Minutes of the Conservation meeting of 2013-04-15 at 19:30 in the Stocks

[The last amendment was on 2013-04-23. Numbers in square brackets refer to items in the corresponding Agenda]

[a] Chair: Ian Deans (ID) chaired the meeting.

[b] Attendance: 11 people signed into the meeting (CT [Colin Taylor - Chair of the East-Ecclesfield Liberal-Democrats], AM [Angela Marsden – Chair of the Revitalising Ecclesfield Park and Pavilion Group], ID, LQ, RT, JP, SP, MM, KM, PB, KF). In addition, JE, GW, JW, and SB sent apologies. A total of 36 people currently receive emailed agendas and minutes.

Ongoing matters, or "things still to be done"

[z] Next meeting. The next meeting of the Ecclesfield Conservation and Local History Group will be on Monday May 20^th, at 19:30 in “The Stocks”. ID gave his apologies for not being able to attend this meeting since he would be on holiday.  RT agreed to chair the meeting in ID’s absence.

[1] JP said that we had now received the results of EPIP’s scanning of the Ridge Ledgers, and that these were now on our Internet site and available for anybody to see [5^th item down on conservation.ecclesfieldgroups.com. Just click on the picture of the ledgers on the left. You can click on either DAY BOOK, or LEDGER to see thumbnail pictures of all the pages in that volume. Clicking on one of the thumbnails brings up the corresponding page (Each page might take a minute or so to come up). Once the picture is displayed, move the mouse down to the bottom of the screen to see the slide-show controls.].

JP explained that the next stage was to allow ourselves and any other volunteers or visitors too the site to read what was on the screen, and type in what they see as text. This text or annotation then needs to be automatically stored with the corresponding picture so that people can search for the names of people and firms, and thereby find the appropriate page in the ledgers, [e.g. using the open-source software behind annotorious.github.io/demos.html or okfnlabs.org/annotator/demo/. If anybody has any information or comments on these or any other suggestions please email Jim on

JP also reported that we have also been given a hand scanner from EPIP, which being small and portable could be ideal for taking to somebody’s house and capturing photographs or other documents for the archive. [If anybody wants to use this scanner, or wants us to come and scan your documents for placing in the Ecclesfield Village Archive, just email].

[2] ID, RT, and JP were asked to prepare updated aims, following our change of name. ID said that the basic constitution was still valid, but the original document did not fully reflect our interests in local history and in creating the Ecclesfield Archive.

JP raised the question as to whether members wanted to maintain physical records of the Village, or just a digital or Internet one. As an example, he asked members what they wanted to happen to the Ridge Ledgers, now that they had been scanned. Members generally liked the idea of displaying them in Ecclesfield for a few weeks before they were offered elsewhere. The library was suggested, and although nobody had a suitable glass case to protect them, it was suggested that it might be sufficient if the volumes were kept behind the desk [If anybody knows where we might be able to borrow a case which might enable the volumes to be displayed, then please let me know]. PB suggested that visitors would be more likely to go to St. Mary’s Church, so this would be a better place to display the documents. The Church already maintains the Parish records, and occasionally puts this on display during special open days. ID was asked to have a word with the Vicar about their archive. AM mentioned the books that had been written about Ecclesfield, some of which were available on library shelves, and suggested that there were actually historical repositories all over the place, but they needed co-ordinating.

AM pointed out that records of notable events were being generated all the time, and that we should not forget that these also had historical interest. She herself for instance had accumulated lots of photographs of events in the park.

[3] ID said he could not attend the Parish Council, Local History archive meeting on 25^th April, but JP said he would go, and RT said he hoped to be able to attend also. There would therefore be some continuity. Also, ID said that although he had not received minutes of the previous meeting, he could email JP and RT his list of action points.

JP asked whether there was anything that we should say at the meeting, and AM said that there was a lack of co-ordination with pockets of information in various places.

[4] MM said she had written a letter to St. Mary’s Trust to apply for funds for boundary stones, but lacked the information to make a formal application. KF said he had been given a figure of £600 for two additional planters. Possible locations were discussed, including Wheel Lane, Yew Lane, Barnsley Road, and Green Lane. [KM has just surveyed the stone on Green Lane, and confirmed that it is still lying flat, but with its inscriptions still visible http://www.milestonesociety.co.uk/conservation.html ]. KF added that the two Ecclesfield / Grenoside boundary markers on Wheel Lane can only just be seen. RT mentioned the cross on Elliot Lane. PB reminded us that we needed permission to put the stones up, but KF added that Amey seem to be very co-operative at the moment. CT suggested we might want to see if the Parish Council is interested in the project.

[y] AM asked us whether we wanted to participate in the forthcoming Community Garden Event in the Park. This was scheduled for Saturday 8^th June, but in view of the way in which the cold weather had set the plants back, the event might now take place in July. There was a discussion of whether we could man a stand, and it was agreed that our gazebos would be made available. Volunteers were needed to man this however. It did seem that Ecclesfield was looking better; with RT saying that someone had come up to him and said how wonderful Ecclesfield Park was looking.

The Gala on Sunday 1^st September was also discussed, again with the difficulty of manning the stands being mentioned. ID said he would be away on that day and could not help. MM would also not be available for our stand, since she would be preparing refreshments elsewhere. RT suggested we team up with in-bloom, and ID said that he could probably get some leaflets for our stand. In view of these difficulties attending the Gala it was agreed that we should further consider a presence at the Community Garden event.

Completed matters or "things we have now done"

[c] Minutes and Matters arising therefrom: ID added that the grant application for printing additional leaflets should include the words “plus the cost of extra leaflet dispensers at cost”. The minutes of the previous meeting were then accepted for publication.  [A copy of these can now be found at... conservation.ecclesfieldgroups.com/minutes/2013-03-18.minutes.html   - JP]

As requested by the previous meeting, ID had enquired about the public footpath running from Priory Lane to Shrogs Wood and was told that it was classed as a “Rural Footpath” and as such would not be surfaced. However the local inspector had been informed that it had become very difficult to traverse after last month’s rains. KF added that the very soft mud had now hardened, so the original problem had gone away.

As requested by the previous meeting, ID had mentioned the noise problem created by the bird scarer behind Town End Road to Environmental Health, and been told that this had been referred to the officer responsible for the Whitely Area. PB said that he thought the volume might now be less, but AM confirmed that the noise was still continuing from 7:30 in the morning to about 7:30 at night. RT reported that he had heard some noise at 11:00 at night. ID would press for feedback from Environmental Health.

[x] Planning

JP said he had read of government hopes that we might have a detailed route for HS2 by the end of next year, but ID thought we would have to wait a long time for this.

JP said that although Sheffield City Council had approved the planning application for coal extraction at Hesley Wood, this decision was being challenged. JP suggested that interested members take a copy of the current LookLocal from the pile he had put on the side of the bar, and CT pointed out the article on the Cowley Residents Action Group which was featured on the front page.

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