Frogmore Paper Mill Update

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From Frogmore Paper Mill:

Frogmore Paper Mill suffered a devastating fire that occurred at our site on 22nd January 2022. It destroyed our museum, shop, café and education centre. Despite this tragedy, the Trust has developed an ambitious recovery plan, starting with converting the surviving historic buildings into a new visitor centre. The site of the former museum has become an outdoor education zone where the site's bio-diversity and unique chalk streams can be protected and celebrated. 

Work to restore our important heritage will start in August 2023. The Trust has worked closely with Dacorum Borough Council, architects, surveyors and contractors to ensure any restoration works are historically sensitive. This is essential work, as the building requires significant improvement in order to ensure Frogmore Mill, on an ancient mill site, survives for many years to come. Details can be found on Dacorum's Planning Portal.

In the short term, we are still fundraising to ensure we can re-open as soon as possible. With your help and support, we are confident that a new visitor centre, with an exciting new museum, artisan café and paper shop will open next year, in time for the 250th anniversary of paper making at Frogmore. Longer term, our goal is to become the leading example of an inclusive, accessible and sustainable eco-industrial heritage site.

Latest newsletter from Frogmore Paper Mill (February 2024)
Frogmore Paper Mill were awarded a grant by the AIM and Arts Scholars Charitable Trust Brighter Day scheme to deliver a fascinating new project; Into the Light – illuminating the hidden art of watermarks.

This online exhibition is now complete and live to view, using the link below. Produced by our Collections Officer, Rowena Haigh and using the Shorthand programme, this feature tells the story of watermarks, how and why they are created and features some of our wonderful archive items. We were fortunate to acquire a personal collection from the Jackson Family, containing masterful examples from Fabriano and personal experiments by the Jackson family's children. Andrew Jackson's father was an authority on handmade paper and left his collection to his son, who has subsequently donated it to us for all to enjoy.

Some of these examples will be on display when we reopen.

Explore the app here: Into the Light

[Dave Hughes]

The "Into the Light" online exhibition is great, a delve into the little-known world of watermarks in paper.

I think it is probably best viewed on a laptop or desktop rather than phone.

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Short video from Frogmore paper Mill - making Siver Leaf Paper


https://www.frogmorepapermill.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Paper-Mill-Craftsmanship-Final-Std_res.mp4

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Frogmore Paper Mill Newsletter                                               March 2024   
                                                                           

Peter Ingram MBE

Dear all,

It is with great sadness that I write to tell you that Peter passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, 16th March.

Whilst he was a founder of The Apsley Paper Trail, few knew that this project began way back in 1988. The then Master of the Stationers, George Mandl, charged Peter, through his company Paper Publications, to organise and promote the Paper 500, to celebrate papermaking coming to Britain in 1988. In addition to filling the Guild Hall with 500 people for the celebratory dinner, raising money to produce and place a stained glass window commemorating 500 years of paper making in England in Stationers Hall, Peter headed a team that produced a pack of promotional literature encouraging school children and young adults to consider the paper industry as a career.

This pack included 6 wall charts, a 256-page book, samples and teachers notes. In 1990, supported by the paper industry, the pack was distributed to over 17,000 schools and colleges throughout the UK, coinciding with the full roll out of the National Curriculum. It was the unexpected response from these schools to visit a paper mill that the seed was sewn to create some 10 years later, The Apsley Paper Trail.

In the early 60's, having left Leeds Grammar School, he went to work for Petty's, a printer in Leeds, where Kenneth Petty persuaded Peter to take a diploma in printing and papermaking. He accepted the job of Paper Buyer for the British Printing Corporation (BPC had 52 printing companies) in 1973. He left in 1981 when Maxwell took over BPC. Peter set up Paper Management Services offering technical assistance on print/paper related problems, followed by Grampian Paper, supplying paper and paper management to book publishers. He also launched the Paper and Board Market Digest. The latter two publications formed part of Paper Publications when he launched the successful B2B Paper Focus Magazine. 

In the latter 25 years of his life, his passion was the Paper Trail, the history of the Gade Valley, (signposted the Paper Valley), John Dickinson and the 19th-century polymaths who supported him.

Peter leaves behind Kathleen his wife, three children, and 5 grandchildren.
 
Yours sincerely,


John Watson
Chair of Trustees
The Apsley Paper Trail

Royal Society Grant Award.

The Apsley Paper Trail has been chosen as one of thirty-six small museums across the UK to be awarded funding of up to £3,500 by the Royal Society in the latest round of its Places of Science scheme to engage communities with their local science stories.

Places of science aims to celebrate projects that will evoke curiosity, interest and enthusiasm by exploring science in a creative way, while also contributing to the museum sector's recovery. From family days at the museum, through community-led creation and curation, to workshops for schools and documentary filmmaking, projects offer an exciting way for people to engage with science in the local area and beyond.

The Frogmore Paper Mill project celebrates the site's important role in paper recycling with a project entitled 'Recycling Paper: not a new invention'. In 1890, Herbert Sanguinetti formed the British Paper Company to make new paper from paper waste at Frogmore Mill. Frogmore represents world changing paper innovation and the project seeks to educate and celebrate those scientific stories accessibly. The subject is timely; the application of paper and board is vital to the green agenda which has always been at the heart of paper production. From recycling rags to the use of waste paper, papermaking has a lengthy, powerful, environmental story to tell, key to which were the mills of the Gade Valley, Hertfordshire.
'Recycling Paper: not a new invention' will draw volunteers, staff and industry knowledge together, to produce a schools' workshop for future scientists and a digital exhibition for adults to be displayed on our website and within the museum. Research, interview and film production will be integral to the formation of co-curated outcomes to educate and encourage civic pride.

Professor Carlos Frenk CBE FRS, cosmologist and Chair of the Royal Society Public Engagement Committee, said:  "Science plays a daily part in all our lives, and I'm delighted to think that new audiences from across the UK will be able to learn about the fascinating ways in which science has shaped their local communities throughout history and the vital role that it continues to play today."

Letterpress

Since the fire we have received many donations and whether small or large, we are grateful for each and every one. Donations help us towards our goal of reopening later this year, with a temporary museum space comprising of shop, cafe, displays and teaching area.

A vital part of our delivery has always been letterpress printing. Ninety-five percent of paper leaving the paper mills of the world is printed upon. The invention of machines to make paper met the growing demand from printers for a cheaper, rapidly produced product. Within the Visitor Centre, letterpress printing is provided general interest to visitors, is offered as an adult short course and as a workshop within school and pre-booked visitor group options. In January 2022, we lost much of the metal type and workable components that enabled us to deliver letterpress. They melted and/or corroded in the fire and its aftermath.     

We are delighted to report that Letterpress will rise again! Thanks to a very kind donation from Mr and Mrs Westwood, we have now guaranteed the functionality of letterpress for future groups.
Events

Below are just some of the things we have planned for 2024. All talks are held in the Tudor Room, Apsley Mills Cottage (that white building with the Basildon Bond clock, opposite Apsley Station), Stationers Place. HP3 9RL. Do be aware that there is a flight of stairs to the Tudor Room. There is plenty of available parking but make sure you give your car registration number to staff who can log you into the system so you do not get a fine! 

You can book Talk tickets here:  https://frogmore-paper-mill.arttickets.org.uk/

Street Food Events and Wild Frogmore are both free to enter and held at Frogmore Paper Mill. If you are driving to these, please park in Durrant's Hill Road car park. 

Storyboats - cancelled
At the time of producing this newsletter a large fallen tree remains across the river, blocking our journey. We have taken every possible action to have this obstacle removed and it is with regret that we have to inform you that we cannot run Storyboats this Easter.  We hope to return at Half Term.

Site Works

We are delighted to report that we are about to start on the next phase of the restoration. Repair of the beams and supporting structures over Fourdrinier No.2 has been completed and the roofers are due on site imminently.

Dear neighbour - a reminder!
You will be aware of the devastating fire that occurred at our site on 22nd January 2022. It destroyed our museum, shop, café and education centre. Despite this tragedy, the Trust has developed an ambitious recovery plan, starting with converting the surviving historic buildings into a new visitor centre. The site of the former museum has become an outdoor education zone where the site's bio-diversity and unique chalk streams can be protected and celebrated. 

Work to restore our important heritage will start in August 2023. The Trust has worked closely with Dacorum Borough Council, architects, surveyors and contractors to ensure any restoration works are historically sensitive. We hope you understand that this is essential work, as the building requires significant improvement in order to ensure Frogmore Mill, on an ancient mill site, survives for many years to come. Details can be found on Dacorum's Planning Portal.

In the short term, we are still fundraising to ensure we can re-open as soon as possible. If you can, please donate to the fund by scanning the QR code towards the bottom of the page. With your help and support, we are confident that a new visitor centre, with an exciting new museum, artisan café and paper shop will open next year, in time for the 250th anniversary of paper making at Frogmore. Longer term, our goal is to become the leading example of an inclusive, accessible and sustainable eco-industrial heritage site.

Whilst works are taking place, we ask for your help in ensuring children do not play on the construction site and that signs and warnings are heeded at all times. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact us by phone or email.

Alternatively, please contact our main contractor, IJB Engineering Ltd on:
info@ijbengineering.co.uk.


 
Archive Stories
Addicts in the Archive.
 
You probably wouldn't expect working in an archive to be addictive, but it most certainly is. I think most of us like a bit of mystery and a detective hunt and that is what we do much of the time. Finding a new item and realising that it links with one or more items we already have suddenly creates a story. When that is shared with others in the team they might add to the story, and so an insignificant item suddenly becomes important.

None of this can be of much use without knowing where items are stored so a computer acts as the memory store. For every item we need to break down as much detail as we can. Imagine a photograph of people whose names are all know to understand the usefulness of computer memories.

The series of talks shown above have all sprung from discoveries made in the Archive, their range differs from those given last year to demonstrate the breadth of subjects that tease the minds of the curious archive team. No wonder it's addictive!

Fire Recovery Fund

The latest donation total is £69,984
HELP US !
There are two ways you can donate. Either of which will be very much appreciated.

Donate
You can donate via our Wonderful* campaign page, which provides a free of charge service!  Wonderful* offer a card-free platform, where donations are completed via Open Banking, which is a simple and direct bank transfer, between the donor and the charity's bank account. They are a completely fee-free platform, so 100% of your donation or funds raised, goes directly to Frogmore Paper Mill. All major UK banks are supported. It is fast and very secure.

You may prefer to have fun, or do something wild which you have always wanted to try, while you raise funds for Frogmore, such as  sponsored run, a skydive or a cake sale. These are all ideas that you could use to create a Fundraiser for us. On our Wonderful* campaign page, you will find all the tools you need, to help set you up a fundraiser on our behalf.  Just follow the instructions. Again this is fee free, so we will get the benefit of all your hard work. You may add Gift Aid if you wish. What's more, you will be able to add to the 'money raised' counter at the top of the page and see our money grow. 
 
Fundraise or Donate via Wonderful
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Link
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Copyright © Apsley Paper Trail  charity no.1079008  All rights reserved.


Our mailing address is:
Frogmore Paper Mill, Fourdrinier Way, Apsley, Hertfordshire. HP3 9RY
01442 234600
postbox@frogmorepapermill.org.uk

I have copied and pasted all this info from the email newsletter that I receive from Frogmore Paper Mill.
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/frogmorepapermill to see it properly

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postbox@frogmorepapermill.org.uk

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Frogmore Paper Mill Newsletter
                                             
June 2024
                                                                             

Spicers

Spicer family group at the Paper Mill Pub

We may be closed for visitors but sometimes we can make an idea work! On 31st May we welcomed a large Spicer family group from all around the world.  Linked by a common ancestor, Edward Spicer, papermakers most notably of the Wycombe Valley, for many of the group, it was a first meeting. Many months of logistical planning had gone in to John Hockey-Spicer's grand plan, to get them all together.  Rather like the Dickinsons and Evans families, the Spicers were local 'paper family'.  Their dates were set and they hoped to include a trip to Frogmore.

From a Gade Valley perspective, it was John Spicer (baptised 1766) who married Susannah Revell, whose father owned Two Waters Mill. Their son, John Edward Spicer, founded a successful paper business which went on to become the global Spicers wholesale paper and office supplies business. Two Waters Mill was also known as Top Mill, and was lost to an explosion in 1918 so there was nothing there for the family to see. However, the Frogmore archive contained some insights prepared by our Collections Officer. It was revealed that there had been a time when the Spicers had nearly purchased Frogmore Mill in the 1960s, and during the First World War the British Paper Company was an important supplier of paper for the Spicers' munitions production.

Thanks to the Paper Mill Pub we were able to have all family members in one place and using our Bryan Donkin boat transport the family in two sub-groups to visit our archive and machine room.  This was a valuable visit as we learnt much from them as they did from us and it was a thoroughly enjoyable day.  Above you see the entire group of 22, from all across the UK, Canada, USA, New Zealand and Columbia.





Top: Two Waters Mill.        Bottom: After the explosion 1918.

School Outreach
If you are a Key Stage 1 teacher or know one, you may be interested in our Local Studies sessions. These can be delivered as outreach in your classroom and may be combined with a 'hands-on' papermaking session.

Staff can deliver a highly illustrated and customised presentation, enabling children to see familiar landmarks and from there, be taken back in time. Naturally we focus on how papermaking changed the Gade Valley and try to make the images as relatable as we can. For Hertfordshire generally, we can explain the importance of papermaking to the county, raise awareness of the inventions and use Apsley as an example of the Industrial Revolution changing a rural area into a teaming town, with increased facilities and transportation. A story of chalk, mills and good connections.

For practical understanding, each class member can make a piece of paper by hand. This not only provides a practical task but highlights that a machine can make paper so much faster!

For more information call 01442 234600 and ask for Sue or email

See the full range of what we do as outreach and on site (when we reopen) here: https://frogmorepapermill.org.uk/schools/


Litter Pick by boat
On Friday 14th June a joint charity litter pick was organised by the Sunnyside Rural Trust. Using Frogmore's Bryan Donkin boat with crew of Elena Lewendon and Alex Varney, plus teams from Sunnyside, Frogmore Paper Mill, Abbots Langley Transition Town Association and Just1Bag2020, the day was spent clearing rubbish.  The group undertook clearance work along the waterway between the Frogmore island and Hunton Bridge cricket ground.

An immense 1.5 kilos of waste was gathered consisting of furniture, tyres, dog poo bags, a stop sign and more typical discarded litter, making the waterways safer and more pleasant for all. This really should not be necessary but well done all, for the sheer hard work and long hours you put in.

Volunteers
June traditionally begins with Volunteers Week and we would be lost without our volunteers who put in many hours to help us to achieve our aims. The Apsley Paper Trail held its annual volunteer 'thank you' BBQ and the weather stayed dry! It was lovely to see volunteers of differing skill sets all in one place.

Frogmore Paper MIll has a need for many and varied volunteer skills, including building maintenance, gardening, tool repairs, archive cataloguing, compiling spreadsheets, tidying, research and document repairs. When we reopen we will need front of house helpers and tour guides too.

Thank you to all of our volunteers past and present and if you would like to join the team, please email: and arrange a chat.



Above: Constructing planters.
Below: Flattening and repairing old documents so they may be used for research.     


Heritage Stories
Royalty at Dickinson's
On the 8th June 1934, a royal visit was made to Apsley by Prince George, the future King George VI.
The Prince was given the grand tour of the site, which included the Book Department, Stationery Showroom, and taking in the views from the roof of the Envelope Department. He was said to have a great interest in British industry, and also in the spirit of the House of Dickinson.
His reception took place in the Chairman's Dining Room, where sherry was prepared in readiness. Lunch and afternoon tea were later taken in the Tudor Room at The Cottage – the John Dickinson company boardroom still in use today.
The Prince was said to have really enjoyed the arrangements and especially the food – something which was unusual for this type of visit!


Fire Recovery Fund
The latest donation total is £72,252
HELP US !
There are two ways you can donate. Either of which will be very much appreciated.

If you prefer to 'Donate' by payment card, you can do so using the link
https://frogmorepapermill.org.uk/donations/donation-form/

Donate
Or you can donate via our Wonderful* campaign page, which provides a free of charge service!  Wonderful* offer a card-free platform, where donations are completed via Open Banking, which is a simple and direct bank transfer, between the donor and the charity's bank account. They are a completely fee-free platform, so 100% of your donation or funds raised, goes directly to Frogmore Paper Mill. All major UK banks are supported. It is fast and very secure.
You can use the link: https://wonderful.org/charities/1079008
 
You may prefer to have fun, or do something wild which you have always wanted to try, while you raise funds for Frogmore, such as  sponsored run, a skydive or a cake sale. These are all ideas that you could use to create a Fundraiser for us. On our Wonderful* campaign page, you will find all the tools you need, to help set you up a fundraiser on our behalf.  Just follow the instructions. Again this is fee free, so we will get the benefit of all your hard work. You may add Gift Aid if you wish. What's more, you will be able to add to the 'money raised' counter at the top of the page and see our money grow. 

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You can donate via our Wonderful* campaign page, which provides a free of charge service! Wonderful* offer a card-free platform, where donations are completed via Open Banking, which is a simple and direct bank transfer, between the donor and the charity's bank account. They are a completely fee-free platform, so 100% of your donation or funds raised, goes directly to Frogmore Paper Mill. All major UK banks are supported. It is fast and very secure.