At the invitation of the landowner a small group from the industrial archaeology team visited the site of a former steam powered drainage pump close to the River Till on the edge of Scampton parish.

Chris Padley is here standing in the scoop wheel chamber as we consider the type of mid-19th century steam engine likely to have provided power in this remote spot.

On Saturday 22 April Neil Wright led a 2-hour walking tour around the central area of Spalding.

We pondered the Abbey Buildings with their uncertain association with Spalding's medieval priory.

The biennial Spark Festival, which promotes engineering, was held in Lincoln Cathedral over the first weekend in May.

SLHA sold books and met friends at their stall in the south transept (Ken Redmore and Stephen Betteridge here in attendance before the crowds arrived).

Eleven members of the Society's Building Recording Group met members of the Norfolk Historic Buildings Group in Walsingham on Saturday 20 May.

This town has been the subject of a special study by the Norfollk group. 

The Lincolnshire group are seen here on Common Place.

Stewart Squires of SLHA led a walk around the former Claxby ironstone mine workings on Saturday 20 May.

This was one of the events launching the 2017 Wolds Walking Festival.

SLHA mounted a small bookstall and information point in the Viking Centre at Claxby.

Here Stewart Squires is making a point to Sir Edward Leigh, the local MP.

A composite poster edited and prepared by the SLHA Industrial Archaeology team under the leadership of Eric Newton was presented to the new University Technical College in May.

Photograph: Eric Newton (left) and Chris Lester (right)

The annual Brackenbury Lecture, arranged by SLHA, was given by Catherine Wilson on the subject of Sir John Franklin, man of Spilsby. The chapel at Raithby was fit for use except for the absence of suitable blackout, so the meeting was held at Spilsby Methodist Church.

Photograph: Mark Acton (Chairman, SLHA Local History team) and Catherine Wilson

The 2017 SLHA study tour was in Cornwall, based at the Penryn campus of the University of Exeter in early July.

The first full day was spent on a tour of archaeogical sites in West Penwith under the expert leadership of Pete Herring. Here the group is approaching Gurnard's Head on the north coast 8 miles west of St Ives.

Former SLHA President, David Robinson died on 25 July, a loss that will be sorely felt by communities and organisations across the county.

David was a prolific author, experienced editor and accomplished speaker and tutor. He played a significant role in the leadership and development of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Louth Museum and The Sir Joseph Banks Society, and was a prominent layman in the Methodist Church.

Members of the SLHA Industrial Archaeology team spent 4 days making a record of the late David Robinson's brick collection. This included unique examples from Lincolnshire brickmakers as well as bricks from historic buildings demolished over the past 50 years.

Photo (l to r): Ken Redmore, Chris Page, Chris Lester, Jon Sass, Stewart Squires

The 2017 Memorial Lecture was arranged jointly with the Barton upon Humber Society and took place in the Joseph Wright Hall, Barton on 15 September.

The event honoured Rex Russell (1916-2014), long time resident of Barton, and highly regarded local historian.

To celebrate Lincolnshire Day (1 October) SLHA joined forces with Kirton in Lindsey Society for an attractive package of events. This included a talk by Chris Hewis, 'Early 20th Century Life along the Fossdyke', based on a photograph collection from Saxilby.

The indefatigable Chris gave the same presentation to an audience at Jews' Court later in the day.

Our new Bookshop Managers, Eva and Nick Moore, ensure that we have a bookstall selling both new and secondhand books at our events.

Caroline Crane was in charge of the stall at the Lincolnshire Day event in Kirton in Lindsey.

John Turner, who had a career as a draughtsman with Ruston Bucyrus, died in October. John had been a member of the Industrial Archaeology team at one time and was much valued as the Society's postal sales officer for several years.

John will be remembered for two meticulously researched and well-written books, both published by SLHA: Nellie: The History of Churchill's Lincoln-Built Trenching Machine (1988) and Artur Immanuel Loewental (2014).

The twice-yearly East Midlands Industrial Archaeology Conference was held in Northampton on 14 October. As usual it was supported by a number of SLHA members.

The venue was 

The Society's AGM was held at Bailgate Methodist Church, Lincoln on Saturday 22 October.

It is about twenty years since the meeting was last held in the city. In the 1980s and 90s Bishop Grosseteste College (as it was then) was the regular venue.

After the AGM on 21 October presentations were made to the winners of Society's awards.

In the photo, back (l to r): Chris Penney (Holbeach) Stewart Squires (SLHA), Alan Dennis (Caistor), Peter O'Leary (Caistor);
front: Rosemary Foster, Sally Kelway, Janet Avison (Caythorpe), Robert Fish (Epworth)

Winner of the 2017 Flora Murray Award was Holbeach Cemetery Chapels Trust for their wide ranging project exploring the natural, artistic and historic aspects of the site with wide community involvement.

Photo: Chris Penney, Chairman of the HCCT

Caythorpe village and church won two Awards for Excellence: for a guide to St Vincent's Church, written by Christina Faraday, and a guide and children's 'passport' to the village war memorial.

Photo: Sally Kelway, Rosemary Foster, Janet Avison

Robert Fish of Epworth was presented with an Award for Excellence for his series of books on wartime in the Isle of Axholme. These included detailed personal and service records of men who fought and lost their lives.

Photo: Robert Fish with Stewart Squires, Chairman of SLHA Trustees

Winner of an Award for Excellence was the Caistor Heritage Trust for their large and informative website www.caistor.co.uk.

Photo: Alan Dennis, Peter O'Leary

The day in Lincoln on 21 October which began with the AGM ended with a choice of guided tours: Roman Lincoln (Bailgate area) led by Mick Jones, and highlights of the Museum of Lincolnshire Life led by Chris Page.

Photo: at the Mint Wall (off Westgate)

The tour led by Mick Jones, former City of Lincoln Archaeologist, included sites accessible to the public in the upper part of the Roman colonia.

In this shot the group, nearing the end of the tour, are viewing the site of the water tank or reservoir close to East Bight.

The Building Recording Group are continuing their survey work at the 'Nunnery' in Sixhills in collaboration with members of the local community.

On 15 October Steve Parry of the British Geological Survey provided detailed onsite information about the stones used in the Nunnery and in the adjacent parish church.

The day conference arranged by the SLHA Industrial Archaeology team on Saturday 4 November was held at Gainsborough Methodist Church in the centre of the town.

The theme of the day, entitled 'Wheels, Sails and Rails', was trade and transport in Lincolnshire

Barry Barton - Stage coach services 1826
Stephen Betteridge - Dunham Bridge
Stewart Squires - Railways & tramways & Ironstone mines
Philip Riden - Gainsborough's early trade on the Trent

Ironstone Mining in the Lincolnshire Wolds, a book written by Stewart Squires and published by SLHA, was launched at Caistor Heritage Centre by SLHA President, Rod Ambler, on Sunday 3 December.

In the photograph, left to right: Stewart Squires, Nigel Burn (SLHA Chairman), Rod Ambler

The launch event in Caistor brought together local people with connections to the Nettleton and Claxby mines as well as SLHA members.

Stewart was kept busy signing copies of his book, providing information and meeting friends and fellow enthusiasts from a wide area.