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Dundee Heritage Trust RRS and Polar Collections Collections Recognised Collection Status Review 2018

1. Is the collection still eligible?

RRS Discovery and Discovery Point

RRS Discovery and Polar collections

Before ’s voyage to the in 1839-43 the continent was unknown. Even after the epic journey of his , the Erebus and the Terror, the continent was still a mystery. The period 1897-1930 marked the era of ‘Heroic Exploration’ and was a watershed in the expansion of our knowledge due to the huge of amount of geological, geographic, zoological and physical data that was collected by explorers to the area.

As a research Discovery was central to this activity as she was involved in three major expeditions of the period to . Specifically designed to carry out and scientific work, she is at the heart of a unique and fascinating collection of artefacts held by Heritage Trust. The collection charts the explorations of Scott and but also the later, and as important, expeditions such as the Discovery Oceanographic Expedition between 1925 and 1927 and the BANZAR (British, Australian, Antarctic Research) Expeditions between 1929 and 1931.

RRS Discovery is part of the of UK ships, as defined by the National Historic Ships Committee. This is for vessels of ‘pre-eminent national significance in terms of maritime heritage, historical association or innovation of technology'. Discovery and the associated collections also fitted three categories of importance as defined in the original Recognition guidance documents - in terms of developments in science, technology and industry; central to the life and works of a person or group and have had a leading role in our understanding of the natural environment.

 Discovery was the first ship in the world to be specifically designed for scientific research and for working in the Antarctic regions.  Discovery was one of the last wooden three-masted sailing ships to be built in Britain. She is the only example of the type to survive.  She was built in Dundee because of the city's special expertise in constructing such strong wooden vessels and was modelled on the lines of traditional Scottish ships used in the ice-packed areas of the . No Scottish whaling vessels survive so the Discovery is invaluable in giving people an idea of the size, lines and construction methods of the ships that served such a major Scottish industry. As such she is a unique survivor of ’s proud past.  Discovery played a significant role in the development of ship construction, particularly for exploration and use in Polar Regions. She incorporates a number of design features which are the only examples of their type to survive.

Discovery was involved in three pioneering areas of research:-  The British National Antarctic Expedition 1901-04 - the first extensive scientific exploration of the Antarctic land mass under Captain Falcon Scott.  The Discovery Oceanographic Expedition 1925-27 - the first maritime research undertaken to explore the natural habitat of the and its exploitation as a resource. This expedition had as leader of the scientific team the renowned scientist Sir Alister Hardy.  The British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE) 1929-31 - an extensive survey of the land masses and oceans of the South Atlantic and Antarctic led by Sir .

The Discovery collections relate to all three of these major Antarctic expeditions as well as the building of the ship and her later life as a training vessel for the Sea Scouts. The polar collections also go beyond just the Discovery and include items related to her rescue vessel the Morning (1902-04) and Shackleton’s expeditions aboard (1907-09) Aurora and (1914-17) to name but a few. The most significant other polar material is a large and very important collection related to Scott’s second fateful expedition (1910-1912) aboard the , another Dundee-built whaler.

The collections relate to the history of Discovery and the men who served on her. These cover the fields of costume, numismatics, fine art, arms & armour, archives, science, photographs and social history. Items within the collections vary from navigational instruments and scientific specimens collected on the ship's expeditions, to objects which vividly represent daily life for polar explorers of the period. These include such items as wooden skis, sledging equipment (e.g. man and dog harnesses), fine quality expedition crockery and cutlery for use in the officers' wardroom and some of the original food rations and games used for amusement during the long, dark Antarctic winters. Some of the objects are of a very personal nature such as Captain Scott's pipe and sheath knife and these days they almost have the status of 'holy relics'. The collections contain many rare (sometimes unique) objects which have very special resonance and international importance.

The Discovery collection is the pre-eminent Antarctic/polar exploration collection in Scotland and probably second only to the Scott Polar Research Institute in the UK.

Since Recognition was awarded the polar collections have increased. In the last ten years 578 items have been accessioned with the total collection now standing at 2,169. With new acquisitions continuing to arrive all the time, the breadth, depth and quality of the collection continues to grow. A programme of continual museum improvement has taken place over the years with new showcases and exhibits for the galleries being installed on a regular basis.

A major capital development completed in April 2018 saw the creation of three new three permanent galleries along with new exhibits for existing galleries. The project included the installation of eight new showcases, allowing us to display many objects from the collections for the first time as well as objects actively collected for the new displays.

A new learning and activity centre ‘Polarama’ was also New ‘Inspiration’ showcase, created in the heart of the museum, allowing groups to March 2018 feel more connected to the ship and museum and raising the public profile of our learning services. It has been the catalyst for an expansion of our learning and community offer, already well-used by schools and playing host to a vibrant programme of events including free family film screenings, art workshops and reminiscence sessions – all taking their inspiration from the collections and the themes of the museum.

Polar Explorer workshop in new ‘Polarama’ learning and activity space, March 2018

Discovery Point is in a similar position to 2008 with visitor figures having remained stable around the 55,000 mark since then. The museum continues to receive incredibly positive customer feedback and is either No. 1 or No. 2 for Dundee on TripAdvisor (alternating top position with ), having held a Certificate of Excellence for many years now. It is also 5 star rated with VisitScotland.

1. Is the collection still eligible?

Jute Collections Jute is a word that is synonymous with the city of Dundee – indeed the city was nicknamed Juteopolis in much the same way as became Cottonopolis. Verdant Works tells the story of Dundee's industries, focusing primarily on jute. Between 1841 and 1901 the population of Dundee tripled from 45,000 to 161,000 due to the growing textile Verdant Works Museum industry and this had a dramatic effect on the city. At the end of the 19th century the industry directly employed some 50,000 people in the city - half the working population, a unique situation in Scotland's industrial history - plus many more thousands in associated trades such as shipbuilding, whaling, transportation and . Women outnumbered men in the jute mills by 3 to 1 so the industry is also important as part of women’s history.

Dundee supplied the majority of the world's demand for jute products and this widens the story into one that has great importance for Scottish and indeed British history. Jute connected the people of Dundee with the world and some of the most interesting aspects of history. The American and Australian gold rushes and mining booms needed tents for the huge temporary camps that the prospectors lived in and the covers of the wagons of the pioneers in the USA were made from Dundee cloth. During all the wars of the nineteenth century jute and linen goods were in great demand for tenting, horse blankets, wagon and gun covers, sandbags and for carrying supplies. The Napoleonic, Crimean and American Civil Wars were all times of huge profits for the textile manufacturers of Dundee, as were the First and Second World Wars.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries jute was indispensable, the workhorse of industry and the home. Every kind of product - potatoes, chemicals, sugar, and coffee beans - was transported in jute sacks and millions were manufactured in Dundee every year. Other uses included: ropes, boot linings, aprons, carpets, tents, roofing felts, upholstery backing, webbing, garden twine, satchels, linoleum backing, tarpaulins, sand bags, meat wrappers, sailcloth, scrims, oven cloths, horse covers, cattle bedding, electric cable, even parachutes and the soles of espadrille sandals.

The jute collections cover the entire history of the jute industry and relate to topics such as , research and development, the end products, quality control, textile engineering, the industry's Indian connections and the lives of the workers. Objects include machinery patterns, jute and flax products, small tools, technical drawings and plans and quality control/testing equipment. The archives and photographic records of various mills and their workers have considerable historical research value. As well as the large machinery objects, the collections cover the fields of industrial history, social history, fine art, archives/business papers, photographs, costume and numismatics. The collection relates to dozens of different mills and foundries and jute engineering companies, both in Dundee and the surrounding area but also overseas on the Indian subcontinent.

For a period of about 50 years from 1850, Dundee was the largest jute manufacturer in the world and a vital market for Indian jute growers. For half a century after that it was second only to Calcutta. This collection therefore reflects an industry that was once a worldwide concern to the UK but of which now nothing else is except empty buildings and memories. The collection is one of depth and importance with the added benefit of the appropriate display context of an historic and nationally-important mill building providing a complete microcosm of the world of jute and the lives it affected.

Verdant Works is an Anchor Point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH). ERIH is a network of the most important industrial heritage sites in Europe with the Anchor Points being the most attractive sites with outstanding historical significance and with the greatest potential for tourism. Verdant Works is one of only two such designated sites in Scotland.

Since Recognition was awarded the jute collections have increased substantially. In the last ten years 2,654 items have been accessioned with the total collection now standing at 5,587. With new acquisitions continuing to arrive all the time, the breadth, depth and quality of the collection continues to grow.

A major £3 million capital development completed in September 2015 has also seen the museum almost double in size. The opening of the High Mill Open Gallery has enabled the display of more of the collections previously in store and interpretation on new themes, particularly related to the jute engineering objects. A large and atmospheric open space was created which has been host to temporary Glazed Alley and Red Box, September 2015 exhibitions such as The Great Tapestry of Scotland and given us a decent events space for the first time. This has allowed us to programme a vibrant calendar of events (music, dance, drama, readings/poetry etc.) that take their inspiration from the museum and its collections. A new learning and activity space, The Red Box, was sited in the heart of the museum and has been the catalyst for an expansion of our learning and community offer.

Verdant Works is in a stronger position than 2008 with annual visitor figures having grown from 13,000 to 19,000 plus many more who attend special events. The museum continues to receive incredibly positive customer feedback and is either No. 1 or No. 2 for Dundee on TripAdvisor (alternating with Discovery Point), having held a Certificate of Excellence for many years now. It is also 5 star rated with VisitScotland.

1.1 To raise awareness and appreciation of the Recognised Collections, maximising their potential to celebrate Scotland’s culture – locally, nationally and internationally.

General - both collections

The Heritage team and a selection of museum volunteers give a number of talks to community and special interest groups to raise awareness locally of both the museums and our collections. The Trust also participates in various local festivals and citywide initiatives, for example, the annual Doors Open Days in September, in DHT Curator giving a behind- the-scenes tour for the Library which we provide behind-the- scenes tours of the collection and Information Professionals Conference, July 2017 stores.

Both museums have been host to a number of temporary exhibitions over the last ten years featuring Recognised Collections (a full list can be found under question 4). Recent exhibitions at Verdant Works have included themes such as creativity within the mills and social camaraderie between the workers. At Discovery Point we have showcased Discovery’s later history, e.g., Oceanographic Expedition, Sea Scouts and the naval tradition of ‘Crossing the Line’.

Our Learning and Events programmes are rooted in the museum themes and collections, helping to raise awareness of the collections locally and nationally (more details can be found under question 1.4). All schools that visit Discovery Point and Verdant Works can choose to have a workshop session included in their visit at no extra cost. Schools may choose from ‘Antarctic Clothing and Survival’, ‘Exploration and Discovery’, and ‘Setting Sail’ (at Discovery Point) and ‘Victorian Life’, ‘Toys and Games’ and ‘Steam Power’ (at Verdant Works). A Travel and Tourism workshop, using Discovery Point and Verdant Works as case studies, is also available for Secondary school pupils studying Higher Geography. Our schools service at both museums is the proud recipient of the prestigious Sandford Award for Heritage Education, being awarded it for the fourth consecutive time in July 2018.

On a national level the collections continue to be available to view online via our Collections Online Database and new acquisitions are regularly added to the site. In 2017 this website had 9,237 hits, from all over the UK and further afield.

Similarly our Facebook and Twitter sites frequently highlight particular objects with features such as ‘On this day’ and ‘Object of the Month’. Last year we also took part in an international social media drive for Antarctica Day and the jute collections were highlighted in the Museum Week Twitter campaign. In June 2018, to celebrate our 25 year anniversary of the opening of Discovery Point, we ran a 25 day campaign both online and within the gallery highlighting a different silver object from our collection each day.

The trust is also heavily involved with various national organisations which help to increase awareness of our museums and collections. For example, both museums are part of Industrial Museums Scotland, who champion the collections through public outputs such as website and social media channels but also through advocacy via a variety of forums and conferences.

Discovery Point has close links with larger polar organisations such as the (BAS) and the Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT). Discovery in fact hosted members of UKAHT recently to look at the ship and collections and we also worked with the Royal Geographical Society on a Shackleton exhibition.

At Verdant we hosted a meeting of ERIH (European Route of Industrial Heritage) bringing together industrial museums from around the UK and Ireland who toured the museum and collections.

Both museums deal with enquiries from Scotland, elsewhere in the UK and internationally including Canada, America, Denmark, , , Canada, Norway, America, India and even Antarctica.

Polar collections

Discovery Point is a founding member of the Polar Museums Network, an international body with members including Sweden, Norway and the UK. In October 2016 Gill Poulter presented at their conference in promoting both our collections and museum.

In recent years Discovery has hosted Chinese delegates, Peter Beggs (Chief Executive of New Zealand Antarctic Institute), the King of Sweden, the US Ambassador and ‘Museum Nord’ - representatives from the 21 museums in Northern Norway.

In February 2016, as part of a session with Anstruthur Primary School after a tour of the museum, ship and a polar workshop we skyped Peter Gibbs, meteorologist and BBC reporter, who was based in Antarctica on the to explore work happening in the today. This was extremely popular and a scheme we hope to expand in the future.

Jute collections

Due to the historic links within the jute industry, over the last ten years we have tried to build on our connections with the Southern Asian communities. In 2008 a grant from Museum Galleries Scotland and the British Council Scotland funded an initiative exploring connections between Scotland and India. This saw a five minute video produced named ‘A Common Thread’ which was showcased at the Book Fair in January 2009, a public event which attracted over 2.2 million visitors. This was then installed in the Indian gallery at Verdant Works and includes amazing footage of jute mills in Kolkata today.

We also collaborated with Dundee College on a project they worked on with South Delhi Polytechnic for Women, entitled JUTE – Joint Upskilling for Training and Employment. This prestigious programme, funded by the UK and Indian governments, aimed to build on the historic links between the two countries and promote the use of jute as a textile. Dundee College fashion students used the displays and collections at Indian Summer event, August 2016. Verdant Works for inspiration for their designs, which were later exhibited within the museum.

More recently we have worked with Nazes Afroz, broadcaster and photographer based in Kolkata. He exhibited a series of images depicting conditions in Indian jute mills today which were displayed alongside historic prints from DHT’s collection.

Aside from Indian connections we have also been involved in a project called ‘Village Works’ which saw a Cambodian weaver create a fair trade tartan.

Our collections and archives, as well as being loaned across Scotland, have also been displayed in Brazil as part of a temporary exhibition at the Coffee Museum in Santos.

1.2 To ensure the longevity of Recognised Collections by raising standards in collections care and management.

General - both collections

All curatorial staff follow sector guidelines when working and documenting collections and often partake in various training courses and conferences to ensure we are following latest thinking when it comes to collections care and management. Although DHT does not employ a full time conservator we do have close links with Rebecca Jackson-Hunt, conservator at McManus Galleries who advises on these matters. For example, in 2015 after her consultation we changed the way we mark objects.

In 2008 a comprehensive inventory of the stores was undertaken which resulted in the addition of a new store for larger materials and artwork plus full location codes given to all objects. This procedure has continued with all new acquisitions to ensure a high level of location management for all material.

In terms of environmental monitoring, since 2009 we have had Meaco monitors on the ship, in the stores and, most recently, within the High Mill to constantly record temperature and humidity levels. We are currently in the process of changing all gallery lighting to LED bulbs to reduce the UV output.

In the matter of collections management, work to digitise the collections is ongoing and scanning of new photographic and archival donations continues on a regular basis. A year prior to the Collections Online database going live, a large retrospective documentation project was carried out to clean up all records to ensure a consistent style was maintained. Since 2012, when the database launched, we have been able to direct enquires to the web resource which as well as opening up the collections to a larger audience also enables us to reduce the amount of handling of the collections, a key preventative conservation measure.

In 2017 we undertook a yearlong project to both increase the number and improve the standard of existing photographs for accessioned objects and loan records. With funding from MGS Small Grants Scheme we were able to acquire a new camera, photography equipment and editing software to achieve this. During this project DHT Technician training the photography 556 accessioned objects and 173 incoming volunteer at beginning of project, Jan 2016. loan material items were photographed. All these images have been uploaded to both our internal collections management system and our public Collections Online Database.

Polar collections

Since Recognition was awarded we have undertaken a variety of conservation projects to maintain and improve the condition of the ship (more details of which can be found under question 1.3). This has included conservation to the and deck, preventive work such as electrical improvements and vital conservation work to stabilise the severe metal corrosion affecting Discovery’s funnel and engine room casing. Most recently, in 2016, we undertook a £350,000 project to conserve the masts and rigging, completed in August 2017.

Aside from the ship, we have also improved the condition of our polar objects and archives. In May 2013, thanks to generous support from AIM (Association of Independent Museums), we were able to employ paper conservator Emma Fraser to work on 29 of our highly significant polar archives, all either too fragile to exhibit or at high risk of further deterioration. This material ranged from maps of sledging journeys and newspaper articles to more personal items such as crew members’ letters to loved ones and even a scrap book depicting the construction of Discovery. Thanks to this conservation scheme, all archives are now in a stable, exhibition-suitable condition, which we displayed in a showcase exhibition later that year.

Jute collections

As our collection includes working jute machinery a lot of effort has been taken in order to balance providing a good interpretative experience by showing these objects at work, whilst maintaining and preserving these as historic collection objects. In 2008 a film of the machinery operational was produced in order to provide context for when they are not running. We have also worked on improving operational procedures, ensuring all guides Cleaning of industrial objects for the Open undertake regular training and Collections display, September 2015. operating logs and lubrication schedules are available for each . As part of our High Mill Open Gallery project we undertook a large scale conservation project on our medium and large industrial material. After training in basic conservation, facilitated by industrial heritage engineering consultant Jim , a team of curatorial staff and volunteers cleaned approximately 100 objects for display within our new Open Collection Store in the High Mill. Objects worked on included large textile machinery, testing equipment, barrows and wooden patterns all previously kept in an offsite store. This project also saw a professional sculpture conservator employed to conserve a sculptor’s maquette of a statue of Dundee engineer James Carmichael, for display within the new development.

DUNIH 2015.42 Industrial sewing machine, before and after cleaning.

In the last few months we have been taking part in Art UK’s new Sculpture Project. This nationwide initiative will see the digitisation and documentation of all sculpture works within UK heritage organisations culminating in an online database which should be live by the end 2018.

1.3 To strengthen resourcing for the long term sustainability of the Recognised Collections

General – both collections

As an organisation that only receives 5% of its’ normal running costs from the local authority, Dundee Heritage Trust needs to be focused on income generation to support the museums and the associated collections and learning work. The organisation is entrepreneurial and commercial and earns income from a variety of trading sources – admissions, retail, catering, conferences and events, car parking, charging for images, special fundraising events e.g. Balls, dinners and golf tournaments – as well as income from Gift Aid on admissions, cultural VAT exemption and fundraising (revenue and capital) from a corporate supporters scheme, charitable trusts, companies and individuals.

Numerous grants have been received under the Recognition Fund from MGS for both collections which have made a significant difference (detailed fully in Question 9). Applications for projects to develop and support the collections have also been successfully made to the Heritage Lottery Fund and charitable trusts both local e.g. Dundee Sailors’ Home and Hostel and national e.g. the Headley Trust.

We continue to actively add to both the Recognised collections and occasionally this involves purchases. Specific fundraising to assist this has brought support from the Friends of Dundee Heritage Trust, the National Fund for Acquisitions and, for items that strengthen the polar collection, the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. Dundee Heritage Trust’s own small Acquisitions Fund (supported by local charitable trusts) has helped match fund these grants. Unfortunately this fund is now depleted so future purchases may be effected unless we can raise all the money required externally.

A new post of Development Officer was introduced in August 2016 in recognition of the need to increase fundraising capacity within the Trust, both for capital projects but also revenue costs, and to hopefully make the organisation more sustainable. Brian Kelly, an existing member of staff (Education Officer for 11 years) was moved into this post. Having considerable knowledge and passion for the organisation is very helpful in such a role. This initiative has already had success, most notably raising £300,000 for our Discovery masts and rigging restoration project.

With help from the MGS Development Fund and the Foyle Foundation, during 2018 we have been able to recruit an Audience Engagement Officer Suzanne Paterson who will work at both sites but focusing primarily on Discovery Point and Discovery. She is creating a programme of events and partnerships to encourage under-represented audiences into the museum and in particular to connect with the collections.

Polar collections

Ship maintenance remains challenging for our organisation but various projects have been undertaken over the past ten years to strengthen the resourcing of both RRS Discovery and the associated polar collections.

When Recognition status was awarded we were mid-way through the major 2007-09 RRS Discovery Restoration & Conservation project costing £700,000 (HLF the main funder with a grant of £528,000). As well as conservation to the hull and decks, the project also saw preventative work such as electrical improvements and the installation of new pumps and environmental monitors – both with 24/7 on-line monitoring. The other Priming hull during 2007-2009 Restoration and element was new interpretation Conservation project. below decks in areas newly-opened up to the public by the project such as the lower engine room and the coal bunkers. This included explanations of the ship’s construction and engine; cargo and provisions and the magnetic zone.

In 2010 vital conservation work to stabilise and arrest the severe metal corrosion affecting Discovery’s funnel and engine room casing was undertaken. At the same time the pumping arrangements in Discovery’s dock were improved, thereby protecting her for the future.

During the summers of 2014 - 2016 a freelance rigger was employed to provide additional capacity to enable conservation work to be undertaken on the ship’s rig. He brought a wealth of knowledge in this field but ultimately the scale of work needed more than just one person. A specialist company with more manpower was therefore contracted for a £350,000 project to work on a significant part of Discovery’s masts and rig which started in the autumn of 2016 and was complete by August 2017. To fund this our Development Officer secured grants from a variety of organisations such as UKAHT, Headley Trust, Dundee City Council’s Common Good Fund and local charitable trusts. We were also able to raise just over £40,000 by crowd funding from 250 individuals and organisations.

With the changes to the waterfront due to the V&ADundee, Discovery’s dock gate was removed and a solid wall constructed. This has removed the risk of a gate failure but means the ship is now land-locked and the pumping arrangements have also had to be altered. These significant infrastructure changes have been paid for by Dundee City Council. Due to the V&A construction the Discovery has been in dry dock for three years. Prior to water being put back in the dock in August 2018 conservation work was required to the hull and the re-caulking of the seams and decks took place. This project was also funded by DCC.

Dundee Heritage Trust is just about to embark on a study to review how Discovery is kept in the short, medium and long term. Options to be looked at by a naval architect/engineer are floating, on the blocks but with water in the dock or dry docked. During 2013, with support from an Association of Independent Museums conservation grant, we were able to employ a paper conservator to work on 29 highly significant items from our polar archives. These ranged from photographs of officers and crew, maps of sledging journeys, letters to loved ones back home and a personal scrap book depicting the construction of Discovery which includes a section of the ribbon from the bottle the ship was christened with at her launch on 21 Newspaper relating to the . undergoing paper conservation, May 2013.

In terms of staffing, in 2018 we created a new post of Ship’s Manager who will oversee day to day maintenance of the ship as well as larger conservation projects, improving our care of this internationally significant heritage. The Ship’s Manager will also be responsible for the training and upskilling of our ship’s crew and any new volunteers that are recruited to assist with ship’s maintenance. This post is partially supported by The Mathew Trust.

At Easter 2018, three new permanent galleries and some refreshed galleries totalling £250,000 were opened at Discovery Point as a of external funding from the Coastal Communities Fund, Dundee City Council and others. This introduced new showcases, graphics, AVs and physical interactives. It also saw the creation of a dedicated learning space. The other part of this capital project was a £250,000 reconfiguration and refurbishment of some of our conference rooms at Discovery Point, essential work if this vital part of our business was to remain attractive and competitive.

Jute collections

The High Mill Open Gallery project at Verdant Works was an all-consuming capital project for the Trust for a good number of years. The project saw the remaining derelict 50% of the site transformed into a fantastic new learning and gallery space. The High Mill had a soft public opening in September 2015 with the formal opening in March 2016.

A significant amount of fundraising for the project secured a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £1.89 million, £500,000 from Historic Scotland and £500,000 from 23 other funders including charitable trusts and individuals. This funding went towards building restoration works, new interpretation, object conservation, new staff and a programme of events – all of which have benefited the Recognised Collection.

The project involved some of the larger objects from the jute collection being displayed for the first time including jute processing machines, wooden patterns and testing and training equipment. One of the new star objects to go on display - the maquette for the statue of engineer James Carmichael outside The McManus - underwent professional conservation by a sculpture conservator, revealing previously unseen details under layers of paint.

The conservation and installation of the Boulton & Watt – whilst not part of our collections (on loan from Dundee City Council) – provided considerable opportunity for learning about conservation planning, techniques and recording for our curatorial staff.

Also included was an allowance for curatorial staff and Conservator Sylvia Krauss volunteers to undergo training in cleaning and basic working on the James Carmichael conservation of industrial heritage material. The training, maquette. which involved both classroom and practical days by an accredited conservator, substantially increased the skill levels of our staff and volunteers, giving them the confidence and knowledge to prepare all the objects for display in the High Mill. A number of additional volunteers were specifically recruited to help with this task. Volunteers and staff also carried out additional research into the collections in preparation for display. As a result of the High Mill project therefore, the jute collection has been significantly strengthened in terms of its care, conservation and interpretation.

Prior to the redevelopment of the High Mill Verdant Works was already a large museum but the project almost doubled its size. DHT therefore realised that it would need to invest in a new post of Maintenance Officer to look after the site. This helps us to ensure better management of the buildings, exhibitions and collection stores. The post is currently being supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and The Mathew Trust.

The post of Learning & Audiences Officer at Verdant Works created as part of the project greatly benefited the Jute Recognised Collection. The highly successful schools and community engagement programmes helped to encourage new audiences and increase engagement with our collections. 1.4 To inspire and deliver new forms of access to and public engagement with the Recognised Collections.

General - both collections

Public access and engagement with our collections is an area we have tried to increase focus upon in the last ten years since Recognition status was granted. In 2015, as part of the High Mill project, we created the post of Learning and Audiences Officer to assist our Education and Community Outreach Officer in this task. In April 2018 a similar position was taken up by Suzanne Paterson, our Audience Engagement Officer, who has particular focus on the polar collections and Discovery Point.

In 2008 Dundee Heritage Trust was one of the lead partners in the Dundee Cultural Pathfinder Project. This Scottish Government-funded initiative aimed to encourage people from Dundee’s poorer communities to participate in the cultural activities of the city. The Education and Community Outreach Officer represented the heritage sector on the Steering Group which also included representatives from Dundee City Council, Dundee Rep Theatre and . The project targeted residents of two of Dundee’s designated community regeneration areas and worked to bring cultural activities into the community as well as giving residents the opportunity to visit the city’s museums, galleries and theatres. DHT’s contribution included offering free visits to Discovery Point and Verdant Works for youth groups, young mothers’ groups and over-50s groups, and providing activities and exhibitions for community-based events.

As well as physical forms of public engagement in terms of events and activities, we have also tried to increase our collections presence online, away from the galleries. In addition to our database website we have increased access to the collections through social media channels. The Trust uses Facebook, Twitter and now Instagram to highlight the collections and create discussions around them and the numbers of users of these features have been steadily increasing.

Polar collections

We have looked towards new technologies to increase engagement and access with the ship. In 2015 we undertook a 3D laser scan of Discovery, primarily as an important conservation management tool but it also enabled us to use the the 3D rendered models, animations and walk- throughs to create an AV film covering all stages of the project which is now on display in the Specification Gallery.

3D laser scan image of Discovery. In 2016, while Discovery’s masts were away for conservation, new digital interpretation was installed to enhance people’s visit. A plasma screen within the museum featured drone footage of the ship and an interactive that allowed you to explore the ship using an X Box controller. There was also a virtual tour App for people to download onto their own phones and a number of VR headsets for visitors to borrow.

Numerous artistic collaborations have taken place at Discovery Point over the years. In 2008 choreographer Thomas Small created a cross-generational dance performance at Discovery Point. The dance project took its inspiration from the inspiring theme, story and history of the Discovery. The performance involved local primary and secondary school children, professional dancers and students from the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance. As part of the events for the centenary of the Terra Nova expedition in 2012 we worked in partnership with Dundee Rep and Oran Mor of to commission a new play about Captain Scott. ‘Spirit of Adventure’ by Oliver Emanuel was premiered at Discovery Point as ‘A Play, a Pint and a Peh’ event.

Away from our usual tours and workshops we have also been looking at new ways to engage with schools. At Discovery Point during 2016/2017 we ran our first ‘School in Residence’ project with Dundee’s Rosebank Primary School which involved them in a number of visits to the ship as well as workshops within the school delivered by the Trust’s Education Officer. The school is in one of the poorer inner-city areas of Dundee and the pupils do not have the same educational and learning opportunities as those enjoyed by children in better-off parts of the city. Pupils throughout all years at the school participated in activities suggested by the themes of the Discovery, Antarctica and polar exploration and these related to numerous subjects such as maths, science, creative writing, art, geography and history. The staff created daily ‘Discovery Challenges’ to get classes at different stages developing their investigative and problem-solving skills. Engagement with the Recognised material included using sledging flags from the collections as inspiration for their own flags to be used on the 270 mile ‘Antarctic’ walk undertaken throughout the year. They also used the polar medals within our collection for ideas to create their own designs via 3D printing as part of a BBC digital project. This innovative trial project was a great success, so much so that we plan to launch a competition to find our next School in Residence during the autumn of 2018.

Rosebank Primary School ‘Antarctic’ walk, May 2017.

In March 2018 we opened a new capital development at Discovery Point which saw three brand new permanent galleries, a new introductory film and a multi-purpose learning and activity space. As well as increasing access to collections in traditional ways, such as graphic panels and 8 new showcases focusing on previously underdeveloped themes, we also introduced a series of new interactive exhibits based on the collections. For example, there is a ‘create your own sledge flag’ game using the examples we have in the collection as a basis and a major new AV film which uses footage of actors filmed on the ship and images from our collections given cinematographic treatment. Finally we created a new activity centre within the galleries enabling groups to feel more connected to the ship/museum and raising the public profile of our learning services.

To accompany our new galleries and learning space, our Audiences Engagement Officer has created a variety of new activities and events all based upon the museum’s themes and objects within our collection. This includes ‘Wee Explorers’, craft and messy play for 2-5 year olds which focuses on the different countries involved in polar exploration, ‘Saturday Studio’, themed monthly art sessions aimed at 14-19 year olds and one off events - such as the ‘Puffin, and Polar Bears’ Family Fun Day. This saw craft activities, science experiments and even a herd of huskies outside the ship. This family day was very successful, attracting 568 people - 320 more people than the 2017 visitor figure for that day.

Jute collections

Similarly at Verdant Works, our High Mill capital project looked at different ways to engage the audience in terms of jute mill and engineering. As well as Open Collection stores, which saw an increased focus on the object with limited interpretation, we produced a variety of AV features such as a Video Vault of digitised archive film footage from the collections and a ‘History Hub’ section which uses computers, interpretation and a small library to help visitors with family and local history and explore objects not on display. As part of this project we employed a new post of Learning and Audiences Officer, who worked with the Education Officer to develop and deliver formal and informal learning activities and resources for schools, community groups and families using the museum themes/collections. Publications produced included a Mill Mouse trail, Teachers Guide, School & Nursery Workshop Guide, numerous worksheets and family trails. Regular activities offered included a Young Engineer’s Club for teenagers, Wee Weavers for toddlers, Memory Exchange reminiscence sessions for over 60s and craft/art activities. This programming reached around 6,000 people, many of whom new audiences who had never visited the museum before.

As part of the HLF-funded Stories, Stones and Bones scheme (special funding for the 2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology) we ran a project called ‘Stories of Dundee – Fae me Tay you’. This involved collecting stories, traditions, poems and folk songs from Dundonians aged 60 + using our museum and collections as a starting point. This information was then used to produce a performance piece and an illustrated book for children and community centres. Guides to using the publication for teachers and community workers were also published.

DHT also regularly participates in various national or Dundee initiatives. Recently this has included involvement in Architecture, Science, Literary and Women’s festivals hosting and facilitating events, discussions and tours of our spaces.

We also use the temporary exhibition spaces to produce shows not directly displaying our objects but working with external groups to produce new works based on our collection. For example, in April 2017, we partnered with Edge , a collective of artists from , Dundee and Glasgow who aim to promote excellence in all aspects of contemporary Edge @ Verdant Works exhibition, April 2017. textiles. They produced an exhibition of work, produced in a variety of different mediums, inspired by the jute industry, its legacy on the city and Verdant Works itself.

In terms of the jute collection we have undertaken a variety of artistic collaborations to try and find a different way to use our collections as a basis for engagement. In 2008 we collaborated with Dundee Rep and Grid Theatre Company to produce ‘Yarn’, a promenade theatrical performance utilising Verdant in a highly unusual way to a potential new audience. The production was a critical hit with very positive previews and reviews in the press (local, Scottish and UK), resulting in a high media profile for the Verdant Works.

Similarly in 2013 we worked with Dundee Rep’s Community Theatre to put on a site specific performance at Verdant called ‘This Town’. This explored Dundee through the eyes of its people and was devised by community actors from the Whitfield area of the city. It featured dance, drama and live music in different locations around the museum.

Verdant Works courtyard during ‘This Town’, April 2013. 1.5 To support holders of the Recognised Collections to increase their leadership of and contribution to the sector through innovation, ambition, collaborations and partnership working

Dundee Heritage Trust plays a vocal part in the Dundee’s cultural and community scene through membership of the Learning & Culture Strategic Group, the Cultural Agencies Network and the Cultural Partners group.

The Trust takes an active role in the Museum Forum which meets quarterly to share information and advice. DHT curatorial staff have provided secretariat function for much of the last ten years. This involves organising meetings, taking an active role in developing future projects such as joint training and marketing and offering collections care advice to smaller members. The Curator is currently on the steering committee for a MGS funded project to employ a Museum Development Officer for the forum, something that will particularly help the smaller, volunteer-run member museums.

As part of the High Mill development at Verdant Works a History Hub was created in the museum that promotes the other providers of heritage in the city including our fellow Recognised Collection holder The McManus along with smaller institutions such as Dundee Museum of Transport.

Within the city the Trust collaborates with numerous cultural, learning and community organisations. We participate in local initiatives such as Dundee Science Festival, Dundee Women’s Festival and Dundee Literary Festival.

The Curator has been a committee member of Scottish Transport Industry Collections Knowledge Network (STICK) for a few years and is currently membership secretary. DHT contributed information to the machine tools project run by STICK.

The Trust has continued an active membership of Industrial Museums Scotland, a SCIO of independent industrial museums who all Recognised Collections. The IMS model of partnership working is seen as an exemplar of best practice in the sector and IMS Directors and IMS Co-ordinator have spoken at numerous events and conferences about the group. The Trust has worked with its fellow IMS members on a number of joint initiatives including a major IT project and a marketing project to raise awareness of all the member museums and their collections. The latter resulted in the creation of a public- facing brand and website ‘Go Industrial’. The Trust’s Heritage Director is currently taking the lead on working with the IMS Co-ordinator on the latest IMS joint project Go Industrial website showing associated museums. regarding collections, conservation, skills training and public outreach.

Until very recently the Heritage Director had served as the Scottish representative on the board of the Association of Independent Museums for eight years, speaking on behalf of the independent museum sector in Scotland and offering advice and support to members in Scotland. As an AIM rep she was a member of the Museums Stakeholder Group, charged with the delivery of the National Strategy for the Museums and Galleries sector in Scotland.

In terms of sharing expertise the Heritage Director has spoken at the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH) UK meeting regarding our HLF applications and experiences. In addition the Executive Director gave a presentation at a Resourcing Scotland’s Heritage event regarding our successful crowdsourcing bid.

The Trust’s Heritage Director and Finance Director continue to work locally with Dundee Transport Museum, giving them advice on interpretation, HLF grant applications and financial matters including gift aid.

The Trust’s Heritage Director and Operations Director have also given advice re fundraising, the HLF process, interpretation planning and marketing/operational issues to the Scottish Crannog Centre, Dundee High School, Manchester United Museum and District Tourism Group to name but a few.

The Trust is at the forefront of collaborative marketing work, working with Dundee City Council and Angus Council plus numerous other public and private sector organisations to enhance coverage of not only our museums, but also Dundee as a destination. We work closely with the national tourism body VisitScotland to maximise coverage in the area via promotions, workshops, competitions etc. On a wider scale we are also involved with VisitBritain exploring new and emerging markets via Business Development Missions and other events. As part of Scotland’s Heritage Partnership (26 partners including large agencies such as Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland and representing over 2,000 Scottish heritage venues) we work to promote Scotland’s heritage to the Travel Trade at various events including VisitScotland Expo (Scotland’s Travel Trade Fair). This gives us a much stronger branding to the UK and international group markets

Polar collections

Within the polar community the Trust was a member of Antarctica 100, a grouping of all UK organisations concerned with polar heritage or science (museums, archives, government agencies etc.) brought together to plan for the various polar centenaries of the Heroic Age happening from the start of 2000.

The Trust has a signed Memorandum of Understanding with the British Antarctic Survey who view Discovery Point as their partner in Scotland for the dissemination of information about polar science.

Discovery Point is one of six founding members of the Polar Museums Network, along with SPRI in and museums in Sweden and Norway. It is an international body formed to strengthen and spread the knowledge of polar history, science and exploration. Some of the aims of the PMN are to foster greater international collaboration amongst polar museums; strengthen competence through information sharing, meetings and temporary exchange of staff and cooperate on exhibitions, research, outreach/learning, documentation and conservation. The Heritage Director spoke at the inaugural conference of the PMN in Oslo in October 2016 about both the museum/polar collections and the 3D laser scanning of RRS Discovery, a Recognition Funded project.

Jute collections

Verdant Works is an Anchor Point on the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH). ERIH is a network of the most important industrial heritage sites in Europe with the Anchor Points being the most attractive sites with outstanding historical significance and with the greatest potential for tourism. Verdant Works is one of only three such designated sites in Scotland, the others also being textile museums - and Stanley Mills. Historic Scotland have recently signed up all their industrial sites to the network and it is hoped that further work to develop thematic or regional routes in Scotland can be progressed in the future.

The Heritage Director has given information and advice to a group wishing to set up a jute museum in Picardy, and most recently to one in Piedmont, Italy.

2. Have there been any major additions and/or disposals since Recognitions status was awarded and how have these affected the importance and/or quality of the Recognised Collection.

Over the past ten years Dundee Heritage Trust has not disposed of any objects but has been actively collecting for both the polar and jute collections. Since 2008 we have taken in a total of 657 accessioned collections, comprising 3,232 individual objects, archives and photographs (annual breakdown below). This material has been acquired mainly through donations but we have made a number of purchases, either via private sale or auction, supported by the National Fund for Acquisitions, United Kingdom Heritage Trust and the Friends of Dundee Heritage Trust.

We believe this has all positively affected the quality of our material as we have targeted areas previously lacking from our collections to help us present a fuller record of the history we portray. For example, in 2010 we undertook a contemporary jute collecting project acquiring over 100 jute objects which, as well as looking at traditional uses of the material such as bags etc., also focused on jute use in other areas such as fashion, the home and art.

In terms of our polar collection, where relevant material can be much harder to source, important acquisitions have been found via private sale or auction. In 2012, the centenary year of the Terra Nova expedition, we were successful in a number of auctions acquiring letters from crew members on board Discovery, original rigging plans and a contemporary oil painting of the ship commissioned just after the expedition in 1904. One area we have particularly tried to target is the increased representation of the ordinary crew member as, due to the nature of collecting, the collection tended to focus on the Officers and Scientists of polar expeditions. In 2016 we were able to acquire, via private sale through his grandson, a collection of 46 objects, photographs and archives relating to Frank Plumley (a stoker on board the 1901-1904). This comprised notebooks, poems and letters, service and polar medals, photographs and personal items such as an Expedition Royal Doulton mug, snow goggles and pipe allowing us to build up a fascinating history of a man on whom we previously held no information.

Annual breakdown of collections

Polar Collections

Total new acquisitions 2008-2018 – 578

 2008 New acquisitions – 131 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2008.52.1-27 - A collection of reports detailing scientific work undertaken on board Discovery from both the Oceanographic Expedition (1925-1927) and the following Discovery Investigations (19254-1951). Donation. - DUNIH 2008.114 - Letter written on board Discovery during the British National Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904 by crew member George Croucher to his aunt with news and details of the expedition, dated 28 February 1903. Donation. - DUNIH 2008.119 - Piece of Discovery wood taken launched into space on board the Space Shuttle Discovery. Donation. - DUNIH 2008.134 - ‘Souvenir in Affectionate Remembrance of the Antarctic Explorers’ issued to commemorate those who died during the Terra Nova Expedition 1910- 1912. Donation.

 2009 New acquisitions - 79 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2009.27.1-9 - Archives and photographs relating to Captain , Officer on board the Terra Nova Expedition 1910-1912. Donation. DUNIH 2009.61 - A tin of Colman’s Mustard taken on board Earnest Shackleton’s 1907- 1909. Donation. - DUNIH 2009.68 - Central portion of the left jawbone of a Fin Whale. Museum transfer from Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery. - DUNIH 2009.83 - ‘On the Meteorological Observations of the National Antarctic Expedition’ written by Edward Wilson DUNIH 2009.27.5 - Captain Oates and the ponies on (zoologist on board Discovery). Purchased board Terra Nova. for £5,187 from Bonham’s, with assistance from the National Fund for Acquisitions and the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust.

 2010 New acquisitions – 27 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2010.7.1&2 - Box of Dominoes and Cribbage Board made and used by Arthur Diwell whilst at sea on Discovery ( era). Donation. - DUNIH 2010.1-7- A collection of photographs relating to Discovery during the Sea Scouts era. Donation. - DUNIH 2010.21 - ‘The Daily Graphic’, dated 15th August 1916, entitled ‘The Discovery to the Rescue’ depicting the ship setting out to rescue Sir Earnest Shackleton’s Trans Antarctic Expedition 1914-1917. Donation.

 2011 New acquisitions – 34 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2011.2.1-19 - A set of cards produced by Fry’s Chocolate to commemorate the Terra Nova expedition 1910-1912. Purchased on eBay for £153.25. - DUNIH 2011.3.1-3 - Three ‘Strand’ magazines, dated July, August and October 1917 detailing DUNIH 2011.2.18 - Commemorative ‘Captain Scott’s Own Story’ from his journal chocolate card, ‘The Sleeping Tent’. entries. Donation. - DUNIH 2011.34 - ‘Polar Sky’ print by illustrator Andy . This depicts words that polar explorers, travellers, scientists and authors have used to describe the South Pole. Purchase for £108 from Polarworld Ltd. - DUNIH 2011.44 - Book, ‘From Edinburgh to the Antarctic’ by William Gordon DUNIH 2011.34 – ‘Polar Sky’ print by Andy Smith Burn Murdoch. Relating to the author’s time as an artist on board the Balaena, as part of the Dundee led British Whaling Expedition 1892- 1893. Donation. - DUNIH 2011.49 - Menu from the Captain’s Dinner held on board the RRS Discovery on 8 July 2011 in honour of a visit from the Space Shuttle Discovery Crew STS-133. Signed on the back by the crew members. Donation.

 2012 New acquisitions – 18 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2012.1-3 - Three Polar Explorer toy figures made by Herald Miniatures, circa 1960s. Donation. - DUNIH 2012.38.1&2 - Two manuscripts of songs devised and played on SY Morning during her Relief Expedition to Discovery 1902-1903. The songs are entitled ‘ Yuss’ and ‘The North Land’, with words written by J.D. Morrison (Chief Engineer) and music by Gerald S. Doorly (Officer). Donation. - DUNIH 2012.39.3 - Rigging Plan from Terra Nova inscribed by Boatswain Alfred Cheetham. Purchased at Bonham’s Polar sale for £3,250 with assistance from National Fund for Acquisitions and the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust. - DUNIH 2012.43 - Oil Painting ‘Discovery in Winter Quarters’, depicting the ship trapped in the ice. Painted by artist Harold Whitehead shortly after the expedition based on photographs taken in 1902. Purchased at Christie’s Travel, Science and Natural History sale for £18,200 with assistance from National Fund for Acquisitions and the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust.

 2013 New acquisitions – 16 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2013.2- Teaspoon fashioned from the German Silver sledge runner belonging to Reginald Keottlitz (surgeon on board Discovery 1901-1904). Purchased at Bonham’s Polar sale for £1,820 with assistance from National Fund for Acquisitions and the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust. - DUNIH 2013.4 - Service records and expedition diary belonging to Thomas Whitfield (stoker during the British National Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904). Donation. - DUNIH 2013.25 - Harmonium used on board the Discovery expedition 1901-1904, presented to the expedition by the Citizens of Christchurch, New Zealand, . Donation. - DUNIH 2013.39.1-3 - Three original blueprints from the building of SY Discovery depicting the rigging, the upper deck plan and the original dimensions and wood specifications. Purchased through a private sale for £5,000 with assistance from National Fund for Acquisitions and the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust. - DUNIH 2013.40.1&2 - Microscope and medical kit belonging to Reginald Koettlitz (surgeon on board the British National Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904). Purchased through a private sale for £6,000 with assistance from National Fund for Acquisitions and the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust.

 2014 New acquisitions – 22 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2014.5.1-3 - Urn and plaque commemorating Tryggve Gran, Norwegian adventurer and ski expert upon the Terra Nova Expedition (1910-1913) who made the first flight across the from Cruden Bay to Stavanger on 30 July 1914. Donation. - DUNIH 2014.14.1&9 - A collection of polar archives relating to expeditions on board both Discovery and Terra Nova. Purchased from Meridian Rare Books for the discounted price of £800. - DUNIH 2014.22 - Daily Mirror newspaper, dated 5 December 1916 with photographs and an account of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1914-1917. Donation. - DUNIH 2014.24 - Report from the BANZARE (British, Australia, New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition 1929-1931) ‘Volume II Birds’ by R.A. Falla (Assistant Zoologist). Donation.

 2015 New acquisitions – 5 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2015.1 - ‘South with Scott’ book relating to the Terra Nova expedition 1910- 1912, signed by Edward Evans 1942. Donation. - DUNIH 2015.7 - Gramophone record specially commissioned and taken on board BANZARE 1929-1931. Donation. - DUNIH 2015.8.1 - Pennant Souvenir from RRS Discovery’s Sea Scout era. Donation.

 2016 New acquisitions – 116 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2016.2.1-3 - Photographs and Christmas cards relating to Erik Hamilton (Zoologist on board Discovery during Oceanographic Expedition, 1925-1927). Donation. - DUNIH 2016.23.2 - Dinner plate reproduced in the style of the crockery of the 1901-1904 expedition as a special issue for the Space Shuttle Discovery and one of three pieces carried on its maiden flight 30 August - 5 September 1984. Donation. DUNIH 2016.23.2 - Plate produced for the Space Shuttle Discovery.

- DUNIH 2016.30.1-46 - A collection of 46 objects, photographs and archives relating to Frank Plumley (crew member on board the Discovery expedition 1901-1904). Purchased through a private sale for £25,000 with assistance from the National Fund for Acquisitions and the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust. DUNIH 2016.36 - An 8mm cine film relating to the Sea Scout era of Discovery. Donation. DUNIH 2016.30 – part of the Frank Plumley collection.

2017 New acquisitions – 106 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2017.2.1-61 - A collection of 67 archives and photographs relating to Alister Hardy (zoologist on the Oceanographic Expedition 1925-1927). Donation. - DUNIH 2017.4.1-8 - Eight bound ‘Punch’ magazines all taken on board Discovery during the 1901-1904 expedition, each inscribed by H.T. Ferrar (Geologist) Donation. - DUNIH 2017.7 - Sepia photograph of Discovery during the Hudson’s Bay era. Donation. - DUNIH 2017.24 - Sweetheart brooch made from a button belonging to SY Morning (relief ship for the British National Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904). Purchased in a private sale for £225. - DUNIH 2017.28 - Print of artwork ‘Rum Ration’ by illustrator Kali Wallace, featuring representation of the Grog Tub from the 1901-1904 expedition in our collections. Purchased in a private sale from the artist for £60.

2018 (January - July) New acquisitions – 24 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2018.5 - NASA flight suit worn by astronaut James F. Reilly during his third mission to the International Space Station on board the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 2007. Donation. - DUNIH 2018.6 - Space tile, part of the thermal protective system, taken from the Space Shuttle Discovery. In place during Discovery’s 11 missions from August 1984 to October 1990. Donation. - DUNIH 2018.11 - Expedition patch relating to the Transglobal Expedition 1979-1982 led by Sir . Donation.

Jute Collections

Total new acquisitions 2008-2018 – 2,654

 2008 New acquisitions – 859 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2008.1 - Photograph album commemorating the visit of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh to , 28 June 1955. Donation. - DUNIH 2008.38 - ‘ The Strike Leader’, caricature of Mr. John F Sime, secretary of the Jute and Flax Workers Union, circa 1920s. Donation. - DUNIH 2008.48 - Sculptor’s maquette of Dundee engineer James Carmichael (1776- 1853). Designed by John Hutchinson and installed in 1876, the final sculpture still stands today in Dundee’s Albert Square. Donation. - DUNIH 2008.115.7 - Hand hackler, used to loosen the raw jute fibre threads before spinning. Donation. - DUNIH 2008.174.1-3 - A collection of photographs depicting the wedding and pre wedding games of a weaver in Fergusson’s Mill. Donation.

 2009 New acquisitions – 632 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2009.21.1-5 - A collection of photographs and weaver’s tools relating to a worker in Wellington Works. Includes weaver’s , palm protector and a porter gauge. Donation. - DUNIH 2009.23.1-3 - A set of medals and certificates awarded to George Duncan from City and Guilds for Jute weaving and spinning, dated 1922. Donation. - DUNIH 2009.41 - Wooden sign for Thomas Bonar and Company, circa 1940s. Donation. - DUNIH 2009.52.1-9 - Nine 16mm cine films relating to the annual workers’ picnics of Wallace Craigie Works, dated 1949-1959. Donation. - DUNIH 2009.71.1 - Leaflet advertising Urquhart, Lindsay and Company at Blackness Foundry for the German market, dated 1865. Donation.

 2010 New acquisitions – 42 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2010.9 - First Aid box from an unknown jute mill, dated 1955. Donation. - DUNIH 2010.38 - Metal plaque engraved Seafield Works, a mill in Taylor’s Lane from 1848-1986. Donation. - DUNIH 2010.43 - Bale hook used by stowers during the batching stage of the jute process. Donation. - DUNIH 2010.45.1&2 - Notebooks relating to mill workers’ pay and hours, dated circa 1940. Donation.

 2011 New acquisitions – 190 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2011.18 - Jute jacket created by designer Betty Jackson. Donated by the designer and acquired as part of a contemporary jute collecting project. - DUNIH 2011.36.1-3 - Silver plated coffee set gifted to John C Henry, Chairman of the worker’s side Jute Trade Board, from his colleagues on the occasion of his marriage, dated July 1928. Donation. - DUNIH 2011.40.4.1 - Drawing instruments, stored in a wooden presentation box with brass plaque reading ‘To Mr James Harper, from the mechanics of Dudhope Works, Dundee August 1879’. Donation. - DUNIH 2011.50.1-3 - Set of three photographs relating to the social life of Dundonians living in Calcutta working in the jute industry. Donation.

 2012 New acquisitions – 123 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2012.6 - Jute beach bag by French fashion house Lanvin. Donated by the designer and acquired as part of a contemporary jute collecting project. - DUNIH 2012.23 - Jute ghillie suit, a camouflage outfit used by soldiers and hunters to blend into the background. Purchased for £74.05 as part of a contemporary jute collecting project. - DUNIH 2012.24.1 - Coffin made from decomposable jute fibres. Donated by J Funerals and acquired as part of a contemporary jute collecting project. - DUNIH 2012.25 - ‘Simon’ coffee sack chair created by ‘The Chairman and Son’ company. Donated by the designer and acquired as part of a targeted contemporary jute collecting project. - DUNIH 2012.27 - ‘Everything is Natural, Everything is Spirits’ jute tent installation by DUNIH 2012.23 - Jute Ghillie Suit. noted textile artist Anna King. Donation.

 2013 New acquisitions – 40 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2013.1 - Hand coloured aquatint ‘View of the Works at Fort Gloster’, depicting the early stages of industrialisation on the River Hooghly, Calcutta, 1875. Purchased at Bonham’s Travel Sale for £910 with assistance from the National Fund for Acquisitions. - DUNIH 2013.23 - Map of Boundary Commission Award of Bengal. Donation. - DUNIH 2013.31 - A model aeroplane made from various jute tools and equipment, created in 1991. Donation. - DUNIH 2013.34.1&2 - A shott gauge and a porter gauge, used to check the quality of the weave. Donation.

 2014 New acquisitions – 80 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2014.4 - Plan of Barnagore South Factory Mill, Calcutta. Purchased in a private sale for £350 with the assistance of the Friends of Dundee Heritage Trust. - DUNIH 2014.6 - Bronze plaque of John F. Sime, secretary of the Jute and Flax Workers Union, originally erected in the vestibule of the Union Offices. Donation. - DUNIH 2014.11 - Poetry book ‘Musings in the Mill’ by David S Littlejohn, dated 1915. Donation. - DUNIH 2014.25 - Oil painting of the County of . This ship by R&J Craig of Glasgow was used to transport jute on the Scottish East India Line between Great Britain (Dundee and ) and India (Bombay and Calcutta). Purchased in a private sale for £1,250 with the assistance of the National Fund for Acquisitions. - DUNIH 2014.27 - World War One ULRO Service badge, worn by men working within the jute industry to signify why they weren’t fighting. Donation.

 2015 New acquisitions – 86 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2015.3.1-12 - A collection of photographs showing the different departments of Alliance Jute Mill, Calcutta. Donation. - DUNIH 2015.5 - Roof slate from Ballachulish Slate Quarries. Taken from Verdant Works’ roof during restoration. - DUNIH 2015.9 - Red wooden cog wheel pattern, used for casting. Donation. DUNIH 2015.3.9 - Jute mechanics from Alliance Jute - DUNIH 2015.35 - Wooden barrow Mill, Calcutta. inscribed ‘A. Thomas & Sons’ Verdant Works’. Found in Verdant Works. - DUNIH 2015.39 - Leather bellows produced by John C. Onions Ltd. Dating from late 19th century. In situ equipment in Verdant Works. - DUNIH 2015.86 - Drill made by Dundee engineering firm William McLean and Sons Ltd. In situ equipment in Verdant Works.

 2016 New acquisitions – 291 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2016.7.1-7 - A collection of seven artworks including linocuts and paintings relating to Dundee and jute mills by local artist Allan Beveridge. Purchased for £500 from the artist, a substantial discount. - DUNIH 2016.12 - Barrackpore Golf Club Ladies Challenge Cup Trophy, awarded to Edith Penny, 1941. Donation. - DUNIH 2016.19 - Pocket soap, used as a marketing product for Jute Industries Ltd. and featuring Daisee Jute cartoon. Donation.

 2017 New acquisitions – 297 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2017.3.1 - ‘’ statuette decorated with a theme of Verdant Works by local artist Pam Kelly. Purchased from the artist for £75. - DUNIH 2017.8 - 'Dundee Past and Present' Book presented by Dundee and District Mill and Factory Operatives Union. Purchased for £80. - DUNIH 2017.16.2 - Photograph album to commemorate a royal visit to Douglasfield Works, May 1969. Donation. - DUNIH 2017.31 - ‘The Fabric of Dundee’ book by Bazorg (elders in Urdu) at Dundee Women's Centre, produced during the ‘Indian Summer’ project at Verdant Works. Donation.

- DUNIH 2017.36.1-3 - Three paintings by artist Nicola Wiltshire, based on her residency at Halley Stevenson Factory (Baltic Mill). Purchased from the artist in a private sale for £650.

DUNIH 2017.1 - ‘Sunset Paradise’ Oil Painting by Nicola Wiltshire.

 2018 (January - July) New acquisitions – 14 Highlights include: - DUNIH 2018.2.1 - Document recording 'Estimated cost of Spinning Mill and Weaving factory for India', November 1882. Donation. - DUNIH 2018.4 - Jute sack dress associated with mock wedding tradition, dated 1961. Donation.

- DUNIH 2018.9 - Silver matchbox given to John Ferguson relating to Dens Factory, April 1888. Donation.

DUNIH 2018.4 - Jute sack dress associated with mock wedding tradition. 3. A description/outline of the curatorial provision for the collection and whether this has changed since Recognition status was awarded

General – both collections

At the time of Recognition status being awarded, Dundee Heritage Trust employed a Heritage & Exhibitions Director Gill Poulter (4 days a week) and a full time Museums Officer Chris Henry. The collections work was also supported by a long standing volunteer Jo Herbert who at that stage had been with us for twenty years.

The situation currently is exactly the same, albeit for a job title difference. The Heritage & Exhibitions Director is still in post and we now have a full time Curator. The Curator Louisa Attaheri has been with us for 8 years now and has built up considerable knowledge of both collections in that time. The collections volunteer Jo is still here and recently celebrated 30 years volunteering with us (interviewed and filmed for a feature on the MGS website).

In the interim the curatorial staffing levels in the Heritage & Exhibitions department did increase with the appointment of an Assistant Curator Julie Millerick to work alongside the Museums Officer. This post was initially funded by MGS as part of a Recognition project. Once this support ended Dundee Heritage Trust continued to fund the post. When the Museums Officer left, the Assistant Curator Julie was promoted to the role of Curator. We then recruited another Assistant Curator, Louisa Attaheri. The department required this additional staff resource for the large capital High Mill project at Verdant Works. When the Curator left in December 2015 (by that time working 3 days a week) the decision was taken to re-allocate that salary into a new post of Development Officer, a full time fundraising position. So the Assistant Curator became the Curator.

The work of the department is supplemented on a regular basis with support from other volunteers – students on placement from the Museum & Gallery Studies course at the University of plus other students wishing to get experience before applying to such courses.

In 2017 Julia Volkel, a Museum Studies and German (MA) at the University of Würzburg, came to us on an Erasmus Placement for three months to gain valuable work experience. She took part in a variety of curatorial duties such as documentation and digitisation of the collections and photography of all loan objects and the Frank Plumley polar material.

A member of our Front-of-House team David Reid is currently undertaking the SVQ3 in Museums & Galleries Practice run through MGS. He has been assisting with curatorial and exhibitions work.

4. How collections knowledge has been improved since award of Recognition status - research, exhibitions, publications, collaborations.

General – both collections

Research, both into our collections and associated themes, is an aspect continually undertaken internally by the curatorial team, student placements and volunteers. In addition to this we also have external researchers visiting the museum to study the collections. For example, in 2016 Helen Bergin, a PHD student in Historical Geography from the University of Hull spent a week in our archives for her dissertation on William Colbeck (captain of the SY Morning), the results of which we were able to add to our research library.

In addition to physical visits, since 2012 all our polar and jute collections can be browsed online, thanks to a project supported by Recognition funding. This has dramatically increased the amount of people who can use our material and we have had research enquiries from all around the world, including Norway, India, Australia and even Antarctica. The fact that our photographs and archives are digitised means that people can zoom in to see detail and can read documents and letters online so they may get the information they need without getting in contact with us.

A major catalyst for improving our collection knowledge has come with the increased capacity for temporary exhibitions and our two large capital projects. Our most recent project, redevelopment of the permanent galleries at Discovery Point has seen us focus, through showcases and interpretation, on previously under-represented themes such as sledging during the Heroic Age, Discovery’s Sea Scout era and modern polar exploration. In order to facilitate this, research was undertaken using both our archives and secondary sources and through partnerships with the Scott Polar Research Institute and the British Antarctic Survey.

Our High Mill galleries at Verdant Works, which opened in 2015, focus on jute mill architecture and engineering, narratives only previously lightly touched upon in the existing museum. In order to write graphic panels and the object interpretation in this area research was undertaken within our own collection, local and industrial The Attic of the High Mill. heritage organisations and through a close partnership with industrial heritage engineer Jim Mitchell. We also commissioned John Crompton (former Principal Curator of Engineering and Technology at NMS) to research the Boulton and Watt archives in to produce a detailed report on the history and background of the Boulton and Watt engine, displayed within the galleries, and its connection with Dundee’s industrial and textile history.

In terms of temporary exhibitions, in 2008 we were able to purchase a large showcase for Discovery Point and then, in 2011, three showcases for Verdant Works, all funded by the Recognition scheme. This has allowed us to display object based exhibitions within the entrance areas of both museums at least twice a year, enabling us to significantly increase the amount of material displayed. These exhibitions either focus on a particular person, expedition or theme, highlight new acquisitions or focus on material never previously exhibited. This research, as well as being used within the interpretation of the exhibition, is also documented within Adlib allowing much fuller records and a better understanding of our collection.

Some selected temporary exhibitions have included:

Polar collections

 Race to the Pole - Terra Nova Centenary Exhibition (12 June - 2 December 2010) Photography exhibition commemorating the centenary of Captain Scott’s ill-fated expedition to the South Pole aboard the Dundee-built whaler Terra Nova.

 Stars from the stores (8 Dec 2010 - 12 July 2011) Showcase exhibition focusing on new acquisitions and material previously un-displayed. This includes objects on William Colbeck (Captain of SY Morning) and archives relating to the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1955-58.

 Life and Antarctic Explorations of Earnest Shackleton (27 Jul - 5 January 2012) This was a combination of objects from the collection plus a selection of specimens from Dundee University’s D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum including a full sized Gentoo skeleton.  Terra Nova/Discovery (28 February - 3 October 2013) Items include a sewing machine used by crew member James Dell during the Discovery 1901-1904 expedition, one of the ship’s telescopes and fragments of a cake sent to Captain Oates. In addition we also displayed polar archives conserved under the AIM Conservation Grant Scheme such as the original rigging plan for the Terra Nova. This show was created by St. Andrews placement student Louisa Grossi.

 Polar Science Showcase (10 July 2014 - Feb 2015) Focusing on scientific work and discoveries undertaken during a range of historic Antarctic expeditions. This was specially produced to coincide with ’s ‘Ice Station Antarctica’ exhibition.

 After Scott Showcase (Feb - Dec 2016) This looked at Discovery’s two further Antarctic expeditions after 1904, Oceanographic 1925-1927 and BANZARE 1929-1931 as well as the ship during the Sea Scouts era.

 Frank Plumley exhibition (24 Jan 2017 - 20 July 2017) Showcasing objects and archives relating to the stoker on the 1901 – 1904 Discovery expedition.

 Exploration Heroes (26 April - Present) Focusing on polar scientist Alister Hardy, the crossing the line ceremony and steward Gilbert Scott from Discovery’s 1901-1904 expedition. This was created by St. Andrews placement student Ji Yeon Seong.

Jute collections

 From Carriers to Coffins - Jute in the 21st Century (28 May - 2 December 2011) Exploring contemporary jute products with uses related to fashion, art, funerals, the military and home furnishings. N.B. This exhibition was the first major temporary exhibition we produced in- house and decided to open for free to visitors. It led to us winning the Entrepreneurial Award at the 2012 Museum & Heritage Awards.

 The Warp and Weft of Life: Weaving in Dundee (5 May - 2 November 2012) As part of the city-wide celebrations of the Weaver Craft’s 500th anniversary year this exhibition explored weaving in the city and the lives of the textile workers. As well as a photographic exhibition it was also object rich.

 ‘The Warp and Weft of Life’ (8 February - 6 April 2014) The photographic exhibition element of the above featuring striking images from the Trust’s rich historic collection including local factories and mills, weaving machinery and Dundee’s weavers at work.

 ‘Praise, Presents and Parties: Celebration in Dundee’s Jute Mills’ (29 March - 12 October 2014) Showcase exhibition put together by St. Andrews University Museum Studies placement student Charlie Trzeciak highlighting how the mills recognised important events such as weddings, coronations and anniversaries.

 Work, Leisure and Class: Life in the Indian Jute Mills- India (7 April - 27 November 2015) Also produced by a St. Andrews University Museum Studies placement student, Hannah Sycamore, this exhibition explored links between Dundee and India.

 ‘Scotstyle – Building the Century’ (1 - 31 October 2016) A touring exhibition led by The Royal Incorporation of Architects celebrating the top 100 buildings in Scotland from 1916-2015, as nominated by the public. An accompanying showcase exhibition with material from the jute collection focused on mill architecture.

 The Jute Story: Connecting Kolkata and Dundee - Nazes Afroz (8 October 2016 - 15 January 2017) Images by Nazes Afroz (a journalist based in Kolkata) taken in Indian mills toady alongside historical photographs from our collection, revealing similarities within the mills and jute production process in 21st century Kolkata and that of Dundee over one hundred years ago.

 Creativity in the Collection: Art and Advertising (1 March - 1 September 2017) Produced by St. Andrews Student Charlotte Yeung this exhibition displayed the creative side of the jute industry, showcasing a range of objects such as drawing, poetry, sculpture, printing and advertising dating from the 19th to the 21st century.

 Weddings and Work: Celebrations in the Mills- (9 August 2018 - Present) Created by SVQ student placement David Reid (a member of our FOH team), this showcase exhibition focuses on the mill girls’ working life as well as the particular rituals that surround special occasions such as weddings.

In addition to exhibition research, curatorial staff have also provided considerable historical research assistance towards the production of numerous television/radio programmes and written publications. Some highlights include:

Polar collections

 Article on the Henry Tuke 1927 watercolour of Discovery for the journal of the Scottish Society for Art History (April 2010).  Neil Oliver’s programme about William Spiers Bruce as part of the BBC’s ‘The Last Explorers’ series which included footage aboard Discovery and images from our collection (October 2011).  ‘Scott’s Forgotten Surgeon’ by Gus Jones. The author used our collections which culminated in a book launch at the museum and subsequent talk (November 2012).  DHT partnered with the Universities of St Andrews and Dundee in a research project ‘Hunting and Making Knowledge’ Dundee’s Globalisation through Trans- Maritime Whaling 1750 – 1914’. (2015)  Assisting the polar museum in Oslo with an exhibition and associated publication regarding Earnest Shackleton (2015) and a publication on the Southern Cross expedition (2017).

Jute collections

 The book '100 Places That Made Britain' by David Musgrove and published in 2011 lists Verdant Works as one of those important places. BBC History Magazine invited leading British historians to nominate a place they believe to hold particular significance in the national story. Verdant Works was nominated by Maxine Berg, Professor of History at the University of Warwick as a place ‘‘where you can see the global nature of Victorian industry in one place’’. (2011)  ’s Jute Journey – BBC 2 major documentary following the actor Brian Cox as he investigated his own family history in the jute industry. It includes footage shot at Verdant Works, showcasing our ‘star’ volunteer Lily Thomson as well as incredible film of a ‘modern’ jute mill in India. (Oct 2009)  The May issue of ‘Context’, The Journal of Institute of Historic Building Conservation featured an article on ‘Iron Frames in Textile Mills’ referencing Verdant Works.  BBC2’s ‘Great Railway Journeys’ series with Michael Portillo filmed at Verdant Works featuring sequences with the Heritage Director and a volunteer. We also supplied them with numerous collection images that they used as well as assistance with historical information for the script. (2015)  During April 2016 the High Mill Gallery was chosen as a filming location for a new Andrew Marr documentary focusing on how Scotland is changing economically and culturally using Dundee as an example. Historic images of the jute industry from our collection may also be selected to highlight this. (April 2016)

Finally we have been able to increase our knowledge of the collections through collaboration. One exciting example, in terms of our polar collection, is the Recognition grant which allowed us to work with Digital Surveys of Newcastle to commission a 3D laser scan of RRS Discovery. This data was primarily an important conservation management tool, allowing us to assess any structural movements in the ship’s hull. However we were also able to use the 3D rendered models, animations and walk-throughs to create an AV film covering all stages of the project which is now on display in the Specification Gallery.

In terms of our jute collections, since 2015 with the appointment of a Learning and Audiences officer role we have run a variety of memory exchange projects in collaboration with facilitators Zoe Venditozzi and Lynne Campbell. This used images and handling collections as the basis of sharing memories which have then informed a variety of outputs such as songs, a booklet of memories regarding the connection between India and Dundee and ‘Stories of Memory Exchange workshop Dundee: Fae Me Tay You’, an illustrated children’s book. With living memories of the jute industry fading these first-hand accounts of the industry, objects and Dundee in general are a great resource in improving our collections knowledge.

5. What impact Recognition status has had on the reputation of the collection and organisation

General - both collections

The Recognition scheme allows us to demonstrate that our collections have been independently assessed and valued at a certain level. This helps external stakeholders understand (and believe) that our collections are of national and international importance. This is very useful when applying for funding, particularly to organisations that may not be familiar with the Trust and our two museums.

Along with Museum Accreditation, the status gives gravitas to the organisation, and shows that we are responsible for important heritage. This is especially the case with the Discovery collection, since as we are geographically separate from the other UK polar institutions, many based in the south of , standards such as Recognition help us to highlight the significance of the collection and raise its’ profile.

The Recognised Collections holders meetings bring us together with other Recognised Collections on a regular basis and one outcome of this has been to raise the profile of both our museums and collections within the Scottish museums sector and on a wider geographic basis than before.

Having Recognised collections is one of the cornerstones of membership of Industrial Museums Scotland. This grouping has been very positive for our organisation, bringing benefits related to sharing best practice and partnership working.

It is undoubtedly a badge of pride within Dundee Heritage Trust that both our collections have this status and it features prominently in our museums, in our annual reports, in talks that are given to local groups or visiting museum studies students etc.

Finally, the many and diverse projects that we have been able to undertake as a result of numerous Recognition grants have moved our organisation forward in terms of collections care, interpretation, visitor facilities and skills development (full details at Question 9). These have all helped improve the reputation of both collections and Dundee Heritage Trust.

6. How the Recognition logo is being used in the museum and on promotional material such as website and leaflets.

The presentation plaques are displayed in the Front of House areas of both Verdant Works and Discovery Point.

Online, the logos can be seen in the collection section of the Trust’s website www.dundeeheritagetrust.co.uk/collections/, within our separate Collection Online Database (www.dhtcollections.com) and as part of the Discovery and Verdant sections of the ‘Go Industrial’ website, the public face of Industrial Museums Scotland.

Within our printed literature the logos are visible on the leaflets for both museums as well as our printed ‘What’s On’ guide. We also refer to the Recognition scheme when writing or talking about the collections whether in presentations, funding applications, annual reports, interpretation or on social media.

Facebook post concerning the Recognised Collections. 7. Loans from the Collection, and whether this changed since Recognition status was awarded.

The demand for loans from both collections has increased since Recognition status was awarded. We believe this is in part due to an increased awareness of the collections and partly due to a heightened web presence due to our Collections Online Database (which was a Recognised collections funded project). Our loan of objects and images to the Coffee Museum in Santos, Brazil was certainly first initiated due to this database.

Our loans since Recognition status was awarded can be summarised as follows:

Polar collections

5 short term loans comprising of 43 objects/photographs and archives

- Loan of Discovery photographs to St. Andrews Museum (May 2010 – Jan 2011) Comprising of 8 photographs showing life and work on board relating to the British National Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904.

- Loan of Terra Nova material to Kirriemuir Gateway to the Glens Museum (Jan – June 2012) Comprising of 13 archives and photographs including the diary of stoker , photographs of Edward Wilson sketching on board Terra Nova, a collection of Herbert Ponting photographs and a letter written by Captain Lawrence Oates’ mother Caroline.

- Loan of Discovery 1901-1904 objects to St. Andrews Museum Studies exhibition (March-May 2009) Comprising of 13 objects and archives including Discovery crockery, port, sledging cup and archives such as a Christmas menu and Christmas card.

- Loan objects and archives relating to Terra Nova to Athy Museum, County Kildare, Ireland (Oct – Dec 2012) Comprising of 9 objects and archives including Western Sledge Journey charts, moulding from the ship, a pannikin, pony snow shoe and a photo album belonging to Atkinson.

- Oceanographic expedition archive loaned to Scottish Fisheries Museum (March- June 2015) ‘Notes and Sketches made during two years of the Oceanographic Expedition’ by E.R. Gunther.

Jute collections

6 short and long term loans comprising of 45 objects/photographs and archives

2 long term loans - Loan of objects related to the jute industry to National Museums Scotland for their permanent gallery ‘Scotland: A Changing Nation’. Images from the collection were also used as part of their interpretation (Feb 2008 - Present) Comprising of 15 objects including jute and carpet samples, a model loom, tools such as palm protector, bale hook and weaver’s scissors and a Jute and Flax Union badge.

- Loan of jute objects and machinery to McManus Galleries to be included in their permanent gallery ‘Making of Modern Dundee’ (April 2010 - Present) Comprising 3 objects, a sample of the last piece of cloth woven at Cox’s mill, a weaving training device and a sample roll of hessian wallpaper.

4 short term loans

- Loan of jute fabrics and mill furniture to Scottish Fisheries Museum (March- June 2015) Comprising of jute shuttles, bobbins, pirns and raw/ carded material.

- Loan of jute tools and images to the Museu do Café, Santos Brazil as part of their ‘Trama: a industria da sacria’ exhibition (Dec 2015 - April 2016) Comprising of tools including weaver’s scissors, bale hook, sack needle, palm protector as well as images of the Dundee and Indian jute industry for reproduction in graphics.

DHT images and objects (in showcase pictured left) at the Museu do Café, Santos Brazil.

- Loan of jute objects to National Archives of Scotland for ‘Famous Scots’ exhibition in the Scotland’s People Centre, Edinburgh (July- September 2009), relating to the actor Brian Cox whose mother worked in the Dundee mills Comprising of shuttles, cop, bobbins, yarn and raw jute.

- Loan of jute fabrics and mill furniture to Indigo Hotel - former jute mill (June 2018- present) Comprising of jute shuttles, bobbins, pirns, jute yarn and raw/ carded material.

8. How engagement with the collection has changed since Recognition status was awarded.

General – both collections

One of the most significant changes in the way that people are now able to interact with our collections is the on-line database www.dhtcollections.com (link from the main museum website as well), originally created with Recognition funding and now expanded by our curatorial staff. DHT invests significant time in maintaining and adding to this database as we view it as a critical resource, both internally and for the public. We are very proud of the significant percentage of collection items that have an image attached as a result of being digitally photographed or scanned. It is incredibly useful for enquiries and researchers of all types and it has undoubtedly raised the profile of our collections and helped a lot of people find us. The database has led to requests to use our images in books, TV shows and exhibitions as well as the loan of objects.

Textile and polar collections available to view on the Collections Online Database.

Both the Recognised Collections also feature on www.goindustrial.co.uk, the public facing website of Industrial Museums Scotland. Twenty ‘star’ objects from each museum are highlighted on the ‘Our Collections’ page.

The increased use of social media is another significant development since 2008. The Facebook and Twitter sites for both museums were set up in 2009. But it is especially in the last 3 years, with the concerted effort of a couple of staff members, that our interaction has improved and the number of followers have really increased. Some of the most popular posts we do on Facebook and Twitter are related to objects and the collections, particularly those that have a story related to the object. Some of these posts have led to loans or donations to the collections and they have also added to our knowledge about the objects as people contact us to add more information or related stories.

Various capital developments at both museums over the past ten years have displayed more of the collections but have also seen the collections used increasingly within the interpretation, especially for multimedia. New AV films or computer interactives enable significant numbers of images, predominantly of archives and photographs, to be shown.

DHT has been expanding our programme of public events at both museums over recent years. The High Mill development at Verdant Works involved the creation of a new Learning & Access post and currently we have an Audience Engagement Officer working to reach new audiences at Discovery Point. It is our mantra that all activities and events must be related in some way to the themes of the museums and the collections and we will not chose random subjects just because they are popular.

Polar collections

Discovery Point’s Facebook page currently (15/8/2018) has 3,139 followers. We see significant follower jumps and interactions linked to posts involving collections. The most popular posts of late have been related to the Sea Scout era on board Discovery with three posts linked to this having reached 115,632 people around the world in just one month, being particularly popular in Europe, North America and East Asia.

A post related to the painting in the collections by Harold Whitehead was also popular with a reach of 3,423 in one single item post. Another post relating to the acquisition of a small image of the Discovery locked in the ice reached 1,571 people when the average for other non-collection based posts at the time was around the 250 mark with another spike to 1,131 with a post about biscuits held in our collection for #BiscuitDay!

Our social media activity has established links with private collectors of polar material as well as descendants of original crew members. Their positive experiences with our collections and posts (such as the one below) has created useful relationships for potential future donations/loans/linkups ‘’ Thank you so much for your post today about my Grandfather Clarence Hare & his miraculous survival in 1902 after being lost in the Antarctic Blizzard. It bought tears to my eyes as it was shared among our family over the world bringing us together to remember why we are here.’’ Virginia Bassett

Discovery Point’s Twitter page currently (15/08/2018) has 7,557 followers. As with Facebook the significant rise has been in relation to collections related posts. 29,000 impressions (individual views) were made of a post showing the image in our collections of the Discovery sea trials. We regularly now have an monthly impressions total of over 130,000 on Twitter showing our posts and collections are reaching far further than just our followers.

Connections made include marine artist Robert Lloyd who contacted us and allowed us to use his artwork for posts. A director working on a new TV series based on the race to the pole (hopefully more interaction for that later). The daughter of the architect who designed Discovery Point made contact after being attracted to our twitter feed and shared original artwork and models of the proposed building. Contact with weather man Peter Gibbs on Twitter resulted in a phone call for a school group on board Discovery to the RRS Ernest Shackleton in Antarctica. The themes in the questions during the call linked the modern equivalent of ship, food and equipment using Discovery and the collections in the museum as base comparisons.

Discovery Point turned 25 years old this year, having been opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 1 July 1993. We decided to celebrate this silver jubilee with an increased focus on our incredible polar material. Starting on 6 June, coincidentally the 150th anniversary of Captain Scott’s birthday, for 25 days leading up to 1 July we chose our 25 favourite silver (or silver-themed) objects. We then created posts and videos to share online with a daily feature on Facebook and Twitter. The silver object posts were particularly popular on Twitter with the silver One of the videos about silver objects from the trail shared via tea pot from BANZARE Facebook and Twitter. being top with 16,500 impressions.

Jute collections

Verdant Works’ Facebook page currently (15/08/2018) has 1,510 followers. Significant follower jumps and interactions were seen related to our events programme which is of course linked to the collections. Most popular posts relating to collections included the project by the textile design students from Duncan of Jordanstone art school inspired by the museum which reached 2,167 in a single post and 1,565 reach for a post by “Mr Forester” relating to the loom. Various connections have been made through Facebook including a recent offer of a number of Textile Manufacturing magazines.

Verdant Works’ Twitter currently (15/08/2018) has 3,342 followers. As with Facebook the significant rise has been linked to events based posts. Highlights include 11,700 interactions for a post linked to suffragette movement using images of female workers from the collection and 16, 000 interactions using historic images of workers for a special # day. Artist Caroline Hack first made contact with us through Twitter and will shortly be having an exhibition at Verdant Works related to whaling and its links to Dundee and its’ textile industry. 9. The benefits Recognised status has brought for the collection and/or organisation

General – both collections

‘Status’ is undoubtedly the right word as Recognition is an important badge of quality and has brought external awareness of and respect for the heritage we are responsible for. Recognition may not have general public awareness and I think we should understand (and accept) that this is unlikely without a substantial, sustained and expensive marketing campaign. But it is a scheme that is now known and respected by some of the key funders for our sector e.g. Heritage Lottery Fund. When you are in often fierce competition for resources anything that can set you apart and give you an edge is to be welcomed.

Access to the Recognition Fund (or now additional money under the Development Fund strand) is a benefit not to be under-estimated. This has allowed Dundee Heritage Trust to undertake a significant number of diverse projects which have moved our organisation forward in terms of collections care, interpretation, visitor facilities and skills development. Since the beginning of the scheme we have received £290,000 in Recognition-related funding, a significant sum for our organisation. Many of these projects have improved the museum facilities and the visitor experience which have helped us to retain our 5 star rating from Visit Scotland and win other awards.

Polar collections

Our second Recognition funded ‘Virtual Curator’ project in 2009/10 saw the retention of the curatorial assistant Julie Millerick for a further year to digitize all the photographs and archives in the polar collections. A Dundee company MTC was contracted to create a website providing on-line public access to the collections database. This included a digital video vault of a number of our digitised historic films along with the ‘Curator’s Choice’ section where members of the heritage team were filmed on camera describing star objects from the collections. The final part of the project was the production of a new multimedia for the Men of Discovery gallery at Discovery Point, an interactive programme focusing on the crew, their work, leisure and clothing and their journey to Antarctica.

A number of special projects have been funded by the occasional Recognition Capital Fund including conservation work to the funnel and engine room casing of RRS Discovery and replacement pumps for the ship’s dock in 2010 which were vital to ensuring the safety of the vessel.

During 2010/11 work also took place to improve our disabled access with the installation of automatic doors to Discovery Point. A major refurbishment of the museum’s toilets was also undertaken. Recognition funding was also allocated to a new EPOS system for ticketing and retail in both museums.

In 2011 £26,000 went towards the creation of an audio tour for Discovery Point/RRS Discovery. The latter project improved our offer to foreign visitors and is still well-used today.

During 2013/14 Recognition funding was received for a 3D laser scan of Discovery. The aim of the project was to provide a detailed and highly accurate record of Discovery’s internal and external structure and her current state of repair to produce base line information for future conservation planning. It also produced stunning photo-realistic models and animations which had interpretation and public access benefits. A showreel featuring the highlight results in terms of the images and animations was produced for display on a large plasma screen within the museum galleries at Discovery Point. The laser scanning project received TV coverage STV and the story was also covered by , Wave 102, and countless websites including the BBC who featured it prominently.

Our most recent Recognition funding was received in 2018 for the post of Audience Engagement Officer, primarily to support the development of new audiences at Discovery Point, engaging them with the museum and its’ collections. The post will also work at Verdant Works. DHT has been awarded £58,660 over two years towards the salary, associated activity costs and marketing. This project is also being supported by the Foyle Blubber science experiments at Family Day: Puffins, Foundation and Aberbrothock Penguins and Polar Bears, August 2018. Skea Charitable Trust.

Jute collections

Our first grant from the Recognition Fund in April 2008 supported three collection-related development projects under the banner of ‘Unlocking the potential’. They were as follows:- 1. Two new multimedia interactive programmes for Verdant Works – one focusing on the Dundee Jute Mills and the other on Dundee and India. 2. The employment of a curatorial assistant on a temporary contract to catalogue, research, digitise and re-package the jute photographic collections 3. The purchase of a high quality museum grade showcase for the entrance at Discovery Point to allow us to display either new acquisitions or some of the collections in store.

During 2011 £14,000 was used to purchase three new showcases for Verdant Works to enable us to display more of the collections. These showcases have been critical to our ability to create more in-house temporary exhibitions focusing on different themes within the collection. They are also often given to student placements from the Museum Studies course at St Andrews University to research and fill, providing them with great work experience.