Nicola Hampshire Photography 2 Landscape: Local History

October 2015

"This project is designed to develop your research skills....

Using the internet, local library, museum or any other resources at your disposal, conduct a short investigation into a historical aspect of the area in which you live or are currently based. This could relate to industry or other narratives in the distant past, or a more recent event.

Gather some primary sources such as copies of photographs, illustrations, maps, oral/written accounts and write a brief account (around 300 words) describing what you have researched and any ideas you have about how this subject might be photographed today in a project such as assignment 3". OCA course material

Looking through www.28dayslater.co.uk and www.darkplaces.co.uk I became interested in a 17th century water powered Cotton Mill in Nether Langwith, attached to a farmhouse which had until fairly recently been a restaurant. Researching it's history in the local library, and on the internet I found enough information to inform my proposed photographs and document the mill's history. There was also a visitor centre in the neighbouring village with local books on the area and mill. Images on the websites showed I needed to go with someone due to the state of the building.

I set off to investigate the building, and unfortunately it is now up for sale with a commercial estate agent. The windows and doors were all sealed with metal panels and there was no way in. It was in a bad state of disrepair with evidence of fires and someone sleeping rough. I took some images as a record and had to abandon this idea as there was no access inside or round the back of it.

As I have an interest in industrial buildings and live not too far from the Derwent Valley Heritage Mills, I considered looking at Arkwright's Mill in Cromford, Derbyshire. Our family associates it with memory, being just far enough for a day out. I studied the work of jamesmorris Landscape of Wales which I thought may work as a way of showing the side of the village / mill which most tourists don't see.

As well as information boards and pictures on site, there is plenty of information on the web generated from the Arkwright Society, dating back to the beginning of the mill and how Arkwright used existing waterworks from the mines as the mines stopped being productive. I learnt much to add to my existing knowledge, and started working on this as a possible assignment idea.

Modern day image combined with photograph from 1910

James Morris used the weather effectively to promote grey skies and enhance the grey buildings, fog and lack of people. His images are desaturated and he seemed to pick out a tiny bit of detail from a large area. I read several reviews on his work and my conclusion on making this style work with this subject was that perhaps my "place" was too touristy. Even the hidden footpaths were neatly kept.

I also looked at the work of George Miles (exhibited at Derby's Format 2015) as a local photographer who has similarities in his ways of working to Stephen Shore. He has just published a book entitled Views of Matlock Bath. I would describe his images as banal; including signposts obstructing buildings, litter, images with three of the same colour car, carparks and over different seasons.

After reviewing my initial images, I decided that my idea was probably too large and needed narrowing down as well as less touristic images.

Clipstone Camp WW1 Trenches

I went back to my initial idea of the WW1 training camp and looked at narrowing it down to just the trenches, and gaining access on Sundays when the machinery was not being used. I purchased a local history book from Mansfield Museum and together with newspaper articles on the reconstruction, images from WW1 showing life in the trenches and websites from the local history group. I found one piece of oral history - a reflection of soldiers marching in the area. Last year as part of the "Trent to Trenches" exhibition, there was a display in the local museum which would have been really useful!

OS map circa 1910 - shows Clipstone before the camp

Digging trenches or clearing heather Clipstone Camp taken from book

Useful book with links and images

My images taken in 2014 of reconstruction and assignment plan

Assortment of websites, my notes, phone camera images in case trenches are inaccessible during assignment work

Clipstone Camp World War 1 Trenches

"At the outbreak of the World War 1, Clipstone Heath was just that – an area of heathland owned by the Duke of Portland from the Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire, used for shooting partridge and sports. Lord Kitchener was a frequent visitor to Welbeck. Three of Nottinghamshire’s estates; Thoresby, Wollaton and Welbeck already had temporary camps in preparation for training soldiers. Marples (2013 p22) suggests that it is not known why this area was chosen for siting a permanent hutted training camp, although under the Defense of the Realm Act, the War Office had the powers to “take land or building or construct works” if needed.

The camp was located between Forest Town (a new mining town) and Clipstone (a hamlet) on an area which had been bought by the Bolsover Colliery Company. The mine (sunk in 1912) had been planned with a new village of 700 houses. Instead, Clipstone Camp was built here to house 25,000 soldiers until 1920 when it was sold off. Work on the mine was postponed when young miners were recruited as soldiers. Also the war made importing goods such as wood more difficult and prices increased. As a result, the Forestry Commission was formed in 1919 to manage supplies of timber, often depleting large areas of forest and changing the landscape of the area. The pit was completed in 1920. Soldiers moving to the area had not seen coal mines before and Mansfield Colliery became a tourist attraction with evening trips organised down the mine shaft for the soldiers stationed there.

Marples (2013) a local historian, interviewed locals who recalled the trenches becoming play areas for children after demobilisation. Whilst exploring the unmarked trails in the forest, I came across some of the old trenches. Mountain bikers who explore off the beaten track recall the area known locally as the “bomb holes” and have often practiced their skills there. The purpose of this place changed from training soldiers to entertaining folks, the place left to nature, sometimes forgotten and waiting to be rediscovered.

I discovered the Forestry Commission were managing the area where the original trenches are. Huge swathes of trees have been harvested and others are colour coded waiting to be felled. Where work has already taken place, poles mark out the trenches. I found the trench reconstruction fascinating as it has recreated and brought the past to life from photographs for future generations to explore especially as the WW1 veterans are no longer with us." (Assignment 3)

Reference

Marples (2013) Clipstone Camp and the Mansfield Area in World War 1; The impact of a large military presence in a North Nottinghamshire community, Forest Town Heritage Group, UK p22

Assignment work- Concentrate on Trench area - heathland ,pit, old trenches, reconstruction.

Style of photography - weather e.g mist and fog (being November) reminiscent of Ernest Brooks but using colour instead of monochrome. Could look at photoshop equivalent of autochrome lumiere process Jules Gervais Courtaillemont, Hans Hildenbrand. (see plan notes above)

Autochrome images (11 images)