NEWSLETTER 30 - August 2001
Welcome to the Summer newsletter.
Committee News
Two new committee members were elected during the AGM at Liverpool so the line-up now looks like this:
President: Rob Perrin Hon. Treasurer: Ted Connell Hon. Secretary: Alice Lyons
Membership Louise Rayner Hon. Editor: Jude Plouviez Production Manager: Pam Irving
Ordinary Members: Laura Jones, Bernard Barr, Kayt Brown, Maggi Darling, Vivien Swan
Two committee meetings have been held at the Museum of London this year. They have been well attended and dealt mostly with the development of the Web site and how to progress with our publication timetable.
Conference News
Forty-eight members attended a very busy and successful conference at Liverpool University between the 15th and 17th of June 2001, convened by Vivien Swan to whom we are very thankful. A total of twenty-one speakers presented papers firstly on sites in the north and north-west to make us all feel at home, other papers followed on interesting aspects of recent research. I am hoping to include a synopsis of all these papers with next Newsletter and would like to remind all contributors who are yet to send me their synopsis now would be a very good time.
The conference spent Saturday afternoon in Chester where we visited the Roman displays at Grosvenor Museum and had a tour of the amphitheatre, fortress defences and other monuments with Tom Strickland. On behalf of every one who attended I would like to thank the Chester contingent for their warm welcome and hard work.
The AGM was held on Saturday night and covered a considerable amount in the shortest possible time, which still only left half an hour in the bar afterwards. Therefore, I can confidently report it was a very sober conference. A copy of the AGM minutes is attached to this Newsletter.
One aspect of the AGM that would benefit from input from all members was the discussion about what the study group should publish in forthcoming journals. The appointment of Pam Irving as Production Manager means that the impetus to publish is in place so if any members have any work they wish to have a wider audience, particularly work concerning new ideas and methodologies please contact Jude Plouviez as soon as is convenient.
Notice Board
Could I please remind all members to keep us up to date with changes to name and address. Also if there were any new e-mail addresses out there we would be very happy to receive them.
If members have any announcements they can place them with me for publication in the next Newsletter, or if you prefer contact Ted Connell for space on the Web site.Minutes of the Study Group for Roman Pottery’s AGM,
held on Sunday 17th June 2001Derby and Rathbone Hall, Liverpool University.Minutes of 2000 AGM:
These were accepted as the true record, (proposed Val Rigby, seconded by Kay Hartley).
Apologies for absence:
Fiona Seeley.
Matters arising:
As the party to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the SGRP did not occur this year, an event will be organised next year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first SGRP meeting.
President’s report:
Rob Perrin thanked Vivien Swan for organising a very successful conference at Liverpool (48 participants). Thanks also to Paul Bidwell at Tyne and Wear and the MAP Consultancy at Malton for logistical support.
4.2 Rob reported that English Heritage is still undergoing changes and that foot and mouth has caused particular financial difficulties this year. EH remains supportive of pottery studies in a general sense, (between £100,000 and £200,000 is being spent on projects involving pottery work), but funding is at present unpredictable. ‘Partnership funding’ has been suggested for future projects.
4.3 Rob thanked all the committee members who have worked so hard this year, especially the retiring members Fiona Seeley and Annette Hancocks.
Hon. Secretary’s report:
5.1 Two members have resigned - David Gurney and Oliver Gikes. However, have a large number of new members including: Thomas Burns, Mrs Emma Harrison, Beryl Hines, Philip Mills, Dr Bill Sillar, Ms Diana Briscoe, Dr Mathew Loughton, Ms Elizabeth MaCaulay, Richard Pulley and Dan Garner. If you are a new member and your name is not on the list please accept my apologies. You will be announced at future meetings. This is the first time our membership has significantly increased for a number of years, which is very good news for the group.
5.2 Only one newsletter was distributed this year, but it did contain a synopsis of the talks given at the Chelmsford conference. Feed back, from the membership, about the Newsletter was discussed at committee and while the basic format is to stay the same a bigger effort will be made to make the membership list readable for all.
Two committee meetings have been held, mostly concerned with publishing the journals with which substantial progress has been made (see point 7).
Hon Treasurer’s report:
Ted Connell has prepared the figures from 01.01.2000 to 31.12.2001 and apologises that the audit, by M. Lyme, has still to be arranged. The figures were accepted as a true record (proposed Vivien Swan, seconded Rachel Pullinger). A copy of the figures is attached to the minutes. Generally the SGRP is in good financial health, although the publication of future Journals will make a dent in this.
Editor’s report:
7.1 Rossington Bridge (containing a ceramic assemblage of national importance) should be published this summer. There has been major progress with the continental volume. The general volume is also taking shape. The really good news is that Pam Irving has been appointed production manager (with an honorarium of £500 a year) so that some of the pressure be removed from Jude Plouviez who attempts to do all the SGRP editing in her own time. This, along with the general progress made, should ensure that the backlog of SGRP volumes will diminish.
7.2 Edward Biddulph stated his discontent about the ratio of subscription paid to journals received. He also queried the value of publishing single site assemblages and proposed that future publications should contain varied papers containing ‘cutting edge’ methodological techniques of pottery analysis. Ted Connell answered this by explaining that, as publication of SGRP journals (content and speed of delivery) was entirely dependent on the contribution of time and expertise by study group members. Any member who was not satisfied should consider making a contribution of their time to help. Pam Irving stated that the contents of all proposed journals were discussed and approved by the membership at each AGM. Vivien Swan emphasised the importance of all the work undertaken by the group to date. Rob Perrin suggested targeting universities to broaden the scope of contributions to the journal; also stating that the SGRP editorial process was in better shape than it has been for many years. Ted Connell put the subject of the £500 honorarium for the position of production manager to the membership and this was duly accepted (Kay Hartley proposed Vivien Swan seconded). Alice Lyons suggested an appeal for new papers in both the newsletter and the on the Web page. Pam Irving suggested an update of notes for contributors to go onto the web site to help potential authors.
8. Bibliography
Colin Wallace continues work on this project which is complete up to the mid 1990’s. However, certain geographical areas have no cover, namely: London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex and Cambridge. Ed Biddulph volunteered to help with Beds/Bucks and Oxford, while Val Rigby offered her help with Hertfordshire. Members of the group were asked to think of likely candidates to help with the remaining blank spots.
9. SGRP projects:
Maggi Darling apologised for the little progress made with the SGRP projects. The Minimum Guidelines project, which is to be a multi-period document, has moved forward with the medieval pottery group having completed their contribution. The Student’s Guide is available in draft form for comment. Young’s Guidelines are close to draft form and will then be available for circulation and comment. Rob Perrin thanked Maggi Darling for her contribution.
10. Elections:
10.1 RP thanked Fiona Seeley and Annette Hancock who retire as ordinary members.
10.2 New ordinary members: Bernard Barr and Laura Jones were elected.
11. Future meetings:
11.1 2002: The next SGRP annual conference will be held at Winchester between 5-7th April 2002, Kayt Brown to convene.
11.2 2003: The East End of Hadrian’s Wall, to be convened by Paul Bidwell.
11.3 2004: Barbara Precious suggests Pompeii and volunteered to make enquiries as to cost. Otherwise any ideas and volunteers to convene gratefully received.
Any other business:
12.1 Val Rigby accepted an honorary membership in respect of her contribution to the group.
12.2 Roberta Tomber outlined the commitment English Heritage outlined for the mortarium Bibliography to be maintained and updated, a task which Roberta thought would realistically take 4 days a year. If money was forthcoming from English Heritage Vivien Swan said she would do it. Rob Perrin to pursue.
12.3 The sad death of Graham Webster was mentioned and how best the group could commemorate his contribution to pottery studies. Several suggestions were made:
Conferences based in or themed on, Wroxeter and Great Casterton, followed by publication of papers.
Vivien Swan suggested that the Student’s Guide be dedicated to him
Pam Irving suggested that the study group sponsor a pottery student to be able to attend the SGRP conference.
Colin Wallace suggested the SGRP run a session at the next Roman Archaeology conference Cardiff 2003 in his memory. Rob Perrin said he would write to the conference convenors to make enquiries as to how practical this would be.
An obituary and updated bibliography in a SGRP journal. Maggi Darling volunteered to do this.
A prize for the best Roman pottery dissertation (? £200) with the work then published in the Journal of Roman Pottery Studies.
Kay Hartley proposed and Paul Bidwell seconded membership approval for the committee to take these ideas forward.
12.4 Jane Evans raised the question (in absentia) of how the SGRP could support new pottery researchers and independent pottery people. Rachel Seager-Smith responded that she felt the support was there and that the Web page was a good place to start for those who did not know where to ask for help. Laura Jones stated it was not always easy to know whom to contact and that the SGRP should raise its profile within Universities. Perhaps the Web page should be used more pro-actively to state that it may be possible to put novice and isolated researchers in touch with members within there locality or required specialism. Rob Perrin said the SGRP should consider e-mailing the universities with details of the SGRP.
12.5 Maggi Darling brought up the problem of English Heritage being in possession of the entire period minimum archive document but not acknowledging receipt. How long should we allow for their ‘blessing’? English Heritage funds regional scientific advisors - why don’t they do it for Roman pottery.
12.6 Pam Irving suggested that the SGRP collect successful Project Design to provide a template for a successful design.
12.7 Barbara Precious wondered how to highlight developer funded grey publications (i.e. unpublished reports generally only available through regional SMRs). Rob Philpot stated that a research team at Bournemouth University are already looking into this with a three year grant concentrating on prehistoric developer funded projects. Colin Wallace stated that ‘grey’ bibliographic references could now be incorporated into the national bibliography. Committee to follow up.
12.8 Louise Rayner presented a document that she had receive concerning ‘Archaeological Archives: Documentation, Access and Deposition’ from English Heritage. The issues raised are complex and one or two designated members need to make time to think it through. The committee will consider how to respond.
Alice Lyons, Hon Secretary SGRP, Norfolk Archaeological Unit, Spire House, 13-15 Cathedral Street, Norwich NR1 1LU Tel: 01603 878204 E-mail: alice.lyons.mus@norfolk .gov.uk
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