Starting with a profuse apology for failing to show last year when we had a packed Knott Hall, this was as always worth waiting for. John had promised to dance naked around the maypole if he failed this time but we certainly had a better deal with the talk. He did throw in a description of prancing (almost) naked along Scarborough beach on one occasion for a TV appearance (must see if it's on YouTube).
John Grundy at Heddon on the Wall. A. Curtis (2011)
Despite our title for John's talk, 'Northumbria Secrets & Surprises', his actual talk was about Beamish open-air Museum. Not only is this in County Durham, but it's not particularly a secret, but certainly came as a surprise to the 80 or more people in the hall. 'Passion built my career' was used as a headline to an article on John Grundy by the Sunday Sun in 2005. That passion shows no sign of a double-dip.
John was using some new technology this time in the form of a laptop and digital projector. Having disparagingly closed a warning message that the computer would install updates and restart in 5 minutes as he was booting up, it came as little surprise that it did as promised just as he was showing the first slide, the 1825 railway shed at Beamish. Most speakers would have been a little fazed by this but then most aren't John Grundy, who turned it into a major humorous feature and hoped it hadn't embarrassed the audience!
John was using some new technology this time in the form of a laptop and digital projector. Having disparagingly closed a warning message that the computer would install updates and restart in 5 minutes as he was booting up, it came as little surprise that it did as promised just as he was showing the first slide, the 1825 railway shed at Beamish. Most speakers would have been a little fazed by this but then most aren't John Grundy, who turned it into a major humorous feature and hoped it hadn't embarrassed the audience!
Beamish Town Centre (2010)
© Copyright Steve F and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
As Chairman of the Friends of Beamish Museum, John knows the place well and gave us a whistle-stop tour of its 18th and 19th century features. I took some notes but what was the point - it was just a reminder to get back over there and to hang with the expense.
John takes some nice photos and can talk eloquently and excitedly about any subject - sometimes even the one on the current photo. His enthusiasm is infectious and his knowledge vast.
I think at one point he even sang part of Tommy Armstrong's song about the Trimdon Grange coal mine explosion. I did find that on YouTube here
29th May 2011 marks the 60th Anniversary of another major disaster, the explosion at Easington Colliery Pit, which is marked by a selection of archive photos on the Beamish web-site. The connection between Tommy and Beamish: he lived for part of his life on the site of the museum when it was a colliery village. John knows all the connections and what Beamish shows us about Northumberland and Durham.
The railway at Beamish hadn't been able to afford the expense of running steam engines for many years but as part of the move to bring back authentic sights and sounds they are now expecting delivery of the 1895 British-built 0-4-4T Steam Locomotive 'Dunrobin' and its private saloon which are coming from Fort Steele in Canada. Not sure whether it was this or the new Chip Shop that got John excited most. If you want a job as fish and chip fryer, you now only have a few weeks to apply.
Among several ongoing new projects, the rebuilding of the Saxon Church from Eston next to Pockerley Old Hall on the Beamish Museum site will be an exciting addition.
Original site of St Helen's Church, Eston. Photo by Mick Garrett (2005)
© Copyright Mick Garratt and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
The north-east is coal, railways, farms, manor houses and much much more. The innovation and heritage of our region is show-cased at Beamish. Fighting its case, this person is a fine part of our heritage too: John Grundy.
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