Newsletter of the Deal Maritime and Local History Museum Patron: Admiral of the Fleet the Lord Boyce KG, GCB, OBE

Issue sixteen SUNDAY 8 APRIL Spring 2018 SUPPORTERS’ NEW SEASON PREVIEW

Inside this issue: Pop in for an hour or so, any time between 12 noon - 4pm for a glass of wine or a soft drink and an opportunity to see the new • New Season Preview exhibitions and displays. • New Season Displays • Grants This is a new approach to our annual pre-season event. Professional conservation advice has suggested we do not have food within the • Events in 2018 museum, reducing the risk of attracting pests which can destroy our • Subscriptions artefacts. • Volunteers • And Finally ... We hope to see you at some point during the afternoon - a chance to meet the trustees and volunteers in a convivial atmosphere and to view We are Open: all the changes that have taken place since the last season.

April, May, September & October NEW SEASON – NEW DISPLAYS Tuesday - Friday: 2pm to 4.30pm Saturday: The Royal Marines in Deal 11am - 4.30pm We re-open on Good Friday 30 March and Sunday: 12 noon - 4pm are proud to unveil our new and permanent Royal Marines in Deal exhibition. This June, July & August display is on the ground floor of the stable Tuesday - Saturday: 11am - 4.30pm block, which has been completely renovated Sunday: and even has a new stable door. 12 noon - 4pm Closed Mondays except Bank Holidays The exhibition depicts the history of the 12 noon - 4pm Royal Marines at the Deal Barracks and focuses on the Royal Marines School of Adults: £3.00 Music; the Physical Training Instructors who Concessions (students and 60+) & Children: £2.00 were all taught at Deal; Commandos based Family Ticket (2 adults and 2 here, the Sergeants’ Mess Panto, the children): £9.00 bombing and much more. Stories of Wrens, Wheelchair users: Free (donation welcome) nurses, wives of Royal Marines and other women associated with the Barracks are Board of Trustees also shown. Robert Acton David Hossack We have been recording memories over the past two years and you have Kathy Hostettler an opportunity, not only to read these but also to use an old dial up Sheila Legg telephone to listen to them. There are old films to watch too. Quentin Withall

Dunkirk We have moved, and refurbished, part of the popular Dunkirk display and this now hangs with Tender Too, one of the Little Ships that helped in the evacuation from France in 1940. Also new in the main gallery is information on smuggling, the Goodwin Sands and Deal’s piers. We have new display cabinets in this area too, which were donated last year.

Upper Gallery Upstairs in the main building, there are now two quizzes – the newest focusing more on . The East Coalfield display features some new films and we have updated the display on Deal High Street to show occupancy in 2018. For people with limited mobility, we have a tablet computer for use on the ground floor, which depicts the key displays upstairs and allows visitors to view the audio-visual display and take part in the quizzes.

We continue to be part of the Wheels of Time scheme, which encourages children and young people to visit museums and heritage sites across Kent. As part of this, we have a revamped Pirate Quiz with free pirate hats and, for those up to 15, an interactive experience using maritime flags to code and de- code and help Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar. The Timeball Tower is joining the scheme this year so there is a chance to gain two WOT badges in Deal.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to all these developments and to those who have given up their time to paint and clean and get the museum ready for the new season.

GRANTS

We want to thank the Co-op and the Sergeant’s Mess Panto for funding for the Royal Marines Exhibition; the S. E. Museum Development Programme for funding the pilot for those with limited mobility; the Sir Ernest Bruce Charles Charity for contributing to the stable block refurbishment; and The Cleary Foundation for funding towards equipment for museum talks. We also wish to thank Deal Town Council who have recently given the museum a grant of £1,000 so that we can start the preservation and storage of the Basil Kidd Collection of photographs and negatives. These were donated by Basil Kidd’s family last year and provide a fascinating insight into the history of Deal in the second half of the twentieth century. EVENTS IN 2018

The pre-season event and party are free for supporters. Tickets for paid events can be purchased from the museum during opening hours or from our website. They can also be secured by post, enclosing a cheque and a SAE if you want your tickets posted to you.

Friday 11 May: Kentish Hooden Horse Talk at 7pm A talk by James Frost on “The Kentish Hooden Horse and Folk Drama,” with a short performance by the Hoodeners. This will take place at St Andrew’s Church Hall, West Street, Deal. Tickets: £5 each. Numbers are limited so book your tickets early. There will be a bar.

James Frost is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Media, Art and Design at Canterbury Christ Church University, currently studying for a PhD on hoodening and animal disguising traditions. He has exhibited as an artist in London and Barcelona and for around 12 years he worked as a puppeteer at festivals and historic houses as The Theatre of the Small. He produces puppets, masks and sets for the Canterbury Players and organises and performs with the Canterbury Hoodeners. Thursday 21 June: Quiz Night 7pm for 7.30pm The Astor Theatre Tickets: £5 each - can be bought individually or in tables of 6-8. Simon Howes will, once again, be question master, this time with a microphone and electronic scoring.

Sunday 8 July: Strawberry Cream Tea 3 - 5pm St Andrews Church Hall & grounds This is a popular annual event and a great chance to enjoy a strawberry tea amongst friends. It is also a major fundraising event for the museum so please support us. Tickets are £10 each and this includes a variety of sandwiches, cakes, scones and, of course, strawberries. Raffle prizes welcome.

Friday 14 September: 6.30 - 8.30pm Cheese and Wine Evening with a performance by the Kellet Gut Shantymen. The Shantymen are singers from a number of groups in Deal plus instruments including banjo, concertina & guitar. St Andrews Church Hall. Tickets are £10 each. Raffle prizes welcome.

Friday 7 December: 6.30 - 8.30pm Supporters’ Christmas Party Please join us for our popular Christmas Party which will be held at St. Andrew’s Church Hall, West Street. There will be plenty of Christmas fayre, wine and soft drinks. Raffle prizes welcome. 2018 SUBSCRIPTIONS

Supporter subscriptions remain at £8 each for 2018. Life membership is still available at £100. You can renew on our website: www.dealmuseum.co.uk or by filling in a form and paying at the museum or by post. Cheques should be made payable to DM&LHM. Please tick to gift aid your contribution if you pay tax as the taxman will then give us an additional 20%. We rely on our supporters’ subscriptions to keep the museum running. Please ask friends and relatives if they would support us too!

VOLUNTEERS

A number of new volunteers joined us last year but we very much need more stewards to welcome visitors and take their entrance fees.

You don’t need to know a lot of history and we provide support for as long as you want. You don’t have to make a regular commitment but we do ask you to steward at least once a month so that you keep up to date with what is happening.

We would also welcome volunteers who would like to help out in other ways. If you’d like to find out more, email [email protected] or phone Ann Bishop, Volunteer Co-ordinator, on 01304 360653.

AND FINALLY…

A big thank you to Joy McDonagh who has resigned from her trustee and treasurer roles for personal reasons. Joy has made a major contribution to the development of the museum, and we will miss her!

We give a warm welcome and thanks to Bronwen Robson who has taken on the role of treasurer on Joy’s departure. Bronwen writes: “I have recently moved back to Deal and it’s good to be back! I am self-employed and currently studying for a diploma in accountancy at Canterbury College which I really enjoy. Deal is a town I am very fond of, so I am very pleased to be able to get involved with the museum. I look forward to meeting you all over the coming months.“ We need more trustees to help shape the future of the museum. If you are interested and would like to know more, please talk to one of the current trustees or email [email protected]

Deal Maritime and Local History Museum, 22 St. George’s Road Web: http://dealmuseum.co.uk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dealmaritimemuseum Twitter: https://twitter.com/Deal_Museum Registered Charity: 288090, Registered Museum: 1420