BRLSI News, September - December 2008

Click here for BRLSI News 2009

Saturday 20th December: It's with great regret that we report the death of Jane Coates, Honorary BRLSI Life Member and former BRLSI Archivist, after a long illness.

Jane was a volunteer at the BRLSI from the early 1990s onwards, and played a major part in rebuilding the Institution. She was BRLSI Archivist for 10 years, working at the Institution alongside her husband John, who was its Secretary. John tells us that she was also a formidable quiz competitor, twice winning the quiz at the annual Members Party. When ill-health forced Jane to retire, she and John were made honorary life members in recognition of their contributions to the BRLSI.

• Jane Coates' funeral took place on 31st December at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath. Over 100 mourners, including many BRLSI members, attended. Jane's son Julian said that the event was very much as she'd have wanted it to be, and thanked all those who came.

2008 Victor Suchar Christmas Lecture opens BRLSI's
Darwin and Beyond programme.

Professor Brian Charlesworth FRS speaks on advances in the
understanding of evolution since Darwin's time.

Tuesday 16th December: The BRLSI's year-long Darwin and Beyond programme got underway in earnest as Professor Brian Charleson FRS of Edinburgh University gave the 2008 Victor Suchar Christmas Lecture, entitled "What Do We Now Know About The Causes Of Evolution?".

Prof Brian Charlesworth with BRLSI Trustee Betty Suchar at the pre-lecture reception. The annual Victor Suchar Lecture is named after Betty's late husband, a key figure in the development of the modern BRLSI.

Professor Charlesworth gave a full to overflowing Elwin Room an insight into why Darwin stood out among his contemporaries with his description of the broad mechanics of inheritance, and how subsequent advances have led to our understanding of the structure and function of genes. He explained that, although Darwinian theory is seen today as having replaced Lamarck's earlier ideas on the inheritance of acquired characteristics, Darwin actually wavered on the issue, while it was the Austrian monk Gregor Mendel who established the principle of non-blended gene inheritance which forms the basis of genetics.

Considerately sparing his audience "the maths", Prof Charlesworth showed examples of the statistical data used in genetic science, explaining how they are interpreted and what such often-quoted statistics as humans sharing 98% of their genes with chimpanzees actually mean. He ended by demonstrating how much we still have to learn, with a list of Darwinian questions, such as "Why do most plants and animals age?" which are still very much alive today.

The annual BRLSI Christmas Lecture was founded by Victor Suchar, a key figure in the rebirth of the Institution from the 1990s, and named after him following his death in 2007. The Darwin and Beyond programme, which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, and the 150th of the publication of On The Origina Of Species, continues throughout 2009, ending on December 11th with the 2009 Victor Suchar Christmas Lecture, when celebrated geneticist Professor Steve Jones will ask "Is Evolution Over?". For full details of Darwin and Beyond, and more on this year's Victor Suchar Lecture, click here.

Prof Charlesworth answers questions from a capacity audience in
the BRLSI's Elwin Room

BRLSI's British Painters season concludes with lecture on Frank Auerbach

Wednesday 10th December: The BRLSI Visual Arts Group's 2008 season on Britsh painters reached its conclusion with a lecture on Frank Auerbach, the German-born artist famous for his paintings of the Camden area of London.

Jaxx Horswill took us on a enthralling personal journey of discovery as she tried to get under the skin of one of Britain's most reclusive and complex artists. She explained how Auerbach, a friend of Lucien Freud and Francis Bacon, can spend two years or more struggling to paint a single portrait, rarely moving outside his studio. Each morning he will scrap off the thick layers of paint off the canvas from the previous day work and begin again. His portrait subjects consist of a very few devoted models who are prepared to sit for him every day for a period of years until the moment when he feels a painting is complete. ' Auerbach, now 77, is still working in the studio he's occupied since the 1950s, and in 2003 was reported to have refused a Knighthood.

Saving the Cloud Forest

Monday 8th December: Dr Henry Ford, a BRLSI Member and professional botanist, gave a powerful but disquieting insight into the state of the 2000 hectare Bankouale cloud forest in the hills above Djibouti, a remote satellite of the Ethiopian forest system which is home to rare Francolins (of the partridge-pheasant group), and to charmingly tame cheetahs.

In this inhospitable region, sparsely inhabited by nomadic Afars and Somalis, and by Ethiopeans more practised in farming, the forests are home to box and ziziphus and olive, yet have grown grey with great hillsides of dying junipers, upon which the other species depend for the cloud humidity which drips from their moistened branches. The reasons for the junipers' demise are unclear; possibly changes in climate, though from Dr Ford's statistics the region seems fairly static in both temperature (often at 50ºC) and humidity (permanently at 100%), but certainly in part through excessive grazing by goats, sheep and particularly camels, whom the occupants of Djibouti keep in increasing numbers as a status symbol of little practical use. The local population are now being encouraged by Dr Ford and his colleagues, supported by various charities, to protect the young palms and juniper seedlings, so that the forest may in time regain its vitality.

The BRLSI's Passions in Botany series will start its third year with a lecture on 12th January by Frederick Gillam entitled 'What's your Poison?', discussing the use of poisonous plants in medicine from Ancient Egypt to Allopathy. In a similar vein, on 9th February herbal pharmacologist Corinne Sutterby, in 'Tuning the Organs 2', will give a further talk in her series considering how parts of the body work, how they go wrong, and how they can be put right with the help of common herbs. After that, our Botany programme will embark upon the Darwin theme through till July, with discussions on the Economy of Nature as seen by Linnaeus and Darwin, of Darwin's 'Curiosity Unquenched' aroused by his garden, the Galapagos Islands and the Evolution of Flowering Plants.

Mayor and Mayoress of Bath visit BRLSI Collections

Thursday 4th December: The Mayor and Mayoress of Bath, paying their third visit to the BRLSI in as many weeks, met staff and volunteers downstairs in the home of the BRLSI Collections, where Curator Matt Williams and Collections Chair Rob Randall showed them the work that goes on in cataloguing and restoring the Institution's library, geological samples and artefacts.

The councillors spent over an hour with the team, including BRLSI and National Trust firearms expert Brian Godwin, who was in the workshop restoring a 19th Century Russian musket. The visit culminated in a viewing of the library's prize item, a signed first edition of On The Origin Of Species, presented by Charles Darwin to his friend Leonard Jenyns, who left it to the BRLSI. The Mayor revealed that he's a great admirer of the work, having read it twice, although he did concede that it's necessary to "read through" the early 19th century prose style to appreciate the quality of Darwin's arguments.

Before leaving, the Mayor and Mayoress were presented with copies of the BRLSI's newly-bound book on the life of Leonard Jenyns, and the BRLSI Proceedings, the reports of lectures and discussion groups held at the BRLSI which are published each year.

BRLSI Trustee Marie-Louise Luxemburg (right) presents the Mayor
and Mayoress with a copy of the Institution's book on Darwin's
friend and collaborator Leonard Jenyns.

Sixth formers think, therefore...

A Sense Of The Spiritual

Uni-verse convenor Nikki Bennett with poet Rose Flint

Wednesday 3rd December: The BRLSI's Poetry Group and Uni-verse International Poetry programme joined together to welcome Wiltshire-based poet Ruth Flint and friends for the launch of Rose's new collection Mother of Pearl.

With the Elwin Room's seating turned sideways in an unusual but intimate half-moon layout, poets including Fiona Hamilton, Claire Williamson and Rachael Clyne read from their works, while Sally Pullinger played Irish reels on the cello. It was Rose Flint's evening though, and she was greeted enthusiastically each time she returned to the lectern to read another new poem.

Rose's themes include "the sense of the spiritual in the natural world and the experience of the feminine, with  mothers, daughters and goddesses interwoven with lyrical landscapes and deep concern for the earth". She's also an acute observer of the everyday, as in "Westcountry Farmers Market", her tribute to the "good dream and new created light" that comes "in a tumble of scarlet peppers".

A seasoned performance poet, Rose Flint has a warm, engaging delivery, telling her audience of the days when she and her family were the "crazy bohemians down the end of the lane", and sharing her mixed feelings at seeing her daughter head off on a trip to Mexico. It was a warming experience on a cold December evening, and the audience clearly enjoyed it very much.

Varsity teams debate at BRLSI

A debating competition finalist speaks for the proposition.

The ground-floor Jenyns room served as a debating chamber in the early rounds.

Saturday 29th November: The BRLSI building became a hotbed of organised argument and counter-argument as Bath University Debating Society held its annual Inter-Varsity Debating Competition. The day-long event, the third to be held here, drew teams from universities including London, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff and Reading, who battled through a series of knock-out rounds for a place in the final and the coveted winners' trophy.

Debates are tightly organised according to British Parliamentary rules, and at times resemble a combat sport as much as an intellectual exercise. Each speaker gets a strictly controlled five minutes to make their case, with set periods during which they can be challenged by their opponents. Judges award marks in categories such as development of the argument and rebuttal of challenges, and to make it more interesting teams are given just 15 minutes notice of each debate's proposition, and assigned (and expected) to speak for or against it whatever their personal views.

Fuelled by adrenaline, oratorial ambition and a copious supply of sausage rolls, four teams made it through to the early-evening final in the Elwin room, where the open motion was "All hope is lost", which the teams turned into a debate on state funding of political parties. Praising the high standards from all participants, the judges said it had been a close call, but the eventual winners were the team from Goldsmiths and King's College, London University (pictured left).

A good time was had by all (even the losing teams), and no doubt a few future front-benchers had a chance to hone their gladiatorial skills against tough opposition. The organisers said the event had been a big success, and looked forward to coming back next year.

BRLSI Trustees meet for first time since elections

BRLSI Trustees from left: Betty Suchar (elected), Dr Evelyn Lewis (elected), Cllr John Bull (B&NES),
Marie-Louise Luxemburg (elected), Dr Don Cameron (elected), Prof Julian Vincent (Bath University,
Chair of Trustees), David Giles (elected), Dr Gareth Price (Bath University), Mark O'Sullivan (elected).
Elena Hill (elected) also attended the meeting.

Wednesday 26th November: The BRLSI's Board of Trustees met for the first time since the Institution's AGM and Trustee elections on October 28th. Re-elected Board members Dr Evelyn Lewis and David Giles were joined by newly-elected Trustees Betty Suchar and Marie-Louise Luxemburg, along with nominated and mid-term Trustees, for what was actually two meetings - the AGM of the Company (which doesn't trade), and the quarterly meeting of the Trustees Board.

The meeting heard a financial report from the chair of the Finance sub-committee, Rodney Tye, who stated that last year's surplus had fallen short of the £40,000 target for contribution to the building maintenance fund, but that the Institution's reserves were holding up well in the difficult financial climate.

Among other business, the Board approved the changes to the BRLSI's constitution proposed at the AGM, discussed improvements to the equipment and other facilities available to room hire customers, and set up a working party to examine the composition of the Management Committee.

The BRLSI Board of Trustees meet every three months, although the next meeting will be in two months time on January 28th 2009, to align the meeting dates with the Institution's financial year. All BRLSI members can attend Trustee meetings as observers - please bring your membership card.

BRLSI aids Water Aid

The Elwin Room as it's seldom been seen before - transformed into a Christmas market
for Water Aid.

Sunday 23rd November: The BRLSI's nothing if not versatile, and to prove it the Elwin Room, which had been the venue for Saturday's launch of a major new book on science in Bath (see below), was transformed overnight into a Christmas market run by Water Aid, a water industry charity which works to bring clean water and sanitation to the developing world.

The organisers are all employees of Wessex Water, and in previous years have held the market at the company's offices in Claverton Down. This year they wanted to move it to the city centre, and found a welcome in Queen Square. Organiser Chris Allen praised the help they'd had from the BRLSI office team, and said they were 'really happy' with the event's new venue. For more information on Water Aid, click here.

And they aren't even students - the Water Aid team tap in to the generosity of passers-by outside the BRLSI.

BRLSI and Herschel Society launch a history of science in Bath

BRLSI hosts launch event for 'Innovation and Discovery - Bath and the Rise of Science'

From left: Dr Peter Ford MBE (BRLSI), Dr Peter Wallis (editor of Innovation and Discovery),
Dr Allan Chapman (Wadham College, Oxford)

Saturday 22nd November: Members of the scientific community from Bath and beyond gathered in the Elwin room for the launch of Innovation and Discovery, a hardback book on the history of science in Bath produced as a collaboration between the BRLSI and the William Herschel Society.

Attendees, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Bath, heard presentations by the BRLSI's Dr Peter Ford, and Dr Peter Wallis, the book's editor, describing how the work of fifteen authors, on topics as diverse as The Hot Springs and Bath Chemistry and Drawing with Light: Fox Talbot and Bath Photography had been brought together in one volume.

The guest speaker was Dr Allan Chapman (right) of Wadham College, Oxford University, who brought a message of support from Sir Patrick Moore, his co-author of the foreword to the book. Like Sir Patrick an accomplished speaker and TV personality, Dr Chapman gave his own educational and highly entertaining account of how the scientists described in Innovation and Discovery had contributed to the development of science and technology through the ages.

Discovery and Innovation is already a success, with more than half its initial print run sold before it had even been published. It costs £25, and can be purchased from the BRLSI, with worldwide postage available. For more details click here •

Mayor of Bath attends the launch of BRLSI's
Darwin and Beyond programme.

From left: David Cunliffe-Jones (BRLSI Science Convenor), Cllr Tim Ball, Mayor of Bath,
Martin Sturge (BRLSI Darwin and Beyond Programme Manager).

Fri 14th November: The Mayor and Mayoress of Bath, Cllrs Tim and Mrs Sharon Ball, were guests at the launch of the BRLSI's Darwin and Beyond programme, a series of lectures, exhibitions and other events throughout 2009 to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On The Origin Of Species.

Also present was the writer William Pryor, Darwin's great-great grandson (pictured right), who gave an entertaining opening speech full of insights into life as a member of the Darwin clan. He was accompanied by his mother, Sophie Raverat, Darwin's great-granddaughter. The Darwinian presence was completed by a first edition of On The Origin Of Species, signed by Darwin hinself, on display from the BRLSI Collection.

Darwin and Beyond Programme Manager Martin Sturge gave an overview of the programme, which includes lectures by the eminent geneticist Prof Steve Jones and writer/broadcaster Susan Blackmore, examinations of Darwin 's impact on literature and the visual arts, a 'design a creature' competition and an theatre performance, entitled 'Darwin's Worms', which promises 'accessible science and compelling drama'.

Publicity Manager Jude Harris then described the exhibitions which will run throughout the year, including Darwin's Bookshelf, a collection of volumes from the library of Darwin's friend and collaborator Leonard Jenyns, which opened this week in the Jenyns Room.

Darwin and Beyond events start on Tuesday 15th December 2008 with the Victor Suchar Christmas Lecture (Prof Brian Charlesworth FRS on What Do We Now Know About The Causes Of Evolution?), and ends with next year's Suchar Lecture on Friday 11th December 2009, when Prof Steve Jones will ask Is Evolution Over? In between there are over 50 events and exhibitions at the BRLSI. For full details, see our Darwin and Beyond mini-website.

Bringing Darwin to Bath: from left, Cllr Tim Ball, David Cunliffe-Jones,
Prof Julian Vincent (BRLSI Chair of Trustees), Cllr Sharon Ball,
Martin Sturge, Sophie Raverat, William Pryor.

Sickert's biographer gives BRLSI audience
an insight into the painter's life.

From left: BRLSI members Sir Roger and Lady Young, Adrienne Horswill (BRLSI Visual Arts Convenor), Matthew Sturgis.

The Elwin Room was full yet again on November 12th to hear writer and critic Matthew Sturgis speak on the life of the artist Walter Sickert.

Walter Sickert

Mr Sturgis, author of a highly-regarded biography of Sickert, described a man whose preference for the ordinary (and even drab) in his subjects was at odds with a life full of colour and eccentricity. Born in 1860 to a Danish father and English mother, Sickert acted in Sir Henry Irving's theatre company, was a disciple of Whistler and a friend of illlustrator Aubrey Beardsley, knew Degas, had numerous marriages and affairs, co-founded the Camden Town Group of British painters, became addicted to taxi-cabs, was for a while suspected of being Jack The Ripper, and died peacefully in Bathampton (where he's buried) aged 82. The lecture, delivered with authority and a generous lacing of humour, was extremely well received.

This was the penultimate lecture in the BRLSI Visual Arts Group's 2008 series on British Painters. The final one, with Jax Horswill talking on Frank Auerbach, is on Wednesday December 10th - don't miss it!

AGM approves constitutional changes, elects two new Trustees.

Trustees elected at the AGM (from left): Marie-Louise Luxemburg, Betty Suchar, Dr Evelyn Lewis. David Giles was also re-elected.

The BRLSI's Annual General meeting was held at the Institution on October 28th 2008. A full Elwin Room heard a presentation on the proposed changes to the Memorandum and Articles of Association which will see the Trustees become Directors of a company limited by guarantee, with the BRLSI's members becoming members of the company. After discussion and questions from the floor, a motion to approve the changes was passed by a large majority, with just two votes against and one abstention.

The Chairman of the BRLSI's Finance Committee, Rodney Tye, assured members that the Institution's finances were holding up well in the current economic situation, and that income for 2007-8 has been on target. The meeting also heard presentations from Marie-Louise Luxemburg, Chair of the Programme Sub-Committee, Martin Sturge, Chair of the Darwin and Beyond programme, and Paul Stephens, newsletter and website editor.

The other major business was the election of four Trustees to serve for the next three years. Both sitting Trustees were re-elected, plus two new Trustees, both already involved in the BRLSI's committees and activities. The Trustees elected were:

Evelyn Lewis (re-elected)
David Giles (re-elected)
Marie-Louise Luxemburg
Betty Suchar

Sixth Form Philosophy returns to BRLSI

Paul Thomas and Betty Suchar with students at last year's series.

After the major success of last year's Sixth Form Philosophy project, another series of ten meetings will be held at BRLSI starting on Wednesday November 12th. Supported by the Royal Institute of Philosophy and B&NES Youth Bank, and led by David Walker of Bristol University, the sessions will look at the partipants' choice of important and interesting questions, evaluating alternative philosophical approaches to them.

"I do hope that sixth formers will support Joe in this venture." says BRLSI member Paul Thomas. " All local schools have been invited to recruit 2 or 3 students, but anyone who is a member of a sixth form in B&NES, state or independent, can come along. Last year we had representatives from eight schools, and it would be great if we could have even more schools involved this year. If BRLSI members have children or grandchildren I hope they'll bring this great opportunity to their attention."

Sessions will run from 5.00 to 6.30pm, and are free. For the full story and contact details, click here.

Astronomy lectures postponed

Unfortunately the second "Hillier on Astronomy" lecture scheduled for Saturday October 25th has had to be postponed due to ill health. It will now take place on Saturday November 8th.

The other lectures in the series will now take place on the following dates (all Saturdays):

Lecture 3 - November 22nd
Lecture 4 - December 6th
Lecture 5 - December 13th

Martha Schwartz delivers annual John Wood
Architecture Lecture at BRLSI

International landscape architect talks on 'The Softer Side Of Sustainability'

From left: Betty Suchar (BRLSI convenor) , Keith Bradley
(Senior Partner, Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios), Martha Schwartz.

A distinct air of international glitz swept into 16-18 Queen Square on 15th October as Martha Schwartz, Harvard professor and renowned (if occasionally controversial) landscape architect, arrived to give the BRLSI's annual John Wood Architecture Lecture.

Martha is not, in fact, always on the side of the architects, believing that, in the rush to achieve sustainability in our buildings, we tend to forget the spaces in between them - and when we do remember them, prioritise them behind more obvious works of public art when setting budgets. Now based primarily in London, she told a packed Elwin room that the UK is ahead of her native America in understanding the importance of urban landscape.

After a slight toussle with her laptop (she cheerfully confessed to being 'technically challenged'), Martha showed examples of her company's work, ranging from a giant park in Dubai (one of the city's first public spaces) to a foil-lined installation in Reykjavík. Talking in detail about the ideas behind each element, she left the audience in no doubt that designing functional and sustainable landscapes is indeed as complex and demanding as designing the buildings that populate them.

The event, including a pre-lecture reception, was sponsored by Bath-based architects Fielden, Clegg Bradley Studios, who had something of their own to celebrate. A few days earlier they'd been awarded the Stirling Prize, Britain's most prestigious achitecture award, for the design of a housing development in Cambridge.

• If you wondered what the red poles were on the poster for Martha Schwartz's lecture (right), all was revealed on the night. They're from her public space at Grand Canal Square, Dublin, and they light up at night, with bands of yellow floating up and down them. Click here to see more!

BRLSI Annual General Meeting - Tuesday October 28th

Agenda items include the election of four Trustees, and proposals to amend the structure of the Institution and its Board of Trustees.

The meeting starts at 7.30 and is open to BRLSI Members only (doors close at 7.45pm). Please bring your memberhip card. Voting in the Trustee election will only be possible via the official voting forms which have been sent to members.

BRLSI Members - A full agenda, Trustee election candidate statements and the annual report and accounts for 2007-8 are now downloadable from the Members area. Click here to log in using your surname and membership number.

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Trustee elections candidate hustings meeting - September 30th

On 30th September candidates for the four elected Trustee posts will be at the BRLSI to answer your questions. The meeting starts at 7.30 and is open to BRLSI Members only. Please bring your memberhip card.

Follow-up - the candidates at the meeting. From left: Christopher Isaac, Marie-Louise Luxemburg, Betty Suchar, Elizabeth Vincent, Evelyn Lewis, David Giles, Henry Ford.

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Previous news...

EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF BRLSI TRUSTEES TO BE HELD ON JUNE 4TH

An Extraordinary Meeting of the BRLSI's Board of Trustees will be held on Wednesday June 4th, to consider the following proposal:

"That a Director or Chief Executive Officer be appointed forthwith, with the additional duties of Secretary to the Trustees (Company), the Institution (Charity) and the Management Committee."

The special meeting is being held so that, if approved, recruitment of the new Officer can begin as soon as possible.

There will also be a regular quarterly meeting of the Trustees on Wednesday July 2nd.

Both meetings will be held at the BRLSI, and will start at 7.15pm. BRLSI members are welcome to attend Trustees meetings as observers - please bring your membership card.

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New Manifesto for Museums and Galleries

The South West Federation of Museums and Art Galleries has now produced a Manifesto for Museums in the South West. For a direct link to the manifesto go to  http://www.swfed.org.uk/manifesto/reports/sw_fed_museum_manifesto.pdf

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SPEND A DAY WITH ADELARD OF BATH 

The BRLSI is having a family Day on Saturday June 28th at its building in Queen Square from 10:00am to 3:00pm A series of family activities, including a walk through mediaeval Bath various workshops learning about the life and work of Adelard who was the first English scientist. Adelard was born in Bath in 1080 and spent a great deal of his life in the city when he was not travelling the world. (He visited the known world from Spain to Syria . Even surviving an earthquake!). He brought the concept of zero to Western Europe, and translated books from Arabic about the abacus (the first number calculator), the astrolabe (the medieval equivalent of satellite navigation), Astronomy (he calculated the latitudinal position of Bath), medicine and veterinary science (how to treat injured birds). Lots of fun, suitable for parents and children up to the age of 14.

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BRLSI PARTICIPATES IN BATH MUSEUM MONTH

The BRLSI is participating in an exhibition marking Museums Month in Bath Central Library. This exhibition, entitled Ideas and Innovations, is a collaboration between all the museums and galleries of Bath and North East Somerset and showcases the wealth and diversity of collections we have in this area.

Last year this event was organised by BRLSI's curator Matt Williams. This year Jill Bennett (B&NES Heritage Events Coordinator) has taken the lead. Jill says "Come and be amazed at the things that were invented or discovered by former residents of Bath and North East Somerset. Handle some mystery objects and see how many of them you can identify. Find out which famous people might have lived in your street and unearth some fascinating facts."

The exhibition is showing 12 - 17th May, 10.00 - 5.00pm, and admission is free. Matt Williams will be at the Library between 10:00 and 13:00 on Tuesday 13th of May where he will be encouraging visitors to handle selected items from the collection.