Issue64

Cradley Heathwomen chainmakersproject Dec 2009 The OverlordEmbroidery –D-DayMuseum The Game of Life – Portsmouth exhibition Portsmouth – Life of Game The THE NEWSLETTER OF THE SOCIAL HISTORYCURATORSSOCIAL THE GROUP OF NEWSLETTER THE SHCG seminars and reviews and seminars SHCG Dear SHCG Members, Join SHCG? 2010 has arrived and with it Issue 64 of the SHCG News. We have some If you’re reading this and you’re interesting features of the latest exhibitions and projects going on in not a member of SHCG but would like Museums around the country. Portsmouth Museums have a fun interactive to join please contact: Kay Jones, exhibition called The Game of Life. National Museums Liverpool, We have a seminar coming up ‘What to do with Wooden Spoons?’ in Dock Traffic Office, partnership with the Histories of the Home SSN in April, helping members Albert Dock, to reinterpret their domestic collections. Our 2010 SHCG Conference in Liverpool L3 4AX Tel: 0151 478 4068 Birmingham, ‘More for Less: Big Impacts with Small Resources’ will be a Email: Kay.Jones@ great opportunity to pick up some useful money saving tips and find good liverpoolmuseums.org.uk value for future exhibitions and projects. Our Object Lessons resources are available online and the boxes for collection by any interested parties – Write an article for please see details in our bulletin section. The theory and practice articles showcase two very different exhibitions, the SHCG News? one focussing on re-discovering a hidden history of women chainmakers in You can write an article for the News the Black Country, the other a re-interpretation and refurbishment of the on any subject that you feel would be Leamington Spa Museum Haddies gallery, named after a circus elephant! interesting to the museum’s community. Project write ups, book Our object focus pays tribute to all the D-Day commemorations of 2009, reviews, object studies, papers given through The Overlord at the D-Day Museum Portsmouth. Also and so on. We welcome a wide variety the Tynemouth Medal celebrates the bravery of those saving lives at sea. of articles relating to social history and Our review of SHCG at 35 Conference 2009 held at Leeds last July is an Museums. enjoyable reminder for all who joined us and a useful summary for anyone DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: who missed it. The SHCG Journal will be featuring articles from many of 16th April 2010 the contributors so we look forward to that publication. The Committee has a few new faces. Victoria Rogers is our new chair and SHCG NEWS will encourage we welcome her, thanking Jill Holmen for all her hard work over the past and publish a wide range of views from two years. Ellie Swinbank has joined us as our new Web Editor and SHCG those connected with history and email list co-ordinator. Georgina Young is our new Secretary with many museums. The NEWS aims to act as a channel for the exchange of thanks going to Hannah Maddox for the many years she contributed in that information and opinions about current post. practice and theory in museums. I hope you enjoy all the articles and reviews in the latest SHCG News and The views expressed in the newsletter wish you all the best for 2010. are wide ranging and do not necessarily express the views of the SHCG committee or SHCG, unless Lydia Saul otherwise stated. Articles for the NEWS should be SHCG News Editor between 500 to 2000 words. Please submit a typed copy of your article along with a copy on disk, saved as a PC word file or richtext format, or you can send it as an Email. Illustrations for articles are always welcome. Original photographs can be returned. Alternative formats: Electronic copies and alternative formats are available on request. Send all contributions to: Lydia Saul, Keeper of Social History, Bedford Museum, Castle Lane, Bedford, MK40 3XD. Tel: 01234 353323 Email: [email protected] Front Cover: The Overlord Embroidery, D-Day Museum, Portsmouth, pg 15.

5. Name of the Game - Kevin Wilshire looking at the Dansette he donated Bulletin Board Page 3

SHCG Matters

Issue64 What to do Contents with Wooden Spoons? BULLETIN BOARD 16th April 2010 Geffrye Museum, SHCG Seminar – Wooden London Spoons 3 SHCG email list, website This seminar is a joint initiative and facebook 4 between SHCG and the History of the Home SSN and will explore Object Lessons Advert 4 new ways of interpreting domestic life collections. SHCG Conference: Call Speakers include; for Papers 5 The Game of Life – Zoe Hendon, Portsmouth exhibition 5 Curator, Museum of domestic 6. Black Country Chains Design and Architecture Rhian Morris, THEORY & PRACTICE Audience and Community Development Manager, Osterley Women chainmakers Park Dr Victoria Kelley, project – Black Country Research Co-ordinator, Rochester Living Museum 6 History and Theory Tutor Leamington Spa new Rachel Mercer, gallery – Vicki Slade 9 School Services Manager, Weald & Downland Open Air Museum Reviews Eleanor John, Head of Collections and SHCG Conference 11 Exhibitions, Geffrye Museum) Louisa Knight, 11. SHCG Conference Documentation and Research OBJECT FOCUS Assistant, Geffrye Museum

The Overlord Embroidery – There will also be a guided tour of D-Day Museum 15 the Geffrye Museum. Trust Medal from http://www.geffrye-museum.org. Newcastle Collections 16 uk/

£30 for members of SHCG and the TEA BREAK History of the Home SSN and £35 for non members. Lantern Slides – Charles 18 Dickens Christmas Carol Kylea Little Word Search – To book a place please contact Dickens theme 18 Kylea Little at kylea.little@ twmuseums.org.uk or download a booking form from our website. 17. Tynemouth Trust Medal

Dec 2009 shcg news Page 4 Bulletin Board

SHCG online The British Library’s Object Lessons Practical resources for Website UK Web Archive developing curatorial skills

Having just taken over as Web Since 2004 The British Library Can’t tell your cellulose nitrate from Editor from Victoria Rogers, I’d like has archived thousands of United your cellulose acetate? Confusing to thank her for the marvellous job Kingdom websites. These are your brass with your bronze? Can’t she has done with the website. I am available from the UK Web Archive see the wood for the trees? SHCG sure that everyone will agree that it provided by the Library at http:// has the solution! has come on in leaps and bounds in www.webarchive.org.uk/ukwa/. the last year or so, becoming a truly Most sites are collected again and What is Object Lessons? useful resource for curators of social again so it is possible to observe Object Lessons is a new series of history, and a portal for SHCG how they have changed over time. resources designed to help you members to keep up to date with the The subject range is vast but develop your skills and confidence Group’s news and activities. one of the collection's particular in identifying and caring for core strengths is the social history of materials found in social history And the website continues to the UK. For these reasons, when collections. Each resource is made develop. A new section has the BL requested to archive the up of a loans box of museum objects just been added to allow users SHCG website, we gladly accepted with an accompanying resource pack to download handouts from our are delighted to know that the site which guides you through the basic training and events. Notes from will be available to researchers in principles of materials’ identification. past events should be appearing the future. Should any contributor The box also contains a selection of there soon. Have a look at the to the website or author of SHCG key books currently available on the Resources page of the website for resources (eg. previous Journal topic. more details. articles, etc.) prefer that their work 4 loan boxes are currently available: Also newly added to Resources is not included in this programme, is last year’s Journal, number 32. please contact the SHCG Web Object Lessons 1: Metals The Journal contains ten articles Editor. Object Lessons 2: Wood looking at the ways museums can Object Lessons 3: Plastics address topics which can be seen Object Lessons 4: Conservation as sensitive or controversial...are SHCG-List they 'too hot to handle'? The SHCG-list has continued to Remember, we use the SHCG flourish, and has a record 191 website to keep members up to date members as this goes to press. It with what the committee has been is clear from the consistant activity up to and with initiatives or news on the list and the wide range that we feel is particularly relevant, of people who use it and topics so it's definitely worth logging in discussed that it remains a key frequently to see what's new! Find aspect of SHCG membership. out more at http://www.shcg.org.uk/. As well as being an extremely useful resource it is a great way How can I use Object Lessons? of "meeting" colleagues across The resources are designed to be Facebook social history museums in the borrowed by an individual or an UK, identifying good sources of institution for a fixed period from one The SHCG now has 96 fans on expertise and expanding your to two months. You can use them in Facebook! It is proving to be a network of contacts. It is also any way you see fit to suit your own useful tool for spreading the word frequently a good source of needs. For example, you can work about what we do, and keeping both office conversation and intrigue through the resources as part of a members and non-members up to whenever a mystery object is CPD programme of self-directed date with our activities. We intend posted for identification! learning, or organise a one-day to expand and extend our use of seminar for a group of colleagues, or Facebook further, so do keep an If you are an SHCG member, you can even take the resources into eye on the page. Also, if you have or work for an organisation with store to assist you with a programme any bright ideas about things that institutional membership, and are of documentation work. we could do with it, please let the not already a member, it is very Web Editor know. Similarly, feel easy to become one. Just send How much does it cost? free to add any relevant pictures or an email to shcg-list-request@ Object Lessons is free to borrow, news articles, and remember to tell mailtalk.ac.uk with your name and but you will have to cover the cost of your friends to join up as well! It is whether you're a personal member transporting the box to and from your not necessary to be a member of or are employed by an institutional venue. SHCG to join up to the Facebook member. You'll then receive an page. Just search for "social How can I find out more? automated acknowledgment of history curators group" and click on Contact: your request, and another once it "become a fan." [email protected] or has been processed. [email protected]

shcg news Dec 2009 Bulletin Board Page 5 Life is the name of the game The Game of Life is a new exhibition The displays challenge you to pick relationship, to make a living or at City Museum in Portsmouth, your viewpoint on important issues to escape persecution. exploring family life in Portsmouth relating to people’s lives, such as The Game of Life is part between 1920 and 2009. what toys to give your children, of the Portsmouth’s Voices how to discipline them, whether Share the experiences of 140 local project, run by Portsmouth older people have the place they people in early childhood, teenage Museums & Records Service, deserve in society. years, courtship and marriage, The University of Portsmouth, parenthood and old age – through Each section has personal Portsmouth Royal Dockyard their own words, in sound pictures testimony on audio and video, the Historical Trust, and is and objects. Something for, and opportunity to vote on a couple supported by the Heritage about, all ages! of issues – and compare how Lottery Fund with a grant of the visitors to the exhibition as a over £223,500, plus £10,000 It is about people and their lives whole have felt about them so far from Portsmouth Museums & – the choices they made or had – plus a rich selection of objects, Records Society and £3,000 imposed upon them, the experiences historic photos and works of art. from Portsmouth University. they and their families underwent. It Interviewees have included both contrasts how we live now with how Portsmouth’s Voices has now locally-born people and residents our parents and grandparents lived. involved over 300 local people who have moved here for a being recorded on audio and video talking about a huge range of topics: from what goes into school dinners to SHCG Annual Conference: CCTV, running Chinese and Indian restaurants to working Birmingham, 8th – 10th July 2010 as a nurse or complimentary More for Less: Big Impacts with Small therapist, childhood toys to golden weddings – the result Resources is a rich and fascinating insight Museum professionals are experts at utilising creativity, verve and into people’s lives. imagination to overcome the potential limitations of small resources. The exhibition runs until 17th At different times we are all likely to face the difficulties of shrinking January 2010 and a booklet budgets, limited funding options and overburdened resources. and dvd are being compiled This year’s conference tackles these problems head on, and shows to provide access to the oral you how you can rise to the challenge and provide high quality and histories collected. engaging experiences for your visitors. Topics covered will include For more information visit proven strategies from previous times of economic difficulty and recent www.portsmouthmuseums. case studies that have demonstrated innovation and inspiration despite co.uk various restrictions. SHCG are pleased to invite proposals from across the museum profession, for presentations which address one or more of the core conference themes: • Survival stories – how museums have coped with resource cuts and limitations • Engaging and increasing your audiences without increasing your costs • Creative ways of working with small budgets – examples relating to collections, interpretation, partnerships, learning and marketing • Minimising the environmental cost – sustainability and recycling • Developing partnerships with libraries, archives and children’s centres • Digital technologies – new solutions for age-old problems Please email proposals for presentations to Hannah Crowdy, hannah. [email protected], by 1st February 2010 Proposals for a 30 minute presentation should include a 200 word summary of the presentation, contact details and institutional affiliation (if any). Speakers’ travel and subsistence costs can be reimbursed (travel reimbursed at standard fare rate) and there will be no attendance fee on the day of speaking. Norah Coote beside her AV

Dec 2009 shcg news Page 6 Theory and Practice

“A Queen Among Beggarmaids”

Construction began on the Cradley Heath Workers’ Institute in the winter of 1911. It was built as a lasting tribute to the bravery and determination of the Cradley Heath women chainmakers. Their successful strike achieved a minimum wage in one of the most notorious of sweated industries.

The Institute, paid for partly from the strike fund surplus, was an impressive demonstration of the design style of the Arts and Crafts movement, and was quite unlike anything in the area. Set amongst the soot and smoke role in regulating low pay. and domestic forges, the type from furnaces, “the frowning of work carried out mostly by For many decades, reformers black chimney stacks and women. countless rows of depressing had tried to solve the problem red-brick buildings”1 , Philip of sweated labour; work that The women were promised a Snowden, later the first Labour paid starvation wages for long minimum wage of 2½d an hour, Chancellor of the Exchequer, hours in poor working conditions. more than double their previous described the building as “a The National Anti-Sweating earnings, but many employers queen among beggarmaids”. League, a powerful pressure tried to take advantage of a Less than a century later it faced group, was established in 1906. clause that allowed them to delay demolition to make way for the Its influential members included increasing pay for six months. Cradley Heath by-pass. Mary Macarthur, George Meanwhile, they tried to trick Cadbury, Joseph J. Mallon and or force women to sign forms The Black Country Living historian and Christian socialist agreeing to contract out of the Museum was quick to recognise R. H. Tawney. They believed minimum wage. Mary Macarthur, the significance of the Workers’ that the only way to rid the a charismatic union organiser Institute to the history of the country of sweated labour was and champion of working people, Black Country. Designed by a to pass laws to set a minimum predicted that if women worked well-respected local architect, Mr wage. In 1909 the Government outside the new rate for six A T Butler, it is a very complete introduced the Trade Boards Act. months employers would stock example of a scarce building Chainmaking was the first trade pile cheap chain and dismiss type. Perhaps more importantly, to be considered under the Act. It the women when the new rates it has strong associations with dealt with that part of the industry British labour and women’s producing hand-hammered, 1“Slaves of the Forge”, Mary history and Britain’s pioneering country chain in small workshops R. Macarthur, ‘The Christian Commonwealth’

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persuasion and the ability to a focus of community life, at The National communicate with everyone from one time a cinema, and later Anti-Sweating the aristocracy to the poorest of a billiard hall. It served as a workers. She brought national venue for educational lectures League, a and international attention to the and social events. Many and powerful chainmakers’ plight and attracted varied organisations, from an funds from rich and poor alike. operatic society to a poultry club pressure group, The strike fund grew to over rented rooms at the Institute. was established £4,000 pounds, the equivalent For much of its history the of a quarter of a million pounds building’s offices were used by in 1906. today. The Cradley Heath women the Chainmakers’ and Strikers’ chainmakers’ strike of 1910 had Union, the National Federation been a test case. Had the strike of Women Workers and later the became payable. This gave the failed it is probable that the General and Municipal Workers. impression that the first effect Trade Board policy would have of the new Act was to create The Black Country Living failed too. Their victory helped to unemployment and a slump. Museum is renowned for its make the principle of a national Over 800 women chainmakers, expertise in dismantling buildings minimum wage a reality. dubbed ‘The White Slaves of and reconstructing them on England’, came out on strike On the 10th of June 1912, its site. Negotiations to save for what the Trade Board had thousands of local people turned the Workers’ Institute began promised them. out to see the Countess of Dudley in January 2004. Agreement officially open the new building. was reached with Sandwell Mary Macarthur’s greatest For many years the Institute was Metropolitan Borough Council, strength lay in her powers of

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and dismantling began in public in 2008. Set in the 1930’s, the women chainmakers. Future September of that year. There it is a centrepiece of a major new partnerships could include the followed several months of development, the creation of a Museum in the British Library’s painstaking work, photographing 1930’s ‘High Street’. The building ‘Campaign’ project, which and recording every detail of the is once again able to fulfil Mary promotes the use of historical building, cleaning, numbering Macarthur’s vision for it as a place campaigns to inspire and teach and packing every slate, every of social activity, learning and campaign communication skills. brick, every fixture and fitting. recreation. The building houses There then remained the permanent exhibitions, and challenge of securing sufficient through a living history interpreter funds for its reconstruction. and other media, visitors are able The Heritage Lottery Fund to hear the previously hidden provided over £1.5 million and stories of those campaigners who match funding was raised from shaped Black Country labour a range of charitable trusts, history. trade unions, companies and The book Women Chainmakers: corporations. Individuals were Be Anvil or Hammer, is a teaching invited to contribute through the resource aimed at key stages 2 Museum’s ‘Sponsor-a-Brick’ to 4, and tells of the story of the campaign. In 2005, the Museum, women chainmakers’ struggle, Women Chainmakers: Be Anvil or in association with the Midlands and the subsequent building of the Hammer is available on request TUC and other unions, held a Institute. Currently the Museum from the Black Country Living Women Chainmakers’ Festival is involved in the MLA’s ‘Learning Museum please see their website to commemorate the successful Links’ initiative. In partnership at: www.bclm.co.uk 1910 dispute, the first of what with High Arcal School and has since become an annual Dudley Archives, the Museum event. is developing a citizenship Barbara Harris Now re-sited at the Black teachers’ pack with a focus on Country Living Museum, the the plight of sweated workers in Research Assistant, Workers’ Institute opened to the the Black Country, and especially Black Country Living Museum

shcg news Dec 2009 Theory and Practice Page 9 Creating Haddie’s Gallery: A tale of two elephants

Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum has recently opened Haddie’s Gallery, a space where families can informally learn about the history of Royal Leamington Spa. It was created in the room previously occupied by the Cabinet of Curiosities, opened in 1999 as part of the £7 million redevelopment of Leamington’s historic Royal Pump Rooms into a cultural attraction.

The ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ was General view of the family gallery. the Art Gallery & Museum’s principal resource for children, central elements [in the history with support from the Heritage focusing on how its collections of Leamington]. The story allows Lottery Fund and the Friends had been acquired, cared for for changes and adjustments of Leamington Art Gallery. An and interpreted. The gallery was … perhaps every two years or application to the HLF ‘Your popular with visitors, but had to reflect a different theme.’ Heritage’ scheme was submitted begun to look increasingly ‘tired’. These elements underlay the in June 2008 was unfortunately More pressingly, there were refurbishment of the ‘Cabinet of unsuccessful. increasing problems maintaining Curiosities’. and updating the audio-visual and Despite the shortfall in funding, interactive displays. Beginning Locally based designer Richard the council decided to explore in 2007, the team began to plan Marshall-Hardy was engaged whether it was feasible to go the refurbishment of the ‘Cabinet to produce an initial design for ahead with the project in a less of Curiosities’, with the aim of the refurbished gallery. The ambitious form. A budget of up completing it in 2009 to coincide project was titled Wilhelmina’s to £35,000, split over two years with the tenth anniversary of the Gallery, after the cartoon elephant was approved. This meant that re-opening of the Royal Pump who would introduce children savings of around £30,000 had to Rooms. to the gallery. Wilhelmina was be made from the project. They one of three elephants owned were achieved in two main ways: An initial in-house study of the by Leamington based elephant Firstly by dropping desirable strengths and weaknesses of the trainer Sam Lockhart in the early but dispensable elements from existing gallery and the potential 20th century. The project brief the original scheme, including a for redevelopment was produced identified the core audience Research Officer post, a circus in March 2007. This was followed as children aged 3 to 11 years, ring dressing up area, and a by a Story Trail project led by accompanied by their families. heritage trail around south storyteller Graham Langley, which The new exhibition also needed Leamington. Secondly we made demonstrated the value of using to be suitable for school visits savings by reusing existing a circus elephant as a character and complement an existing equipment where possible, for to engage the interest of younger ‘Victorians’ learning package. example the room lighting and children. The evaluation of the The projected cost of the design, the showcases. Crucially, the Story Trail project produced in excluding in-kind contributions, search for a manufacturer able November 2007 concluded that was around £64,500. It was hoped to refurbish the showcases ‘The River, The Pump Rooms, The to meet this through funding from uncovered a small but Town Hall and Sam Lockhart’s Warwick District Council (the Art experienced company capable of elephants, are examples of Gallery & Museum’s parent body) building a good quality exhibition

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within the budget. At this time too, the opportunity was taken to rename the gallery after Haddie, another of Lockhart’s circus elephants, on the grounds that this would be easier for young children to pronounce than Wilhelmina. As the design crystallised, there was some dispute within the team as to whether the gallery was solely for children or whether there should also be provision for accompanying adults. This was resolved in favour of an inclusive approach, so the project was henceforth referred to as the family gallery rather than the children’s gallery. Some of the activities and interactives in Haddie’s Gallery. The final scheme was implemented between February questions which can be answered Haddie’s Gallery was formally and mid July 2009. The by lifting flaps, spinners which opened on Saturday 25 July 2009, exhibition has six main themes, need to be aligned to show and has proved an immediate hit each introduced by Haddie. A Victorian characters (clown, with the target audience. Initial second complimentary text, policeman, etc), and a stamp evaluation of the project shows higher up the panel, provides an that embosses a Haddie logo. that: all visitors had a positive introduction for accompanying The interactives also include a reaction to the gallery, with adults. The themes, which Victorian style ‘myriopticon’, a younger children enjoying using reflect those developed through hand cranked panorama showing it alone, as well as with adults. the Story Trail project, use some of Leamington’s best-known Looking back on the project, staff objects and images from the Art landmarks along the river Leam. felt a great sense of achievement Gallery & Museum’s collections, Other simple resources include finishing the gallery to such a supplemented when necessary writing slates, colouring sheets, high standard on a relatively by loans. Titled Roll up! Roll and specially made stencils which tight budget, despite the impact up!, Playtime, Looking after allow children to make their own of the unsuccessful HLF Bid. Leamington, Living by the Leam, coats of arms. The new gallery is Even so, Haddie’s Gallery has …a little learning, and Home lit by the repositioning of some of demonstrated that there is life Sweet Home, they present the existing ceiling light units and beyond the Lottery... which is not different aspects of life for a child by installing new fluorescent tubes to say we would not welcome its in Leamington around 1900. in the refurbished showcases. The support for future projects! Each section has a number of total cost of the finished gallery, low-tech interactives, such as excluding staff time, was £29,000.

The client and curatorial side of the project was led by Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum (Warwick District Council). Design and installation management was by Marshall-Hardy Ltd, Leamington Spa, with fabrication and installation of the displays by Inovello Ltd, Derby.

Jeff Watkin & Vicki Slade Heritage and Arts Manager & Curatorial Officer Interactives in the Gallery. shcg news Dec 2009 Reviews Page 11

SHCG Annual Conference 2009, ‘SHCG at 35: The Past, Present and Future of Social History’ Review 9th-11th July, Leeds & York

Thursday 9th July, Dr Cathy Ross, Head of Later is all important. Cathy pointed London History and Collecting at to online collections access and Leeds Discovery Centre the Museum of London, provided use of digital media generally a synopsis of social history as a crucial area for future collecting over the past 30 years. development. I spent some of the train journey The key shift has been away from Oral history was the subject of the from Preston to Leeds on a typological, fetishist approach next paper by Annette Day of the Thursday morning flicking through to what we all recognise as the Museum of London. Although the ‘Social History in Museums: A ‘social history approach’ – where use of oral history by museums Handbook for Professionals’. context and what objects can tell has come a long way, too many Produced way back in 1993 (I us about people and their lives was only twelve!), the preface refers to a discipline full of ‘vigour and commitment’. Well, I reflected, I would need plenty of that vigour and commitment to see me through my first SHCG conference. The venue for day one of the conference was Leeds Museum Discovery Centre. This is Leeds City Council’s new state of the art storage facility. After a super buffet and interesting short tour of the stores, we all settled down contentedly for the first speaker of the day. Appropriately given the location this was Kitty Ross, Curator of Leeds History at Leeds Museums & Galleries. Kitty looked back at the colourful history of collecting social history in Leeds Museums, a history that in many ways provides a microcosm of the wider trends within social history practice. There were many nodding heads as Kitty described the early focus on bygones and folk material, and the shift to collecting industrial history in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The future focus at Leeds is on increasing online access, undertaking more collections research, proactive collecting and rationalisation. Again this mirrors wider trends, and many of the talks over the two days, as well as discussions I had with colleagues, would return to these themes.

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organisations still view the same old themes and ideas. The wonderfully evocative setting. I collection and use of oral history SHCG has failed to show the way was also impressed by the free as an afterthought. The value of forward. Did Crispin really believe copies of the ‘Kirkgate Examiner’ oral history is that it provides a what he was saying, or was he newspaper, an innovative bit of voice for people often sidelined trying to provoke a reaction? interpretation. There was also or ignored in the historical record, There was suddenly an air of time to take in the Sixties gallery, something that fits well with introspection in the room. And where one of the highlights was the people orientated approach then up stepped Steph Mastoris, a fabulous Lambretta scooter. of social history. Annette Head of the National Waterfront A short walk took us to emphasised the need to integrate Museum. Steph offered a the beautiful Merchant oral history more fully into the passionate defence of the SHCG. Adventurer’s Hall, built in the work that museums do, and to The newsletter and journal, the mid 14th century. After some come up with more creative uses discussion list, First Base, all refreshments we settled down for for it in the future. these things and more, said the two talks that would take us Steph, have stimulated debate Stuart Davies, the Museums through to lunch. and helped to develop history Association President, spoke curatorship. First up was Martin Watts of York about the past, present and future Museums Trust, & Gwendolen of social history. There were two Well, what an enjoyable and Whitaker, formerly of York points especially that I thought thought provoking day it had Museums Trust but now at Ken were interesting. Firstly, Stuart been. After checking into Hawley Collections Trust in wondered whether we would accommodation, we headed to Sheffield. The talk was about eventually look back on the last the Cross keys pub, where Steve three new studio spaces that 10-15 years as a golden era for Morley of the Yorkshire Film have been built at York Castle museums. Second, he proposed Archive treated us to a fascinating Museum. There are obviously public history rather then social medley of clips from four films many museums that use multi history as a more egalitarian and of amateur filmmakers. Then it functional learning spaces, but accessible name for our beloved was off to Casa Mia and a hearty surely not many that are fitted discipline. SHCG members – it’s meal, followed by a pint (or two) with working kitchens! It was over to you! and then to bed. interesting to hear about how the Next up were two prize team manage collections access heavyweights from the field of in the spaces, and also how front social history, locking horns Friday, 10th July of house staff have thrived upon in ‘The Great Debate: Social York Castle Museum taking on new responsibilities History in the Dock’. First up was in the spaces. One session Museums and Heritage Consultant Day two started with a visit to the museum runs in the kitchen Crispin Paine as the pantomime York Castle Museum. We had studio is the cooking of cakes villian. Social history has lost its a look at the revamped Kirkgate and biscuits using recipes from way he said. Displays rehash the Victorian street, which is a different historical eras. We were treated to some tasty samples - my own favourite was the Victorian seed biscuit! Roy Brigden of the Museum of English Rural Life spoke about a project called ‘Collecting 20th Century Rural Culture’. This is a 4 year project funded through the HLF Collecting Cultures initiative, and aims to acquire material that builds, decade by decade, a picture of the countryside in the twentieth century and its relationship with society. This was really interesting as it has involved the museum collecting items from popular culture that perhaps they may not have considered relevant before. For example, a poster advertising the 1971 film Straw Dogs was acquired because the film presents a controversial and violent depiction of rural life.

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After another great lunch, or Olley’s 1975 cartoon. The Netty After a nice pint in a typical old what we had room for after our is now situated at one end of York pub, we rounded off the day historical biscuit tasting session, the 1910 town, and has provided with a great meal at Melton’s too. we heard two presentations on inspiration for a variety of art the benefits for museums, visitors, projects produced by community Saturday 11 July, Leeds and non-visitors alike, of working groups. It is proving a hit with City Museum with community groups. visitors, if a little to literally at Before the day’s sessions began, times, and Helen described the Firstly, Liz Braby told us about Kitty Ross, Curator of Leeds problems of communicating to Birmingham Museum and Art History, gave us an introduction visitors that it was not plumbed Gallery’s community-curated to the new museum and an in and was not in use! The title exhibition about hair. This hub- opportunity to look round. Six of Helen’s session, ‘spending funded project had the clear goal engaging permanent galleries a Penny (or two) at Beamish’, of attracting a young and Black cover social history, natural set a punning precedent for the and Minority Ethnic audience, history, world cultures, and the next hour, and her presentation and was preceded by extensive history of collecting in Leeds. culminated in an invitation to community consultation. The A personal highlight for me, in create our own graffitied Netty community groups involved were the Leeds Story social history brick. We were flushed with given the chance to learn skills gallery, was an extraordinarily success at the results of our relating to exhibition development poignant AV display about life in efforts! and staff benefited from an influx a Leeds ‘back-to-back’, featuring of new ideas and perspectives around a seemingly unlikely subject, but one which everyone can relate to. We then heard from Tony Butler, Director of the Museum of East Anglian Life (MEAL), who described the museum’s transformation into a social enterprise. Tony told us how MEAL worked with local councils to develop volunteer placements for people with learning disabilities and the long-term unemployed, offering them both formal training in the form of NVQs, as well as the chance to gain informal skills and raise their self-esteem. The scheme has been so successful that MEAL is now working with a partner museum in Kenya to develop a similar scheme there. Tony’s talk provided inspiration for museums in the recession, indicating that creating a social enterprise can not only help to tackle social exclusion, but can also generate income, as MEAL did through selling products made by volunteers in the museum shop. After the coffee break, Jim Garretts gave us an informative overview of the Thackray medical museum in Leeds. Public health was also the topic of the last session of the day. Helen Barker, Outreach and Access Officer at Beamish, described how the museum had recently acquired the ‘Westoe Netty’, a South Shields toilet and famous local landmark which was immortalized in Bob

Dec 2009 shcg news Page 14 Reviews

oral history interviews with local the videos is the best testament to collecting initiatives encouraged residents. the success of this project, which visitors and non-visitors alike to aims to capture 1,000 digital engage with community history. The theme of the day looked at stories over two years. Numerous The presentation could only give new ways of interpreting social fascinating personal testimonies a snapshot of the vast array of history collections, and the first can be found online at www. projects undertaken by the group, two presentations discussed the cultureshock.org.uk. and on browsing the My Yorkshire opportunities offered by digital website—www.myyorkshire. technology. Nick Poole, of the After coffee, Hanah Crowdy and org—in the name of research, I Collections Trust, outlined the Simon Grennan, from the artistic got a better sense of the variety of key developments and thought duo Grennan and Sperandio, stories involved. That of Fenella, processes characterised by what expounded the virtue of artists’ the Holmfirth tiger (!) was a is increasingly referred to as residencies in museums. particular favourite. Museum 2.0. This is where web They discussed Grennan and 2.0 technology, which promotes Sperandio’s responses to the David Fleming rounded off the participation via the internet, can collections at the Grovesnor conference programme with help museums transform from Museum, Chester, which was a survey of 35 years of social agents of passive consumption part of a residency funded by the history in museums, and an to active co-creation. I was Leverhulme Trust. I wasn’t really examination of the current state of particularly interested in Nick’s aware of this stream of funding, play. He charted the shift since presentation as recently the so was interested to find out more the SHCG’s foundation away from passive unrepresentative collections, towards a growing interest in learning in museums. This, he claimed, had encouraged the development of active displays where stories and objects work together, with social historians leading the way, bringing people-stories alive for diverse audiences. He reflected positively on the social inclusion agenda in museums, which social historians have helped to shape, and which we saw much evidence of during the three days. This was my first SHCG conference, and it has definitely made me want to come back for more. The range of discussions provided food for thought on the future of social history in museums, with new ideas for how we can continue to engage active visitors, and encourage them to co-create exciting exhibitions with us. museum where I work brought about how the Trust supports For more information about SHCG visitors and users of the photo- artist’s residencies. Hannah said at 35 and the issues discussed at sharing site Flickr together to that the residency had allowed the conference, the next SHCG reflect on the images on display. objects which had rarely been Journal will be featuring articles Nick’s comments enabled me to on display due to their poor from many of the speakers – so think further about how we in the provenance to be given a new keep an eye out for your copy as it exhibitions team could work more lease of life by being incorporated will soon be hot off the press. closely with our colleagues in into artworks. digital media on future projects. Past issues of the SHCG Journal The theme of digital storytelling are now also available to view on Iain Watson described a recent was picked up again by the the SHCG website. digital storytelling project members of the Hear My Story undertaken by Tyne and Wear Partnership, a hub-funded Museums where local people community history project bringing Jude Holland & Ben Whittaker were trained to use video- editing Yorkshire museums together. The Thanks to reviewers Ben software, and then made their project used a variety of methods Whittaker (first half) and Jude own stories in response to the of engagement. Digital elements, Holland (second half) collections. Watching some of exhibitions and contemporary

shcg news Dec 2009 Object Focus Page 15 The Overlord Embroidery: A National Treasure in Portsmouth

Textiles have been used to On 6 June 1944, Allied troops commemorate many major began landing on the beaches events, most famously in of , France. This was D-Day, the greatest seaborne 'More than the form of the Bayeux invasion in history, which led Tapestry. The latter was to the liberation of Europe fifty different the inspiration for the from Nazi occupation and the materials were Overlord Embroidery, end of the Second World War. which tells the story The Overlord Embroidery was used, including of D-Day and the 1944 commissioned by the late Lord wartime Dulverton of Batsford, as a means . of commemorating Operation fabrics such as Overlord – the codename given to parachute silk At 272ft (83m) in length, it is the the military campaign that began longest embroidery of its kind in on D-Day. Sandra Lawrence and the woollen the world, and for 25 years has was chosen as its designer. battledress been on display at the D-Day The Embroidery consists of 34 Museum in Portsmouth. It is not panels, each 8ft (2.5m) by 3ft cloth used for just the Embroidery’s length that (1m). Beginning with the early British soldiers’ makes it famous. Its vivid colours years of the war, it then illustrates uniforms.' and striking images are visually the preparations for D-Day, the impressive and a very effective Allied landings on 6 June itself, way of telling the story of D-Day. and the subsequent fighting in the Battle of Normandy (up to

Dec 2009 shcg news Page 16 Object Focus

the end of August 1944). It was to mark the 40th anniversary For further information about the important that the Embroidery of D-Day, with the Overlord tapestry and contact details for would commemorate the Embroidery as its centrepiece. the D-Day Museum go to www. liberation of Normandy, but it The Overlord Embroidery is ddaymuseum.co.uk also had to avoid glorifying war now seen by thousands of through taking a celebratory or people who visit the D-Day propagandist approach. Museum each year, helping to The Royal School of ensure that the events of D-Day Andrew Whitmarsh was tasked with producing the will be remembered by future Military History Officer, Embroidery itself, from 1968 to generations. Portsmouth Museums & 1972 (the final panel was added Records Service in 1973, and was completed by a single embroiderer). Fabrics were selected to match the colours and textures of Sandra Lawrence’s designs. More than fifty different materials were used, including wartime fabrics such as parachute silk and the woollen battledress cloth used for British soldiers’ uniforms. Two methods of embroidery were used: appliqué for the larger areas of colour, in which pieces of fabric were sewn onto the backing material, and stitching alone for the finer details, such as some of the faces. After touring round North America, and a six-year display in London, the Embroidery came to Portsmouth, which in 1944 had played a vital part in the preparations for D-Day. At the suggestion of Portsmouth City Council, in 1984 the D-Day Museum was built in that city

shcg news Dec 2009 Object Focus Page 17 The Tynemouth Trust Medal

Awards for bravery, he dragged him onto the buoy, for saving others are wrapped his legs around Whittet’s a common sight in and grasped him around the waist. Hoar’s bravery saved Whittet - museum collections, despite the hurricane winds, the be they medallions, huge seas crashing them against certificates, or trophies. the rocks, threatening to sweep The Tynemouth Trust Hoar out of the buoy or Whittet medal is a little known, from his grasp, and all in the pitch rather geographically black. specific award, whose New York lawyer, E B Convers, very establishment was at the time staying with his friend inspired by such courage in Tynemouth, noted Coastguard and bravery. Hoar’s bravery. On his return to America, Convers established The mouth of the river Tyne the Tynemouth Medal Trust, was notoriously dangerous for to recognise gallantry with a seafarers. If a ship was caught silver medal. Convers specified on the Black Midden rocks to the that his identity was to be north, the Herd Sands to the south ‘strictly suppressed’ and that he or the Tynemouth Bar across the should only be referred to as ‘a entrance, the strong powerful gentleman of the Hudson who waves of the North Sea would has friends by the Tyne’! Medals destroy them within hours. were to be given to ‘those who had done a heroic deed – in the On the 13th January 1891, widest acceptance of the phrase hurricane force winds drove the – either within the ebb and flow of schooner Peggy to find shelter the Tyne or its adjacent sea, or by in the Tyne, but she got caught Tynesiders on a foreign sea, or by on the rocks on the north side. foreigners in local waters’. The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade, formed in 1864 to help The medal, designed by Convers awarded to John Whale. On 12th the Coastguard save life from himself, shows a shipwreck scene November 1901 the Norwegian wreck, took their Breeches Buoy with Tynemouth north pier and Christiani, on its way to North equipment down to the rocks and lighthouse in the background, Shields Fish Quay, ran ashore on managed to save most of the and lifeboat going to the rescue. rocks just outside South Shields crew. However, crew member Around the top is the inscription in a gale. John Whale, at great Frank Whittet had been so badly PALMAM QUI MERUIT, translated risk to his safety jumped aboard hurt after falling twice from the 'Let him bear the palm who the vessel and assisted several rigging while trying to get into the deserves it' and around the of the crew to safety, and brought buoy that he was unable to try bottom TYNEMOUTH MEDAL. the steward ashore who was too again. He was tied to the rigging The ribbon is usually dark blue, exhausted to leave the rigging. and left on board in the hope although some had special that both he and the ship would red, white and blue ribbons to All credit for the research on the survive the storm. commemorate the coronation Tynemouth Medal Trust must go to of King George V. The reverse Chris Lambert of the Tynemouth One of the coastguards who was shows the recipient’s name. In Volunteer Life Brigade. on duty that night, George Edwin 1911 it was decided to add a gold Hoar, volunteered to go out to medal for special cases and a the ship to try and bring Whittet third level of award, a parchment Victoria Rogers certificate. ashore. He was hauled across on Project Officer the buoy, assessed the situation, Cardiff Museum Project hauled back to give instructions This particular medal, in the Tyne and Wear Museums collection (formerly of Tyne & Wear to those on land, and then hauled Museums) back again. Untying Whittet, at South Shields Museum, was

Dec 2009 shcg news Page 18 Tea Break

Dickens G C A R O L A C M Y G H O S T T D M A T Wordsearch G R O Z S I B R I H I I R F A N O H G U Christmas Jacob Carol Marley W S A D P Y C B J M Scrooge Tiny Tim I T L U G T A E I B Cratchit Fezziwig Z M O E A I J L D U Fred Fan Z A M R T M C L E G Ghost Belle Past Humbug E S C R O O G E R W F Y E L R A M H F J

Lantern Slides depicting the story of the Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, created by Walter Nicholls Henman from Bedford Museum Collection.

shcg news Dec 2009 Committee Page 19 SHCG Committee 2009-10 1 G C A R O L A C M Y G H O S T T D M A T CHAIR: Assistant Keeper of History Victoria Rogers 1 Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, Cardiff Museum Project South Shields Museum & Art Gallery G R O Z S I B R I H Old Library Ocean Road, The Hayes South Shields NE33 2JA 2 I I R F A N O H G U Cardiff CF10 1WE Tel: 0191 456 8740 Tel: 029 2087 3197 Email: [email protected] W S A D P Y C B J M Email: [email protected] Conference Organiser: I T L U G T A E I B Secretary: GEORGINA YOUNG 2 MICHELLE DAY 10 National Museums Liverpool Events Outreach Officer, 3 Z M O E A I J L D U Dock Traffic Office Hull Museums and Art Gallery, Albert Dock Ferens Art Gallery, Liverpool Queen Victoria Square, Z A M R T M C L E G L3 4AX Hull HU1 3RA, Tel: 0151 478 4068 Tel: 01482 613902 E S C R O O G E R W Email: Email: [email protected] [email protected] F Y E L R A M H F J 4 Treasurer: JOE CARR 3 Web editor & email list coordinator: Curator, Ellie Swinbank 11 Brent Museum, The Scottish Mining Museum Willesden Green Library Centre, Lady Victoria Colliery 95 High Road, Newtongrange Willesden Green NW10 2SF Midlothian 5 Tel: 020 8937 3602 EH22 4QN Email: [email protected] 0131 663 7519 [email protected] Membership Secretary: KAY JONES 4 National Museums Liverpool, Dock Traffic Office, FirstBASE CO-ORDINATOR: Albert Dock, STEPH MASTORIS 6 Liverpool L3 4AX National Waterfront Museum, Tel: 0151 478 4068 Swansea, Email: [email protected] Wales Email: [email protected] NEWS EDITOR: LYDIA SAUL 5 Keeper of Social History, GENERAL ENQUIRIES: 7 Bedford Museum, [email protected] Castle Lane, EMAIL LIST ENQUIRIES: Bedford MK40 3XD [email protected] Tel: 01234 353323 Email: [email protected] 8 Journal Editor: Michael Terwey 6 Senior Exhibitions Organiser National Media Museum, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD1 1NQ [email protected] 9

Conference organiser: Hannah Crowdy 7 National Museums Northern Ireland, Cultra, Holywood County Down, BT18 0EU Northern Ireland, UK Tel: 01244 402014 10 Email: [email protected]

Seminar Organiser: KYLEA LITTLE 8 Keeper of History Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, Discovery Museum, 11 Blandford Square, Newcastle NE1 4JA Tel: 0191 277 2199 Email: [email protected]

Seminar Organiser: ADAM BELL9

Dec 2009shcg news [email protected] www.shcg.org.uk