Where were you in 1988-1989?

Gustav Milne

Nearly forty years ago(!!) one of last major DUA City waterfront sites was excavated, on the Thames Exchange site (TEX88), close to Southwark Bridge. 

Alas, there was insufficient funding to cover the costs for the full post-excavation program for this massive site following the demise of the DUA in 1991, although Jo Stevenson and Morag Colquhoun made an excellent start. However, plans are at last being compiled to partially redress this sad situation.

So, while that application is being prepared, it would be wonderful to hear from any of the many, many DUA staff and assistants who worked on that site or on the huge assemblage of finds recovered: do you have any photos, anecdotes or reminiscences you may wish to share?

The DUA site staff were: Jane Baldwin, Stuart Bedford, Barry Bishop, John Chinca,
Rusell Coleman, Morag Colquhoun, Lesley Dunwoodie, Mary Rose Gavin,
Douglas Hart, Chrissie Harrison, Ian Harrison, Brona Langton, Alan McKeown, Malcolm McKenzie, Gustav Milne, Angela Pertusini, Martin Reid, Gary Richards, Vicky Ridgeway, Cathy Rosborough, Craig Spence, Jo Stevenson, Paul Thrale, Kieron Tyler, Mark Wiggins and Mike Windle.

Our Timber Specialist was Damian Goodburn, the Dendrochronological report was prepared by Nigel Nayling, and on-site dendro sampling was conducted by members of the excavation team augmented by Liz Dyson, Dave McEwan-Cox, Ian Tyers and Angus Stephenson.

Dedicated volunteers on site included: William Ford, Andrea Hofmann,
Queta Kaye, Thanuja Madanayke, Perie Rolighed, Wendy Talbot,
Tracey Tapp and Caroline Townsend.

Alex Moore was in charge of the finds processing, assisted by Nigel Harris,
Betty Southall, Emma Stapley and Jane Stone, with volunteer April Stride.
Thanks are due to many members of COLAS who gave their Sundays to work here, and to members of the Thames Mudlark Society co-ordinated by Alan Gammon and by Richard Stewart on the Beckton site.
Josie Murray was responsible for environmental samples, photography was in the capable hands of Maggie Cox, Trevor Hurst and Jan Scrivener; the DUA site grid was laid out by Mark Green and Angus Stephenson, while equipment and materials were transported in the DUA van by Ron Fort .