I am Andy Brockman who you saw in the "Blitzkrieg on Shooters Hill," programme and I am breaking the un-written rule that we don't post on forums because we thought members might be interested to know about a rather exciting weekend we are planning as a follow on to the work we did at Shooters Hill last July.
It is a partnership between Birkbeck College and Firepower- The Royal Artillery Museum called...
"Andersons and Ack Ack- an introduction to the theory and practice of conflict archaeology of the 20th Century."
...and it takes place on the weekend of 8/9 March 2008 at Firepower in Woolwich Arsenal.
Although it is not a "Time Team," branded event you will have a rare chance to see more of the detailed research which went into the programme, what we were forced to leave out and also address the whole issue of Conflict Archaeology and how we present it to the public at events, in museums and on TV.
You will also have the chance to hear and meet two of the archaeologists involved in the Shooters Hill programme, myself and Martin Brown from the Defence Estates, as well as walk the remains of Stop Line Central on a guided field visit.
On Saturday 8 March we have speakers such as Neil Faulkner of the "Great War Archaeology Group" and "Current Archaeology" and another "Time Team" veteran; Renata Peters of UCL who is going to talk about her forensic conservation of material from the first world war which you might have seen on "Trench Detectives," and Gabe Moshenska who is going to talk about oral history in the context of researching the experience of children during the blitz. Gabe also worked on the Shoreditch Blitz excavation.
We will also be looking at issues of recording and conservation with Victor Smith of Kent County Council and Roger J C Thomas, the Military Support Officer at English Heritage and an expert on Cold War remains amongst other things.
On Sunday 9th you will have the chance to hear about how archaeology and TV come together to make programmes like "Time Team," visit the WW2 gallery at Firepower with members of the museum staff and discuss how living history, such as the Time Team Cameo's can be used for education as well as entertainment.
In the afternoon there will be a guided field walk across "Stop Line Central" and the other military archaeology of Shooters Hill visiting sites you saw excavated in the programme and some you didn't.
What makes this different from a regular academic conference is that, as a key part of it, we will be holding a public living history event called "Western Front to Home Guard," in and around Firepower thoughout the weekend. You will have the chance to see First World War Soldiers who twenty five years later would be manning Stop Line Central in the Home Guard, an "Aid For Spain Rally," as the people of Woolwich get their first inkling of what the threat of Fascism is about during the Spanish Civil War and see the Home Guard and other services trying to cope with "Total War."
This groundbreaking weekend workshop is designed to bring together Archaeologists, Historians, Teachers, Museum Curators, and Living History Practitioners, in fact, anyone who has an interest in researching the archaeology of 20th Century Conflicts in Britain and presenting that research to the public.
If you just wish to attend the Living History Event, the outdoor elements are free and inside Firepower normal entry charges apply.
We are all really pleased at the level of interest "Blitzkrieg on Shooters Hill," has generated. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible at Firepower to continue the discussion. We hope to show you why this is one of the fastest growing and most exciting branches of modern archaeology.
A quick note to go with the above post about the Conflict Archaeology Workshop.
I have discovered that Central Enrolments are calling the course
"The theory and practice of Conflict Archaeology" and get a bit lost if you try to call it anything else.
Also the Course code is FFAR 043NACS
I am sorry if anyone has had problems over this. The workshop is a late addition to the programme and there has been less lead time than they are used to.
I'd actually come across something about this event, as a chance discovery from a Google search, before you mentioned it here.
What I'd seen, however, was indicating March 2009. I think the info I found - and thus the info with the error(s) - was the literature produced by Birkbeck College.
You may wish to let them know of the misprint, which appears in the timetable [... 16.15-17.00: Questions and Discussion. Sunday 9 March 2009 Presenting Conflict Archaeology - research, recreation or recreation? 09.30-10.00: Coffee... ]
