showing an eight-sided flower motif.  On the right there is another, much taller, transparent dome which would go over the tall work piece.  The half tin, precariously balanced on the stand top, looks as though it has a nail-like pin in it.  Are these what the young lady is using?

I conclude that she is working on some special museum display.  It looks as though the basic material being used to support the objects is cut foam rubber.  This is the material that was used to line boxes carrying delicate instruments such as cameras.  Pins and nails would easily push into such material.

Ann and I both wondered what our erstwhile friend is up to now.  We haven’t seen her around Salisbury for decades.  A search on the internet tracked her down to a business in Bristol. It would appear from her website that her museum experience has stood her in good stead.  Maybe she could visit from Bristol and give a museum lecture on how working at the museum can lead to an exciting career?

As Alan explains, he works with our photograph archive and sends us endlessly fascinating examples from the collection to ponder. Thank you Alan.