Sunday, November 23, 2008

Hut angst ...

I asked the other day whether the number of huts grew over the years: heartfelt observations from PWD on the matter:

"The huts - ah what a saga of tortures. We started in 1969 with one hut. This had been used at Leckhampton in the spring of that year, and I recall spending a couple of days on Richard’s lawn with Bas Roscoe making and fitting a solid pine table top to swing up and form a shutter across the triple window opening, and adding extra internal struts to strengthen the frame. This hut survived well for the whole programme of nearly 30 years, and was used as the main finds hut. Initially it was also used to store all the tools at the end of the day. In 1970 and 1971 we acquired small huts, both painted grey I think, for tools, and Richard donated another hut when he moved from Cheltenham to Rodhampton at around that time. The growing size of the excavation team led to the acquiring of further huts when available, up to about seven, not all of which survived wind and rain. The tortures came in trying to get all the tools and huts up to site in one day (for cheapness of lorry hire), and the logistics were formidable, with at first only Richard having a vehicle, and so being reliant on him to fetch food and water for the team up on site. At first we all stayed in Richard’s house in Cheltenham, moving to Ullenwood for the first time in I think 1971. Ah me. Must have been younger then.."

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