Introduction.
Over the past year the RIGS Group have been working in collaboration with Tees Valley Wildlife Trust (TVWT) to run a two year project entitled Alum, Alchemy & Ammonites funded by an Heritage Lottery Fund grant and led by Beth Andrews. Its aim is to popularise, and educate interested parties, with respect to the former Alum Trade which flourished for around 260 years in North Yorkshire and Cleveland commencing c.1600, and look at the legacy left by this industry.
We have been very active assisting with numerous guided walks along the coast and in the hills to explore former alum working sites, making contributions to a temporary exhibition at Whitby’s Pannett Park Museum, and organising a day of presentations on some of the more esoteric aspects of the alum trade. In addition, we’ve unearthed a good deal of new and edifying information in a bid to bring a flavour of this former industry’s presence and importance to the fore.
This project aims to raise the profile of the former alum industry of Cleveland and North Yorkshire through activities, events and volunteering.
June 2011 – The Project So Far…
As part of the ongoing Alum, Alchemy and Ammonites Project we have organised a wide range of events including an Alum Day School (held at Middlesbrough College), Alum Exhibitions at several venues including Whitby Museum and Loftus Library, Rock and Fossil Roadshows along with numerous Guided Walks to explore many aspects of the alum trade, its allied industries and the landscape legacy its former presence has left today.
Ammonite of the genus Dactylioceras as seen on a guided walk at Runswick Bay.
In September 2010, an Alum Day School was arranged to take place at recently-opened Middlesbrough College. The day was both well-attended and recieved, and included speakers on a variety of aspects of the alum trade and the people involved with it.
The Alum Day School was held at Middlesbrough College.
Lecture at the Alum Day School.
Between August and November 2010, the project worked in collaboration with Whitby Museum to create an exhibition entitled; Alum – The Magic Mineral. A more portable version of the full-scale exhibition went on display at Margrove Heritage Center and Loftus Library.
Alum crystals displayed during the Magic Mineral Exhibition at Whitby.
Part of the Exhibition at Pannett Park Museum, Whitby.
Reptile remains. These are linked with the quarrying of Alum Shale.
One of the panels used in the various exhibitions.
The exhibition covered the history of alum making both prior to, and after, the trade came to Britain, Uses of alum, its contribution to the history of science, and in particular geology in the shape of Lewis Hunton, son of a Loftus alum maker, who formulated early laws of biostratigraphy.
Guided walks have been taken to a wide variety of sites covering both coastal and inland alum works, coal and seaweed trades, former ports, landowners, the social side of the alum trade, ships, and more.
Marske Hall.
On the Cleveland Way near Gallihowe.
Below the East Cliff at Whitby.
Whitby Harbour.
Descending Boulby Bank with Staithes in the distance.
Alum, Alchemy & Ammonites
Introduction.
Over the past year the RIGS Group have been working in collaboration with Tees Valley Wildlife Trust (TVWT) to run a two year project entitled Alum, Alchemy & Ammonites funded by an Heritage Lottery Fund grant and led by Beth Andrews. Its aim is to popularise, and educate interested parties, with respect to the former Alum Trade which flourished for around 260 years in North Yorkshire and Cleveland commencing c.1600, and look at the legacy left by this industry.
We have been very active assisting with numerous guided walks along the coast and in the hills to explore former alum working sites, making contributions to a temporary exhibition at Whitby’s Pannett Park Museum, and organising a day of presentations on some of the more esoteric aspects of the alum trade. In addition, we’ve unearthed a good deal of new and edifying information in a bid to bring a flavour of this former industry’s presence and importance to the fore.
This project aims to raise the profile of the former alum industry of Cleveland and North Yorkshire through activities, events and volunteering.
June 2011 – The Project So Far…
As part of the ongoing Alum, Alchemy and Ammonites Project we have organised a wide range of events including an Alum Day School (held at Middlesbrough College), Alum Exhibitions at several venues including Whitby Museum and Loftus Library, Rock and Fossil Roadshows along with numerous Guided Walks to explore many aspects of the alum trade, its allied industries and the landscape legacy its former presence has left today.
Ammonite of the genus Dactylioceras as seen on a guided walk at Runswick Bay.
In September 2010, an Alum Day School was arranged to take place at recently-opened Middlesbrough College. The day was both well-attended and recieved, and included speakers on a variety of aspects of the alum trade and the people involved with it.
The Alum Day School was held at Middlesbrough College.
Lecture at the Alum Day School.
Between August and November 2010, the project worked in collaboration with Whitby Museum to create an exhibition entitled; Alum – The Magic Mineral. A more portable version of the full-scale exhibition went on display at Margrove Heritage Center and Loftus Library.
Alum crystals displayed during the Magic Mineral Exhibition at Whitby.
Part of the Exhibition at Pannett Park Museum, Whitby.
Reptile remains. These are linked with the quarrying of Alum Shale.
One of the panels used in the various exhibitions.
The exhibition covered the history of alum making both prior to, and after, the trade came to Britain, Uses of alum, its contribution to the history of science, and in particular geology in the shape of Lewis Hunton, son of a Loftus alum maker, who formulated early laws of biostratigraphy.
Guided walks have been taken to a wide variety of sites covering both coastal and inland alum works, coal and seaweed trades, former ports, landowners, the social side of the alum trade, ships, and more.
Marske Hall.
On the Cleveland Way near Gallihowe.
Below the East Cliff at Whitby.
Whitby Harbour.
Descending Boulby Bank with Staithes in the distance.