Gressenhall Collections Corner
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Gressenhall Collections Corner Volume 1, Issue 1 June 2011 What is Collections Corner? Collections Corner There will be a is a new way of brief explanation exploring the of the types of collections of objects, an Gressenhall Farm introduction to Special points of and Workhouse and some of the interest: thinking about how people who we might use them owned and used • Sharing collections more effectively the items and knowledge within the museum. some of the Collections session with Bridget across the This short interesting stories looking at gardening paper museum ephemera newsletter will recorded in the • Bridget Yates— learning session. All our Monument contain information documentation. fellow on the collections suggestions The newsletter will • What we have that I have been welcome! end with some working on—and • Stories from the suggested ways we I hope this will make gardening hopefully widen collections might be able to use us all more aware of understanding and these collections the fantastic • How we can use knowledge of the the collections more effectively— resource we have over 35, 000 items whether that is in here in the in our care. reproductions for collections and how Each issue will focus the shop, as a basis important it is that Inside this issue: on a particular part for a new event or we continue to care of the collections. integrated into a for them effectively. What is paper 2 ephemera? Monument Fellow—Investigating Gressenhall’s Gardening Collections Gardening 2 paper ephemera Bridget Yates, the to staff and volunteers blog which records the museum’s founder curator, across the museum, progress of the project: has been spending time looking at how we can use Taylor’s 3 researching our gardening them more effectively in http:// collections as part of the everything we do. gressenhallmonumentfello Daniels 3 Monument Fellowship w.blogspot.com/ programme part funded by We are also hoping to This issue of Collections Starks and the Museums’ Association. improve the seed 3 Corner will concentrate on Ryburgh Bells merchant's display in Bridget and I will be Village Row and create a some of the collections we running a series of temporary exhibition as have been working on— How can we use 4 collections sessions part of the project. You specifically the gardening the collections? introducing the collections may already have seen our paper ephemera. Page 2 Gressenhall Collections Corner What is paper ephemera? “We have a wide range of paper Paper ephemera is stored in a series of paper ephemera transitory written and filing cabinets and plan ephemera related to printed matter on paper chests in the library. You related to gardening— not intended to be might wonder why these gardening—of of regional if retained or preserved. types of items are not in regional if Paper ephemera the Norfolk Record not national not national includes things Office. Whilst they importance. importance.” like postcards, specialise in the It is adverts, tickets, preservation of archives important because it tokens, they do not collect items includes complete sets of pamphlets and that were not intended catalogues, seed pockets posters. We have to be retained. So they and advertising material a large selection might collect the relating to several of advertising accounts books of a companies—which can be material too. company—but wouldn’t used provide a snapshot A Nasturtium, Tom be interested in the of gardening in Norfolk Thumb mixed, seed The museum has pocket from the leaflets or catalogues from the 1870s through Taylor’s Collection a large collection that they produced. to the 1980s. of paper ephemera which is all We have a wide range of What gardening paper ephemera do we have? We have a range of: example early Royal Horticulture • photographs Society gold The collections contain awards and local many photographs – shows and either featuring gardens societies) because outdoor lighting • Reference was so much easier to books photograph or featuring gardens in their own This includes a wide right. Gardening events, variety of reference books such as shows are also dating from the late Stark’s famous sweet peas at a display at the Norfolk Show in 1949 featured, particularly Victorian period onwards. within the Norfolk Some of these are Chronicle collection of accessioned whilst others • Seed pockets glass plate negatives. are in the library collection. • Adverts • Certificates • Catalogues These include those of national importance—for Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 3 Taylor's The Taylor’s Collection seed primarily for is the entire contents domestic use, but with Manure Taylor’s of the Taylor’s Seed some farm seed. Once and List of Fertilizer Seeds, Shop in King’s Lynn. the shop was closed in box from Spring This is an excellent the 1980s the family the 1942 Taylor’s example of a small continued to trade as Collection local seed merchant seed merchants from a that produced and sold mobile shop. Daniels The Daniels’ Collection is was taken over by Letter from primarily a large number Notcutt’s , who still have Daniel’s of seed catalogues. The premises on one of the Bros exhorting Daniels’ company Daniel’s seed grounds in readers in 1939: developed many of their Norwich. This is an “Now you own varieties and were excellent example of a have Dug your Dug- particularly well known small local seed merchant outs, Dig your for their blackcurrants, that produced and sold garden— potatoes and apple seed primarily for you garden varieties. The company domestic use, but with has its part to was based on Bedford some farm seed. play” Street in Norwich and Stark and “Ryburgh Bells” There is a group of Fakenham . George some hundred Stark’s son Arthur certificates and became a bell ringer in awards in the 1891 and their shop collections won by was right next door to George Stark and Son the church in Great at shows across the Ryburgh—possibly why country. This includes the flower has such an a commendation by the intriguing name. Sadly RHS for Campanula it seems that “Ryburgh Persicifolia “Ryburgh Bells” appears to be no Bells”. Stark and Son longer in cultivation, were nurserymen, although we would love seedsmen and florists to be able to add a first in Great Ryburgh plant or two to Cherry then moving to Tree Cottage garden. Certificate of Merit awarded to “Ryburgh Bells” from Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society Page 4 Gressenhall Collections Corner How might we use these collections? In learning…Three possibilities are being developed: WWII ‘Dig for Victory’ activities; a ‘Victorian School Day’ which would include a gardening class; a ‘Gardens Trail’ for little ones that would use Cherry Tree Cottage garden, the Seed Shop in Village Row and the Wildlife Garden In the shop…We could sell tins or tea towels with images from the seed pockets or catalogues on them. In object handling sessions...We could look at creating a matching trail where children look at plants on the seed pockets and then go out into the gardens to find the plants. In the gardens…We could use the catalogues to increase the num- ber of historically accurate plants and gardening techniques we use in Cherry Tree Cottage garden. We could use these resources to plan a new “historical” garden. In outreach…We could create a gardening handling box to loan out to schools, care homes or garden clubs. With external partners...We could use the gardening collections to tie into the Master Gardeners programme—learning from the past as a session for the Master Gardeners training. In events…We could run an old fashioned “Gressenhall Garden Show” where people come and bring their prize carrots or petu- nias and we offer prizes. Or we could run a “two-part” event where we give out historical, seeds and people return for the gar- den show and prize giving later in the year. In art attack…People could create their own seed pockets after looking at some examples. They could create their own “katakilla” monster or make a garden on a plate. On the farm...We could redesign the farmhouse garden using the collections as inspiration. In the displays...we could revitalize and bring back to life the seed merchant's shop by telling the story of the Taylor family and put- ting suitable objects on display (and removing those that are valu- able or unsafe). Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse 01362 869 253 Megan Dennis Gressenhall [email protected] Curator Dereham www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk .