It’s about time someone who actually worked in authorities in the former West Midlands County contributed to this, so here goes (with contributions from Sue):
The West Midlands County Council (WMCC- which included Birmingham, Sandwell, Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Solihull and Coventry) existed from 1974-86 and its SMR was initiated by the County’s Conservation Section in the late 1970s and developed by Sue Whitehouse of WMCC from 1981/82 onwards. Following abolition of the county in 1986 Dudley Council hosted a joint West Midlands SMR which covered all the unitary authorities formerly in WMCC and was jointly funded by all the authorities on a per-capita basis (Including Sandwell, where I was from 1982-94). Neil Lang was employed as SMR officer. The SMR was later transferred to the Joint Data Team (which also managed other county-wide data such as transport statistics) and Hilary White later became SMR officer. Birmingham City Council (the largest contributor, at 40%) pulled out of the joint funding in 1993 and subsequently managed its own SMR. I was appointed Birmingham’s Planning Archaeologist in 1994 and although management of the City’s SMR/HER was not part of my JD until 2010, I did de facto manage it from the time of my appointment, with assistance from the GIS team. As far as I know it is currently managed by Ross Brazier (conservation officer) with assistance from Nick Tringham (GIS manager).
Mike Shaw should be able to provide information on the history of the other SMRs/HERs post-1993, which included Solihull HER being managed by Warwickshire as Ben notes, and Coventry, Sandwell and Dudley each managing their own HERs, and a joint Wolverhampton/Walsall HER. Existing postholders Jayne Pilkington (Dudley) and Ellie Ramsey (Wolverhampton) may also be able to contribute.
All of this might seem very different to the histories of generally well-supported shire county/two-tier authority HERs but in these days of substantial local authority cutbacks I think there are lessons to be learned and warnings to be heeded.
A general point- all of the numerous SMR/HER audits funded by RCHME and EH included a history of the relevant SMR/HER and would be useful sources for this project.
Mike
From: Chris Wardle
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 6:24 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: HER creation dates
Stewart & Ben,
When I arrived in Staffs in the late 1980s the West Midland SMR was run by Neil Lange (later of RHCME). After the WM County Council was dissolved the SMR was attached to something known as the Joint Data Team based in Solihull, which held many data sets. I can't provide exact years, but in the early-mid 1990s Neil left for Swindon, and Hilary White (previously of Hereford and Worcester SMR) took his place. I seem to recall that Hilary left in the late 1990s and soon after the Joint Data Team was wound-up as a result of differences over the contributions the various local authorities that ran it. This led to various councils in the former West Midland County, Birmingham by itself, and elsewhere the Back Country creating their own SMRs/HERs run by Mikes Hodder and Shaw.
Chris
On 6 May 2016, at 16:28, Ben Wallace <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Stewart,
Regarding the West Midlands SMR in your table I don't know much except it must have split up and ceased to be between 1986 (when the West Midlands County Council was abolished) and 2000 when we started managing the Solihull SMR on behalf of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
Perhaps this is one for Mike Hodder or Mike Shaw may be able to help with this (being there closer to that time). Or maybe one of the West Mids unitary HERs can help?
We have a West Midlands HER Forum meeting next week here in Warwick so I can ask there is you like.
Ben
Ben Wallace
(Historic Environment Record Manager)
BA (EU) Hons, MA, MCIfA
Warwickshire Historic Environment Record
Archaeological Information and Advice (AIA),
Landscape, Ecology and Historic Environment
Heritage and Environment,
Community Services,
Communities
Warwickshire County Council
Phone: 01926 412734
Postal Address: Archaeological Information and Advice, Communities, Warwickshire County Council, PO Box 43, Shire Hall, Warwick CV34 4SX
Physical Address: Archaeological Information and Advice, Communities, Warwickshire County Council, Barrack Street, Warwick CV34 4TH
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Web: http://heritage.warwickshire.gov.uk/archaeology/historic-environment-record/
http://timetrail.warwickshire.gov.uk
Blog: http://warwickshireher.wordpress.com/
On 6 May 2016 at 16:17, Ben Wallace <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Seeing as it is Friday, here is a brief history of the Warwickshire HER with a list of previous officers, I welcome any gaps being filled in as well!
A brief history of the Warwickshire HER:
A record of archaeological sites and finds has been kept by Warwickshire Museum (as part of Warwickshire County Council) since the 1940s. These started as simple annotated maps with copies of Ordnance Survey record cards for particular archaeological sites. This later developed into an SMR in 1977 when financial assistance for an SMR Officer and SMR Assistant was provided by the Department of the Environment (DoE) and the Manpower Services Commission (MSC). Warwickshire County Council assumed responsibility for the SMR in 1983 with the creation of the post of SMR Officer. At this time a Historic Buildings survey took place, also funded by the MSC, covering about half of the county. Between 1987 and 1989, the main record was transferred to a computerised database using a grant provided by English Heritage. The SMR was formally adopted by Warwickshire County Council by Council Resolution on 18th July 1995. In 2001 the SMR started using the HBSMR software which included a GIS system. In December 2003 the SMR created an online website entitled ‘Timetrail’; this was achieved by money from the Heritage Lottery Fund and was one of the earliest successful HER online projects
In the spring of 2006 the SMR became a Historic Environment Record with the inclusion of Listed Building information and the start of a Historic Landscape Characterisation project.
List of Previous Officers:
a.. Dr RG Lamb (County Archaeological Officer) (1977)
b.. Helen Maclagan (County Field Archaeologist) (1978?/1979 - 1982)
c.. Tim Yarnell (SMR Officer) (1982 – 1984)
d.. Richard Hingley (1984 - 1989)
e.. John Hodgson (1989 - 1993)
f.. Emma Jones (1993 – July 2009)
g.. Ben Wallace (HERM) (September 2009 – present)
List of Previous Assistants:
a.. Sian Williams (1977 – 1978)
b.. Helen Maclagan (1978 – 1979?)
c.. Jo Groves (STEP Archaeological Records Assistant) (1979)
d.. S Wright (1979-1980)
e.. Gilles Crawford (1980-1981?)
f.. David Thompson (1983)
g.. Bette Pehrson (1983)
h.. Giles Darkes (1985)
i.. Sian Williams (1987/8)????
j.. Alan Paxton (1987-1989)
k.. Candy Stevens (1990)
l.. Debbie Langley??
m.. Clare Gathercole (199? – 1999)
n.. Eleanor Kingston (1999 – 2002?)
o.. Caroline Rann (2001?)
p.. Alwen Savage (2002?)
q.. Louisa Matthews (2002 - 2003?)
r.. Alison Smith (2003?)
s.. Anna Stocks (2003 – 2005)
t.. Ben Wallace (2005 - 2006)
u.. Alison Smith (2006 - 2007)
v.. Lindsay Farquharson (2007 - 2008)
w.. Giles Carey (Jan 2009 - July 2010)
x.. Ben Morton (Aug 2009 – Aug 2010)
y.. Caroline Rann (Nov 2010 – sept 2013)
z.. Giles Carey (Sep 2013 – July 2014)
aa.. John Robinson (Sep 2014 – March 2015)
ab.. William Steele (Sep 2014 - present)
ac.. Keith Elliott (March 2015 – present)
Enjoy!
Ben
Ben Wallace
(Historic Environment Record Manager)
BA (EU) Hons, MA, MCIfA
Warwickshire Historic Environment Record
Archaeological Information and Advice (AIA),
Landscape, Ecology and Historic Environment
Heritage and Environment,
Community Services,
Communities
Warwickshire County Council
Phone: 01926 412734
Postal Address: Archaeological Information and Advice, Communities, Warwickshire County Council, PO Box 43, Shire Hall, Warwick CV34 4SX
Physical Address: Archaeological Information and Advice, Communities, Warwickshire County Council, Barrack Street, Warwick CV34 4TH
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Web: http://heritage.warwickshire.gov.uk/archaeology/historic-environment-record/
http://timetrail.warwickshire.gov.uk
Blog: http://warwickshireher.wordpress.com/
On 6 May 2016 at 16:12, Oxley, John <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
And here in York ...
1989 deposit model database created for historic core only as part of Ove Arup Study
1996 City of York SMR rose from the ashes of local government reorganisation (merged data from York City Council and North Yorkshire County Council)
john
John Oxley | City Archaeologist
t: 01904 551346 | e: [log in to unmask] | @yorkarchaeology
City of York Council | Planning & Environmental Management
West Offices | Station Rise | York | YO1 6GA
www.york.gov.uk | facebook.com/cityofyork | @CityofYork
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From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pye, Andy
Sent: 06 May 2016 16:01
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: HER creation dates
Not within your time frame but for sake of completeness the Exeter City HER was born out of UAD in 2000…….
It’s Friday afternoon after all…..!
Andrew Pye
Principal Project Manager (Heritage)
City Development
Exeter City Council
Civic Centre
Paris Street
EXETER EX1 1NN
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel: 01392 265224
From: Issues related to Historic Environment Records [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Stewart Bryant
Sent: 06 May 2016 15:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: HER creation dates
HEROs and SMROs
Many thanks to those that responded to the question concerning the date of creation of your HER/SMR. We have listed those that responded (plus a few others) in ascending order - apologies if we have got any wrong. There are however, a large number that did not respond and we would be grateful if you could let us know, or fill the date table below, even if it’s an estimate. As mentioned in the earlier message, we are looking at the early years (between the late 60s and the local government reorganisation of 1994).
Thanks also to Dinah at South Yorks for referencing the influential Government Circular 11/72 (attached). Although it relates only to ‘field monuments’ (a response to the report of the Field Monuments Committee) it is, in retrospect, probably the most important policy document for SMRs and Local Government Archaeology Services prior to PPG 16. It harks back to the (good old) days when Government felt that it could instruct local authorities to take on new roles and spend money without new legislation and/or multiple, lengthy consultations.
Amongst its recommendations, the Circular instructs County Councils effectively to create SMRs (‘County planning authorities should maintain a consolidated record of known field monuments’); and it is probably the first policy reference to what is now called the local authority curatorial role (‘the safeguarding of unscheduled field monuments is a matter for local authorities to consider though the use of their planning powers and otherwise’ & ‘ County Councils should consider appointing archaeological officers either individually or, in appropriate cases, on a shared or part-time basis. These officers should maintain close relations with the planning department and keep in close touch with the Department's Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments’)
In terms of the creation of SMRs, Circular 11/72 was probably influential in the spate of SMRs which the list below shows were created between 1972 and 1977, and the Field Monuments Report itself (does anyone have a copy?) may have in turn been influenced by the then newly created SMRs at Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire? However, this is still just a theory and more dates are needed in order to establish a clear pattern – and there will no doubt be other factors at play.
So, we look forward to hearing from you.
Stewart and Anwen
HER
Creation date
Tyne & Wear
91
Kent
89
Humberside
85
Gt Manchester
80
Staffordshire
80
Merseyside
78
Durham
77
Herts
76/77
Shropshire
76
Northumberland
76
North Yorks
75
Leicestershire & Rutland
69-76
Norfolk
74?
South Yorks
74
Cambridgeshire
74
Nottinghamshire
Pre 86
Somerset
74
Hereford & Worcs
Worcs 1972-3: Hereford & Worcs 1974
Winchester
74
Buckinghamshire
72
Essex
72
Bedfordshire
71
Oxfordshire
60s
Berkshire
Worcester City
Southampton
West Sussex
E Sussex
Cornwall
Devon
Wiltshire
Derbyshire
Lancashire
Cumbria
West Midlands
Cheshire
Surrey
Lincolnshire
Suffolk
Wiltshire
Dorset
West Yorkshire
Gtr London
York
Gloucestershire
Warwickshire
Tees
Isle of Wight
Bristol
Chichester
Avon
Hampshire
Northamptonshire
Canterbury
Dartmoor NP
Yorkshire Dales NP
Lake District NP
North York Moors NP
Dr Stewart Bryant FSA MCIfA
16, Bunyan Close, Pirton, Hitchin, Herts.
SG5 3RE
E: [log in to unmask]
T: 07936163154
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