In dialogue with A.D. Hope: dialogue one: childhood and adolescence

[Alec Derwent Hope, born in Cooma 1907, won a scholarship to University College, Oxford, after majoring in English and Philosophy at Sydney University, and returned to a life of teaching and writing from the ‘thirties. His pre-eminence in literary culture was underpinned by his appointment as Professor of English at University College, Canberra, the forerunner of the Australian National University. His work in poetry, translations, and criticism provoked intense response, never indifference. His first published volumes were the satirical sequence, Dunciad Minimus : An Heroic Poem (1950), and selection of poems, The Wandering Islands (1955); amongst the final volumes were the autobiographical Chance Encounters (1992) and Selected Poems (1992).
Dialogue One was designed to explore what connections can be made between the life of the child and the values engendered in this formative phase and the adult’s creative work and view of the world; an exploration shaped by what might be seen as a relentless irony inherent in his poetry and his other scholarly productions and by Hope’s view that childhood is a place of the sacred and of secrets that are best protected from the limiting force of definition--somehow best kept suspended between the unconscious and the conscious mind to draw from when enacting a poetic vision of life. To that extent, Dialogue One is an attempt to navigate territory that might be seen as Hope’s mindscape and landscape as it emerged in childhood and adolescence.
The following exchange comprises selected excerpts from the transcripts of Ann McCulloch’s videoed interviews in Melbourne 1988, The Dance of Language: The Life and Work of A.D. Hope, as well as from her many conversations with Hope between 1981 and 1996 in Canberra.]

Automated counting of the Northern Pacific Sea Star in the Derwent using shape recognition

A novel shape recognition algorithm was developed to autonomously classify the Northern Pacific Sea Star (Asterias amurenis) from benthic images that were collected by the Starbug AUV during 6km of transects in the Derwent estuary. Despite the effects of scattering, attenuation, soft focus and motion blur within the underwater images, an optimal joint classification rate of 77.5% and misclassification rate of 13.5% was achieved. The performance of algorithm was largely attributed to its ability to recognise locally deformed sea star shapes that were created during the segmentation of the distorted images.

An analysis of salmon rod catch data from castle fisheries, River Derwent, 1923-1989.

The aim of this study was to investigate the historical catch record from the Castle Fishery on the River Derwent over the period 1923 - 1989, to determine if changes had taken place in the composition of the catch and to examine the influence of flow on the performance of the fishery. The River Derwent is situated in West Cumbria, North West England. It flows from its source on Scafell Pike (NGR NY 229 089) westwards discharging into the Irish sea at Workington, a distance of 52 km. Over its length it receives water from an additional 214 km of stream, 5 large lakes and approximately 30 small tarns. The catchment drains a total area of 663 km2. The study concludes that through the time period there was considerable variation in catch between years. The trend was for the catch to increase steadily over the period 1923 - 1958, declining rapidly in 1959, after which catches increased steadily reaching a peak in the mid-sixties, before declining towards the end of the decade. During the seventies and eighties catches remained relatively stable at between 300 - 600 salmon per year until 1988 when over 2000 salmon were reported caught, the greatest number in any year over the study period.

Derwent & West Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee 25th June, 1979.

This is the report from the Derwent and West Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 25th June 1979. The report contains sections on British Nuclear Fuels Limited abstraction from Wastwaters, Salmon Propagation in England and Wales, and its implications for regional hatchery policy, the incomes from sale of rod and line licences for 1978, and a progress report of the Opencast Coal Workings. It also covers the report by the area fisheries officer which looks at river conditions and fishing, fish distribution and general comments for Holmwrangle hatchery, re-stocking by angling associations, predators, fish disease, Yearl Weir fish counter, work at River Ehen, poaching and a summary of prosecutions. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Derwent & West Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee 23rd June, 1980

This is the report from the Derwent and West Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 23rd June, 1980. It includes information on the investigations into the effects of sulphide pollution on the River Derwent and a summary of results of water samples taken from Lostrigg Beck. Also added is the report by the area fisheries officer on fisheries activities which comments on river conditions and fishing, migratory fish movements, and an update on Holmwrangle Hatchery. The report also includes biological work carried out on the River Esk, Bassenthwaite Lake, and fish mortalities. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Derwent & West Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee 8th October, 1979.

This is the report from the Derwent and West Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 8th October 1979. The report contains sections on the minutes of the last meeting along with the minutes of the meeting of the Regional Fisheries Advisory Committee held on 12th July 1979, information on the British Nuclear Fuel Limited abstraction from Wastwater, the application to abstract water from the River Ehen by Dumfriesshire Limestone Company, and oil pollution of the Rivers Keekle and Ehen. Also included is the report by the area fisheries officer which looks at river conditions and fishing of salmon, sea trout, non migratory trout and coarse fishing, migratory fish movement, pollution incidents and fish mortalities. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Derwent & West Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee 7th January, 1980.

This is the report from the Derwent and West Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 7th January 1980. The report contains sections on net and fixed engine licence duties, pollution incidents on the River Cocker and Wilton Beck, and information on the water resource development for West Cumbria. It also includes the report by the area fisheries officer which looks at river conditions and fishing, migratory fish movement, and an update on Holmwrangle Hatchery. Also covered is the stocking carried out by the Water Authority, fish disease and biological work on Ennerdale Water supply and char marking. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Derwent & West Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee 31st March, 1980.

This is the report from the Derwent and West Cumbria Fisheries Advisory Committee meeting, which was held on the 31st March 1980. The report contains sections on the minutes of the meeting held on 24th October 1979, rod and line licence duties, information on salmon coops on the River Eden and River Derwent, net and fixed engine licence duties and fishery byelaws. It also includes the report by the area fisheries officer which looks at river conditions and fishing, general comments on fish stocks at Holmwrangle Hatchery and biological work on Ennerdale char and the River Esk salmonid survey. Also covered is the monthly salmon and sea trout catches for the 1979 season. The Fisheries Advisory Committee was part of the Regional Water Authorities, in this case the North West Water Authority. This preceded the Environment Agency which came into existence in 1996.

Argumentation of the River Derwent using Thirlmere

This is the Argumentation of the River Derwent using Thirlmere produced by the Cumberland River Authority in 1972. This report focuses on the augmentation of the River Derwent by a limited discharge from the Thirlmere Reservoir in short terms. A Working Party of officers from both the Authority and the Corporation was established and experimental releases of water from Thirlmere were made in dry periods in order to assess more clearly their effect upon river flows, and on the level of Bassenthwaite Lake. This report contains the Working Party's evaluations, conclusions and recommendations.

Effects of water quality in Bassenthwaite Lake on anglers' catches of salmon and sea-trout in the River Derwent

This is the report on the Effects of Water Quality in the Bassenthwaite Lake on Anglers Catches of Salmon and Sea-trout in the River Derwent April 1993 by the Institute of Freshwater Ecology. An analysis of the catch statistics for salmon and sea-trout in the Rivers Derwent and Cocker was undertaken in relation to available information on the algal water quality in Bassenthwaite Lake to test the hypothesis that poor catch returns were associated with a deterioration of water quality within the lake. Analysis of the catch statistics failed to reveal any correlation between water quality and catch returns for either species of fish and it is concluded that any water deterioration in Bassenthwaite Lake has not caused any major damage to the salmon and sea trout fisheries of the Derwent/Cocker system. This conclusion is supported by the analysis of the Windermere/Leven and Crake system, where no correlation could be found between lake water quality and downstream catches of migratory salmonid fish. However, the possibility still exists and such an effect might be detected by further field work on the macroinvertebrates and on the composition of potential salmonid spawning in the area.

Violence and social memory in twentieth century Belfast:Stories of Buck Alec Robinson

This article explores the life and commemoration of Buck Alec Robinson. A feared loyalist killer in 1920s Belfast, in more recent times he has featured as a lion-keeping “character” on wall murals and in tourist guide books. Robinson is employed as a case study to investigate two separate but, in this case, interlinked historiographical debates. The first involves Norbert Elias’s analysis of the decline of violence. The second relates to discussion of the analysis of social memory in working class communities, with violence being placed therein. The article supports historical assessments suggesting that the “civilizing offensive” had an uneven impact. That point is usually made in the context of working class men. This article extends it to political elites in Belfast and probes their flirtations with violent hard men. The case is made that it is a mistake to assume the “civilizing” dynamic is to be understood as a teleological or top-down process.

Governor Forrest Anderson’s Leadership & Political Acumen -- Alec Hansen “In the Crucible of Change”

Montana Governor Forrest Anderson was perhaps the most experienced and qualified person ever to be elected as Governor of Montana. Having previously served as a county attorney, a member of the legislature, a Supreme Court Justice, and twelve years as Attorney General, Anderson roared to a large victory in 1968 over the Incumbent GOP Governor Tim Babcock. Though the progressive change period in Montana began a few years earlier, Anderson’s 1968 win catapulted progressive policy-making into the mainstream of Montana political and governmental affairs. He used his unique skills and leadership to craftily architect the reorganization of the executive branch which had been kept weak since statehood so that the peoples’ government would not be able to challenge corporations who so dominated Montana. Anderson, whose “Pay More, What For?” campaign slogan strongly separated him from Tim Babcock and the GOP on the sales tax issue, not only beat back the regressive sales tax in the 1968 election, but oversaw its demise at the polls in 1971, shaping politics in Montana for decades to come. Anderson also was a strong proponent of the concept of a new Montana Constitution and contributed strategically to its calling and passage. Anderson served only one term as Governor for health reasons, but made those four years a launch pad for progressive politics and government in Montana. In this film, Alec Hansen, Special Assistant to Governor Anderson, provides an insider’s perspective as he reflects on the unique way in which Governor Anderson got things done at this critical period “In the Crucible of Change.” Alec Hansen is best known in Montana political and governmental circles as the long-time chief of the Montana League of Cities and Towns, but he cut his teeth in public service with Governor Forrest Anderson. Alec was born in Butte in 1941, attended local schools graduating from Butte High in 1959. After several years working as a miner and warehouseman for the Anaconda Company in Butte, he attended UM and graduated in History and Political Science in 1966. He joined the U.S. Navy and served with amphibious forces in Vietnam. After discharge from the Navy in 1968, he worked as a news and sports reporter for The Montana Standard in Butte until in September of 1969 he joined Governor Anderson as a Special Assistant focused on press, communications and speech-writing. Alec has noted that drafts were turned into pure Forrest Anderson remarks by the man himself. He learned at the knee of “The Fox” for the rest of Anderson’s term and continued with Governor Tom Judge for two years before returning to Butte to work for the Anaconda Company as the Director of Communications for Montana operations. In 1978, after Anaconda was acquired by the Atlantic Richfield Company, Alec went to work in February for U.S. Senator Paul Hatfield in Washington D.C., leaving after Hatfield’s primary election loss in June 1978. He went back to work for Gov. Judge, remaining until the end of 1980. In 1981 Alec worked as a contract lobbyist and news and sports reporter for the Associated Press in Helena. In 1982, the Montana League of Cities and Towns hired him as Executive Director, a position he held until retirement in 2014. Alec and his wife Colleen, are the parents of two grown children, with one grandson.