Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret

On Thursday June 30, the EIL students (composed of several Biomedical Engineering majors) along with Profs. Berry and Aaron visited the Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret on St. Thomas Street (between The Shard and Borough Market). Housed in the attic of the early eighteenth-century church of the old St Thomas’ Hospital, this atmospheric museum offers a unique insight into the history of medicine and surgery. The original timber framed Herb Garret was once used to dry and store herbs for patients’ medicines and in 1822 an operating theatre was included. Predating anaesthetics and antiseptics, it is the oldest surviving surgical theatre in Europe. 

 

British Science Museum (South Kensington)

On Wednesday, June 29, the EIL students visited the British Science Museum in South Kensington.  They were able to see several Boulton and Watt Steam Engines and Babbage's Difference Engine (Models 1 and 2).  Professors Berry and Aaron awarded trivia winners with candy afterwards.  The group photo (with EIL banner) is taken in front of the 1903 Mill Engine manufactured by Burnley Ironworks Co.  At the invitation of Gareth Jones, Lead Engineering Technician for the museum, and his Tech Team, the students witnessed the startup of this particular steam engine (that ran for about an hour).  This sophisticated 700-horsepower engine was installed in the Harle Syke Mill, near Burnley, Lancashire, in 1903. It powered hundreds of looms in the mill, via belts driven by the huge 20-tonne flywheel. The mill was dismantled in 1970 and moved to the museum in 1979. 

 

Greenwich

On Thursday, June 23, the EIL students along with Profs. Berry and Aaron took an Uber boat up the Thames River to Greenwich. At Greenwich, they visited the Cutty Sark ship, Royal Maritime Museum, the Queen's House, and the Royal Observatory.  In the Time and Longitude Gallery of the  Flamsteed House at the Royal Observatory, students were able to see the four Harrison's sea clocks from the eighteenth century.  Harrison's H4 clock is considered the most important timekeeper ever made. It is the machine that helped solve the problem of keeping accurate time at sea and finally won Harrison huge rewards from the Board of Longitude and the British Government.  As is customary,  group photos were taken at the Prime Meridian (Longitude 0) and with Southeast London as the background.  After lunch, several students and the faculty played ultimate frisbee and competed in a sprint. The final excursion of the day was a short bus ride to the Thames Barrier, just north of the Greenwich Town Centre. Operated by the Environment Agency of the British government, the Thames Barrier is one of the largest movable flood barriers in the world.

 

Westminster Matin Service

Fourteen EIL students joined Professors Berry and Aaron in attending the 10:00am Matin service at Westminster Abbey (Church of England) on Sunday, June 19.  In addition to the angelic voices of the choir and spiritual readings and prayers given by worship leaders, the students were able to see the tombs of both Sir Issac Newton and James Prescott Joule as they made their way through the halls of the Abbey. After the service, the group enjoyed tea and cakes at Caffé Concerto in Whitehall (near Traflagar Square). 

 

London Water and Steam Museum (Kew Bridge)

On Saturday June 18, the EIL students along with Profs. Aaron and Berry visited the London Museum of Water and Steam (formerly Kew Bridge Steam Museum) at Kew Bridge. They witnessed the startup of the three-story Bull Engine (named for Cornish engineer Edward Bull) that began pumping in 1859.  The Museum's Chief Engineer, Richard, did a marvelous job of presenting the history of each of the steam machines visited and the group photo was taken with him in front of the Waddon (the UK's last working steam water pumping engine that was retired in 1983).  The tour this year also included the boiler room, tool and parts shop, and the Victorian tool and blacksmith workshops.  The students were also shown the 90-inch Grand Junction Engine (the largest working beam engine in the world) and the Boulton and Watt engine (built in 1820) that was moved to Kew Bridge from the Grand Junction Waterworks Company's Chelsea works in 1840.  Before leaving the Museum, the students competed in an untouchable bubble relay.