Home
Click on the links below.

  • About HMS

  • Meetings
  • Publications

  • Conservation

  • Resources

    These pages are maintained by David Dungworth

    • 'Anniversary' Spring Meeting and AGM.
    Furnaces, Foundries and Forges: Ironmaking Heritage Revisited
    Birmingham, England: 25-26-27 May 2012

    The ferrous industries were central to the origins of HMS in 1962-3, and fifty years later we return to the historical heart of the English iron industry to review progress in research, conservation and interpretation since then. This residential meeting will echo the focus of early HMS gatherings.

    Site visits will include:

    • Archaeological excavations and standing remains of blast furnaces, forges and other sites in Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.
    • Churchill Forge: rarely-open operational 18th and 19th century water-powered forge
    • excavation of early 19th-century hot blast furnace and refinery at Stirchley
    Behind-the-scenes tours will include:
    • Black Country Living Museum: with guided tour of the Keith Gale archive
    • Ironbridge Gorge Museum: with guided tour of HMS archives and the Slag Collections
    Lectures will include:
    • Medieval and later ironworking practice; origins and conservation of blast furnaces; new research into forges and puddling technology; hot blast and the cupola, and more.
    Accommodation and lectures will be at the Woodbrooke Hall Quaker Study Centre, Bristol Road, Birmingham. Lectures will take place on Friday and Saturday evenings at Woodbrooke. Coach transport to sites will be provided on the Saturday and Sunday. The fully residential option (priced at £195.00 for HMS members) includes evening meals and overnight accommodation on Friday and Saturday, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, packed lunches.

    FULLY RESIDENTIAL PLACES ARE STRICTLY LIMITED, SO PLEASE BOOK EARLY
    Download the Booking Form in MSWord or Adobe Acrobat format.

    Other options are available. These include a basic non-residential option at £35.00 for members, and an option with meals and other benefits at £75.00 for members. All options include coach transport and admission to sites There will also be a limited number of FREE (non-residential) student places. It will of course be free for all members to attend the AGM, which will take place at 6pm on Saturday 26 May 2012 at Woodbrooke. The full range of options and prices is shown on the booking form. All bookings must be received by 29 February 2012.

    More information is available on the conference website at http://hmsanniversary.blogspot.com/ and our Facebook page.

    You can dowload this information as a poster.