Event - Chance to adopt an artefact (Newark)

An Anglo-Saxon gold cross, a lead coffin, the bell from HMS Newark and a Roman silver earpick are among historic objects being offered for adoption as part of a fundraising initiative.

Mrs Rae Elliott, with an 18th Century smock, and Mr Glyn Hughes, with the bell from HMS Newark. (051211MW4-23)

The Friends of Newark and Sherwood Museum Service will launch the adopt-an-object initiative a week today.

Money raised will help with the restoration of the Old Magnus Buildings on Appletongate, where a new museum is being planned.

People will be able to browse displays at Millgate Museum, Newark, from 6pm to 9pm to see some of the objects not usually seen by the public.

Objects can be adopted for a minimum donation of £10 per year.

In return, people will receive a certificate of adoption, an information sheet on the adopted object and a credit on the group’s website for the duration of the adoption.

For more information contact Millgate Museum on 01636 655730.

From:  http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/news/view.asp?id=8a7b1e0a-7231-102f-ad62-73917bb4195d&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Events - Ghostly walks are a hit (Newark)

Walks that combine Newark’s history with ghostly goings-on have developed an international appeal.

Mr Ian Gillanders, 57, of Balderton, started the town walks two-and-a-half years ago and they are proving so popular he is considering branching out into weekend breaks.

“They are going incredibly well. I am getting people from all over the world — Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand, and America,” he said.

“I have also been contacted by a university professor who does history ghost walks in New York with a view to swapping links.

“It is about promoting the town and bringing in the tourists.”

Mr Gillanders takes groups ranging from two to 30 around Newark as part of group outings or individual bookings — even surprise birthdays — telling tales of the town’s colourful past and paranormal activity.

He said: “I never know what is going to happen. People contribute during the walk, telling of their own paranormal experiences and what they have witnessed and, quite often, I have heard the same things from other people. It is really interesting.

“People also like the history side of the walk and even the locals are sometimes surprised at the history we have got here.”

In addition, he holds evenings with a difference at the White Hart, Newark, taking groups into the cellar accompanied by a medium to search for evidence of paranormal activity.

The history-paranormal combination has been so successful, Mr Gillanders is in talks with a couple of Newark hotels about organising weekend breaks.

He said: “When I first started I had no intention of doing all this. It started out with the walks and has grown.”

Details of the walks can be found at www.newarkghostwalks.co.uk

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Ghostly-walks-are-a-hit

News - Bells to toll for bomb victims (Newark)

The bell of the second HMS Newark will toll a week today for the 41 factory workers who died when Ransome and Marles was bombed in the second world war.

 

The 11am chimes from the parish church will be followed by a two-minute silence, before the bell will be rung from the Town Hall steps.

It will sound once for each of the victims as their names are read out as part of the 70th anniversary commemorations of the bombing.

The names will be read by a former Mayor of Newark, Mr Chris Grant, whose father, Robert, was killed.

Ten bombs, five of which exploded, were dropped in two raids on the Northern Road factory on March 7, 1941.

Workers then came under machine-gun fire as they tried to flee.

The tribute on Saturday, March 5, organised by the Friends of Newark Cemetery, is part of three days of commemoration events, culminating, on Monday, March 7, by the unveiling of a permanent memorial to the bombing victims.

In addition to the 41 men and women killed, a further 165 people were injured.

On the Saturday and Sunday, the cemetery chapel interpretation centre will be open to the public from noon until 4.30pm, where there will be an exhibition of artefacts relating to the bombing.

Visitors can also see some of the victims’ graves.

On Monday, March 7, pupils at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Primary School will ring their school bell at 2.24pm —the time of the second raid at the bearings factory.

The children, who have been studying the bombing for a project, will read a roll of honour to remember those who died.

There will be further opportunity for the public, from 3pm to 4.30pm, to view the cemetery chapel exhibition and pay their respects at the grave-sides.

On the Monday night, the town council will honour those who died in what was Newark’s single greatest loss of life.

Relatives of the victims will be at the Town Hall for the unveiling at 6pm of a memorial — made by NSK Europe — the successors of Ransome and Marles.

The memorial, in the staircase entrance to the Town Hall, will feature a large chrome-plated bearing, of the type made at the factory, and an item of memorabilia salvaged from 1941.

The names of the people killed will appear on a plaque on the memorial.

 

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Bells-to-toll-for-bomb-victims