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Construction History Society

@constructionhist.bsky.social

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Construction history worldwide. Materials, technologies, systems and people relating to construction in the past. Journal, members' magazine, conferences etc To get a follow-back tell us your construction interests. https://www.constructionhistory.co.uk

www.constructionhistory.co.uk

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Construction History Society @constructionhist.bsky.social · Nov 16

The Construction Historian is delighted that so many of our mutuals on here are architects / architectural historians....
BUT...
Construction history is NOT the same as architectural history. Appearance isn't everything!
We are interested in how structures (incl buildings) were built, by whom & why.

What techniques did their builders employ?
What materials were used?
How much did they cost?
What lessons can be learnt from them?

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Tim Waterman @tim-waterman.co.uk · 9h

Applications now open for Archaeological Institute of America fellowships and grants. www.archaeological.org/programs/pro...

Fellowships, Grants, Scholarships, and Awards - Archaeological Institute of America

The AIA presents awards and offers a variety of scholarships, fellowships, and grants for excavation, research, publication, and site preservation.

www.archaeological.org

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Claire Boardman @claireboardman.bsky.social · 14h

"Rebuilding in a way that is just & inclusive will be a slow process that starts with sharing our memories & perceptions of the city & the way we lived within it ... We have to learn to see the city in the ways that others see it, drawing maps and inviting others to draw with us ..." #deepmapping

Places Journal @placesjournal.bsky.social · 18h

"The City and the City and the City"
by Ayham Dalal

A mapping workshop with refugees from Homs, Syria, illuminates the complexity of rebuilding after war.

Read more: placesjournal.org/article/mapping-homs-syria-rebuilding-after-war/

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Places Journal @placesjournal.bsky.social · 1d

You can’t visit many sites on the web these days without being bombarded by ads, pop-ups, and paywalls.

We’re happy to report that there is absolutely nothing to interrupt you when you read an article on placesjournal.org. No ads, no pop-ups, no distractions. A rare luxury in online reading today.

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Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History @bhmpi.bsky.social · 1d

📚NEW PUBLICATION📚

Tod A. Marder, “Bernini’s Architectural Drawings – An Extended Edition of Brauer and Wittkower’s Catalogue of 1931” (Römische Forschungen der Bibliotheca Hertziana, vol. 38)

🔗 www.biblhertz.it/en/pub/roemi...

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Claire Boardman @claireboardman.bsky.social · 1d

ICYMI: Important new open access publication ...

Documenting the profession: Recording historic access and retention issues for women in UK archaeology
tinyurl.com/2s3wsym6

Documenting the profession: Recording historic access and retention issues for women in UK archaeology | Archaeological Dialogues | Cambridge Core

Documenting the profession: Recording historic access and retention issues for women in UK archaeology

tinyurl.com

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Construction History Society @constructionhist.bsky.social · 1d

Oh the Construction Historian REALLY likes this idea. I shall mention it to the committee in the run up to the next conference.

rogueclassicist ~ david meadows @rogueclassicist.bsky.social · 1d

Facebook memory from 2011 ... I still think it's good idea:

classics/ancient history conferences would be even more fun if folks dressed up a la comicon ...

Construction History Society @constructionhist.bsky.social · 2d

The whole article is fascinating in that it begins with the case of a female bricklayer who had been living & working as a man for many years. Came to light due to a marital court case. Widely covered in the press.

Morning Chronicle - Friday 13 April 1838
A FEMALE HUSBAND IN MANCHESTER. In The Manchester Times of Saturday last a paragraph to the following effect:- " UNFOUNDED REPORT.-A silly report has been indus- triously propagated this week, to the effect that a respectable female in this town has been married for about 17 years to a person who, within the last few days is discovered to be a woman. As it was not impossible for such a circumstance to have occurred, although very improbable, we had curiosity enough to make Juql tries onl the subject, and Ibund that the alleged ' remarkable discovery' was a gross fabrication." We, too, have had curiosity enough to make inquiries on the subject, and find that the " unfoanded report" of the " re- markable discovery," which, though " not impossible," is " very improbable," is true. All the circumstances commu- nicated to us relative to this singular case we do not feel justified in publishing; but we way mention a few of the principal facts connected with what is here known of the history of this Chevalier ?? in humble life, of course suppressing the names ef the parties. A few days ago a respectable ibmale waited upon an attorney in this town, and asked his advice in a case of a very peculiar nature. It seems that ber husband a master bricklayer, who had been in the habit of trusting her implicitly in his business, even leaving to her management the bookkeeping requisite in his trade, had of late, tbr souse cause or other, refused to allow her the weekly usual sum for holeekeeping. Having also, in other re- spects, treated her as she considered in an unkind manner, sile came to take advice as to how she should proeeed, under the circuimstances, against her husband, whom, to the no small astouisliment of the professional gentleman she was then consulting, she declared to be, not a man, but a woman. The attorney thought it his duty, under such singular circumstances, to bring the matter under the notice of Mr. Foster, the magist…

Several articles clalinea DE 1nte wvae been sent to the police-office by the husband, who, so far as we have heard, has not offered any reparation to the wife for the cruel and painful position in which she is now placed. One thing is tolerably certain, that after the exposure which hass tken place, and the affdir was currently talked of as early as Thursday and Friday last, the woman who has ven- tured to assume the charatter of a loan will no longer be able to continue to carry on business in this town, and that she must either lay aside her disguise and resume the ap- pcarance whieh most befits her sex, or, if she will retain her unfeminine appearance and character, she must Peek to hide her imposture in some place where she is not known, and wvere shg may hope for a while to escape detection. We believe that many persons who have employed her join in declaring that they had not the slightest suspicion that she was other than what she seemed. It is somewhat reinarkable that this is not the first case of this nature which has been brought under the notice of Mr. Thomas. In January. 18219, a labourer in the service of Mr. Crisp, shipbuilder, at Duckhead, London, while assist- ig in sawing a log of fir, was struck by the severed part of the llg with such force on the head as to die of the injury while being conveyed to St. Thowas's Hospital. OR strip- ping the body to prepare it for interment, it was discovered that the deceased, who was about Jil years of age, was a woman. She had been known fur about 22 years to have filled various situations, as groom, 8hiipwrihgit'e la- bourer, and other subordinate ocupa tlon in oocK-yrarrs, vitriol-works, &c.. and had been twenty-one years married, and his wife declared in the most soleinn manner, on the inquest, and beibre tie police magistrates at Bow-street, that daring the wlhole of that period she had been in utterig- n tranca of the real sex of her supposed ?? ter Guardian

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Construction History Society @constructionhist.bsky.social · 5d

CONSTRUCTION HISTORY & FILM INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM
19 - 20 february 2026
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS 6 November 2025: spehc.pt/CHFilmabstra...

More at : www.spehc.pt/noticias.html

The symposium marks the first step towards creating an academic forum dedicated to exploring film images as a valuable source for the study of Construction History. By bringing together scholars from diverse fields, we aim to foster discussion, share recent research findings, and open new perspectives in this emerging area of study.

Since the late nineteenth century, moving images have captured every aspect of daily life in communities around the world. As with earlier artistic media, motion pictures revealed the everyday realities of new construction in urban, rural or natural landscapes as well as restoration and maintenance of existing structures. Newsreels and documentaries are among the main categories of historical sources providing valuable insights into building practices since the invention of cinema. These films document the extraction, transportation, and use of materials, machines, and building techniques, the activities of architects, engineers, master builders, and work crews on construction sites, as well as in their leisure time. They also document a wide range of events, including foundation-stone ceremonies, inaugurations and trade union demonstrations, among many others.

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James Wright @jpwarchaeology.bsky.social · 6d

I'm starting to book shows for The Buildings Archaeologist book tour. Currently, looking for dates from 4 July 2026 onwards. Festival of Archaeology, Heritage Open Days, fringe festivals, history festivals, book festivals or special one-off's... Happy to look at all reasonable offers 🙂🏠🏰🕍✒️🚂

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Claire Boardman @claireboardman.bsky.social · 7d

👀 www.beinghumanfestival.org/events/empir...

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C20 Society @c20society.bsky.social · 7d

To celebate the launch of 'Up in the Air: A History of High-Rise Britain', join author Holly Smith and C20 in conversation with architectural historian Neal Shasore on the future of public housing.

🗓️ Fri 14 Nov 2025, 6.30pm
📍 Cowcross St Gallery + Online
🎟️ secure.c20society.org.uk/Default.aspx...

Image © Keystone Press
Photo shows Mrs. Ingeboug Paine with her daughter 7 year old Diane, standing on their 19th story balcony overlooking the collapsed block of flats Ronan Point, taking a last look before leaving for their new home in another block of flats in Canning Town [Jan 20 1969].

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Historic Environment Forum (HEF) @histenvforum.bsky.social · 7d

📣 In June HEF launched the new Heritage Sector Resilience Plan 2025-35 (HSRP2), providing a clear roadmap for collaborative working to deliver a robust & resilient heritage sector. Find out more & read the plan online: historicenvironmentforum.org.uk/hef-activiti... #HeritageResiliencePlan

Screenshot of cover of Heritage Sector Resilience Plan 2025-35

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Tim Waterman @tim-waterman.co.uk · 7d

Symposium 17 Oct, Liverpool: Values of Waste: Social and Material Histories of Bio-based Construction www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/values-of-...

Values of Waste

This day-long symposium explores the social and material histories of bio-based construction and architecture.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

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Holly Smith @holsmith.bsky.social · 7d

Catch me in the @theguardian.com today, on the history of high-rise housing. We need to remove the distorting goggles of prejudice in order to understand Britain’s extraordinary high-rise heritage. Consider looking up afresh! www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Thumping ambition – and demolition: 10 high-rises that changed modern Britain

Eyesores and scandalously unsafe? Or utopian housing for the working classes? Here are the stories and scandals behind some of the UK’s most revolutionary homes

www.theguardian.com

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Mariana J López @marianajlopez.bsky.social · 8d

Delighted to have been invited to speak as part of the Digital Archaeology/Heritage Lab series of talks at University of York. I'll be presenting some of the work from my book 'Sonic Pasts: acoustical heritage and historical soundscapes'. Thanks @clmorgan.bsky.social for the lovely invitation!

Book cover design that says 'Sonic Pasts: acoustical heritage and historical soundscapes' At the centre we see a circle formed by swirly colour bands and different outlines of people, objects and places, such as a desert landscape, a diver, Stonehenge and Notre Dame. At the bottom it says Mariana J López. The book cover is yellow with dark purple font.

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Construction History Society @constructionhist.bsky.social · 8d

The Construction Historian LOVES a big hammer.

James Taite @jamestaite.bsky.social · Nov 2

The art of persuasion with a 3-pound hammer, or stonecutting…

a 🧵 for anyone interested in the tedious magic of working stone:

a collection of stonecutting hammers, mallets, and dummies

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James Taite @jamestaite.bsky.social · 8d

In case anyone would like to know more about plug & feathers as a technique for splitting stone:

bsky.app/profile/jame...

James Taite @jamestaite.bsky.social · 9d

slabs pulled from the ground were reduced to practical size by means of plug & feathers; drill-holes for these are visible on much of the stone scattered between the trees

at times you see evidence of larger drill-holes, where it was necessary to separate a slab from the bench before levering free

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Cube Enthusiast @killhamster.bsky.social · 10d

Nature is healing

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Nina Baker @ninabake2.bsky.social · 13d

@constructionhist.bsky.social Conference starts tomorrow.
Let us know if you are attending for the first time so one of the committee can introduce you around. Don't be a stranger!

CHS conference programme day 1 to early afternoon

CHS conference programme Day 1 afternoon

CHS conference day 2 afternoon and evening

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Construction History Society @constructionhist.bsky.social · 18d

NOTICE to Construction History Society Members on here:

Due to technical problems the formal notice of the society's AGM has not been circulated in the usual way. Please accept this as advising you of the AGM.

NOTIFICATION OF AGM
All members are hereby notified that the society’s Annual General Meeting will take place on
27 September, at 1:45 p.m. in the Fitzpatrick Hall, Queens’ College, Cambridge. Those who are attending the CHS conference can attend in person, everyone else may attend by Zoom, link to be provided nearer the time. Members who can attend in person but are not registered for the CHS Conference are warmly welcomed to attend the Tribute to Jacques Heyman, led by Santiago Huerta, which will be held in the Fitzpatrick Hall, 2.00-3.00 p.m

Construction History Society
AGENDA for Annual General Meeting, 2025
At Queens’ College, Cambridge and online 27th September, 1:45 p.m.
1.0 Welcome and Apologies for absence
2.0 Approval of the draft Minutes of AGM 2024 (to be emailed)
4.0 Secretary’s Report
5.0 Treasurer’s Report
6.0 Membership Report
7.0 Elections to Board
Alexandrina Buchanan to be elected (Secretary), replacing Michael Driver, who resigned in 2024. The statutes of the society require that one third of the Board should stand down each year but may offer themselves for re-election. Members to stand down: Fiona Smyth (Treasurer), Nicholas Bill, Yitang Pan, James Campbell
(Chair), David Yeomans, Michael Heaton (Membership Secretary), Nina Baker.
8.0 Appointment of Auditor
9.0 Chairman’s Report
10.0 Any Other Business

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Jonathan Foyle @jonathanfoyle.bsky.social · 21d

Next Wednesday evening in Shaftesbury, Dorset- what do remains, fragments. relics tell us about the past? shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk/events/the-s...

The Shaftesbury Abbey Autumn Lecture: Remnants By Dr Jonathan Foyle - Shaftesbury Arts Centre

Shaftesbury Abbey is a fragment of what it used to be. But the history that surrounds us is inevitably fragmentary. Documentary records are inevitably incomplete, all buildings change over time, and t...

shaftesburyartscentre.org.uk

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@C20Cymru @c20cymru.bsky.social · 22d

💻 ONLINE EVENT
🏫 Twentieth Century Schools in Wales
🗓 Monday 22 September 2025 | 6.30pm The talk will provide a visual overview of Welsh schools in the twentieth century. Speaker: Dr Meilyr Powel, Investigator of Historic Buildings, RCAHMW
Tickets: secure.c20society.org.uk/Default.aspx...

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Richard Fallon @richardfallon.bsky.social · 22d

Earthenware tile depicting a nice Shropshire trilobite by Maw & Co., Benthall Works, Jackfield. Transferred from the Museum of Practical Geology, Jermyn Street to the V&A (3469J-1901 / collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O88331/...).

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History: The Journal of the Historical Association @hisjournalha.bsky.social · 23d

#History #SkyStorians New blog! Huixon Huo on 'Pipelines of Power: The Political Economy of the "Big Inch" and "Little Inch" during the Second World War and their Postwar Legacy', www.history.org.uk/higher-ed/re...

Pipelines of Power: The Political Economy of the “Big Inch” and “Little Big Inch” during the Second World War and their Postwar Legacy

www.history.org.uk

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𝔖𝔦𝔪𝔬𝔫 ℜ𝔞𝔪𝔰𝔡𝔢𝔫 @sjramsden.bsky.social · 23d

SPAB Mills conference - 4 October - Reading www.spab.org.uk/whats-on/eve...

Mills Conference

www.spab.org.uk

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