The Dunkirk evacuation relied heavily on civilian vessels known as the "Little Ships" to rescue over 338,000 Allied soldiers trapped on the beaches. These included pleasure boats, barges, tugs, and other small craft from London and southern England that could navigate close to shore. Despite intense attacks from the Luftwaffe, the Little Ships bravely transported soldiers from the beaches to larger ships waiting offshore over the course of a week in May 1940. Many Thames vessels participated, including the paddle steamer Medway Queen which rescued 7,000 men and shot down three German fighters. Sailing barges also contributed, though nine were lost, demonstrating the heroic efforts of these civilian crews.
A lecture presented at the Institute of Archaeology in December 2017 as part of the Tideway Talks series. All images are by the Thames Discovery Programme, unless otherwise noted.
Filling in the Gaps: What the Portable Antiquities Scheme can contribute to o...Thames Discovery Programme
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A lecture given by Ben Paites at the Archaeology Conference for the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society at the Museum of London in March 2015
http://www.lamas.org.uk/conferences/archaeology-conference.html
The Prehistoric Society and Later Prehistoric Finds Group will be holding a joint day conference on Monday 20 April 2015 at the Museum of London and the British Museum.
The itinerary provides details of an archaeology day on the River Thames with three speakers. Steve Webster and Alison James will speak about excavations of a London shipwreck. Graham Scott will discuss the recovery of a JU88T German WWII aircraft from the Thames Estuary. Elliot Wragg will discuss archaeological work by the Thames Discovery Programme along the Thames foreshore.
The Hendon and District Archaeological Society is hosting an event on August 2nd at Stephens House & Gardens called "Getting to grips with Pots & Pipes: the archaeology of everyday artefacts from Saxon times to Queen Victoria." The event costs £20 and interested participants can send a booking form and cheque to the HADAS Membership Secretary. Participants will also have the opportunity to view an exhibition called "Casualty of War" at the Stephens House Salon.
This document provides an agenda for a conference titled "urban paradox: human evolution and the 21st- century town" being held on February 21, 2014 at UCL Institute of Archaeology. The conference will discuss how modern urban environments differ from the natural habitat humans evolved in, and will explore ways to design cities in a manner that better aligns with human evolutionary needs through things like encouraging physical activity, social interaction, and exposure to natural environments. Speakers will address topics like how to introduce evolutionary health perspectives in schools, using sports to reduce crime, green space design, active work environments, transportation, and community engagement. The goal is to help urban dwellers lead healthier, happier lives through cities that better simulate natural habitats.
The document provides information on various workshops and lectures related to local heritage in Peterborough, England taking place in Spring 2014. Workshops include Roman pottery handling, pottery making, bookbinding, basket weaving, and bronze sword casting. Lectures cover topics such as a lost local landscape, excavations of Bronze Age boats and settlements, the Mary Rose shipwreck recovery, and conserving the excavated boats. The events are aimed at learning about the area's history from Roman to medieval periods. Registration is required for most workshops and lectures.
The Northfleet Slipway archaeological dig uncovered evidence of a slipway used for shipbuilding and repair along the River Thames in Kent, England. Artifacts found at the site included iron balls used for milling chalk for concrete and a clay pipe bowl, providing datable evidence. The team excavated a flooded trench through sticky clay soil in search of further evidence, such as remnants of a nearby pub.
The document announces a week-long celebration in Waterloo featuring a multimedia exhibition, talks, walks, films and workshops from September 19-26, 2013 documenting the changes to the urban and social landscape of the area. The exhibition at the Waterloo Action Centre is accompanied by a variety of free and low-cost events including tours of the Young Vic Theatre, a tea dance, film screenings, walks exploring the history of theatres in the area, and talks on the neighborhood's architecture, development projects and more.
The Historic Royal Palaces Tower of London and Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich are offering a joint study day for A-Level Archaeology students. The study day will take students behind the scenes at both World Heritage Sites to explore practical archaeology methods and contrast evidence from existing and non-existing buildings. Students will learn how archaeological findings are recorded, interpreted, and how World Heritage Sites are managed while addressing contemporary issues. The morning session will be at the Tower of London and the afternoon at the Old Royal Naval College.
The document announces a conference titled "The Forgotten Past: post-medieval small finds and their contribution to our understanding of the past". The conference will be held at the British Museum and focus on increasing awareness of the importance of post-medieval finds through changing attitudes and a growing dataset recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Speakers will consider questions about what types of post-medieval materials are now more commonly recorded and how this changes perspectives, as well as new discoveries that can help shape future research agendas.
Germany attacked London 71 times between September 1940 and May 1941 in a bombing campaign known as the Blitz. Over 1.4 million Londoners were left homeless from the destruction. An exhibition at Galerie Daniel Blau from May 30 to June 29, 2013 featured vintage photographs from the Blitz documenting the damage and civilians salvaging possessions from bombed buildings and seeking shelter in underground stations while wearing gas masks. The exhibition aimed to increase awareness of London's experience with destruction and mass displacement during WWII as fewer remain who remember the Blitz firsthand.
Roman settlement and land use in southeast Britain will be discussed at the annual Council for British Archaeology South-East conference held in Faversham, Kent on November 16, 2013. Presentations will cover Roman period landscapes in Sussex, Kent, Surrey and the Weald, including settlement patterns, iron production, villas, road networks, industry, and agriculture. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or by post.
Mary Fitton photographed items found along the Thames riverbed in London over two decades of low tide visits, capturing weathered and eroded objects discarded in the river. An exhibition of Mary's unique collection of Thames riverbed photographs and artifacts will be on display at the Oxford House gallery from April 2nd to 30th, 2013.
This document announces an exhibit at the Quadriga Gallery at Wellington Arch from February 6 to April 21 that focuses on the birth of archaeology and the battle for the past. The exhibit is called "The General, The Scientist & The Banker: The Birth of Archaeology and the Battle for the Past" and will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10am to 5pm.
The Hendon and District Archaeological Society is hosting an event on August 2nd at Stephens House & Gardens called "Getting to grips with Pots & Pipes: the archaeology of everyday artefacts from Saxon times to Queen Victoria." The event costs £20 and interested participants can send a booking form and cheque to the HADAS Membership Secretary. Participants will also have the opportunity to view an exhibition called "Casualty of War" at the Stephens House Salon.
This document provides an agenda for a conference titled "urban paradox: human evolution and the 21st- century town" being held on February 21, 2014 at UCL Institute of Archaeology. The conference will discuss how modern urban environments differ from the natural habitat humans evolved in, and will explore ways to design cities in a manner that better aligns with human evolutionary needs through things like encouraging physical activity, social interaction, and exposure to natural environments. Speakers will address topics like how to introduce evolutionary health perspectives in schools, using sports to reduce crime, green space design, active work environments, transportation, and community engagement. The goal is to help urban dwellers lead healthier, happier lives through cities that better simulate natural habitats.
The document provides information on various workshops and lectures related to local heritage in Peterborough, England taking place in Spring 2014. Workshops include Roman pottery handling, pottery making, bookbinding, basket weaving, and bronze sword casting. Lectures cover topics such as a lost local landscape, excavations of Bronze Age boats and settlements, the Mary Rose shipwreck recovery, and conserving the excavated boats. The events are aimed at learning about the area's history from Roman to medieval periods. Registration is required for most workshops and lectures.
The Northfleet Slipway archaeological dig uncovered evidence of a slipway used for shipbuilding and repair along the River Thames in Kent, England. Artifacts found at the site included iron balls used for milling chalk for concrete and a clay pipe bowl, providing datable evidence. The team excavated a flooded trench through sticky clay soil in search of further evidence, such as remnants of a nearby pub.
The document announces a week-long celebration in Waterloo featuring a multimedia exhibition, talks, walks, films and workshops from September 19-26, 2013 documenting the changes to the urban and social landscape of the area. The exhibition at the Waterloo Action Centre is accompanied by a variety of free and low-cost events including tours of the Young Vic Theatre, a tea dance, film screenings, walks exploring the history of theatres in the area, and talks on the neighborhood's architecture, development projects and more.
The Historic Royal Palaces Tower of London and Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich are offering a joint study day for A-Level Archaeology students. The study day will take students behind the scenes at both World Heritage Sites to explore practical archaeology methods and contrast evidence from existing and non-existing buildings. Students will learn how archaeological findings are recorded, interpreted, and how World Heritage Sites are managed while addressing contemporary issues. The morning session will be at the Tower of London and the afternoon at the Old Royal Naval College.
The document announces a conference titled "The Forgotten Past: post-medieval small finds and their contribution to our understanding of the past". The conference will be held at the British Museum and focus on increasing awareness of the importance of post-medieval finds through changing attitudes and a growing dataset recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Speakers will consider questions about what types of post-medieval materials are now more commonly recorded and how this changes perspectives, as well as new discoveries that can help shape future research agendas.
Germany attacked London 71 times between September 1940 and May 1941 in a bombing campaign known as the Blitz. Over 1.4 million Londoners were left homeless from the destruction. An exhibition at Galerie Daniel Blau from May 30 to June 29, 2013 featured vintage photographs from the Blitz documenting the damage and civilians salvaging possessions from bombed buildings and seeking shelter in underground stations while wearing gas masks. The exhibition aimed to increase awareness of London's experience with destruction and mass displacement during WWII as fewer remain who remember the Blitz firsthand.
Roman settlement and land use in southeast Britain will be discussed at the annual Council for British Archaeology South-East conference held in Faversham, Kent on November 16, 2013. Presentations will cover Roman period landscapes in Sussex, Kent, Surrey and the Weald, including settlement patterns, iron production, villas, road networks, industry, and agriculture. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or by post.
Mary Fitton photographed items found along the Thames riverbed in London over two decades of low tide visits, capturing weathered and eroded objects discarded in the river. An exhibition of Mary's unique collection of Thames riverbed photographs and artifacts will be on display at the Oxford House gallery from April 2nd to 30th, 2013.
This document announces an exhibit at the Quadriga Gallery at Wellington Arch from February 6 to April 21 that focuses on the birth of archaeology and the battle for the past. The exhibit is called "The General, The Scientist & The Banker: The Birth of Archaeology and the Battle for the Past" and will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10am to 5pm.