The Ordnance Society

The Ordnance Society is collaborating with The Big Cannon Project (BCP) to become the  host organisation data custodian of the project. The BCP will make an interesting complement to the Artillery Surveys that the Ordnance Society has been running for a number of years.

The Big Cannon Project grew out of discussions on the  Big Cannon Project Facebook group about the need for a database of muzzle loading cannons to supplement the more anecdotal approach of the group. Launched formally in 2019, at the joint Ordnance Society / Nautical Archaeology Society conference, the BCP has created an online recording system that allows participants to input location, photographs and measurements of cannons anywhere in the world. The website allows input at three different levels of complexity: observer, recorder or surveyor. There are more than 3,000 cannons recorded to date, with contributors throughout the world.

The Big Cannon Project is at:

https://www.bigcannonproject.org/

The latest Newsletter No. 142 has been delayed due to a lack of content, which has now been alleviated due to OS members’ efforts.  It is now available for download from the DOWNLOADS sub-page of the PUBLICATIONS page; and is available for members only.

In order to take advantage of modern technology, and to reduce prices and hopefully make membership in the society more affordable, we agreed at the recent EGM that we will move to a new structure of membership fees.

Our expectation is that most members will move to a digital subscription with their next renewal, but we have included options for those who wish to continue to receive printed journals.

Existing life members will have the option to continue to receive print journals for five years at no extra cost if they wish, though they will have the option of moving to receiving a digital journal instead.

Individual Digital membership: Digital newsletter & Digital Journal, anywhere in the world – £15.00

Individual Digital Newsletter and printed Journal (UK) –  £25.00

Individual Digital Newsletter and printed Journal (Rest of World) – £35.00

Individual Life Membership –  20x times the above rates

Corporate Membership – £35.00

Neil Grant

Chairman

Newsletter No. 141 is now available for download from the DOWNLOADS sub-page of the PUBLICATIONS page; and is available for members only.

The indices have also been updated and are included on the same page.

In line with a recently agreed Board meeting resolution, the password for Ordnance Society members to access the Newsletters and Journals on the PUBLICATIONS – DOWNLOADS page has been changed.  This will be an annual change from now on.  If you have NOT received an e-mail with the new password, then please contact the Membership Secretary, Alistair Graham Kerr (psgeditor37@gmail.com).

We try to provide a wide range of visits for OS members, some directly related to artillery and some less so. Sadly, we’ve been rather restricted by Covid for the last few years, but this year we’ve been able to offer a good list of visits again.

For those interested, please check out the “Visits” page on our website

The Ordnance Society’s very successful ‘National Artillery Survey’ has involved a number of museums and organisations which have in turn, resulted in some publicity for the Society.  We received an invitation to submit an article describing the Ordnance Society to the 2021-2022 Annual Review of the Army Museum’s Ogilby Trust.  The following link to the AMOT website describes in detail its work and has the 2021-2022 Annual Review available to view and download.  The Ordnance Society article is on pages 28-29. 

https://www.armymuseums.org.uk/annual-review-news/

The latest Newsletter is now included in the INDICES, which are in the PUBLICATIONS pages

Newsletter No. 139 is now available for download from the DOWNLOADS sub-page of the PUBLICATIONS page; and is available for members only.

Apologies for the late publication of the October edition.  Printed copies have now been posted.

Ordnance Society Chairman