The archive

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 28 Nov 2005, 12:06

7:30 is a ok.

Gemini · Post by **Gemini** » 30 Nov 2005, 09:01

Poppy wrote:Add in Scotsman today saying archive is FREE for a week from 30th Nov!!!

Poppy - had a look this morning, cant find anything about the free search!

ali · Post by **ali** » 30 Nov 2005, 09:36

Gemini wrote:
Poppy wrote:Add in Scotsman today saying archive is FREE for a week from 30th Nov!!!
Poppy - had a look this morning, cant find anything about the free search!

I saw the ad too - I think it said the free access was from 12 noon today till 12 noon next Wednesday.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 30 Nov 2005, 10:25

Yup, ali, you are correct. Per young man at the Hootsmon this am if we log on at 12 all will be revealed

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 30 Nov 2005, 11:10

I may not be able to make tonight but I guess you will fill me in on the details/stuff.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 30 Nov 2005, 15:51

No prob Sandra. Has anyone signed up for their free trial yet? I can't get the thing to work, so I'm suspecting that the system has been overwhelmed. The search facility isn't working at all and the calendar facility isn't loading the images.

Let's hope they get it sorted before 7:30! The other very interesting thing I spotted is the Double Up December offers. Currently, we can get a year's membership for the price of 6 months.

Had a long chat with one of the very helpful guys responsible for the archive this morning and he is willing to come along to a future meeting to offer advice.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 30 Nov 2005, 16:30

Bob Jefferson wrote:No prob Sandra. Has anyone signed up for their free trial yet? I can't get the thing to work, so I'm suspecting that the system has been overwhelmed. The search facility isn't working at all and the calendar facility isn't loading the images.

Let's hope they get it sorted before 7:30! The other very interesting thing I spotted is the Double Up December offers. Currently, we can get a year's membership for the price of 6 months.

Had a long chat with one of the very helpful guys responsible for the archive this morning and he is willing to come along to a future meeting to offer advice.

I got onto the sign up bit about 15 mins ago ...............and then my pc switched itself off as it is prone to do for some reason - and now I can't get in either! See youse at 7.30!

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 30 Nov 2005, 22:23

For the benefit of those of you who were unable to attend this evening:

The archive is still down, due to the large number of people currently trying to access it. We can only hope that most of them will get fed up soon so we can start using it.

If you have not already done so, you should sign up for your free 7 day account.

This link should work:

http://archive.scotsman.com/freeforall/ ... talarchive

No-one has as yet offered us any funding. I will check with the Scotsman tomorrow as to when their half-price offer ends. We may have to chip in a tenner each to pay for it, though I'm still hopeful that the CC, PAS etc will cover our costs.

During the free period you should make as much use of the archive as you are able to. We will meet again, same time same place, next week to compare notes. You need to consider the best way of extracting useful information from the archive and storing it digitally in such a way that it will provide a useful and user-friendly resource for local historians.

So basically, you are doing your own thing over the next seven days. Read the FAQ stuff, experiment with different ideas and report back.

In the meantime we should use this forum to keep in touch with each other on our progress, best practice suggestions etc.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 01 Dec 2005, 15:08

I can't make next Wednesday's meeting, sorry. (got a double dose of shorthand - Tues and Wed)

Maybe I shouldn't take part as I can't even get to meetings.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 01 Dec 2005, 17:37

Don't worry, we'll fill you in with the details. You don't get to quit that easily.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 01 Dec 2005, 20:51

Ali and I have made a start. I have about 16 images for 3 articles relating to the Prom (building work, storm damage etc) so far. The number of images you have to store for each article is going to be a bit of a pain but I guess we can just burn onto CDs as we go.

Ali's found a brilliant piece on Sunday drinking in Portobello from 1877 and how the gentlewimmin of the Brightons couldn't go out of an afternoon/evening lest they heard the appalling language of the town scum as they made their way back to the Station.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 01 Dec 2005, 23:15

Bob Jefferson wrote:Don't worry, we'll fill you in with the details. You don't get to quit that easily.

What is the best way to search?

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 02 Dec 2005, 00:23

Sandra wrote:
Bob Jefferson wrote:Don't worry, we'll fill you in with the details. You don't get to quit that easily.
What is the best way to search?

We're just doing our own thing there really. Bob pointed out that just putting in Portobello gave far too many hits so a combination of search words might be more effective.

I tried things like "promenade" "swimming pool" "town hall" along with "portobello" and got more than enough to wade through.

Poppy suggested street names could be used. We will check at work for the street names that were around in the 1800s-early 1900s as many have changed over the years.

Why don't you see what can be found for your Wellington Villa or Wellington Street? There might be something juicy there.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 02 Dec 2005, 15:21

Thanks ECM for the searching tips.

Just back from Christmas shopping - it was hell and for BC birthday - its tomorrow!

though he will probably be suffering with BIG hangover!!

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 02 Dec 2005, 15:22

ecm wrote:
Why don't you see what can be found for your Wellington Villa or Wellington Street? There might be something juicy there.

Good idea

thanks

rathbone · Post by **rathbone** » 03 Dec 2005, 16:42

Getting stuck into Andre Letta .....

Turns out his real name was Robert Stewart and he lived at No. 3 Hope Street. Not much so far about his theatre but plenty about his divorce case and what his wife got up to with a soldier and the time he was fined for running an illegal betting ring.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 03 Dec 2005, 16:55

I found that stuff a few months back when I was searching on Hope Street (now Rosefield St of course, where I live). The double divorce court proceedings make absorbing reading - there's a great story there and probably a film too.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 03 Dec 2005, 21:16

I've had time today to take a look at how the archive works. It has been refined a bit since the last time I used it.

I'm now convinced that the easiest and best method is to use the 'clippings' facility. It's a lot quicker than saving the articles as images and using the tags makes cross-referencing easy, while the description field offers the opportunity to include a brief synopsis of the article in question.

I also think that we could publish articles based on our research on the website.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 04 Dec 2005, 14:51

I have not been having much luck with searching

perhaps I am doing it wrong? Help!

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 04 Dec 2005, 17:51

My dad's broken leg has scuppered things for me during this free access week, but want to continue if we can get paid for access.

I've got an OS map of Portobello from end of 19th century which might help for places/houses/old streets etc to search for. Will get it copied if anyone else wants a copy?

rathbone · Post by **rathbone** » 06 Dec 2005, 10:50

Bob Jefferson wrote: I'm now convinced that the easiest and best method is to use the 'clippings' facility. It's a lot quicker than saving the articles as images and using the tags makes cross-referencing easy, while the description field offers the opportunity to include a brief synopsis of the article in question.

As I've now found quite a lot of stuff about Andre Letta, covering several decades, I've found it easier to down load the article, cut and paste into chronological order and then transcribe. I've now got 16 pages of info and I haven't even started on the Marine Gardens yet.

So... as the freebie expires tomorrow, when are we likely to get our corporate access?

(by the way, are other people finding this (a) addictive and (b) easy to get side tracked. I spent ages last night reading correspondence from people in 1928 compaining about the powers that be carting the sand away from the beach)

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 06 Dec 2005, 13:57

rathbone wrote:(by the way, are other people finding this (a) addictive and (b) easy to get side tracked. I spent ages last night reading correspondence from people in 1928 compaining about the powers that be carting the sand away from the beach)

Yes, I got sidetracked reading snippets - another world then!!

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 08 Dec 2005, 16:03

Have we all had the email saying the special offer for BOGOF is on until 31/12/05?

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 08 Dec 2005, 16:35

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 08 Dec 2005, 18:50

foxy · Post by **foxy** » 09 Dec 2005, 19:44

Got that...but has the free access been extended to 31st December?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 09 Dec 2005, 20:54

foxy wrote:Got that...but has the free access been extended to 31st December?

Don't think so. BTW Did you see that fox in the papers this week who thought he was a dog - played fetch, sat on knees, etc?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 31 Dec 2005, 13:27

A reminder to those of you who wish to spend a chunk of 2006 delving into Portobello's past that today is the last opportunity to purchase a half-price subscription.

On reflection, I don't think it would be appropriate to spend POL money on this but I have treated myself to an early birthday present - a 6 month subscription with 6 months free for Â£80. I was then also given a 10% discount for no apparent reason.

If any of you would still like to work on some kind of collaborative project then get in touch quickly (669 1918). Otherwise, I'm happy to do my own thing.

I'll post in the general forum as well in case anyone else wants to take advantage of this offer.

rathbone · Post by **rathbone** » 01 Jan 2006, 09:12

If people are researching things, it would be useful if we posted on here who is doing what.

I have just about exhausted the available information on Andre Letta, Harry Marvello and the Codona families, who ran the various amusements along the Promenade. (The Codonas ran Fun City, Harry Marvello ran the Tower Amusements and Andre Letta ran the Pierrot shows at the Prom Pavilion). I hope to be able to pull it all into a readable form during Jan/Feb. Then I intend to go on to do the marine Gardens.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 01 Jan 2006, 12:52

Im probably best bowing out now. I havent subscribed and I didn't find anything of any interest when we had the free shot at the archive, though I'd be very interesting in reading your findings though Rathbone which sound fascinating.

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 02 Dec 2006, 14:15

A reminder to those of you who took out a year's subscription last December that you only have a few days left before it lapses. It looks as though they could be offering another half price deal for 2007 but there are no details as yet.

For those of you, like myself, who have amassed lots of clippings but have yet to do anything with them, be aware that you will no longer have access to these if you allow your subscription to lapse. However, I am assured that if you decide to renew at some point in the future, they will still be stored.

Poppy, it's time you published your findings on Portobello Golf Club/Course and whatever else you have been researching. I'm off to do something with my clippings on public parks in Portobello. Anyone else?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 02 Dec 2006, 20:24

Bob Jefferson wrote:Poppy, it's time you published your findings on Portobello Golf Club/Course and whatever else you have been researching. I'm off to do something with my clippings on public parks in Portobello. Anyone else?

Yeah, yeah!! Nag, nag!! Have not had much time over last 6 months at least to go into the archive, but will do my best over the hols if I get a chance. You'll probably come across most of the story of the GC anyway in your park research!! And wangi and Portly have covered some of the stiry re the park/course that's now part of the Harry L Road etc!!

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 06 Dec 2006, 14:53

Poppy, what we want is the definitive history of Portobello Golf Club/Course and I'll keep nagging you until we get it.

The good news is that details of the Scotsman's half-price offer for 2007 are now available. A year's subscription costs just Â£79:95. Could be a nice Xmas present for someone?

Digital Archive Double Up December Offer