Lincoln Conference, 2009

The next conference will be exploring Lincolnshire at the invitation of the Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology and based at the University of Lincoln, in Lincoln, from 4 to 10 September 2009.

Lincoln has a proud industrial history dating from the 1840s, and is perhaps most famous as the city where the tank was developed in World War I. In Victorian times it industrialised quickly, soon having a great many important engineering firms including Clayton & Shuttleworth, Ruston & Hornsby, Robey, Foster and others - probably more than any other city of its size. Within a very few years Clayton's became one of the largest engineering firms in the world. This engineering tradition is now represented by Seimens and other firms.

The conference tours will cover the length and breadth of Lincolnshire and sites to be visited during the week will include Sleaford Maltings (perhaps the largest malting complex outside Burton on Trent), docks at Grimsby and Immingham, Cross Keys swing bridge at Sutton Bridge, the port of Gainsborough and site of Marshall's engineering works, 19th century planned settlements at New Bolingbroke and New Holland, the modern Corus Steelworks at Scunthorpe, Moulton windmill (as seen on Restoration), other working windmills, fenland pumping stations, remains of Louth canal and historic RAF sites in the county.

The subject of the Seminar on Friday will be 'The Study of Our Industrial Past' looking at co-operative research by industrial archaeologists working with local history societies and other local groups.

An innovation at Lincoln will be a research poster session. This will be an opportunity for anyone doing research to exchange information on what they are doing and interact with others who have ideas or knowledge that will help.

The Conference will be based in the University of Lincoln that occupies splendid new accommodation in a city centre location developed over the past 15 years. The IA credentials of the site are impeccable as the University has been built on former railway sidings at the side of Lincoln's waterway harbour, and both its library and the adjacent students union (the 'Engine Shed' where the Conference Dinner will be held) occupy re-used railway buildings. The site is within a few hundred yards of Lincoln Central railway station and very conveniently located if you travel by train to the conference.

We look forward to seeing you in Lincoln next year.