The children used a cheap flatbed scanner and a free downloadable image editing program 'GIMP' to record their finds on the foreshore and produce high resolution digital images. The process was quick, accessible and easy to learn. They also spent a day at the MPC Media Department at the University of East London where each pupil had their own dedicated 'APPLE MACINTOSH' computer to develop their work in 'ADOBE PHOTOSHOP'. They also developed descriptive and imaginative stories based on their finds that combine fact and fiction and past, present and the future.
In the end, this project, Take me to the River- Silvertown, has been a dialogue with change and with the river. The objects from the mundane to the stunningly evocative, constitute a constant dialogue with their makers and users the people who dumped, dropped or carefully and with devotion, placed them in the River; while the dialogue between the participants, Artist, Archaeologist, Teachers and Children, has been about different ways of seeing and describing, bounded only by curiosity and imagination. That is appropriate
because the River is big enough to embrace us all and all our views of it, and,as such, belongs to all of us. It is a place where we can search, meet and be inspired.
A Silver Snake : For the past few weeks the class 6J have been going to North Woolwich to visit the foreshore to dig as part of our archaeology project. Ifound a silver snake made from iron with patterns on it, this is my story and where I think it came from.
The snakes came from India and the Indian people were probably washing Jewellery and accidentally left this object and the tide must have washed it in. Then the tide pulled it to the foreshore in North Woolwich and the snakes probably took 27 years to get to the Foreshore so it was in the Thames Sea for that long.
This Pottery is Very Special: One night in China a little girl went to buy some pottery. She travelled on a boat. After she bought a beautiful pottery plate. When she went back home travelling on the boat again, she lost her new plate. The plate smashed into four parts. One part arrived in America, the second one in Romania, the last two in London and Diana and Andy found a piece on the foreshore.
The Shark’s Tooth: There was once a shark who loved to kill people. He ate everything in his path. He ate nearly all the fish in the sea and all the people that came into the water to swim. One day he was so hungry because everyone stopped coming to the beach because of him. He was so hungry that he bit a rock and his tooth fell out. One day he became very old and he tragically died.
The Cow’s Tooth: Long ago before the great flood there was even green grass lovely flowers and amazing cows. Then there was a great flood the cow drowned and bashed his tooth out of his mouth the cow was suffering with tooth ache and not able to breathe. The cow knew he was going to die he sunk to the bottom with out a spare breath to breathe. The tooth he lost was a very special tooth to him he tried to swim to the top of the water to try and find the tooth the current was to strong for him and unfortunately he died. This is the story of the special cow who lost its tooth to the Thames foreshore.
Ellis
The Cow’s Magic Tooth: One stormy, windy day a cow had a magic tooth. The cow was surrounded by fencing. It was a beautiful cow. It had a nice home until this tremendous great flood. The cow lost his magical tooth when he bashed his mouth off on the fencing and his magical tooth was gone forever. He managed to live through the great flood and searched for his magical tooth, but is no were to be seen. Forty years ago the cow had soon passed away and his long lost tooth had been buried in hundreds of pieces on the foreshore sand which is in North Woolwich. We managed to find this magical tooth.
The Amazing RoofTile! The tile travelled through scorching winds and blistering rain from
wales. It disappeared off a Welsh roof in the great Welsh flood. The roof tile it is flat and smooth and black and green. The tile is 120 years old.
The man who lost the tile; now the man’s house is gone.
Magical Glass: On a windy afternoon jenny and Joe were in their living room, playing ‘find what you can find.’ Just than Jenny found a glass.
“Oh look what I found” said Joe “ It’s a magical glass.”
” Is it?” shouted Joe.
“Of cause it is look. I wish the sun would come out.”
The bright sunshine came out.
“So it is a magical glass, see I am right I’m always right and you’re all wrong. I wish” said Joe.
“Stop wishing. Maybe we only have 3 wishes” said Jenny “So we can wish for more wishes and more...
So they kept on wishing until Joe used it for bad.
Magical Glasses: One sunny day, on a Wednesday, our class, 6j, went to North Woolwich foreshore. On the foreshore I found a pair of very old rusty sun glasses. I was very happy, that was my day made!! The story begins in 1891, far away in China, southern Asia. A very wealthy tea merchant decided to go on a trip of a life time, with his only son, called Gok. Gok and his Papa packed all they would need on this journey. The wealthy man had a special item he had to take. The gift his dead wife Lu gave him before she died. This meant more to him than all his riches. Gok and his Dad boarded a luxury steam ship going to Europe. All their things were packed in their leather suitcases. The day came and they waved goodbye to all their family. This journey? It was 1944 and there were two 13 year old boys walking along on an old rusty bridge in Southend. It was a rainy winter’s day. They started to run because the rain was getting heavier and heavier. One of the boys saw a shiny coin on the ground, so he bent down , picked up the coin then dropped it into the river. Years later, in 2007, two 10 year old boys were on North Woolwich foreshore digging as part of their school project when they found an old coin. They took it back to the museum and cleaned it up and discovered that it was an old coin from the 1940’s..
Particular kind of Shell: One day on the foreshore Carl found a particular kind of shell. He
asked Andy the wise archaeologist and said it was left from the war 100 year ago and was very rare and special. The colours were amazing blue, gold, red, silver and last, but not least, violet.
This Spoon: This spoon was made somewhere in Europe, used for mixing and other uses like baking and making cakes. This spoon could have been also made for eating like ordinary spoons but it looks like it was made specially made for baking, mixing, cooking and eating something like ice cream. The Spoon came from a country around France, Spain or Italy, or as most things it could have been made in China, where most toys and models and most items are made. The spoon looks like it was made about, not long ago, but in the year 2000.
It looks like it was used over 180 times by the look of it. The spoon could have been shipped to this country with loads of other item from a country in Europe or China.
The People who owned the spoon probably thought it was to old and tatty so they had probably thrown it on the foreshore. Or they might have put a bin bag on the foreshore and the spoon mighthave been in the bag and fell out and the tides might have washed the bag away and left the spoon there on the foreshore.
The spoon was probably owned by a restaurant in a country in Europe or China, or in this Country, somewhere near the foreshore around North Woolwich. The spoon was probably with a set of other plastic spoons, plates and saucers.
X
A little girl called Suzan Whinny: One bright sunny afternoon a little girl called Suzan whinny went out with her parents to flc (finger LICKIN’ CHICKEN’). She loved to go out with her parents to flc (finger LICKIN’ CHICKEN’)
When Suzan finished her chicken and chips she was allowed to have chocolate mousse with a yellow spoon. She didn’t finish her mousse before it was time to go onto the sea front so she was allowed to take it with him.
When she did eventually finish her moose she dropped the spoon into the sea by accident and so that is how it ended up in the foreshore at north Woolwich. Since the spoon didn’t want to drown it swam to north Woolwich foreshore. It is about a year old now and has been taken into care by Andy the archaeologist. It can’t really do anything, but it can make you happy that you found something in life. But you can not eat with it for sure!!!!!!
Omoleye
The Devil: Did you ever wonder why the Devil did cruel things like suck peoples eyeballs out? Well later you will find out how he did one of his favourite cruelties ever!!!
The Devil, the cruellest thing ever created, is a devious, sly Horrific creature and kills all with no mercy. He uses mystical objects to do every single one of his murders and one of the objects was a golden spoon.
It looked like an ordinary kitchen spoon. You would have thought that, if you hadn’t seen what it could do.
[If you don’t like the thought of blood and guts then don’t read on, but for all youTough people carry on reading].
This spoon was used for one purpose, at least that’s what everyone thought. Even the Devil thought that, until the day he uncovered its true power. This spoon was used to cut peoples heads off and pull out their brains and guts. That was the devils use for it and one day without warning the spoon began to glow.
It was a miraculous glow. The Devil told one of his slaves to pick it up but as soon as the servant touched it, it vaporized him. The Devil bravely went over and picked
it up, but this time the spoon smashed and scattered its pieces all
over the world.
The Devil wanted those pieces. With that amount of power his murders would be easy. So he went all around the world and got all the pieces. The last piece was in north Woolwich and he went there.
He found the piece, but as he put it together nothing happened. The power had gone. When it broke the power must have drained from it.
The Devil was horrified, so he left the powerless spoon on the beach and never came back to it.
There was a Tape Recorder: There was a tape recorder from America. There was a man owned it he liked playing music on it. Then he thought of a plan to make it for spying.
The first day he started he went to the beach so he pressed the play button and then a man was running past and he dropped it into the sea. He tried to swim but he couldn’t get it. It floated to Britain in London
Mystery Motorbike: This is a story of a mystery motorbike I Think the motorbike came from Hong Kong it has been on the beach for a long time I think that a little baby lost it on the beach in Hong Kong and it got washed away in the sea and it has come a really long way and it ended up in the foreshore in London north Woolwich and we found it on the beach.
It was in a bad condition. The two wheels were missing and some of the bits on the motorbike are not on there any more. I think that the toy is about 7 years old. It could be magic. It could have driven on the beach and ran out of petrol.
This are some pictures of some really good motorbike. Remember if you drive a motorbike you need to wear a helmet and some protective wear, so if you fall off you will not hurt yourself that much.
Johnny
The Motorbike: There was a motor bike and it was coming from China, on a cargo ship, about 18 years ago. Unfortunately the boat crashed and the toy floated up the sea and somebody found it.
It was a kids favourite toy so he took it everywhere he went. One day he went on a boat and was running. He fell over and dropped it into the water and as all the boats and fish have nibbled it and gone over it, in time it lost one wheel and then another and it ended up on the river Thames and a man called Andy, an archaeologist and a woman called Helen, an artist, working together, found the motor bike and took it to the Woolwich train museum and did work on it .
X
Here’s an amazing story about a long lost motorbike! Here’s a place I think it could of come from, Hong Kong.
I also think it was owned by a child who likes collecting little figures and I think it got threw away because it was broken and it got washed away and found it’s way in the foreshore.
I think it’s about 5 years old because how it looks that age.
There couldn’t have been any magic to it because there’s no such thing as magic. It might just keep little toddlers active as they ride around with it.
I think it was something quite popular and then it broke.
Most things get broken when they are popular because everybody wants it and people start to try and steal it and then it gets broken. Tears start to flow and the motorbike feels lonely and abandoned.
Cursed by a poisonous flower: There was a piece of an egg cup. It was cursed long, long time ago. The mysterious piece was cursed by a poisonous flower that is alive.
100 years later a little boy found the piece and the most mysterious thing happened. The boy was walking on the sea, not inside but on top.
He walked towards a ship. That ship had pirates and they have collected a massive flower. That flower froze every one in the ship, except the leader.
The leader had to follow what the flower says or he will have to suffer in pain.
The boy came to the flower and was acting like a robot.
“What should I do your majesty”, said the boy.
“You shall take the man to the ship dungeon. I will rule the world. Watch”.
After the boy put the man in the dungeon and then he came back to the flower. This time the flower said “Go to the end of the sea to the park were all the flowers are”. The boy was taking over the ship. Then they reached the park.
There were lot and lots of flowers everywhere “Hello! Guys nice to meet you again. I’m going to get you all and when I do you can come to a world of mine”.
Next they went to a school called Thomson Primary School, that’s the school were the little boy goes to. The plan was to turn everyone into evil flowers that will help the big flower and all of them are going to take every one into flowers.
What will happen next...?
Afsara
The adventure of a vase: In Chine a beautiful women called Flower went in adventure in America with a boat on the sea. One night it happened, a big storm and the girl that have a vase, a very cute one with beautiful flowers, just dropped the vase and the flower in water.
The cute vase felt in water and the vase did a big adventure but a bad boy called Tomah found the beautiful vase and he get the vase and one big rock and throw the rock at the vase. Then he throw the vase in water back.
The beautiful vase travelled 5 years and it finish in London. The vase was a magic one and if you put smoothing, like a small rock in it, the rock will be money.
The story of the vase is: One night beautiful girls, called Flower, buy a cute vase and she loved that vase and the vase was a special one, it was a magic one and if you put a rock it will be money. The girl didn’t know that, but she heard about that, so she gets 10 rock and then she £1000.
And then she went to a adventure with that money and it went in Africa. But, in that adventure a big storm came and Flower lose her magic vase. The vase felt in water and it travelled 14 days and it stopped at a beach. A bad boy called Tomah found it and he get a big stone and throw at the vase and then he throw it in water. Then the beautiful vase travelled 5 years and it stopped in London because a men who was fishing and it catch the vase. Then he throw the vase on the beach.
A men who was searching for pottery, he find it and get it!
A long time ago a beautiful vase belonged to a lady who was very glamorous and who was called Poison, who was on a voyage around the world, which used it for magic’s to turn people in to zombies so she could take over the whole wide world.
Soon a pirate, Captain Abercrombie and his crew; which had a mermaid, knight and two normal people. They wanted to find a trophy to give to their captain. So they were inside the woman’s voyage ship. They took the mystical vase for a trophy for the captain of their ship.
Soon the lady burst open the metallic, shiny smooth wooden door like a bulldozer.
Suddenly....SMASH the vase smashed into oblivion.
1000 years later, somebody else found a piece of the mystic around North Woolwich foreshore and it was never used for evil again.
Lilian
The Journey of the broken vase: The Journey of the broken vase. This object has travelled many, many, miles to get to Silvertown foreshore.
This is part of a lovely vase. The base has pretty petals painted in pink.
I think it belonged to a princess in the 11890`s
This object is a bit muddy and has some sharp edges on top.
The old vase may have come as far away as Nepal in Asia.
It may have travelled on a ship which docked in The River Thames in the 1890s`
The Cursed Glass: In the year 25bc there was a pirate who was the captain of all the sea and all the pirates. Then one day he got really sick, and before he died he cursed a piece of glass, and put his soul in. After that he died and one of the pirates found him dead. He called in all the pirates and they all buried him. His body is still lying in the grave today 20,000 years later. It all happened like this. After 20,000 years of the glass being cursed an artist found it in an old pirate ship.
She was studying it when the ship began to crack and shake, she ran out off the ship, just in time, before it sank. The curse had begun.
She took it home as a souvenir, and showed all her kids. Her husband was looking at it when writing appeared it said.
“This glass is cursed.” The husband, Mark, gave the glass to his wife, Carey, and said “look and the glass, it has writing on it saying this glass is cursed.” Carey looked at the glass but the writing was gone.
Two Days Later Carey looked at the glass again and this time she saw the writing on it. She dropped the glass and gasped. When she dropped the glass the house started to shake.
A piece of China : This story is about a piece of china which has had a long journey in
its life. It came from a place called Rome, Italy and was owned by the King himself. He used it to wash his face and his body.
When he died, the most terrible thing happened. The King’s son took over and he needed anger management. Whenever he got angry, he would smash all the plates in the kingdom. When all the plates were smashed, the royal servants will have to put all the plates in the sea and it washes away to another shore.
That is how the china’s ended its life in Rome.
But then an archaeologist came and took it home with them.
This piece of china is over 100 years old and it is not like any other piece of china because it is magic.
I bet your thinking that it’s not, but it is and that’s because, if you put it back into the sea, then all the pieces of china will join together.
1944: It was 1944 and there were two 13 year old boys walking along on an old rusty bridge in Southend. It was a rainy winter’s day they started to run because the rain was getting heavier and heavier. One of the boys saw a shiny coin on the ground so he bent down, picked up the coin then dropped it into the river.
Years later in 2007 two 10 year old boys were on North Woolwich foreshore digging as part of their school project when they found an old coin. They took it back to the museum and cleaned it up and discovered that it was an old coin from the 1940’s..
Looking for a Killer: One day the Silvertown police was looking for a killer they have been looking for this killer for 12 years and they have not had any clues to how have killed 12 woman and 2 men.
