I have lived in the West Country all my life. I left school at 16 and have worked for a major bank throughout. I am married with one daughter aged 11. I first became interested in archaeology after senior school trips to Avebury, Caerleon and Caerphilly Castle, but my interest in history nosedived at the age of 14 when Watts engine and the South Sea Bubble were on the agenda. At school I also enjoyed the subjects of physical geography and geology. I’ve always been fascinated by death in its various guises, which is why I have a great interest in forensic science, spawned from reading many fictional crime novels and then real-life crime from an early age, moving onto the memoirs of forensic pathologists. My other interests including old maps, ancient manuscripts and books, aerial photography, photographic history, together with the effect of religion on society and computer and facial reconstruction, also form part of the archaeological umbrella. I also enjoy listening to a wide variety of music, travelling and drinking copious amounts of fine wine. I am a member of the National Trust, English Heritage and the Council for British Archaeology.

Special Interest Areas

Osteo-archaeology, archeopathology, landscape archaeology, Dark Ages through to Medieval.

Hi everyone, I live near Newmarket in suffolk and was born and raised around these parts. I have no qualifactions what so ever in the archaeological field just an enormous love of the programme and the upmost respect for the TT members, I have always been interested in the past but never had the brains to take it further.

My other great passions are Formula One motor racing, which Ihave been lucky enough to go and see a few times at Silverstone and the other is gardening. I have been married, happily, to Steven for 8 years and we share our house with our rescued cat, who kindly puts up with us.We have no children and no plans to change that.

So I think thats about it from me, looking forward to reading your postings on the Forum, see you there

I have lived in Gravesend, Kent all my life. I’m a Customer Services Manager for the oldest printers in the World (apart from Guttenburg and Caxton, that is!) and also dabble in photography (available for weddings, portraits etc – only joking!). My interest in archaeology is very much non-professional. I have never taken a course in the subject, but just have a love of history and, largely, the way it has affected the lives of Mr & Mrs Ordinary, whether they happened to be living under the rule of Rome, or trying to avoid living under the rule of Berlin. The rich history of my own home town really interests me. I got the ‘bug’ for it after reading a book called ‘A History of Gravesend’ whilst still at school. It really opened my eyes to the area I live in, and more importantly, what lies hidden beneath what you see today. On the personal front, I’ve been with my partner, Linda, for nearly 12 years and we have two children (James and Lewis). James is now at MY old junior school, and as a result I became a Governor there a few months ago. Unless anyone can prove otherwise, I’m apparently the first ex-pupil in nearly 40 years to do this. When the current pupils found this out, I got the distinct impression ‘I’ was being viewed as something of a historical curiosity!

And if you’re wondering about the special interest in architecture above, when I left school I vanely tried to be an Architectural Technician for five years, so looking at old buildings, or their remains, and sussing out what was going on is almost second nature – still.

Special Interest Areas

WW2 and architecture

Married with two grown up daughters. Anything that comes out of the ground is of interest to me and have a strong interest in geology as well here in Powys, that is Brecon to Hay-on-Wye area. Always had an interest since the day I found a flint arrowhead as a boy. Do have a metal detector that is used very little. Read and write a great deal on local past events. Do not have any academic qualifications but as keen as anyone else to learn more. Would like to see more amateur groups in the field under expert supervision of course. We have a local historical society, the Talgarth and District Historical Society of which I am a member. The T&DHS have a website. My wife likes to watch Time Team so there must be an interest there somewhere but she does not share my geological interests.

I feel there is still much to be discovered in this neck of the woods from the stone age to the present day.

Viewing Time Team is an extension of study of geology – archaeology also deals with materials and time. Although academia has decreed that there is a separate subject area, time is continuous, geological and human processes are continuous and there should be no distinction. However, partitioning has and will continue to occur but there’s no reason for not treating them as a homogeneous subject governed only by time.

Sandy’s day job is a Secretary and Registrar to an Independent School. Received her BA (Hons) degree from the Open University in 1990, and in 1999 her B.Sc. In January 2000 started an M.A in Cornish Studies with the University of Exeter by distance learning.

By having more archaeology books in the house and having been inducted into geomorphology and landscape archaeology by field trips, recently began to take an interest in the Dark Age and Mediaeval periods.

Special Interest Areas

Historiography of Cornwall, womens’ role in mining communities in the eighteenth and nineteenth Centuries (proposed MA dissertation)

Website

http://www.colbyweb.co.uk/a>

Cornwall geology, history, archaeology, Industrial Archaeology; Kite Aerial Photography; Old Measures; Field trips into Cornwall

I was born in Manchester but grew up in Somerset and then Devon. As a child I was always interested in history and archaeology and constantly dug holes in my parents’ garden, much to their delight. My one and only find was a wheel from a steam train. As I grew older I developed an interest in all things Italian and art history, this led to me going to UCL to study for a BA in Italian and History of Art. I then decided to concentrate on Italian after the first year and dropped the history of art. I spent my year abroad in Salerno (just south of Naples) which was a great experience. While there I visited lots of interesting sites such as Pompeii and Paestum, I also climbed Vesuvius. I finished an MA in Italian studies (at UCL) in September and moved to Italy the day afterwards. I am living in Vietri sul Mare at the end of the Amalfi Coast, and am attempting to work as a freelance translator over the Internet. I don’t think I want to stay here permanently, it is a great place to come on holiday but working here is rather more problematic. I am considering applying to do a PhD next year at Exeter University. I have been watching Time Team for about 6 years now, and I keep up my interest in archaeology by reading on the subject when I have time.

Special Interest Areas

Roman Britain and the Italian Renaissance

I’m Ria, I live in The Hague, Holland.

I have a keen interest in archaeology and history in general.

I was an amateur archaeologist for a while, but due to lack of time, I had to give it up, for a while anyway.

I started reading the “old forum” some 3.5 years ago, and after a while gathered enough courage to post on it too.

I’m bestest friends with Corinne, and she and many of my new found friends make sure I get a regular dose of English history 🙂

I’m a community nurse, a stressful but rewarding job, when I need a rant after a shift there is always an ear and a shoulder in our Talking History Chatroom.

I was born and still reside in Anlaby, bordering Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire. After being educated at Ainthorpe Grove School, and the Hull Trinity House Navigation School, I commenced a career as a seagoing navigation officer in the British Merchant Navy. My wife, Judy, and I have been married since 1971 (the original) Richard & Judy. We have three children, Mandy, Emma and Thomas plus a granddaughter Layla.

Since retiring from the Merchant Service due to ill-health, I have occupied my time researching local history, with an emphasis on the lost public houses, of Hull’s Old Town, some of which has subsequently been published. A further bout of ongoing ill-health, which has included a heart attack, and a heart-bypass operation (failed) has forced a curtailment of that line of research.

Through the Internet however, I have been able to keep alive my life long interest of history and archaeology of all kinds and all periods. Health permitting, my other pursuits include drawing, painting, photography, and for the last couple of years, the compilation of a gazetteer of post Conquest fortifications in Yorkshire and associated heraldry. A bit of a natter box, I can often be found chatting to other FF’s on an evening, Stella, my somewhat temperamental but infamous ‘puter, permitting.

Special Interest Areas

All history from the Big Bang to World War II, with emphasis, on fortifications of Yorkshire, nautical history, the Napoleonic Wars and the obligatory Roman and Medieval periods.

After many years as a Dispensing Optician (qualified in 1972!) I decided to change direction. Countryside conservation was always an interest, so became an Estate Warden with the National Trust. After developing tenosynovitis in both elbows, I had to give this up, so drifted around for a while then decided to settle down and do some learning.

I studied archaeology at Manchester, but after 2 years decided that it was surveying that interested me most, so transferred to Sheffield where I did their excellent “Optical & Geophysical Surveying” course. Now carry out surveys wherever and whenever I am asked. Latest project was a photographic survey, using k.a.p., of a site of possible Roman remains in the Western Desert of Egypt for a joint project between archaeologists from Cambridge and America University in Cairo.

This is to be an ongoing project, with a planned visit in January 2002 to carry out a more detailed topographical survey, using a theodolite, if sufficient funding can be found.

Meanwhile, I continue to do any surveying I can, and work part-time for a local optician to keep the wolf from the door!

Special Interest Areas

Roman, pre-history. Enjoy topographical & geophysical surveying – have my own equipment for both. Photography. Kite aerial photography (k.a.p.)