A new audio exhibit at Callendar House in Falkirk gives voice to Charles Gascoigne, a controversial man working in Scotland’s eighteenth century Iron industry.
Charles Gascoigne was the developer of the Carronade, weapon of choice for the British Navy, and manager of its factory the Carron Company Ironworks.
Although he turned around the company’s fortunes, he was a man always teetering on bankruptcy and died in Russia, branded a traitor.
Dr Les Forester, a member of Falkirk Local History Society, originally from the North East of England, provided the voice of Charles Gascoigne.
As depicted in the recording, Charles Gascoigne was not from Scotland. He was born in North Yorkshire in 1738. He settled in the Forth Valley after marrying Mary Garbett in Birmingham and later joining her father’s new business, the Carron Company.
In the audio exhibit, Gascoigne leads listeners on a tour of his factory describing the working conditions and manufacturing process of his famous gun. Lord Horatio Nelson used the Carronade and navies across the world, including enemies of Britain, installed the weapon.
As Geoff Bailey, Keeper of Archaeology & Local History, at Callendar House explains the carronade turned around the fortunes of the Carron Company, “Charles Gascoigne arrived when the Carron Company was in difficult circumstances. Contracts were cancelled because of poor workmanship. The Carronade was a shorter gun and therefore lighter meaning more could be mounted on the ships. Its short barrel was tactically useful as close combat was favoured at the time. Its production supported not only ironworkers, but also the docks and local miners. The gun was so successful that it remained in production until the 1850s.”
Gascoigne was not around to see the success of the company. In 1786, carrying considerable debt, he followed out a consignment of cutting-edge technology to Russia where he remained until his death in 1806. Now known as Karl Karlovich Gaskoin, he became a State Councillor and developed the country’s Iron production facilities.
Following his defection during a time of war, Gascoigne was thought of as a traitor.
Found beside the Carronade Display, the audio exhibit can be heard free inside Callendar House using a mobile phone or online at www.forthstimeline.com.
The audio exhibit was created for the Forth’s Timeline Project, a collaboration of 16 museums, galleries and sites of historic interest in the Forth Valley backed by Museums Galleries Scotland’s Regional Development Challenge Fund.
Other audio presentations can be heard beside the world’s oldest football in the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum and the Surgical Case of Dr William Munro at the Museum of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at Stirling Castle.
[ENDS]
To embed the presentation copy the HMTL below: <embed src='http://www.forthstimeline.net/flash/player-viral.swf' height='300' width='400' allowscriptaccess='always' allowfullscreen='true' flashvars='image=%2Fflash%2Fcannonade.jpg&file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forthstimeline.net%2Fflash%2Fgascoigne.flv&plugins=viral-1d'/>
For more information on the Forth’s Timeline Project please speak to Joe Walton at Matthews Marketing 0141 419 9000, joe@mmarketing.org.uk.
The Regional Development Challenge Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Museums Galleries Scotland. The Fund aims to encourage the development of partnerships at regional level across local authorities and between museums of all types and other related agencies.
The full list of visitor attractions are The Regimental Museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Kilmadock Information & Heritage Centre, Clackmannanshire Tower Trail, Clackmannan Tower, Menstrie Castle, Sauchie Tower, Alloa Tower, Castle Campbell and Garden, Dollar Museum, Tullibody Heritage Centre, Callendar House, Kinneil Museum, Grangemouth Museum, The Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway, Birkhill Fireclay Mine and the University of Stirling Art Collection.