REPORT FOR HISTORY MEETING ON 17.9.2012

At this meeting we talked about Explorers and their journeys..when you look back in history for thousands of years people have explored by land or boats hugging the coasts, however it was not until about the middle of the 15th century were ships big enough to venture across the big oceans of the world, mind you big at that time was about 85 tons.
By about the fifth century B.C. the Pythagorean school had evolved the theory of a spherical earth,a theory which although deduced on philosophical rather than empirical grounds ,has been followed by liberal minded students ever since. Only in the early Christian times of the dark ages was this globular hypothesis ruled out, and even then there were a few daring souls, who, by defying the Church, kept alive this geographical truth, which was to be of such epoch-making importance in the 15th century,
In 325BC Pytheas of Greece had heard of these Islands on the edge of the known world inhabited by one eyed men and griffins, but whom supplied tin to the continent which when smelted and alloyed with copper- produced bronze. So he travelled around the European coast to the white cliffs of Dover.
The inspiration according to one theory for the country's earliest recorded name of Albion which comes from the Celtic word for white.
He travelled across around Albion and described the shape as a wonkey triangle-rival geographers scorned Pytheas but his findings still survive to this day.
We also talked about Cortes in Mexico, the famous explorers who in 1803-after France had sold Louisiana to the new USA- travelled and explored its breath and depth.
Lesley talked about Yuri Gargarin the famous Russian astronaut who circled the earth once in 1961 but was killed in a plane crash in Siberia area in 1968.
Various other famous explorers were talked about and all enjoyed the meeting.

The next meeting will be the combined History meeting at Copythorne Parish Hall with Totton Souths History Group where will enjoyed a digital slide show on Queen Victoria on Wednesday 17/10/12

On Monday 18th June

The History Group had their annual outing, which this year was to Bucklers Hard.

A picnic on the green sward overlooking the Beaullieu river. Members looked over the Museum, the cottages including the chapel, a drink in the "local" pub, and topped it all up with a ride on a pleasure boat down the Beaulieu River.
AND THE SUN SHONE ON US ALL DAY -

My thanks to Pat Osborne for providing the photos.

APRIL MEETING

At this meeting the topic was “The National Trust.

It was founded and launched by, Octavia Hill, Robert Hunter and Cannon Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley on 12th January 1895,
But was later re-incorporated by a private Act of Parliament and the National Trust Act of 1907 and subsequent Acts since.

All the above plus many more- especially Octavia Hill had been concerned and involved for many years before in the preserving of old historic land and property, especially Octavia with her many housing projects in London for the poor with many backers including the Earl of Westminster.

The National Trust Acts also granted the trust the unique statutory power to declare land “ inalienable”. This prevents the land from being sold or mortgaged against the Trust’s wishes without special parliamentary procedure.
In one case only has the inalienability of Trust land been overridden by Parliament in the case of the proposal to construct a section of the Plimpton - by -pass through the park at Saltram, on the grounds that the road proposal had been known about before the park at Saltram had been declared inalienable,

Since its start the Trust has grown, acquiring open land, parks, old houses and nature reserves and their battle is still going on to preserve as much as possible for future generations,
The first building it acquired was the Alfriston Clergy House, its first Nature reserve was Wicken Fen, and the first land acquistion was the Brandelhow Estate on the west shore of Derwentwater in the Lake District.

And finally the Trust’s symbol, a sprig of oak leaves and acorns is thought to have been inspired by a carving in the cornice of the Alfriston Clergy Houses- the first property it acquired in 1896.

The next meeting will be on Monday the 21st May, and the topic will be
“A local history item or event”.
Michael Page.

March Meeting

At our March meeting the topic for discussion was “Workhorses of the Industrial Revolution”
This is a big subject as the Industrial only really started properly when transport around the U.K. improved. The first change was the introduction of the canal as a means of transporting goods , and although the barges could only travel at the speed of the horse, it did mean that goods arrived in a far better condition
than being carried on pack horses in boxes and baskets. This applied especially to goods like pottery and glassware where the breakage rate must have been quite high..
Also with the introduction of steam trains it meant that fresh produce could be carried inland to the cities and towns in a matter of hours rather than days. With regard to the transport of freshly caught fish from the ports to the urban areas csme probably the idea of fish and chips, which I believe was a Northern idea,

By the early 19th century it was common for children of all ages to be working in the factories, mines and fields and even as chimney sweeps in the towns. It was not until nearly the mid 19th century that acts were brought in the prevent children and women from working down the mines, but conditions were still grim for most of the working class.

By the end of the century conditions were starting to improve and more people were interested in improving their lives- especially people like Lord Shaftesbury.

We also talked about local stories and some of our members related tales of their parents and grandparents and the jobs and conditions that they had to endure.

The next meeting will be on Monday 16th April and the topic will be the National Trust.

Michael Page

20th February 2012

History Group Meeting on Monday 20th February 2012.

At this our second meeting of the year we had 15 members present and the subject for discussion was “The Victorians”.

This is a very broad subject of course, but it was said that the three great reigns of monarchs have been noted by their names and they are all Queens(men beware) - the Elizabethan , the Victorian and of course our current Queen- 60 years so far and look what has happened so far.

In this time called the 100 years of peace-although there were a succession of wars around the globe in which we were involved. There were countless inventions, such as steam trains which have had such a profound effect on our lives with mass travel being possible for the first time. Fish and chips as the trains could have the fresh fish taken from the ports to the cities in hours rather than days.
Up to the mid 18 hundreds when you had an operation you just had to grit your teeth and endure the terrible pain, but with the advent of anaesthetics it mean that the patient no longer had to be held during surgery.
The Bicycle, the car, the telephone, ice creams, baked beans and so much more.
This was a golden age of discovery and progress, but at the same time millions lived in abject poverty. Whereas at the beginning of Victoria’s reign the workhouse was supreme and it was your fault if you were poor, by the end of the 19th century attitudes had completely changed the country took it as their responsibility and job to help you.

All this and so much more.

Our next meeting is on Monday 19th March and the topic for discussion will be “Workhorses-the Industrial Revolution”.

Michael Page

First meeting 16th Jan 2012

Our meetings have just restarted and the first one was on Monday 16th January 2003.

At this meeting there were 17 members present and we were very lucky to have a digital slide show and talk on the Beaulieu River Estuary and its history attached to it,
given by Sarah Marsden who lives in that area. Indeed we saw a picture of her home.
This show lasted about 30 minutes, after which there were question and and answers plus some interesting stories about this area from Sarah Marsden.
We then had refreshments and more talk before members started to leave.
It was a wonderful talk and slide show and we all very much and enjoyed it appreciated .

Our next meeting will be on Monday 20th February commencing at 10 am and the subject will be "The Victorians",

Michael Page

FEBRUARY 2011 HISTORY REPORT

FEBRUARY HISTORY REPORT

At this meeting we talked about Workhouses and why they were introduced.
Up to the reign of Henry the VIII the Church undertook to look after the poor and the Monks and Nuns did a very good job, as they adhered to the Bible instructions given in Matthew Chapter 25 which stated that all Christians shall:
# feed the hungry.
#give drink to the thirsty.
#welcome the stranger.
#clothe the naked.
#visit the sick.
#visit the prisoner
#bury the dead.
However this all changed when Henry VIII closed all the Monasteries and a decline in Christian values took place , when all these charitable acts of Mercy towards the unfortunate were no longer seen as a duty nor were they undertaken.

However in Elizabethan times they realised that something had to be done ,and as a result of 6 acts the last being in 1601, the Government formalised a National system for looking after the poor based on “Outdoor Relief “ where help was given in their homes and this carried on with some changes until the Reform Act of 1834.

The Reform Act of 1834 changed everything, as it made parishes group together and build Workhouses where the poor could be looked after. However the system was designed so that the Workhouses would be worse than Hell and people would only go in as a last desperate measure , and it was all run by a board of Commissioners.
The system was not good and after the Andover Workhouse scandal in 1845, the Commission was finally abolished in 1847, but in spite of the shaming of the Poor Law Commission, and the resolution of Parliament to improve conditions in workhouses, these institutions remained grim for many decades to come.
By the end of the century. local councils began to take over the work of the boards of guardians, public attitudes had started to change and although the act remained in force until 1929, it was gradually superseded by other forms of welfare.

Michael Page

November History Report

At this meeting 12 members talked about the role of the Monarchy in the 20th and 21st Century. Up to the time of Charles 1st Kings and Queens thought they were always right , told their subjects what to do and expected to always be obeyed without question.
However after Charles the first had been executed and Cromwell had ruled as Lord Protector and died, they invited Charles 11 back to be their king but on the condition that he would be a constitutional Monarch. This meant that whilst the sovereign is head of state, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected Parliament.

As Head of State, the Monarch undertakes constitutional and representational duties which have developed over 1000 years of history.
In addition to these State duties, the Monarch has a less formal role as Head of Nation. The Sovereign acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride, gives a sense of stability and continuity.
Every year our Royal family carries out over 2000 official engagements throughout the UK and worldwide. Our Royal family also plays an important role in supporting and encouraging the public and charity sectors. About 3000 organisations list a member of the Royal Family as patron or president.
In the meeting, it was felt that although there are some disadvantages in having a Monarchy , these were greatly outnumbered by the many advantages. In most countries around the world the head of state is a political figure, whereas a monarch like our Queen is above politics, and provides stability and continuity in a turbulent world. In addition because of the length of time she has been on the throne she has gained so much experience over the past years from successive leaders and events, that she can offer a wealth of advice and help for the current political leader(who might only be in power for 4-8 years).



The next meeting will be on Monday 17th January 2011 and the topic will be Workhouses.

Michael Page

Our topic for October was South America - the land waiting to be discovered.

Homo Sapiens - hunter gatherers - are known to have crossed the land bridge at the Bering Straits from Russia to Alaska during the last ice age between 30,000 and 13,000 years ago, when vast quantities of water were locked up in the ice, and sea levels were much lower than they are today. Over a period of thousands of years they managed to spread right down the Americas until we reached the furtherest most point of South America.

By the time Columbus set sail in 1492, spices were in great demand in Europe, and so the race was on to find a quicker way westwards to get them.
Columbus landed in what was later called the West Indies, and
it was not long before Spain and Portugal had colonised most of South America, creating Vice Royalties of New Granada, Rio Del La Plata and Peru(Spanish) and the Vice Royalty of Brazil(Portuguese). However on the top North East coast , England, Holland and France managed to established small colonies , with Patagonia at the bottom of South America apparently not colonised by anyone in the early days, but later absorbed by Argentina and the new country of Chile.
In the early 1800s the Spanish and Portuguese colonies gradually gained their independence, and the new countries of Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay and Uruguay were formed from parts of this vast continent.
The move to independence was started by “creoles” - the lower orders of nobles who had settled there and ran the country, but were resentful of the interference in their own affairs by Spain. In many cases powerful leaders arose to help this cause along, often by force of arms.
In the case of Brazil liberal ideas had started to flow across the Atlantic, and so in 1822 they declared themselves independent under the rule of King Pedro 1, son of the Portuguese monarch.
The effects of independence varied, although it is safe to say that the broad mass of people-those who did not own land and enjoyed few if any political rights - probably noticed little difference in their everyday lives. Power was transferred from one set of whites to another, leaving the Indians ,Mestizos and African slaves to carry on much as before,
The dream of a Latin American confederation did not materialise under the growing pressures of regional differences and nationalism, individual countries began to clash, and this in turn opened the way for interference by outside powers.
The main period when these border clashes erupted into full scale war, often involving tanks, artillery, airpower and naval power was between 1899 and 1942, and many thousands of people died.
South America has grown and developed over the years to meet the demands of the modern world, but there is still the problem of guerrilla activity , especially between 1960 and 1973 . But hopefully things will eventually settle down to make South America a peaceful and happy place to live and work in.


The next meeting will be on Monday 15th November and the subject will be “The Role of the Monarchy in the 20th and 21st Centuries.”.
Michael Page.

September Meeting

SEPTEMBER MEETING
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At this meeting we discussed King Arthur and his Knights, and the picture emerges of knights in shining armour on horseback, with lance, sword and shield riding off to do battle against evil on behalf of the damsel in distress. This is however the romantic picture as painted by the Medieval Historians in the 11/12th centuries who were collecting and writing his story down.
The reality is very different. His story is deeply entwined in Celtic mythology and starts as the Roman Legions finally leave Britain in AD410.
From the emerging chaos of many tribes seeking to dominate , a leader called Vortigern emerges and by AD425 has declared himself high king over all Britain, but as he hated the Roman Imperial State System he dismantled all of it and so left Britain in a confused and shaky state and open to all invaders. So he did what the Romans did and invited some Saxons over to defend the British against invading tribes which they did. Then the Saxons wanted more land and trouble started.
In about AD450 Vortigern and many of the tribal leaders had a meeting with the Saxon leaders Hengest and Horsa and tried to sort things out, but the Saxons drew their knives and killed all of the British leaders - in the” Night of the Long Knives“- except Vortigern who was married to Hengist’s daughter. Vortigern fled and his son tried to fight on, but was poisoned by the Saxons.
After this , power in Britain passed into the hands of a coalition of Lords under the leadership of Ambrosius Aurelianus, who was referred to as the last of the Romans and represented the faction who wanted a return to Roman ways.
One source mentions his royal parents, suggesting he may have sprung from a marriage between an old noble British family and a high ranking Roman Official .
Under his leadership they took up arms against the invaders of Britain, the Saxons were pinned down along the east coastal regions, trade re-established with the continent and a basic form of law and order was established in the land. This ran fitfully for 30/40 years. Indeed , one report states that some of the Saxons and Jutes emigrated as they felt that the British venture had failed.
In the late 5th century King Arthur emerges as the leader of the British ,as the Saxons and other foreign tribes start to move westwards again across Britain. It is said that Arthur fought at least 12 battles against the invading hordes in different parts of Britain. The last one -called the Battle of Badon- probably at the beginning of the 6th century , soundly defeated the Saxons and their allies and the result was again their being confined to the eastern coastal regions for probably another 30/40 years until after Arthur’s death . Then when the Saxons, Jutes and Angles again started to move across Britain they came this time as settlers rather than invaders and started to marry into British families and establish a stock that would eventually become a new race called the Anglo Saxons.

Michael Page.

The next meeting will be on Monday 18th October, and the subject will be South America.

July Meeting

At our July meeting we talked about “The formation of modern Italy”, and as the weather was so nice we held our meeting in the garden. The only problem was that as it was so warm it looked as if the two members on the hammock were nodding off.

Italy started life off as a city state many years before the birth of Christ. However by the time the Romans invaded Britain in AD43 the Roman Empire was the biggest ever known, stretching from Northern Britain to Africa and from Portugal in the West to Egypt in the East.
This did not last as Rome fell in AD410 and then for over 1500 years it was invaded, partitioned and fought over by many countries .In addition from early 7th C for about 1200 hundred years there was a Papal State covering about one quarter of modern Italy.

In the mid 1800s Giuseppe Garibaldi managed to unite three quarters of Italy under King Victor Emmanuel, but it was not until 1918 with the collapse of the old Austrian Hungarian Empire at the end of WW1 that Italy managed to regain the remaining top part of old Italy from Lake Garda to the current border with Austria.
In 1919 Mussolini founded the Fascist Party.
In 1919 The Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio plus 2600 men seized back Trieste for Italy, and regarded it as the spoils of war, since the end of WW1 it had been under the control of the League of Nations.
In 1921 Mussolini declared himself “Il Duce” and the following year marched on Rome, seized it, and declared himself the only person capable of ruling Italy.
Italy entered WW11 in 1940 on the German side, but suffered many military defeats, and in 1943 the Italians deposed and killed Mussolini and changed sides in the war.
In a referendum in 1946 the Kingdom of Italy was abolished and the Italian Republic was born.
Italy is now a modern European State and an active member of the European Economic Community.

The next meeting will be on Monday 20th September, and the topic will be the history behind King Arthur and his Knights.

Michael Page.

May/June visit to the Submarine Museum

HISTORY OF SUBMARINES. MAY/JUNE 2010.
====================================

On Monday 17th May, 14 members enjoyed a visit to the Submarine Museum at Gosport. We began with a one hour tour of the WW11 submarine HMS Alliance led by a former crewman. Then members split up into groups visiting the museum of submarine history, the original Holland 1 submarine in its own building, other exhibits around the site and of course refreshments at the café.

On a sunny Monday 21st June we sat in our garden and talked about the history of submarines, and how for many years man had dreamed of going beneath the waves in such a boat.
The first known attempt at building a submarine was in 1620 and built by Van Drebbel. It was a wooden frame and hulled boat covered in leather with oars coming out of sealed flaps to propel it, and it had a Snorkel to let air in.
It is recorded that James 1 had a trip up the River Thames in it at a depth of approximately 12 to 15 feet.

The first recorded time a submarine was used in conflict was in 1775 at Connecticut, USA by the Americans against the British in the war of Independence. It was called the “Turtle” and again was made of wood and sealed. It had one crewman and enough air for 30 minutes and a speed of 3 mph and was operated by a hand cranked propeller (the first recorded use of a screw propeller for ships). An attack failed against HMS Eagle through a combination of strong currents and the copper sheath on the ship’s hull (which prevented a hole being drilled in it to place explosives inside), but this scared the British.

Before Holland 1,the basis of all modern submarines, could be built, a series of events took place including some important inventions:

In 1800 Alexandro Volta- an Italian Physicist, invented the first battery to emit a continuous current.
In 1850 Michael Faraday invented the first working Electric Dynamo.
In 1860 Jules Verne wrote his famous book “20,000 Leagues under the Sea“.
In the mid/late 1800’s some countries, including Britain, built steam powered submarines, with a funnel for surface running.
In 1885 Daimler invented the first successful 4 stroke petrol/gasoline engine.
Then in 1901 Holland 1 was launched and became the first Royal Navy submarine.

Since then the Royal Navy have had built and used many different/improved designs of diesel electric powered boats, however in the late 1960’s/early 1970’s a decision was taken that the UK would operate only nuclear submarines. The Swiftsure and Trafalgar attack class submarines were built and operated, and they are now being gradually taken out of service as the new nuclear attack Astute class submarines come into service (it is hoped that 7 will be built).
Specifications are:
Tonnage: 7800(dived) 6500 (surface).
Dimensions: 97m long x 11.3 m wide x 10 m high.
Max speed: 29 plus knots dived.( a knot is 1.151 mph).
Endurance: 90 days.
Crew: 84(accommodation of 98)
Home Port: Faslane, Scotland.
It has 100 km of cabling and 10 km of pipe work.

The next meeting will be on Monday 19th July and the topic will be
the formation of “modern“ Italy .

Michael Page.