The Village.

The village of Kirkcowan is on the road to Wigtown, and situated between the Rivers Tarff and Bladnoch.  Because the village is situated on the main Stranraer to Carlisle bus route, and between the two rivers, it attracts many fishermen, hikers and also cyclists since it is on the Machars Yellow cycle route.  The church, erected in 1829, under the patronage of the Agnew family, is a substantial structure with a tower. A congregation of Seceders assembled for public worship in an old barn.  Kirkcowan Village has a Post Office; Nursery and Primary School; a village hall, garage/petrol station (Kirkcowan Service station), pub/hotel(Craighlaw Arms) and a photography studio run by wedding and portrait photographer Dan Baillie.  Kirkcowan also has a growing Beavers, Cubs and Scouts Troop, with a multitude of beautiful places to venture, trails to follow and areas to explore.

Places of interest.

Glendarroch Loch, situated in the vicinity of the village of Kirkcowan and easily accessible from the A75 Euroroute, is one of the region's coarse fishing gems. The loch is a small, gin clear estate loch which holds a large head of roach, rudd and perch. Carp have been stocked in recent years and are regularly caught whilst tench and bream up to 3lb are also present.  Loch Maberry Castle Crannog. A fortified island surrounded by the remains of a massive drystone wall, 1.8m to 2.1m thick and about 2.1m high, enclosing an area approx 34.1m by 25.9m which has been subdivided and contains buildings all except the largest being of dry-stone. Entrances on east and west and the island has been connected by causeway to both the loch shore and the island to the north, which shows evidence of having been surrounded at the water's edge by a low wall of large boulders occasionally set on end. A causeway from the south-western end of this island links with that between the southern island and the shore.  The River Bladnoch rises at Loch Maberry in the parish of Kirkcowan, through which it runs south to Polbae.  On its journey south it is joined by Reoch Burn as it passes through Carseriggan Moor.  Continuing its journey it passes Isle-na-Gower and becomes a border between the afforested land at Hopeless Howe and the Ring of Barfad.  Shortly after this it is met and joined by Black Burn. At this point the river is bordered on its east side by Barnley Plantation.  Crossing the River Bladnoch at the stepping stones is a single-track road which links Mark of Shennanton with Little Eldrig.  Shortly after this point the river widens briefly at Broad Wheel. Continuing on its journey southwards it is next forded by Shennanton Bridge where the A75 crosses it.  Next we come to Linn Wood and the waterfall at Linn of Barhoise. The word "linn" refers to the pool rather than the waterfall. (see photo)  The river then moves on past Barhoise Farm to Barhoise Mill.  In 1684, according to Symson, this area had a salmon fishery with nets on both the Bladnoch and the Tarf.  At the Mill of Barhoise, the Laird of Craichlaw had fishing rights. Barhoise Mill is a T-shaped two storey construction of granite, whinstone and slate, which is falling into a dilapidated state. The mill was driven by a wheel which was situated at the side of the building. Of this wheel only the wooden axle remains. The datestone above the door reads 1827, but this mill is most certainly a reconstruction of a much earlier one, perhaps connected with the Old Place of Glaisnick, a one-time nearby residence of the powerful Gordon family of Craichlaw. The main road from Kirkcowan to Wigtown and from Kirkcowan to Minnigaff via Glaisnick crossed the river just south of this mill. There are still stepping stones at the fording place east of Ring Farm.  Eldrig Fell, Wood Cairn. a large circular cairn 18m. in diameter and 2.2m. high.  Near Shennanton there is a cairn marked on OS mapping, shown in the centre of the photo in front of the tall trees (see photo).  Boreland Mote or Motte is on OS mapping and sits at the side of the B733. It is about 20 feet high and 100-120feet around the base (see photo).  Mindork or Mondork Castle, Wood Hill. Thomas M'Dowall was born c.1500 at Mondork Castle. map c.1782 map  Woodhill (Cairn opposite side of road to Mindork Castle?) archaeological site.

History.

William Gordon, had charters of parts of the barony of Craichlaw, in the parish of Kirkcowan and county of Wigtown, 17 September 1500 and 28 January 1506-7; one of the lands of Larglegastell and Markleif, 10 January 1515-16; and another of the lands of Auchingilbert, 4 August 1515. He married Janet Baillie, and was ancestor of the Gordons of Craighlaw.  The railway station of the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway closed in 1965.  A mill was erected in 1822 for the manufacture of woollen cloths, blankets, plaidings, flannels, and plain and pilot cloths, for the dyeing and dressing of which the soft water of the Tarff was well adapted.

Listed Buildings.

List of listed buildings in Kirkcowan, Dumfries and Galloway

Kirkcowan is an area about 15 miles in length, and from nearly two to nearly seven miles in breadth, comprising 30,580 acres, of which 7000 are arable, 300 woodland and plantations, and the remainder meadow, pasture in Machars, in the historical county of Wigtownshire, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, with the village of Kirkcowan, bounded on the east by the river Bladnoch, on the west by the river Tarff, and is 6 miles W. by S.W. from Newton Stewart.


Life and work.

Born in Thuringia, Franz Köcher spent most of his scientific career in Berlin. He is primarily known for his magnum opus "Babylonisch-assyrische Medizin in Texten und Untersuchungen" (BAM). After finishing high school in Gera in 1936, Köcher did his undergraduate work in Ancient History, Near Eastern Philology (Orientalische Philologie) and Philosophy at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität of Jena. His studies were interrupted by his conscription into the Wehrmacht from October 1938 until the end of World War II. During this time he did manage to attend one semester in the winter of 1941/42 at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-University zu Berlin. After being taken as a prisoner of war by the US Army, he was released after a few weeks and worked as a teacher's assistant, until the University reopened in 1946 and Köcher was able to resume his studies. It was at this time that his teacher Erich Ebeling started to have a decisive impact on Köcher's scientific work.  Ebeling was Köcher’s doctoral advisor for his doctorate, which was awarded in Assyriology, Near Eastern Philology (Orientalische Philologie) and Philosophy in March 1949. The subject of his dissertation was "Incantations against the demoness Lamaštu" (Beschwörungen gegen die Dämonin Lamaštu). From May 1949 on, Köcher first worked as a research assistant and later, beginning in October 1952, as a research associate at the Institute for Oriental Studies (Institut für Orientforschung) of the Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. Due to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, he was forced to abandon his work, since he lived in West Berlin and the Akademie was in the east. Because of his relentless work in the years prior to these events, Köcher had already laid the foundations of his afore mentioned magnum opus. His talent for making hand copies of cuneiform tables quickly became apparent when he assisted Erich Ebeling with his volume "Literarische Keilschrifttexte aus Assur" in 1953. Köcher was introduced to cuneiform medicine through, among others, the work on Ebeling's "Keilschrifttexte zur assyrisch-babylonischen Drogen- und Pflanzenheilkunde" in 1955, which was mostly focused on the pharmacological series URU AN.NA. He kept working on the series even long after his retirement.  Thanks to a scholarship awarded to him by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, he was able to continue his work on cuneiform medical texts from December 1961 onwards. In May 1963 Köcher became a research associate at the Institute for the History of Medicine (Institut für Geschichte der Medizin) at the Freie Universität Berlin, where he would spend the remaining nineteen years of his career. After Köcher's habilitation in January 1967, he was granted the venia legendi by the Freie Universität. Until his retirement in March 1983, he was a very active and dedicated teacher who had significant influence on many young physicians, historians and assyriologists alike.  His magnum opus, "Die Babylonisch-Assyrische Medizin in Texten und Untersuchungen (BAM), was of paramount importance for Köcher throughout his entire career and is until today among the most important publications for the study of ancient Near Eastern medicine. Volumes 1 and 2 were published in 1963, volume 3 in 1964, volume 4 in 1971 and the volume 5 and in the year 1980. Volumes 7 and 8 are the work of Markham J. Geller and were published in 2005 and 2015 respectively.

Franz Köcher (27 December 1916 in Auma – 18 November 2002 in Berlin) was an influential Assyriologist and medical historian.


Bangladeshi cricket team in New Zealand in 2007–08

New Zealand cricket team.

At the start of the series, the New Zealand were ranked third in the ICC ODI Championship and seventh in the ICC Test Championship. Prior to this series the New Zealand team had toured South Africa – losing the test series 2–0 and the ODI series 2–1 – and Australia, where they lost the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series 2–0.

Bangladeshi cricket team.

By contrast, Bangladesh were ranked ninth in the ODI championship and ninth in the test championship. Their previous outing was in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 championships where they reached the Super 8 stage. Their most recent series was their 2007 tour to Sri Lanka where they lost both the test and ODI series 3–0.

Squads.

Following New Zealand's losses in South Africa and Australia, three players from the touring squad – Lou Vincent, Michael Mason and Gareth Hopkins – were released to return to their provincial teams in order to give them playing time in the State Shield. Peter Fulton, who had missed the two tours due to having knee surgery, was included in the squad after showing good form in the four-day State Championship competition. Mason was called back into the squad for the third ODI as cover for Mark Gillespie who injured his left shoulder bowling in the second match.  Bangladesh named opener Junaid Siddique, uncapped at One Day International level in their squad while recalling fast bowler Nazmul Hossain after impressive domestic performances. Injuries to Tushar Imran and Syed Rasel resulted in Rajin Saleh and Sajidul Islam being added to the squad prior to the series.  New Zealand recalled opening batsman Matthew Bell to the Test squad, dropping Michael Papps, Scott Styris, and Ross Taylor from the party that travelled to South Africa. Peter Fulton was also recalled with Jeetan Patel set to join the squad for the second Test and Mark Gillespie ready to take his place if he was to recover from a shoulder injury.  Bangladesh called up Habibul Bashar, Shahriar Nafees, and Enamul Haque junior, while Javed Omar, Tushar Imran, Nazmul Hossain, and Mehrab Hossain junior returned home.

Tour matches.

Northern Districts (Game 1).

The Bangladeshis first game on tour was a one-day match against the State Shield side Northern Districts. They lost two early wickets, both caught behind, before captain Mohammed Ashraful and debutant Junaid Siddique steadied things. Having reached 121 for two after 32 overs, they then lost five wickets for just 56 runs before lower-order batsmen Farhad Reza and Mashrafe Mortaza saw the innings through to 222. In response, Nick Horsley made a career-best 92 from 99 balls which, along with a quick-fire 55 from 39 balls by James Marshall, was enough to see Northern Districts win comfortably.  Bangladesh suffered a further setback during the game, with opening bowler Syed Rasel injuring his collarbone while fielding. Sajidul Islam was flown into the squad as a replacement after it was determined he had dislocated the left collarbone.

Northern Districts (Game 2).

The second tour match, also against Northern Districts, was eventually abandoned due to rain. After early rain had forced the match to be reduced to 41 overs per innings, Northern won the toss, decided to bat and made 173 for seven from their overs. Although they did not get a chance to bat, the Bangladeshis bowling and fielding efforts were noticeably better than in the first game.

Auckland.

The third game on tour was against another provincial side, this time Auckland. Having won the toss, Bangladesh chose to bat; apart from a century from opener Tamim Iqbal none of the batsmen really took the chance to get in some batting practice. In response, Auckland overhauled the Bangladeshis total of 242 with ease, with Richard Jones top-scoring with 85 not out and each of the batsmen hitting at least one six in their innings.

Twenty20.

A Twenty20 charity match was held between Bangladesh and a New Zealand Cricket XI with the funds raised going to people affected by Cyclone Sidr; the International Cricket Council donated an additional US$250,000 to the funds at the start of the match. Asked to bat first, the New Zealand side had a slow start, having made just 19 runs for the loss of two wickets after 5.3 overs. Most of the batsmen seemed out of form and fell to injudicious shots, with an unbeaten 33 from James Marshall seeing the side through to 133 for seven from their 20 overs.  Bangladesh began their innings in a similar manner, losing their opening batsmen early. They recovered with Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed scoring quick runs before being run out; the job was then completed with three overs to spare thanks to Shakib Al Hasan, Mehrab Hossain and top scorer Farhad Reza. Stephen Fleming, who captained the New Zealand side, later said that "it feels very tentative with the batting unit – there's been a lot of focus on it, the performances haven't been great and with that comes a certain amount of tension."

ODI series.

1st ODI.

Bangladesh batted first after New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the toss and chose to bowl. Having lost two early wickets, a 97-run partnership between captain Mohammad Ashraful (who scored 70 from 57 balls in an innings that Vettori labeled outstanding) and Tamim Iqbal seemed to set Bangladesh up for a good score. However, they then lost their remaining seven wickets for just 51 runs to end on 201 runs, with coach Jamie Siddons admitting that they had been aiming for 280 when they should have been more concerned with ensuring a total of at least 250. In reply New Zealand cruised to victory with six wickets and 44 balls to spare, led by 88 runs from opener Jamie How.

2nd ODI.

Vettori won the toss again, but chose to bat first this time. New Zealand made 335 in their innings, with all six players who batted reaching at least 30 runs. Having started with a 63-run opening partnership, Bangladesh lost three wickets in quick succession and from then on never threatened to overhaul New Zealand's score, with rain ending the match with seven overs remaining. After the game questions were raised about Bangladesh's lack of interest in chasing the total; Siddons defended their tactics saying their plan was to conserve wickets for a final assault, but they lost the momentum after the loss of those three wickets.

3rd ODI.

The only change to the teams for the third ODI was Michael Mason coming into the New Zealand side for Mark Gillespie who was injured in the second match. Daniel Vettori won the toss for the third time in the series and, as in Auckland in the first match, asked Bangladesh to bat. Bangladesh lost four early wickets to be struggling at 46 for four after 19 overs, and couldn't recover as they were all out for 93 runs in the 38th over. In the process, Vettori became New Zealand's leading one-day wicket taker, overtaking Chris Harris with the second of his five wickets; in addition, the five-wicket haul made him the top ODI wicket taker in the world for 2007. In reply, New Zealand blitzed the Bangladesh bowlers, taking just six overs to win without losing a wicket. Brendon McCullum scored an unbeaten 80 off just 28 balls (a strike rate of 286) and Jamie How scored 7 not out having only faced eight balls.

Test matches.

1st test.

Once again, Daniel Vettori won the toss and asked Bangladesh to bat first. Their first innings was similar to the final One Day International, with only opener Tamim Iqbal – who scored 53 on debut – offering any real resistance as Bangladesh made 137. Chris Martin took four wickets – ending the innings on 117 career wickets, 7th equal on the all-time New Zealand list with Richard Collinge – and Jacob Oram took three.  In response New Zealand overtook the total on the first day, reaching 156/4 by stumps. The innings was led by Matthew Bell, playing his first test since 2001, who was 74 not out at the end of the first day's play. He reached his second test century in the morning session of the second day before being dismissed by Mohammad Ashraful. Jacob Oram also reached three figures, top-scoring with 117; however the rest of the batsmen did not make any major contribution with Daniel Vettori's 32 being the third highest score and only four players making more than twenty. Dismissing New Zealand for 357 marked the first time in seven tests that the Bangladeshi bowlers had dismissed a batting side.  Trailing by 220 runs, Bangladesh's second innings started in a markedly different manner to their first. Openers Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique were both unbeaten at stumps on day two, their 148-run stand breaking the Bangladeshi record for the highest opening partnership. The batsmen, both playing in their first Test match, had reached 72 and 69 respectively at the end of the day's play. However the pair were dismissed early on day three, with Bangladesh then collapsing to be 206/5 at lunch before being dismissed for 254. Needing just 35 runs for the victory, New Zealand wrapped the match up before tea on the third day with only the loss of Craig Cumming for four.  Vettori later said that he had been too attacking with the field settings at the start of the Bangladeshi second innings, and that advice from former captain Stephen Fleming and coach John Bracewell overnight led to a changed game plan on the third day with the desired results.

2nd test.

The second test started in much the same way as the first, with Daniel Vettori winning his ninth toss in a row and again asking Bangladesh to bat first. Their batting collapsed in much the same way as the first innings of the Dunedin test as they went to lunch at 86 for five. Chris Martin and Iain O'Brien were the main wicket-takers with five and three wickets respectively as Bangladesh were dismissed for 143. Martin's five wicket haul was his eighth in tests and moved him up to sixth on New Zealand's all-time wicket taking list, equal with Ewen Chatfield on 123 wickets.  In response, New Zealand came within nine runs at the end of the first days play as they finished on 134/3. Craig Cumming, whose spot in the side was under pressure from Jamie How, made 42 before being dismissed leg before wicket for the third innings in a row. At the close of play, Stephen Fleming was unbeaten on 39 as he looked for his first test century on his home ground. On the second morning, Bangladesh was guilty of dropping four catches in the first 90 minutes before finally dismissing Mathew Sinclair. Fleming was also dropped from a skied shot before being dismissed for 87 off a similar shot. Vettori and Brendon McCullum put together an 81 run partnership at 5.28 runs per over before McCullum was dismissed; Vettori finished as the top scorer with 94. Despite leading by 250 runs after being dismissed for 393 there was some criticism of the ability of the batsmen to carry on to large scores, with five batsmen scoring at least 40 but none being able to break 100.  The Bangladeshi second innings did not start any better than the first. With Tamim Iqbal unable to open the batting having fractured his left thumb dropping one of the catches they had lost five wickets by stumps on the second day. All of the wickets had been caught behind the wicket, with wicket-keeper McCullum taking one and the remainder being caught by the slips. At the end of the day's play, Bangladesh were 51/5 needing a further 199 runs to make New Zealand bat again and thus avoid an innings defeat. On the third day, the Black Caps required only 25 more overs to dismiss Bangladesh for an innings win. Only Shakib Al Hasan offered any resistance, finishing on an unbeaten 41. Equally telling was that Bangladesh's highest-scoring partnership in their second innings was 30 on the last wicket.

The Bangladesh cricket team toured New Zealand between 19 December 2007 and 16 January 2008 to play three one day internationals (ODIs) and two Test matches. This was the second Bangladeshi tour to New Zealand (the first being their 2001–02 tour) and the third series between the countries following New Zealand's 2004–05 tour to Bangladesh. The teams also met in pool play during the 2003 Cricket World Cup and at the Super 8 stage of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.


History.

The 101 Ranch Wild West Show.

The Millers' neighbor Major Gordon W. Lillie, who performed as Pawnee Bill, motivated the Millers to produce a Wild West Show of their own. The Millers made their transition from putting on local shows to the national scene in 1907, when they performed at the Jamestown Exposition in Virginia.  Later in 1907, the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Wild West Show began the tour circuit in Brighton Beach, New York. Joe Miller, the eldest son, was an exceptional equestrian and star performer. Over the course of the show's history, its cast included Lillian Smith, Bill Picket, Bessie Herberg, Bee Ho Gray, Tom Mix, Jack Hoxie, Mexican Joe, Ross Hettan, and an elderly Buffalo Bill.  The Miller brothers came late into Wild West Show business and suffered financially along with the other shows after the invention of motion pictures. Their show had more problems than most in a business that was harsh in the best of times. During their first year on the circuit, they suffered a serious railroad accident. Later several members of their cast contracted typhoid fever.  In 1908, when Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill combined their shows into an extravaganza that broke records at Madison Square Gardens in New York City, the Miller Brothers took their show abroad. In England, the British military confiscated most of the 101's horses, stagecoaches, and automobiles to build up for war, as tensions were building related to the pending World War I. When the Millers' show toured in Germany, authorities arrested some of their Oglala Sioux performers on suspicion of being Serbian spies, they were never seen again. A frantic Zack Miller managed to get the rest of cast out of Germany via Norway, and then to England. Once in London, however, he had difficulty finding a steamship that would sell his people passage. Finally, he obtained passage for his cast on an American ship. Once the cast returned to Oklahoma, the eldest brother Joe Miller refused to pay the Indian cast overtime. As a result, the entire Indian cast quit the show.  By 1916, the two younger Miller brothers abandoned trying to work with their volatile oldest brother. George Jr. and Zack worked at the ranch, while Joe schemed to make the Wild West Show a financial success. Joe Miller hired an out-of-work, aging, and ill Buffalo Bill to star in a World War I recruitment show called the "Pageant of Preparedness." Soon Cody quit the show; he died within a year. Still unwilling to let the show close, Joe continued to operate on a smaller scale. In 1927, Joe was unsuccessful in his attempts to sell his show to the American Circus Corporation.

Oil and Miller brothers' decline.

In 1908 the Millers entered into a leasing arrangement with E. W. Marland, who formed the 101 Ranch Oil Company. Oil was struck in 1911 at the "Willie-Cries-for-War" well. Marland would become a millionaire and later a U.S congressman. He was eventually elected the governor of Oklahoma. The company's 1911 oil discovery led to the founding of the Marland Oil Company, later renamed the Continental Oil Company, and then ConocoPhillips.  On October 21, 1927 a neighbor found Joe Miller dead in the 101 Ranch garage with his car running. The family physician ruled his death accidental. In 1929, George Miller, Jr., died in a car accident.  Zack Miller tried to carry on alone, but in 1932, during the Great Depression, he filed for bankruptcy. The US government seized the show's remaining assets and bought of the 101 Ranch. Completely broke, the 101 Ranch show closed after the New York World's Fair in 1939. Zack Miller died of cancer in 1952.

National Historic Landmark.

A small portion of the ranch property was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975.  After Zack Miller's bankruptcy, the federal Farm Security Administration (FSA) divided the remaining ranch lands and sold off parcels to individuals. The 101 Ranch house and most other buildings were torn down. The 101 Ranch store remained standing until September 22, 1987, when it burned in a fire of unknown origins. Few of the 101 Ranch buildings are left standing today. In 1990, the Oklahoma Legislature designated State Highway 156 as the 101 Ranch Memorial Road. An historical marker is located on the highway about southwest of Ponca City.

The Miller Brothers 101 Ranch was a cattle ranch in the Indian Territory of Oklahoma before statehood. Located near modern-day Ponca City, it was founded by Colonel George Washington Miller, a veteran of the Confederate Army, in 1893. The 101 Ranch was the birthplace of the 101 Ranch Wild West Show and one of the early focal points of the oil rush in northeastern Oklahoma. It was the largest diversified farm and ranch in America at the time. Bill Pickett's grave and the White Eagle Monument are located on the ranch grounds. The location of the former working cattle ranch was subdivided and all of its buildings destroyed. An area of the ranch is a National Historic Landmark. In 2003, the ranch was inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame.


Life.

Career.

He is a host couple’s son who was born in St. Gallen and spent his childhood in Uzwil. Soon he started helping out his parents in their hotel/restaurant. At the age of eight, Marcel Niederer joined the junior-teams of the Ice-Hockey-Team in Uzwil. At the age of 17, he made his debut in the first team of the EHC Uzwil, which then was playing in the National League B. Two years later he made the final leap into the Top Swiss Hockey League (National League A) team of Lausanne HC. Altogether, Marcel Niederer has been playing seven years in the National League A (Lausanne HC, ZSC Lions and EHC Biel). He became Swiss Champion twice (1981 and 1983 with EHC Biel). Marcel Niederer let his career fade away in the National League B and 1st League with EHC Uzwil.  In parallel with his sports career, Marcel Niederer received a commercial apprenticeship as a trustee and afterwards, he finished his studies in marketing and public administration at the university of applied sciences in Olten.

Entrepreneur.

After his studies and his sports career, Marcel Niederer founded a trust company, which offered fiduciary services. Additionally, he was buying old buildings in order to renovate them. Since 1991, Marcel Niederer displaced his activities to Eastern Germany and Russia. A number of years following, Marcel Niederer was selling bananas and mandarins in Eastern Germany and subsequently instant coffee (Nescafé) and fashion (leather goods and clothing from MCM Modern Creation Munich) in Russia. Down to the present day, Marcel Niederer is doing business in Russia. Since 2003 Marcel Niederer invested in Belinda Bencic’s tennis career. He is also her manager. Since 2006, Marcel Niederer operates in building new apartment blocks in Eastern Switzerland.  Niederer is married with three daughters. His youngest child, Christina Niederer, is a former figure skater and dancer. He lives with his family in Switzerland although Marcel Niederer has maintained his business in Russia, mainly in Moscow.

Marcel Niederer (born 9 September 1960 in St. Gallen) is a Swiss entrepreneur and former ice hockey player. He mainly became famous by his sports career and the investment in Belinda Bencic.


Early life.

As a child, Wright was educated at Leighton Park School and then went on to Bedales. At the age of 16, his mother took him to a performance of "Les Sylphides" by the International Ballet, and it was this experience that led him to pursue dance as a career. His father was an accountant and, being a Quaker, was also very religious. He did not approve of his only son wanting to pursue a career in dance, which led to Wright leaving both home and school at the age of 17.

Career.

After leaving home, Wright auditioned for Ninette de Valois, to join what is now the Royal Ballet School, but was rejected. He subsequently decided to accept an offer from the German choreographer Kurt Jooss to become an apprentice with his company "Ballets Jooss". He trained with the company for two years, dancing in many expressionist and modern dance works. Eventually, Wright decided he needed to train in classical ballet, so he returned to London to study with Vera Volkova, a leading teacher of the Vaganova method. He then re-auditioned for Ninette de Valois, who offered him a contract to dance with the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, the predecessor of today's Birmingham Royal Ballet.  In 1955, de Valois gave Wright his first opportunity to direct, making him responsible for the formation of the Sadler's Wells Opera Ballet, a troupe of dancers who would perform the dances in the operas at the Sadler's Wells Opera company. Later in 1957, he received his first commission as a choreographer, creating the ballet "A Blue Rose" for the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet. In 1959, Wright was appointed as a teacher at the Royal Ballet School.  In 1961, Wright made a critical career decision, when he agreed to work for John Cranko, a former dancer and choreographer with the Sadler's Wells Ballet. Cranko had moved to Germany, where he established the Stuttgart Ballet as a world-class classical company. Wright joined the company as Ballet Master, teacher and choreographer, and would create several works for the company, including "The Mirror Walkers", "Namouna", "Designs for Dancers", "The Great Peacock" and "Quintet". It was also during his tenure at Stuttgart that he would direct his first seminal work, a production of "Giselle" that would lead to him becoming internationally renowned as a producer of the major classical repertory.  Wright's production of "Giselle" has subsequently been staged by the Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and almost all the international ballet companies. He would become particularly noted for his interpretations of the great length classical ballets, mounting "The Sleeping Beauty", "Coppelia" and "Swan Lake", which continue to be regularly performed internationally today. His most successful production is "The Nutcracker", which in 2009 celebrates its 25th anniversary, and is set to be shown in hi-def in selected U.S. movie theatres.  In 1969, Wright returned to the Royal Ballet as a member of the artistic staff, later being promoted to the post of Associate Director, working in partnership with Sir Kenneth MacMillan. MacMillan was the Director and resident choreographer of the company and had been appointed by Dame Ninette de Valois. Wright would work closely with Macmillan for a number of years until 1977, when he was made Artistic Director of the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, which was the name for Birmingham Royal Ballet at that time.  It was Wright who led the company when it relocated to Birmingham in 1990, when the current name of Birmingham Royal Ballet was adopted. Wright served as the company's Artistic Director until his retirement in 1995, when David Bintley was appointed Artistic Director.

Sir Peter Wright, CBE (born 25 November 1926) is a British ballet teacher, choreographer, director and former professional dancer. He worked as a choreographer and as the artistic director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, a classical ballet company based in Birmingham, England. On retiring from the company in 1995, he was bestowed the honorary title of Director Laureate of the company.


Early years.

Coakley graduated from Wando High School, where he earned four letters in football. He was the team's Most Valuable Player twice and was twice named all-conference as a safety, after posting 295 tackles in his final two years.  He was a very productive running back, rushing for over 2,000 yards his junior and senior years. He also lettered in wrestling.

College career.

In order to meet academic requirements for College, Coakley attended Fork Union Military Academy post-graduate program for one year, before accepting a scholarship to Appalachian State University.  While at Appalachian State University he grew bigger and was switched to linebacker, becoming the first two-time winner of the Buck Buchanan Awards, given each year to the nation's top Division I-AA defensive player. He was a critical part of the defense on the 1995 Mountaineer team that finished the season unbeaten and untied.  Coakley was named All-American and Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, junior and senior, becoming the first player ever to accomplish this feat. He was also the Southern Conference's Athlete of the Year as a junior and senior, marking just the seventh time in conference history that one individual had earned that distinction in consecutive years.  His numerous accolades include being second all-time in tackles in Southern Conference history and breaking the all-time solo tackles (616) and sacks records at Appalachian State University, where his jersey number is retired. He earned a degree in communications and advertising.  In 2011, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the Southern Conference Hall of Fame.

Professional career.

Dallas Cowboys.

Coakley was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round (65th overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft, after dropping because he was considered an undersized linebacker with a small college background.  He became the starter at weakside linebacker as a rookie in preseason, after competing with second-year player Alan Campos and would never relinquish the position, registering 136 tackles, 10 tackles for loss (led the team), one interception and one fumble returned for a touchdown. At the end of the season, he was named to the NFL All-Rookie team. His speed and athleticism allowed him to become a playmaker in Cowboys defenses that were built around speed and pursuit.  In 1999, he made 131 tackles and intercepted four passes, becoming the first Cowboys linebacker to go to the Pro Bowl since Ken Norton Jr. in 1993. Coakley also received the NFL's "All Iron MVP" award during that year's Thanksgiving Day game.  In the 90's, the Cowboys organization felt they could find linebackers through the draft, without the need of paying a premium and adversely impacting the salary cap, so they allowed talented and productive players like Ken Norton Jr., Darrin Smith, Dixon Edwards, Robert Jones and Randall Godfrey, to leave via free agency, instead of signing them into long-term contracts. This philosophy ended when the Cowboys re-signed Coakley to a six-year contract extension in 2001.  In 2002, he led the team with 173 tackles. While Coakley started all 16 games in 2004, he shared significant time with second year linebacker Bradie James, finishing the year with a career-low 91 tackles (60 solo), ending a streak of seven consecutive 100-tackle seasons. He also had 6 quarterback pressures and 5 passes defensed. At the end of the 2004 season he was released because of salary cap considerations and a switch to a 3–4 defense, which is designed for bigger and taller linebackers.  His string of seven consecutive 100-tackle seasons is a franchise record. In addition, he reached double figures in tackles 37 times in 95 career regular season games. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 1999, 2001 and 2003.  During his eight seasons with the Cowboys, he was a very durable player starting 127 out of 128 games, his only missed game was midway through the 2001 season because of a sprained knee. Coakley is tied with Dennis Thurman for the club record for defensive touchdowns with five, coming on fumble (one) and interception (four) returns. He is the fourth leading tackler in franchise history with 1,046.

St. Louis Rams.

One day after being released by the Cowboys, he was signed to a five-year contract, by the St. Louis Rams for nearly double the salary he was getting in Dallas, with a signing bonus of $14 million. Coakley was a starter in 2005, registering 42 tackles, two sacks, and one interception in 12 games for the Rams, before suffering a season-ending fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle.  In 2006, he finished with 37 tackles and two interceptions as a backup, starting five games in place of the injured starter Pisa Tinoisamoa. He was released by the Rams in 2007.

Personal life.

He is now the linebackers coach at The Oakridge School in Arlington, Texas, along with fellow former NFL player Carlos Francis. He is also the Softball coach at Oakridge. His first year coaching the team won the Division II championships in the Southwest Preparatory Conference.

William Dexter Coakley (born October 20, 1972) is a former American football linebacker who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was a third round draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1997 NFL Draft, out of Division I-AA school Appalachian State. Coakley was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 making him Appalachian State's first inductee.


Life and career.

Siegfried Frederick Herbert Menges was born in Hove on 27 August 1902. His father was German and his mother British. His elder sister was the violinist Isolde Menges. Herbert appeared in public as a violinist at the age of four. He later abandoned the violin for the piano, and he studied at the Royal College of Music under Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Other teachers included Mathilde Verne and Arthur De Greef.  Menges's mother Kate founded the Brighton Symphony Players in 1925 and the first concert was given in the Hove Town Hall on 18 May 1925, conducted by Herbert Menges. After some years the Players evolved into the Brighton Philharmonic Society, forerunner of the Southern Philharmonic Orchestra, a professional group based in Brighton from 1945 which also gave regular concerts in Portsmouth and Hastings. Menges was a powerful advocate of the regional professional orchestras. He remained the orchestra's musical director for the remaining 47 years of his life, during which time it became the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra in 1958, and conducted the orchestra 326 times. He conducted the premieres of a number of works by contemporary English composers.  In 1931 he became musical director of the Old Vic Theatre, in which capacity he wrote (or arranged from composers such as Henry Purcell) incidental music for all the plays of William Shakespeare, and numerous plays by other writers. Notable among these was his music for a 1949 production of "Love's Labour's Lost". He was associated with the productions of John Gielgud from 1933 onwards. His assistant there for three years was John Cook. He remained with the Old Vic until 1950. From 1941 to 1944, alongside Lawrance Collingwood he conducted performance in London and around Britain for operas with the Sadler's Wells Theatre Orchestra, before returning to the Old Vic company when it moved to the New Theatre. He toured with Laurence Olivier and Ralph Richardson to Paris, Germany, the Low countries and New York, where he also conducted the CBS Symphony Orchestra.  He also became musical director of the Royalty Theatre in London. In 1931 he founded the London Rehearsal Orchestra, whose purpose was to help young musicians learn difficult pieces.  In 1951 he wrote the music for the Laurence Olivier-Vivien Leigh Broadway production of Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra". That same year, Malcolm Arnold dedicated his "A Sussex Overture", Op. 31, to Herbert Menges and the Brighton Philharmonic Society.  He considered that he had a strong affinity with Bach and conducted the Viennese classics and composers such as Verdi and Tchaikovsky with restraint, while his Brahms and Dvorak are warmer in his interpretations. His rehearsal and conducting technique were commended for their economy and he would often forego the baton in more expressive passages. A later critic, discussing his recordings, praised the rhythmic acuity, superb internal balance in the orchestra and the precision of attack he achieved, comparing his approach with Paray and Monteux.  He had conducting engagements with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He became Director of Music at the Chichester Festival Theatre from 1962.  Herbert Menges was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1963. He died on 20 February 1972, in London, aged 69. His name now appears as tribute on some Brighton and Hove buses.  Many of his letters and scores are held at McMaster University Library, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.  He was married in 1935 to Evelyn Stiebel and had three children, Nicholas, Christopher (an Academy Award-winning cinematographer) and Susannah.

Recordings.

Herbert Menges made a number of recordings, almost all of which were of concertante works:

Herbert Menges OBE (27 August 190220 February 1972) was an English conductor and composer, who wrote incidental music to all of Shakespeare's plays.


Ayton Castle and church.

The splendid edifice of Ayton Castle, the "caput" of the Scottish feudal barony of Ayton, dominates the town and district. It is built around a peel tower, a stronghold of the Home family, which burnt down in 1834.  The estate was subsequently purchased by William Mitchell (later Mitchell-Innes) of Parsonsgreen, Edinburgh, Chief Cashier of the Royal Bank of Scotland. From 1846-51 James Gillespie Graham was commissioned to build a new castle at Ayton in the Scottish Baronial style in red sandstone. Further additions were made in the later 19th century. The interiors of the 1875 are still largely extant. William's son, Alexander Mitchell-Innes (1811–1886), commissioned James Maitland Wardrop to build Ayton Parish Church, with a spire, and stained glass windows by Ballantine & Sons.  In 1895 the barony of Ayton was sold to Henry Liddell-Grainger of Middleton Hall, Northumberland. His descendant, Ian Liddell-Grainger MP, is the current feudal baron of Ayton, and proprietor of Ayton Castle.

James Boswell.

The Scottish diarist and author James Boswell, biographer of Samuel Johnson passed through Ayton on his journey to London on 15 November 1762. In his "London Journal" he recounts ""...We did very well till we passed Old Camus, when one of the wheels of our chaise was so much broke that it was of no use. The driver proposed that we should mount the horses and ride to Berwick. But this I would by no means agree to; and as my partner let me be the principal man and take the direction of our journey, I made the chaise be dragged on to Ayton, where we waited till the driver rode to Berwick and brought us a chaise. Never did I pass three hours more unhappily. We were set down in a cold ale-house in a dirty little village. We had a beefsteak ill-dressed and had nothing to drink but thick muddy beer. We were both out of humour so that we could not speak. We tried to sleep but in vain. We only got a drowsy headache. We were scorched by the fire on the one hand and shivering with the frost on the other. at last our chaise came, and we got to Berwick about twelve at night. We had a slice of hard dry toast, a bowl of warm negus (drink), and went comfortable to bed""

Ayton is a small village located in the historic county of Berwickshire, today part of the Scottish Borders region. It is on the Eye Water, from which it is said to take its name: Ayton means 'Eye-town'. It contains the former ancient tollbooth or town hall with a clock tower, the Hemelvaart Bier Cafe (an entertainment venue as well as a bar) and a village store.


Functionality.

PlagScan is offered as a Software as a Service and as an on-premise solution. Users can either register as a single user or as an organization. Upon first-time registration, single users receive a free test credit and can purchase additional credits for future submissions, after the completion of a satisfactory trial.  Organizational users verify the organization’s address prior to using the software. An obligation-free quote can be requested immediately on the website. Organizations can choose from a variety of options and create multiple administrators and groups, for example, to divide different departments within one institution.  After scanning a submission for plagiarism, PlagScan provides users with a detailed report that indicates potential plagiarism and lists the matched sources.

Markets.

PlagScan serves schools and universities worldwide. The software aims to help academic institutions to increase students’ awareness toward plagiarism and academic integrity.  PlagScan also offers its services to the commercial market and publishers. Business users employ the software to improve SEO rankings or secure the proper usage of copyright material. They mostly aim to ensure unique content and its protection. The most common commercial customers are publishers, journalists, advertising agencies and law firms.

Privacy and data security.

PlagScan is compliant to the European General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR, particularly following the German Bundesdatenschutzgesetz (BDSG), data security and copyright regulations. Each user has a variety of options regarding their data and submission settings, for example, whether to keep, delete or include submissions in an internal archive. According to the European data security and privacy laws.

Technology.

PlagScan’s two-step algorithm was developed in 2008 and compares submissions with millions of web sources and internal archives that users can optionally participate in. The software recognizes plagiarism as soon as at least three consecutive words match a different source.  PlagScan built an indexing tool based on Apache Solr and relies on Microsoft Bing’s search index for web documents.  The software can be integrated into Learning Management Systems such as Moodle, Canvas, Schoology, etc through an API and LTI integration.

Reviews.

The plagiarism blog "plagiarismtoday.com" ranked PlagScan as the fourth-best plagiarism detection software on the market in 2011.  PlagScan participated in "Captivate", a three-month acceleration program by the German Accelerator in 2014, promoting German technology startups to enter the U.S. market.  PlagScan was ranked as one of the best information and communication technologies at the European Venture Summit in 2014.

Spotlight on Spanish Media, Congress and Senate.

PlagScan came under the spotlight in Spain in September 2018 and created a lot of social debate, having even been discussed in Spanish Congress Of Deputies and Senate, after the Spanish Government used it to check alleged plagiarism on Spanish President Pedro Sanchez's Doctoral Thesis.  The program allegedly reported a 0.96% match when run by the Spanish Government, however those figures were later corrected by PlagScan CEO, Markus Goldbach to be 21% with the default configuration. Rival software TurnItIn had reported a rate of plagiarism of 15%, several times more than that reported by Spanish Government using PlagScan.  The company replied "After applying the software internally – using the default settings and no filters – PlagScan cannot confirm this number. An initial scan revealed 21 percent of duplicated content. In order to receive a 0.96 percent result, one must have applied specific settings and actively disqualified sources. PlagScan has reached out to the Moncloa in order to gain an insight on the government’s procedure and methodology."  This is an ongoing controversy and different newspapers, depending on their political bias, defend one result or the other.

PlagScan is a plagiarism detection software, mostly used by academic institutions. PlagScan compares submissions with web documents, journals and internal archives. The software was launched in 2009 by Markus Goldbach and Johannes Knabe.


History.

Independence from the City.

Shortly after assuming the mayoralty in 1994, Rudolph W. Giuliani announced he was considering selling the WNYC stations. Giuliani believed that broadcasting was no longer essential as a municipal service, and that the financial compensation from selling the stations could be used to help the City cover budget shortfalls. The final decision was made in March 1995: while the City opted to divest WNYC-TV (now WPXN-TV) through a blind auction to commercial buyers, WNYC-AM-FM was sold to the WNYC Foundation for $20 million over a six-year period, far less than what the stations could have been sold for if they were placed on the open market. While the sale put an end to the occasional political intrusions of the past, it required the WNYC Foundation to embark on a major appeal towards listeners, other foundations, and private benefactors. The station's audience and budget have continued to grow since the split from the City.  The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 destroyed WNYC-FM's transmitter atop the World Trade Center. WNYC-AM-FM's studios, in the nearby Manhattan Municipal Building, had to be evacuated and station staff was unable to return to its offices for three weeks. The FM signal was knocked off the air for a time. WNYC temporarily moved to studios at National Public Radio's New York bureau in midtown Manhattan, where it broadcast on its still operating AM signal transmitting from towers in Kearny, New Jersey and by a live Internet stream. The stations eventually returned to the Municipal Building.

Move to new studios.

On June 16, 2008 NYPR moved from its of rent-free space scattered on eight floors of the Manhattan Municipal Building to a new location at 160 Varick Street, near the Holland Tunnel. The station now occupies three and a half floors of a 12-story former printing building. The new offices have ceilings and of space. The number of recording studios and booths has doubled, to 31. There is a new 140-seat, street-level studio for live broadcasts, concerts and public forums and an expansion of the newsroom of over 60 journalists. Renovation, construction, rent and operating costs for the new Varick Street location amounted to $45 million. In addition to raising these funds, NYPR raised money for a one-time fund of $12.5 million to cover the cost of creating 40 more hours of new programming and three new shows. The total cost of $57.5 million for both the move and programming is nearly three times the $20 million the station had to raise over seven years to buy its licenses from the City in 1997.

Acquisition of WQXR-FM.

On October 8, 2009 NYPR took control of classical music station WQXR-FM, then at 96.3 FM. WQXR-FM's intellectual property (call letters and format) was acquired from the New York Times Company as part of a three-way transaction with Univision Radio. WNYC also purchased the 105.9 FM frequency of Univision's WCAA (now WXNY-FM). WQXR-FM's classical format moved to 105.9 and WXNY's Spanish Tropical format debuted at 96.3. The deal resulted in WQXR-FM becoming a non-commercial station. With WQXR as a co-owned 24-hour classical station, WNYC-FM dropped its remaining classical music programming to become a full-time news/talk station.

New Jersey expansion.

On June 6, 2011, the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority agreed to sell four FM stations in northern New Jersey to New York Public Radio. The transaction was announced by Governor Chris Christie, as part of his long-term goal to end State-subsidized public broadcasting. The four stations were previously the northern half of New Jersey Network's statewide radio service, with the stations in southern New Jersey going to Philadelphia public radio station WHYY-FM. Upon taking control of the four stations on July 1, 2011, they were rebranded as New Jersey Public Radio.

Programming.

NYPR produces 100 hours a week of its own programming, including nationally syndicated shows such as "Studio 360", "On the Media", "Selected Shorts" and "Radiolab", as well as local news and interview shows that include "The Leonard Lopate Show", "Soundcheck" and "The Brian Lehrer Show". The entire schedule is streamed live over the internet and several shows also air over Sirius and XM Satellite Radio.  NYPR's WNYC-AM-FM has a local news team of 18 journalists, as well as dozens of producers and other broadcasting professionals.  "Studio 360" is a weekly one-hour program about arts and culture hosted by Kurt Andersen, the former editor of "Spy Magazine". Taking current issues and trends as jumping-off points, the show explores a broad range of cultural ideas. Each program begins with a topical section of stories about the arts and culture from around the United States and around the world. It won a Peabody Award in 2004 for its episode "American Icons: Melville's Moby-Dick."  "On the Media" is a nationally syndicated, weekly one-hour program hosted by Brooke Gladstone and Bob Garfield, formerly of Advertising Age, covering the media and its effect on American culture and society. Many stories investigate how events of the past week were covered by the press. Stories also regularly cover such topics as video news releases, net neutrality, media consolidation, censorship, freedom of the press, spin, and how the media is changing with technology. It won a Peabody Award in 2004.  "The Brian Lehrer Show" is a two-hour weekday talk show covering local and national current events and social issues hosted by Brian Lehrer, a former anchor and reporter for NBC Radio Network. It won a Peabody Award in 2007 "for facilitating reasoned conversation about critical issues and opening it up to everyone within earshot."  "The Leonard Lopate Show," originally "New York & Company," is a two-hour weekday talk show hosted by Leonard Lopate, a painter who studied with Ad Reinhardt and Mark Rothko and the brother of writer Phillip Lopate. The show covers a broad range of topics including current events, literature, theater, science and history. It won a Peabody Award in 2012 "for considering all things New York in lively broadcasts that, like the host, value light more than heat."  "Soundcheck" is a one-hour weekday talk and music show hosted by John Schaefer. The program looks at music and the arts, featuring interviews with musicians, critics, journalists, authors and others. It sometimes has live musical performances in mix of genres, including indie rock, jazz, classical, and world music.  In 2006 NYPR began wnyc2 (lower case letters), an all-classical music channel broadcast on HD Radio and on the Internet. The slogan is, "Five hundred years of new music", and most of the playlist comes from the 20th and 21st centuries. This channel became part of WQXR as Q2 when WNYC's parent company acquired WQXR.  In 2013 NYPR launched "The Jonathan Channel," a 24-hour streaming Internet radio station programmed by Jonathan Schwartz and dedicated to popular standards from the "Great American Song Book." The channel also features live programming hosted by Schwartz, including a simulcast of his Sunday WNYC-FM show.  Other locally produced programs include:

Financing.

NYPR does business as WNYC Radio, WQXR, and NJ Public Radio.  NYPR reported a total revenue of $68,038,410 for the tax year ending June 30, 2015, in their last IRS Form 990 Income Tax Statement filing.

Listenership and new media.

NYPR has been an early adopter of new technologies including HD radio, live audio streaming, and podcasting. RSS feeds and email newsletters link to archived audio of individual program segments. WNYC also makes some of its programming available on Sirius XM satellite radio.

New York Public Radio (NYPR) is the owner of WNYC (AM), WNYC-FM, WNYC Studios, WQXR-FM, New Jersey Public Radio, and the Jerome L. Greene Performance Space. Combined, New York Public Radio owns WNYC (AM), WNYC-FM, WQXR-FM, WQXW, WNJT-FM, WNJP, WNJY, and WNJO.


Biography.

Emil Johann Oberhoffer was born near Munich, Bavaria on 10 August 1867, to a musical family, his father being a well known organist, composer and provincial conductor, and his mother and siblings also making their marks. He showed early promise on the organ and violin, and was sent for training with the Josef Rheinberger disciple Cyrill Kistler, and later to Paris for intensive piano study with Isidor Philipp.  He emigrated to New York City in 1885, became an American citizen in 1893, and moved to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1897 as a teacher, lecturer, concert performer and conductor. He conducted the Apollo Club of Minneapolis, a notable choral society. He also organised the Schubert Choral Association and the Schubert Orchestra in St. Paul, and he was director of the Minneapolis Philharmonic Club, a choral group. He became frustrated at the quality of the scratch ensembles used for accompaniments for these groups, and this became the catalyst for the establishment a permanent orchestra in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra gave its first performance, under Oberhoffer's direction, on 5 November 1903.  He was also organist and director of music at the Church of the Redeemer, and he founded the chair of music at the University of Minnesota. He was personally very active and energetic, and instigated a practice of touring the orchestra widely, making it better known than most of its metropolis-bound counterparts. The orchestra made its Carnegie Hall debut in 1912. A large number of internationally famous soloists appeared with the orchestra during Oberhoffer's tenure.  Oberhoffer left Minneapolis in 1922 after increasing friction with the orchestra's management. His place was taken by Bruno Walter as guest conductor for 1922-23, then by Henri Verbrugghen. His tenure of 19 years with the Minneapolis Symphony was not equalled until Stanisław Skrowaczewski (1960–79).  He moved to California, and became guest conductor with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. On 8 July 1926, he conducted the first performance by the LA Philharmonic of Maurice Ravel's "Alborada del gracioso".  His compositions, now forgotten, include: "Hora Novissima" (a vocal scene about the last hours of a dying child at whose side his mother waits while a bell tolls), and "Mélodie élégiaque", dedicated to the French violinist Camilla Urso.  Emil Oberhoffer died in San Diego, California on 22 May 1933, aged 65. He is buried in the Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, where the Oberhoffer Obelisk stands in his memory.

Legacy.

The Emil J. Oberhoffer House overlooks Orchard Lake in Lakeville, Minnesota.

Emil Oberhoffer (10 August 186722 May 1933) was a German-born American conductor and minor composer. He founded the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (now known as the Minnesota Orchestra), and was its conductor for the first 19 years of its existence.


DECstation 78.

The first line of computer systems given the DECstation name were word processing systems based on the PDP-8. These systems, built into a VT52 terminal, were also known as the VT78.

DECstation RISC workstations.

History.

The second (and completely unrelated) line of DECstations began with the DECstation 3100, which was released on 11 January 1989. The DECstation 3100 was the first commercially available RISC-based machine built by DEC.  This line of DECstations was the fruit of an advanced development skunkworks project carried out in DEC's Palo Alto Hamilton Ave facility. Known as the PMAX project, its focus was to produce a computer systems family with the economics and performance to compete against the likes of Sun Microsystems and other RISC-based UNIX platforms of the day. The brainchild of James Billmaier, Mario Pagliaro, Armando Stettner and Joseph DiNucci, the systems family was to also employ a truly RISC-based architecture when compared to the heavier and very CISC VAX or the then still under development Prism architectures. At the time DEC was mostly known for their CISC systems including the successful PDP and VAX lines.  Several architectures were considered from Intel, Motorola and others but the group quickly selected the MIPS line of microprocessors. The (early) MIPS microprocessors supported both big- and little-endian modes (configured during hardware reset). Little-endian mode was chosen both to match the byte ordering of VAX-based systems and the growing number of Intel-based PCs and computers.  In contrast to the VAX and the later DEC Alpha architectures, the DECstation 3100 and family were specifically designed and built to run a UNIX system, Ultrix, and no version of the VMS operating system was ever released for DECstations. One of the issues being debated at the project's inception was whether or not DEC could sustain, grow, and compete with an architecture it did not invent or own (manage). As the core advocates later left the company, the MIPS-based line of computers was shut down in favor of the Alpha-based computers, a DEC invented and owned architecture, descended from the Prism development work.  The first generation of commercially marketed DEC Alpha systems, the DEC 3000 AXP series, were similar in some respects to contemporaneous MIPS-based DECstations, which were sold alongside the Alpha systems as the DECstation line was gradually phased out. Both used the TURBOchannel expansion bus for video and network cards, as well as being sold with the same TURBOchannel option modules, mice, monitors, and keyboards.  Later DECstations planned to be based on the ECL-based R6000 were canceled on 14 August 1990 after Bipolar Integrated Technology failed to deliver sufficient volumes of the microprocessor, which was difficult to fabricate. Yields of the R6000 were further reduced as DEC required the little-endian mode used from the beginning to continue to be available.  The MIPS-based DECstations were used as the first target system and development platform for the Mach microkernel, as well as early development of the Windows NT operating system. Shortly prior to the release of the DEC Alpha systems, a port of OSF/1 to the DECstation was completed, but it was not commercially released. More recently, various free operating systems such as NetBSD and Linux/MIPS have been ported to the MIPS-based DECstations, extending their useful life by providing a modern operating system.  The GXemul project emulates several of these DECstation models.

Models.

The original MIPS-based DECstation 3100 was followed by a cost reduced 2100. The DECstation 3100 was claimed to be the world's fastest UNIX workstation at the time. When it was introduced it was about three times as fast as the VAXstation 3100 which was introduced at about the same time. Server configurations of DECstation models, distributed without a framebuffer or a graphics accelerator, both Turbochannel and Q-bus based, were called "DECsystem" but should not be confused with some PDP-10 machines of the same name.  Early models of the DECstation were heavily integrated systems with little expansion capability and do not even possess expansion buses. The DECstation 5000 systems, introduced later, improved on the lack of expansion capabilities by providing the TURBOchannel Interconnect. The DECstation 5000 systems are also ARC (Advanced RISC Computing) compatible. The last DECstation models focused on increased component integration by using more custom ASICs to reduce the number of discrete components. This begun with the DECstation 5000 Model 240, which replaced discrete components with LSI ASICs and ended with the last model, the DECstation 5000 Model 260, which used a single VLSI ASIC for much of the control logic.  Packaged DECstation 5000 systems were sometimes suffixed with two or three letters. These letters refer to what graphics option the system has.

DECstation 3100 and DECstation 2100.

Processor.

The DECstation 3100 and 2100 uses a R2000 processor, a R2010 floating point coprocessor and four R2020 write buffers. The R2000 uses an external 64 KB direct-mapped instruction cache and a 64 KB direct-mapped write-through data cache with a cache line size of four bytes. Four R2020 implement a four-stage write buffer to improve performance by permitting the R2000 to write to its write-through data cache without stalling.  The R2000 microprocessor could be configured to run either in big-endian or little-endian mode. In the DECstation family, the decision was made to run little-endian to maintain compatibility with both the VAX family and the growing population of Intel-based PC's.

Memory.

The DECstation 3100 and 2100's memory system contains both the DRAM-based system memory and VRAM-based framebuffers. The amount of system memory supported is 4 to 24 MB, organized into six physical memory banks. These systems has 12 SIMM slots that use 2 MB SIMMs, with each SIMM containing 1,048,576 word × 18-bit DRAMs. The SIMMs are installed in pairs (in increments of 4 MB) and the memory system is byte-parity protected. The monochrome framebuffer are implemented with a 256 KB VFB01 SIMM and the color framebuffer, a 1 MB VBF02 SIMM. If one of these framebuffer SIMMs are not present, the framebuffer cannot be used. The SIMM slots were rated for 25 removal and insertion cycles, with five being the recommended limit.

Graphics.

Graphics capability was provided by two frame buffer modules, the monochrome and color frame buffer. The monochrome frame buffer supports 1-bit color and a resolution of 1024 × 864 pixels, while the color frame buffer supports 8-bit color and the same resolution as the monochrome frame buffer. Both frame buffers use the Brooktree Bt478 RAMDAC with three 256-entry, 8-bit color maps. The hardware cursor is generated by DC503 PCC (Programmable Cursor Chip), which can provide a 16 × 16 pixel, 2-bit color cursor. The color frame buffer has an 8-bit write mask, used to select which pixel(s) are to be updated. None of the framebuffers use all the memory provided by the frame buffer module, the color frame buffer's VRAM is organized as 2048 × 1024 pixels and the monochrome frame buffer, 1024 × 1024, but only the leftmost pixels are displayed in the color frame buffer and the topmost pixels in the monochrome frame buffer. Unused areas of the VRAM may be used to store graphical structures such as fonts. The frame buffers are not parity-protected, unlike the rest of the system memory. A DB15 male connector is used for video. The connector uses RS343A/RS170 compatible signals.

Ethernet and SCSI.

These DECstations have onboard 10 Mbit/s Ethernet provided by an AMD 7990 LANCE (Local Area Network Controller for Ethernet) and an AMD 7992 SIA (Serial Interface Adapter), which implements the interface, a BNC ThinWire Ethernet connector. A 32 768 word × 16-bit (64 KB) network buffer constructed out of SRAMs is provided to improve performance. A 32 word by 8-bit Ethernet Station Address ROM (ESAR) provides the MAC address. It is mounted in a DIP socket and is removable.  The 5 MB/s single-ended SCSI interface is provided by a DC7061 SII gate array with a 64 K by 16-bit (128 KB) SCSI buffer used to improve performance. The SCSI interface is connected to the internal 3.5 drive bays and an external port (HONDA68 male connector) to be connected to drive expansion boxes.

Other.

These systems have four asynchronous serial lines that are provided by a DC7085 gate array. Of the four serial lines, only the third line has the required modem control signals to support a modem. A 4-pin MMJ connector is provided for the keyboard line, a 7-pin DIN connector for mouse line, and two 6-pin MMJ connectors for printer and modem lines. The real time clock is a Motorola MC146818, which also has 50 bytes of RAM for storing console configuration information, and the 256 KB of ROM for storing boot-strap and self-test software is provided by two 128 KB ROMs in DIP sockets.

Enclosure.

The enclosure used by the DECstation 3100 and 2100 is identical to the enclosure used by the VAXstation 3100 as these systems use a mechanically identical system module. The enclosure can accommodate two 3.5-inch drives, which are mounted on trays above the system module. The system module is located on the left of the enclosure and the power supply, which takes up a fourth of the space inside the enclosure, is located on the left.

Personal DECstation 5000 Series.

The Personal DECstation 5000 Series are entry-level workstations, code named "MAXine". The Personal DECstation uses a low-profile desktop case, which contained a power supply on the left and two mounts for two fixed drives, or one fixed drive and one diskette drive, at the front. The system logic was contained on two printed circuit boards, the base system module, which contained the majority of the logic, and the CPU module, which contained the processor.

CPU module.

There were three models of the CPU module, which contains the CPU subsystem. The first model contains a chipset consisting of a 20, 25 or 33 MHz R3000A CPU and R3010 FPU accompanied by a 64 KB instruction cache and a 64 KB data cache. Both caches are direct-mapped and have a 4-byte cache line. The data cache is write through. All components on the CPU module operate at the same clock frequency as the R300A.  A CPUCTL ASIC is also present, its purpose to provide interfacing and buffering between the faster CPU module and the slower 12.5 MHz system module. The CPUCTL ASIC also implements a 12.5 MHz TURBOchannel that serves as the system interconnect.  The second model is a revised version of the first module with a 20 or 25 MHz R3000A and R3010 that used plastic packaging, whereas the previous model used ceramic packaging. The third model contains a R4000 microprocessor with internal instruction and data caches complemented by a 1 MB secondary cache.

Memory.

These systems have 8 MB of onboard memory and four SIMM slots that can be used to expand the amount of memory by 32 MB, for a total of 40 MB of memory. These SIMM slots accept 2 and 8 MB SIMMs in pairs. All SIMMs in the system must be of the same size. The memory bus is 40 bits wide, with 32 bits used for data and four bits used to for byte-parity. The Memory Control ASIC controls the memory and communicates with the CPU subsystem via the TURBOchannel bus.

Expansion.

Expansion is provided by two TURBOchannel slots, each with 64 MB of physical address space.

Graphics.

The Personal DECstation features an integrated 8-bit color frame buffer capable of a resolution of 1024 × 768 at a refresh rate of 72 Hz. The frame buffer consists of 1 MB of VRAM organized as 262,144 32-bit words, with each 32-bit word containing four 8-bit pixels. The frame buffer uses an INMOS IMS G332 RAMDAC with a 256-entry 24-bit color look up table, which selects 256 colors for display out of a palette of 16,777,216. The frame buffer is treated as part of the memory subsystem.

I/O subsystem.

The I/O subsystem provides the system with an 8-bit single-ended SCSI bus, 10 Mbit/s Ethernet, serial line, the Serial Desktop Bus and analog audio. SCSI is provided by a NCR 53C94 ASC (Advanced SCSI Controller). Ethernet is provided by an AMD Am7990 LANCE (Local Area Network Controller for Ethernet) and an AMD Am7992 SIA (Serial Interface Adapter) that implements the AUI interface. A single serial port capable of 50 to 19,200 baud with full modem control capability is provided by a Zilog Z85C30 SCC (Serial Communications Controller). Analog audio and ISDN support is provided by an AMD 79C30A DSC (Digital Subscriber Controller). These devices are connected to IOCTL ASIC via two 8-bit buses or one 16-bit bus. The ASIC interfaces the subsystem to the TURBOchannel interconnect.

DECstation 5000 Model 100 Series.

The DECstation 5000 Model 100 Series, code named "3MIN", are mid-range workstations. Early models used a chipset consisting of a R3000A CPU and a R3010 CPU on 3- by 5-inch daughter card that plugs into a connector on the system module. The Model 150 replaces the R3000A and R3010 with a single R4000 with an integrated FPU. The Model 120 and 125 have two external caches, a 64 KB instruction cache and a 64 KB data cache. The Model 133 has a 128 KB instruction cache.  These systems support 16 to 128 MB of memory through 16 SIMM slots that accept 2 or 8 MB SIMMs. Only one type of SIMM may be used, 2 and 8 MB SIMMs cannot be mixed in the same system. The 2 MB SIMM is identical to the SIMM used in the DECstation 2100 and 3100, allowing upgrades from these older systems to the Model 100 Series to reuse the old memory.  Three TURBOchannel option slots are provided. The Model 100 Series introduces the I/O Controller ASIC (later known as the IOCTL ASIC), which interfaces the two 8-bit I/O buses to the 12.5 MHz TURBOchannel.

DECstation 5000 Model 200 Series.

The DECstation 200 Series are high-end workstations. Server configurations of the DECstation 500 Model 200, 240 and 260 were known as the DECsystem 5000 Model 200, 240 and 260 respectively. These systems only contain a CPU module, a system module and a power supply located on left side of the enclosure. They do not have any internal storage capability. Drives were intended to be installed in external single- or multiple-drive enclosures. These enclosures were connected to system via a SCSI connector located at the rear of the system. Alternatively, storage was to be provided by a file server accessed over a network.

CPU subsystem.

Each member of the Model 200 Series had a unique CPU subsystem. The Model 200's CPU subsystem is located on the KN02 system module and contains a chipset composed of the R3000 CPU, R3010 FPU and R3220 MB (six-stage write/memory buffer). Also part of the subsystem is the processor's external 64 KB instruction cache and 64 KB write-through data cache. In contrast, the Model 240's CPU subsystem is located on a daughter card, the CPU module, and does not use a processor chipset, featuring a single 40 MHz R3400 instead. The R3400 integrates the R3000A CPU and the R3010 FPU in a single die and package. The processor's external 64 KB instruction cache and 64 KB data cache is connected to the R3400 by a 40 MHz bus that also serves as the datapath to the MB ASIC. The Model 260's CPU subsystem is also located on a CPU module daughter card, but it features a 120 MHz (60 MHz external) R4000 with internal instruction and data caches and an external secondary cache. The Model 260's CPU subsystem is unique in the Model 200 Series as it contains the boot ROM firmware, unlike the other members, which have their boot ROM located in the system module. This difference is due to the R4000 requiring different firmware that could not be replaced when upgrading a Model 240 to a Model 260.

Memory subsystem.

The Model 200 Series has 15 SIMM slots located on the system module that can hold 8 to 480 MB of memory. Proprietary 128-pin memory array modules (SIMMs) with capacities of 8 MB (39 1 Mbit DRAM chips) or 32 MB (39 4 Mbit DRAM chips) are used. All SIMMs installed in a system must be of the same size. If 8 MB SIMMs are used, the system may contain 8 to 120 MB of memory. If 32 MB SIMMs are used, the system may contain 32 to 480 MB of memory. The memory subsystem operates at 25 MHz and is 32 bits wide to match the native word length of the R3000. The memory subsystem is protected by an ECC scheme with seven bits of check for every 32-bit transaction.  The SIMMs are two-way interleaved using the low-order method, where even and odd memory addresses are treated as separate banks of memory. Interleaving the memory subsystem doubles the bandwidth of a non-interleaved memory subsystem using the same DRAMs, allowing the Model 200 Series to achieve an effective maximum bandwidth of 100 MB/s.  An optional 1 MB NVRAM module that provides a disk cache to improve performance can be installed in one of the SIMM slots (slot 14, the SIMM slot closest to the front edge of the system module). The module uses a battery to prevent data from being lost in case of power failure. The module is useful only when optional software is installed.  The Model 200 uses discrete components to implement the memory subsystem logic. In the Model 240, these discrete components are replaced by three ASICs, the MB ASIC, the MT ASIC and the MS ASIC. The MB (Memory Buffer) ASIC serves as an interface between the 40 MHz CPU module domain and the 25 MHz system module domain. It is connected to the MT ASIC, which serves as the memory controller. The MT ASIC provides memory control and refresh, handles memory DMA and transactions, and ECC checking. The MS (Memory Strobe) ASIC provides 15 sets of memory control lines and routes memory control signals from the MT ASIC to the destination SIMM. The MS ASIC replaces 16 discrete components used in the Model 200 and also generates the 25 MHz system clock signal, replacing a further three discrete components used in the Model 200.

Expansion.

The Model 200 Series uses the TURBOchannel Interconnect for expansion and all models have three TURBOchannel option slots. The Model 200 provides 4 MB of physical address space for each TURBOchannel option, while the Model 240 and 260 provides 8 MB. TURBOchannel in the Model 240 and 260 is clocked at 25 MHz. In the Model 240 and 260, the MT ASIC implements TURBOchannel and serves as the controller.

I/O subsystem.

The Model 200's I/O subsystem is significantly different from the Model 240 and 260's I/O subsystem. In the Model 200, Ethernet and SCSI capabilities are provided by two integrated TURBOchannel option modules, PMAD-AA for Ethernet and PMAZ-AA for SCSI. The PMAD-AA uses an AMD 7990 LANCE (Local Area Network Controller for Ethernet), which provides 10BASE-T Ethernet. The interface is implemented by an AMD 7992 SIA (Serial Interface Adapter) and a BNC ThinWire connector. The 8-bit, single-ended SCSI bus is provided by an NCR 53C94 ASC (Advanced SCSI Controller). Both integrated option modules have 128 KB of SRAM each serving as a buffer to improve performance. Four serial lines are also provided for the keyboard, mouse, communications port and printer. These lines are implemented by two DC7085s. A Dallas Semiconductor DS1287 real time clock with 50 bytes of NVRAM is also featured, as is a 256 KB system boot-strap and diagnostic ROM in a socket.  In contrast, the Model 240's and 260's I/O subsystem is based around an I/O Controller ASIC that serves as a bridge between TURBOchannel and the two I/O buses it implements. I/O devices such as the two Zilog Z85C30 SCCs (Serial Communications Controller), a NCR 53C94 ASC, an AMD 7990 LANCE, Dallas Semiconductor DS1287 real time clock and system ROM are connected to the I/O buses. The I/O Controller ASIC was not introduced by the Model 240, it was first featured in the Model 100 series, but the ASIC used in the Model 240 differs by being clocked twice as high, at 25 MHz instead of 12.5 MHz. The Model 240's I/O subsystem would later be used in the DEC 3000 AXP in a modified form.

Graphics.

DECstation systems with TURBOchannel slots could use TURBOchannel-based framebuffers, 2D graphics accelerators and 3D graphics accelerators.

3D graphics accelerators.

These options were:  All PXG variants are capable of either 8-bit or 24-bit color, a resolution of 1280 × 1024 and a refresh rate of either 66 or 72 Hz. The PXG also has an 8-bit or 24-bit Z-buffer and is double buffered. The color depth and the depth of Z-buffer can be extended by installing additional VSIMMs or Z-buffer modules on the module. The PXG Turbo variants are capable of 24-bit color, a resolution of 1280 × 1024 and a refresh rate of either 66 or 72 Hz. They differ by featuring a 24-bit buffer for storing off-screen pixmaps in addition to the 24-bit Z-buffer and double buffer.  These 3D graphics accelerators implemented Digital's proprietary PixelStamp architecture, which is derived from two research projects, "Pixel Planes" from the University of North Carolina and "The 8 by 8 Display" from the Carnegie-Mellon University.  The PixelStamp architecture is a geometry pipeline that consists of a DMA engine, a geometry engine and a PixelStamp. The DMA engine interfaces the pipeline to the system via TURBOchannel, receiving packets from the CPU and sending them to the geometry engine. The geometry engine consists of an amount of SRAM and an Intel i860. Packets from the DMA engine are stored in the SRAM, where they are processed by the i860, which writes the results to a FIFO.  The PixelStamp consists of a STIC (STamp Interface Chip) ASIC and one or two STAMP ASICs. The STIC fetches the results in the FIFO and passes them on to the STAMP ASIC(s), which performs scan conversion and other graphical functions. Once the data has been processed by the STAMP ASICs, the final result, which consists of RGB data, is written into the framebuffer built from VSIMMs (a SIMM with VRAMs) that are located on the graphics accelerator option module to be displayed.  These graphics accelerators can be grouped into two distinct categories, the double-width options and the triple-width options. The PXG and PXG+ are double-width TURBOchannel option modules and the PXG Turbo and PXG Turbo+ are triple-width TURBOchannel option modules. Models suffixed with a "+" are higher performance models of the base model, with a 44 MHz i860 instead of a 40 MHz i860 and STIC and STAMP ASICs that operate at clock frequencies 33% higher. Models suffixed with "Turbo" differ by featuring 256 KB of SRAM and two STAMP ASICs instead of 128 KB of SRAM and one STAMP ASIC. Models known as a "Lo 3D Graphics Accelerator" or a "Lo 3D Plus Graphics Accelerator" can be upgraded to a "Mid 3D Graphics Accelerator" or a "Mid 3D Plus Graphics Accelerator" by installing more VSIMMs and Z-buffer modules.

Multimedia.

Depending on the model of DECstation, some systems were capable of performing video conferencing, high-quality audio output and video input. These were achieved through the use of TURBOchannel option modules and external peripherals. Video input was achieved by using the DECvideo (also known as the PIP (Picture-in-Picture) live-video-in) option, a daughterboard that plugs into the TX framebuffer to provide NTSC, PAL and SECAM input. When this option was used in conjunction with a video camera, a microphone and the required software, the DECstation can be used for video conferencing.  Audio capabilities were provided by the DECaudio TURBOchannel option module, which contained two AMD 79C30A DSC (Digital Subscriber Controller) devices and a Motorola 56001 DSP. The two AMD 79C30A DSCs were used for voice-quality audio input and output, while the Motorola 56001 was used for high-quality audio. The DSP was initially not used, due to the firmware being incomplete, although the capability was provided later in an update.

DECstation PCs.

Confusingly, simultaneous with the launch of the DECstation workstation line, Digital also announced a range of DECstation-branded PC compatibles with Intel x86 processors that ran MS-DOS. These were identified by three-digit model numbers; the DECstation 2xx, 3xx and 4xx series using the Intel 80286, 80386 and 80486 processors respectively. These computers were not built by Digital, but by Tandy Corporation in the United States and Olivetti in Europe. At the time of introduction, Digital offered a trade-in program for owners of its earlier x86, but PC incompatible, computer, the Rainbow 100.  Systems based on the 80286 are:  Systems based on the 80386 are:  Systems based on the 80486 are:

The DECstation was a brand of computers used by DEC, and refers to three distinct lines of computer systems—the first released in 1978 as a word processing system, and the latter (more widely known) two both released in 1989. These comprised a range of computer workstations based on the MIPS architecture and a range of PC compatibles. The MIPS-based workstations ran Ultrix, a DEC-proprietary version of UNIX, and early releases of OSF/1.


Course of the River.

In Hackney, the river ran through the northern part of Clissold Park, where its course is now marked by two lakes. It crossed the artificial New River, which flowed at right angles to the brook and left the park to the south (until the 1940s when the New River flow was terminated at the East Reservoir). The two Clissold park lakes are now fed from the main water supply, not the brook.  It then wandered through Abney Park Cemetery to cross at the bottom of the road Stamford Hill to run along the north side of Stoke Newington Common. At this point, builders found, in the 1860s, very early evidence of human occupation in the form of 200,000-year-old palaeolithic flint axes, which were being made on the banks of the brook. These are among the earliest human artifacts found in Britain.  From here, the brook followed the western side of Hackney Downs, then ran south-east to cross Dalston Lane and Mare Street in Hackney Central near Bohemia Place. Many 18th and 19th-century illustrations show the ford here, which was at the bend in the road where the North London Railway bridge now crosses Mare Street. In central Hackney, the brook was joined by the Pigwell Brook which flowed down from Dalston, roughly following the line of Graham Road. From Hackney Central it ran through Homerton, reaching Hackney Wick where it turned south, parallel to the Lea, before reaching Old Ford, where Victorian OS maps show a confluence with the Lea immediately south of the Northern Outfall Sewer and immediately north of what the maps state as the location of the former 'Old Ford' across the Lea.  In its heyday, up until the late 1830s, the brook was a substantial river, 10 metres wide in full flood at Stoke Newington and perhaps 30 metres wide at its junction with the Lea.  Its course can be seen on some old maps.

Disappearance.

Although much of the Hackney Brook had already been covered over by 1856, local population growth in the area had turned the open portions into little more than an open sewer. In response to this, the Metropolitan Board of Works constructed its northern high-level sewer in 1860 to a design by Sir Joseph Bazalgette to contain the brook and its many tributaries. The sewer followed the course of the brook as far as Hackney Church Street (now Mare Street), but then struck south to cross Victoria Park, joining the larger sewer network at Old Ford.

The Hackney Brook is one of the subterranean rivers of London. It crossed the northern parts of the current London boroughs of Hackney and Islington, emptying into the River Lea at Old Ford, with its source in Holloway.


Early life.

James Prinsep was the seventh son and the tenth child of John Prinsep (1746–1830) and his wife, Sophia Elizabeth Auriol (1760–1850). John Prinsep went to India in 1771 with almost no money and became a successful indigo planter. He returned to England in 1787 with a fortune of £40,000 and established himself as an East India merchant. He moved to Clifton in 1809 after incurring losses. His connections helped him find work for all his sons and several members of the Prinsep family rose to high positions in India. John Prinsep later became a Member of Parliament. James initially went to study in a school in Clifton run by a Mr. Bullock but learnt more at home from his older siblings. He showed a talent for detailed drawing and mechanical invention and this made him study architecture under the gifted but eccentric Augustus Pugin. His eyesight however declined due to an infection and he was unable to take up architecture as a profession. His father knew of an opening in the assay department at the mint in India and sent him to train in chemistry at Guy's Hospital and later as an apprentice to Robert Bingley, assay master at the Royal Mint in London (1818–19).

Career in India.

Prinsep found a position as an assay master at the Calcutta mint and reached Calcutta along with his brother Henry Thoby on 15 September 1819. Within a year at Calcutta, he was sent by his superior, the eminent orientalist Horace Hayman Wilson, to work as assay master at the Benares mint. He stayed at Benares until the closure of that mint in 1830. He then moved back to Calcutta as deputy assay master, and when Wilson resigned in 1832, he was made assay master (overruling Wilson's nominee for that position, James Atkinson) at the new silver mint designed in Greek revival style by Major W. N. Forbes.  His work as assay master led him to conduct many scientific studies. He worked on means for measuring high temperatures in furnaces accurately. The publication of his technique in the "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London" in 1828 led to his election as a Fellow of the Royal Society. He suggested the possibility of visual pyrometric measurement using a calibrated series of mica plates as well as using the thermal expansion of platinum but considered that a practical approach was to use calibrated combinations of platinum, gold and silver alloys placed in a cupel or crucible and observe their melting. He also described a pyrometer that measured the expansion of a small amount of air held within a gold bulb. In 1833 he called for reforms to Indian weights and measures and advocated a uniform coinage based on the new silver rupee of the East India Company. He also devised a balance so sensitive as to measure three-thousandth of a grain (≈0.19 mg).

Architecture.

James Prinsep continued to take an interest in architecture at Benares. Regaining his eyesight, he studied and illustrated temple architecture, designed the new mint building at Benares as well as a church. In 1822 he conducted a survey of Benares and produced an accurate map at the scale of 8 inches to a mile. This map was lithographed in England. He also painted a series of watercolours of monuments and festivities in Benares which were sent to London in 1829 and published between 1830 and 1834 as "Benares Illustrated, in a Series of Drawings". He helped design an arched tunnel to drain stagnant lakes and improve the sanitation of the densely populated areas of Benares and built a stone bridge over the Karamansa river. He helped restore the minarets of Aurangzeb which were in a state of collapse. When he moved to Calcutta, he offered to help complete a canal that had been planned by his brother Thomas but left incomplete by the latter's death in 1830. Thomas's canal linked the River Hooghly with branches of the Ganges further to the east.

Asiatic Society of Bengal.

In 1829, Captain James D. Herbert started a serial called "Gleanings in Science". Captain Herbert, however, was posted as Astronomer to the King of Oudh in 1830, leaving the journal to the editorship of James Prinsep, who was himself the primary contributor to it. In 1832 he succeeded H. H. Wilson as secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal and suggested that the Society should take over "Gleanings in Science" and produce the "Journal of the Asiatic Society". Prinsep became the founding editor of this journal and contributed articles on chemistry, mineralogy, numismatics and on the study of Indian antiquities. He was also very interested in meteorology and the tabulation of observations and the analysis of weather data from across the country. He worked on the calibration of instruments to measure humidity and atmospheric pressure. He continued to edit the journal until his illness in 1838 which led to his leaving India and subsequently his death. Many of the plates in the journal were illustrated by him.

Numismatist.

Coins were Prinsep's first interest. He interpreted coins from Bactria and Kushan as well as Indian series coins, including "punch-marked" ones from the Gupta series. Prinsep suggested that there were three stages; the punch-marked, the die-struck, and the cast coins. Prinsep also reported upon the native punch-marked coinage, noting that they were better known in eastern India.

Brahmi script philologist.

As a result of Prinsep's work as an editor of the Asiatic Society's journal, coins and copies of inscriptions were transmitted to him from all over India, to be deciphered, translated, and published.  The first successful attempts at deciphering Brahmi were made in 1836 by Norwegian scholar Christian Lassen, who used the bilingual Greek-Brahmi coins of Indo-Greek kings Agathocles and Pantaleon to correctly identify several Brahmi letters. The task was then completed by Prinsep, who was able to identify the rest of the Brahmi characters, with the help of Alexander Cunningham.  In a series of results that he published between 1836–38 Prinsep was able to decipher the inscriptions on rock edicts found around India. The edicts in Brahmi script mentioned a King "Devanampriya Piyadasi" which Prinsep initially assumed was a Sri Lankan king. He was then able to associate this title with Ashoka on the basis of Pali script from Sri Lanka communicated to him by George Turnour. These scripts were found on the pillars at Delhi and Allahabad and on rock inscriptions from both sides of India, and also the Kharosthi script in the coins and inscriptions of the north-west. The idea of "Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum", a collection of Indian epigraphy, was first suggested by Prinsep and the work was formally begun by Sir Alexander Cunningham in 1877. His studies on inscriptions helped in the establishment of date of Indian dynasties based on references to Antiochus and other Greeks. Prinsep's research and writing were not confined to India. Prinsep also delved into the early history of Afghanistan, producing several works that touched on archaeological finds in that country. Many of the collections were sent by Alexander Burnes. After James Prinsep's death, his brother Henry Thoby Prinsep published in 1844 a volume exploring the numismatist's work on collections made from Afghanistan.

Other pursuits.

A talented artist and draftsman, Prinsep made meticulous sketches of ancient monuments, astronomy, instruments, fossils and other subjects. He was also very interested in understanding weather. He designed a modified barometer that automatically compensated for temperature. He maintained meteorological registers, apart from supplying barometers to volunteers and graphically summarising the records of others. He conducted experiments on practical methods to prevent rusting of iron surfaces.

Personal life.

Prinsep married Harriet Sophia Aubert, elder daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Jeremiah Aubert (grandson of Alexander Aubert) of the Bengal army and his wife Hannah, at the cathedral in Calcutta on 25 April 1835. They had a daughter Eliza in 1837 who was to be the only child to survive.

Death and legacy.

Prinsep literally worked himself to death. From 1838 he began to suffer from recurrent headaches and sickness. It was initially thought to be related to a liver (bilious) condition and he was forced to get away from his studies and left for England in November 1838 aboard the "Herefordshire". He arrived in England in poor condition and did not recover. He died on 22 April 1840 in his sister Sophia Haldimand's home at 31 Belgrave Square of a "softening of the brain". A genus of plant "Prinsepia" was named after him by the botanist John Forbes Royle in 1839 in appreciation of his work.  News of his death reached India and several memorials were commissioned. A bust at the Asiatic Society was to be made by Francis Chantrey but was finished by Henry Weekes. Prinsep Ghat, a Palladian porch on the bank of the Hooghly River designed by W. Fitzgerald in 1843, was erected in his memory by the citizens of Calcutta. Part of his original collection of ancient coins and artefacts from the Indian subcontinent is now in the British Museum, London.

James Prinsep FRS (20 August 1799 – 22 April 1840) was an English scholar, orientalist and antiquary. He was the founding editor of the "Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal" and is best remembered for deciphering the Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts of ancient India. He studied, documented and illustrated many aspects of numismatics, metallurgy, meteorology apart from pursuing his career in India as an assay master at the mint in Benares.