The formal business of the AGM was conducted and afterwards Martin Bland, Trevor Pearson and Chris Hall of the Society presented those present with an update on work that is being undertaken in Raincliffe Woods.  This area is largely unmapped and the work that has been undertaken is already showing that this is an area of significant archaeological and historical interest.  The Society will no doubt be continuing its reputation for excellent and rigorous work as this project progresses.

Mark Sissons gave a great talk to a large audience on a fascinating part of our local history.  With potentially imminent work starting on potash mining locally, it was timely to see that what is considered today to be an area of outstanding natural beauty was, and within living memory, a heavily industrial area.

Our thanks go to Richard Wynne for an interesting talk on the many marine craft designed by Scarborough's own Albert Strange.  It was good to see many members for Sailing Club present and we hope you'll join us again for some other talks.

Thanks to everybody who attended to listen to some great talks given by our very own members.  Vanessa Milner, Chris Evans, Mark Vesey and John Found all kindly spoke on topics as diverse as Alderman John Jackson, Three Cayley Servants, the Maritime Heritage Centre and the early history of Scarborough Cricket Club.  Their contributions were warmly received by the audience and judging by the interest their material, we may have to ask them to expand their talks further. 

A great talk from Dr Steve Sherlock about the excavations along the course of the A1 improvement! 
Such a huge enterprise and good to hear about his involvement with Operation Nightingale to help rehabilitate service personnel through involvement in archaeology.

 

 

Mark provided a brilliant insight in recent analysis of Stonehenge and the surrounding areas.  The audience left with new insights and possibly some questions to contemplate.  Was Stone 56 ever upright, even in antiquity?  What do the Bronze Age carvings on the stones represent?  Were the sarsen stones all transported the great distances as widely believed?