FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Summer 2008

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Ipswich Museums Friends Newsletter 1 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008

The Friends of the Ipswich Museums Newsletter is published quarterly and Contents distributed free to all members. The Editor’s Notes 3 FOIM was set up in 1934 to support the work and development of the Ipswich IAA Discounts 3 Museums: in the High Chairman’s Message 4 Street and and the AGM Report 5 Wolsey Gallery in . Since April 2007 the Ipswich Museums Museum Service Report 7 have been managed as part of the Peter Berridge’s Column 9 Colchester and Ipswich Museum Friends News 10 Service. From the Membership Secretary 13 Friends continue to provide financial New Arts Curator 14 support to the Ipswich Museums as well as acting as volunteers. The Friends run Collection Notes 15 outings, lectures and other events for Conservation Corner 17 their members. Treasure from 19 The Friends provide guided tours of both Colchester’s Entymology 19 the Mansion and the Museum, including free taster tours of the Mansion on Community Outreach 20 Wednesday afternoons during British Staff Activities 21 Summer Time. Tours can be booked by Ipswich Museums Information 22 contacting the Mansion. Guardians to the King 23 FOIM is a member of the British Association of Friends of Museums and Visual Arts Ipswich 23 Ipswich Arts Association. Children’s Activities 24 Contributions to the Autumn 2008 Other Organisations 27 Newsletter should be sent to Mary FOIM Council 2008-9 28 Halliwell by 2 August 2008 (address on Corporate Members 28 back cover)

Cover Illustration: Detail from In the Conservatory (1894) by William Quiller Orchardson. This painting is on view in Christchurch Mansion.

2 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008

Editor’s Notes

In this edition I have included The museum staff have provided reports from the AGM as only a several articles for this issue, fraction of members were able to including a short introduction from attend. It was an encouraging our new Arts Curator. meeting, followed by a very Jerry Latham has made a lot of entertaining talk by Maggi progress with the Friends website. Hambling. Jerry would love to hear your Paul Bruce has arranged another comments and criticisms. Please lunch time talk for us in July and do visit the website if you can and Alan Swerdlow has arranged a day have a good look at it - trip in August to see the recently www.foim.org.uk renovated Audley End and the Fry Mary Halliwell Gallery in Saffron Walden. Mary Hollis has now taken over from Howard King as talks organiser. She would be delighted to hear any ideas you may have.

Ipswich Arts Association Discounts

FOIM is a subscribing member of Ipswich Arts Association may the Ipswich Arts Association and receive special offers on certain this entitles its individual members events promoted by IBC. These to discounts on certain events events will include the Ipswich promoted by Ipswich Borough Civic Concerts and certain ballet Council. and opera events at the Ipswich Vera Rogers, secretary to the IAA, Regent Theatre. The concessions has provided the following do not extend to other promoted information: events. To obtain these concessions, please produce a Ipswich Borough Council has current membership card confirmed the continuation of the confirming your affiliation to FOIM arrangement whereby paid-up when booking. members of societies affiliated to

3 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008

Chairman’s Message

After just over a year as part of the thoroughly and prepared a list of Colchester and Ipswich Museums comments. I was able to discuss Service we are seeing the these with Jayne Austin who will benefits. A larger Egyptian Gallery be passing them on to the rest of is planned for the High Street the management team. Museum. The Friends have I was thrilled to see that the agreed to support this provided Ducking Stool is once again on the bulk of the costs are secured display in the Mansion. This is one from other sources. piece that everyone seems to At the Mansion our long period remember from their childhood without an Arts Curator has finally visits. Frequently visitors coming come to an end. We are delighted back to the Mansion after a long to welcome Emma Roodhouse, period have expressed who arrived on 29 April (she disappointment at the stool’s introduces herself on page 14). absence. We have provided input for the I was delighted that Maggi Three Year Plan for the Colchester Hambling accepted my invitation to and Ipswich Museums Service. speak after the business at our The Friends Council read it Annual General Meeting. It was a very entertaining and intriguing talk about her life and work, followed by an even more interesting question session. I am always happy to receive your questions and comments. Paul Bruce Chairman 01473 738265 [email protected]

The Cucking or Ducking Stool in which women who made trouble between neighbours were ducked in the River Orwell. Cucking is derived from coquiner (= nag or scold in Norman French).

4 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Annual General Meeting Report

The AGM was held on 18 April taking over this role for 2008/9 2008 at Christchurch Mansion. It (see page 10). Lunchtime lectures was attended by 58 members of continued to attract good numbers the Friends plus Jayne Austin, at the Admiral’s Head. Alan Lynette Burgess and Tom Swerdlow’s trips and away visits Hodgson from the Museum were greatly appreciated, not least Service. Alan Swerdlow (Vice because his connections in the President) chaired the meeting. museum world led to some The minutes of the 2007 AGM unusual opportunities. were approved and there were no Recent acquisitions funded by the matters arising. Friends included a Giles cartoon of Paul Bruce (Chairman) reported ‘Grandma’ in Ipswich Town on a successful year in which we Football Club regalia, which is now had begun to feel the benefits of in the Town Hall. An acrylic the combined Colchester and painting by Reg Snook ‘First Ipswich Museum Services. The Impressions of lpswich’ had been Friends Council had been kept given to the Museum Service. The fully informed during the year and Friends had agreed to contribute was currently considering a draft £8,000 towards a new Egyptian development plan for 2008 - 2011. Gallery in the current financial year During the year George Lockett, a and a further £8,000 in the former Vice-President had died following year. and Richard Cobbold (President) Members would be glad to hear had resigned for personal reasons. that, after a gap of some years, we Paul expressed his thanks for would once again have a Curator Richard Cobbold’s active and of Fine and Decorative Art (see sympathetic contribution during his page 14). years as President. A replacement President was now being sought. Paul thanked members of the The Friends had enjoyed another Friends Council for their hard work successful year of events. Howard throughout the year. He presented King was thanked for his series of a book token to Mary Southwood winter lectures. Mary Hollis is in thanks for her work as Guides

5 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008

Co-ordinator. He was also grateful audience. to the staff at both the Mansion Vice-President’s Address and the Museum for their co- operation with the Friends. Alan Swerdlow thanked Tom Hodgson for his report, and said Treasurer’s Report : that performance had exceeded Appointment of Independent the Friends expectations. The care Examiner taken over new appointments was The Report and Accounts had especially appreciated There was been circulated and the Treasurer concern that the Wolsey Art commented on certain items. Gallery, in Ipswich uniquely suited Members queried the new practice to visiting exhibitions of of charging Friends for the hire of importance, was no longer being Museum Service premises for their used for this purpose. In his travels events and asked if it could be and meetings as BAFM Eastern reviewed. The accounts were Region Co-ordinator, he had been adopted by a show of hands. Ken able to compare our group with its Wilson was thanked for acting as peers and believed that we have our Independent Examiner for the as good an organisation as any in past year and agreed to continue the country. He praised the work in the role for the immediate future. of the Chairman and Council Report of the Membership members during the year and was grateful to Ken Wilson (the Ipswich Secretary Society) and Ferial Evans (Ipswich Current membership stood at 378, Arts Association) for representing made up of 12 corporate, 191 their organisations on the Council. individual, 172 joint or family and 3 young members. There had been Election of the Officers and 47 new individual and one new Council Members corporate membership since the The Council remains substantially last AGM. In the same period the as last year. The only changes Friends donation chests had were: Mary Southwood to be Vice- yielded £2,670 in Christchurch Chair, Jeremy Latham and Mansion and £303 in the Museum. Siobhan Steel to become ordinary Report from Colchester & council members. Siobhan is the Ipswich Museums Service new Guides Co-ordinator. (The new Council is shown on the back The report is summarised on cover.) pages 7 - 8. Following the report, Tom Hodgson and Jayne Austin The Meeting was followed by a answered questions from the talk by Maggi Hambling.

6 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Museum Service Report This is a summary of the report Tom Hodgson, the Community History Manager, delivered at the recent AGM Finances and Staffing Manager, to organise the substantial The merger of the Colchester and Ipswich amount of work to put the management of Museum Services has brought its share of the collections on a solid footing. The teething problems, but the service is now immediate goal is to gain accreditation for in a much stronger position. As a partner the Ipswich Museums. Accreditation in the East of Museum Hub, it has publicly demonstrates a museum’s access to central Government funding in achievement of good standards in all addition to the budgets from Ipswich and areas, but especially in terms of Colchester Borough Councils. This has collections management. Re-organisation brought in an extra £705,000 in the last of our storage has been a major element financial year and £720,000 in this year. of this collections work. Our hand was forced by the need to clear completely the New posts have been established with the High Street Exhibition Gallery (HEG) in enhanced funding. Last April Rachel advance of roofing works which will start in Macfarlane’s post was made permanent July. as the Ipswich Learning Officer. Caroline Hammer has recently been appointed as Accessions 2007/8 the Senior Learning Officer, for both The last year has seen a steady number of Ipswich and Colchester. In September additions to the collections, especially art. Danielle Sprecher started as Costume These have included: 5 sculptures by Ivor Curator, dividing her time between both Roberts-Jones; a self portrait by Anna towns. On 29 April Emma Roodhouse Airy; a painting of Copdock Street by starts as Art Curator, based at Ipswich, but William Trent; and material associated with responsibility for the fine and with the painter Henry Robinson – decorative art collections both in Ipswich sometime Ipswich resident. Nick Milner’s and in Colchester. We are very pleased painting, A Likeness of the Darkness– a that we have managed to resurrect this portrait of Justin Hawkins, the lead singer post as the art collection at Ipswich is of of Lowestoft rock group, the Darkness, in national importance and deserves the full the style of Gainsborough’s portrait of time curatorial attention that it will now get William Wollaston (created during the again. 2007 Ip-Art festival). Over the next few months the posts of The purchase of one of Maggi Hambling’s Archaeology Curator, Assistant Curator of prints of Rosie the Rhino at Ipswich Natural History and Curatorial Assistant Museum was important not only in terms will all be filled at Ipswich. This will allow of the artist and subject matter, but also Jayne Austin, our new Collections because it is part of the museum’s

7 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 commitment to build on the collection of Exhibitions in Ipswich work of artists associated with Benton End Jamestown, Virginia at Christchurch and the of Art. In the same Mansion. The exhibition made clear just vein, Machine Man by David Carr was how important Ipswich was in the Virginia acquired in March. Carr was a Venture. contemporary of Lucien Freud in 1939 at Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett Haines’ art Coming to Ipswich in Gallery 3 at the school, when it was based at Dedham. In Town Hall. The exhibition generated May we will hear whether the Museum has much interest and has been a springboard been successful in winning Lottery funding for further work with the many to strengthen further the Benton End and communities in the town (see page 20). Ipswich School of Art collections. Abolition! In Ipswich Museum telling the story of Thomas Clarkson. Visitor Numbers A regular programme of events, organised by Rachel Macfarlane, has led to a slight rise in visitor numbers at Ipswich Museum. The sessions with live animals have been especially popular. Christchurch Mansion has seen a slight drop in visitor numbers over the last year, which can be attributed work in the park which left the Mansion marooned behind fencing. Within the Mansion the light well in the China Room has been replaced and The Friends purchased Reg Snook’s this summer and autumn will see further painting First Impressions of Ipswich, of building works with repairs to the roof and his grandchildren on the lawn at the installation of a lift in the gap between Christchurch Mansion. the Mansion and the Wolsey Art Gallery to The exceptional find at Holbrook of silver give level access to both floors. This work Roman horse harness fittings has recently will inevitably continue the disruption of the been acquired and is being conserved past year, but we will emerge stronger with before display in Ipswich Museum. a building in good shape for future. Loans from Ipswich Museum Future Plans The most significant loans were the two Planning for the future of the Ipswich paintings of Golding Constable’s gardens Museum, Christchurch Mansion, the HEG by Constable and Gainsborough’s painting and the Town Hall Galleries are included of Holywells Park to the British Vision in the draft Museum Development Plan for exhibition in Ghent. 2008 to 2011.

8 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Peter Berridge’s Column

Margaret Catchpole has now ended and it was very gratifying to receive an overwhelmingly strong Firstly I need to say thank you to all who endorsement for the plan and for the work responded to my notes on Margaret of the museum service over the last year. Catchpole in the last newsletter. I have Thank you to everyone that responded, contacted several of those who sent me including the Friends Council on your additional information and I hope to speak behalf. A lot of additions, clarifications, and to you all eventually. This is a general new ideas are currently being thanks to everyone from whom I have amalgamated into the plan. I will write learnt many interesting details and been more in the next Newsletter. provided with copies, or pointed in the direction of other original source material. I Dragons, Silks and Stories was also told of a new novel about I think the Chinese Exhibition is splendid. It Margaret Catchpole. I have only just shows the wealth of the collections and the managed to get hold of a copy and have expert knowledge and talents of staff. It is yet to read it. the first exhibition in the redesigned I have learnt that there is significant Gallery 3 which has been redecorated and interest in Australia and that a filmed the bar has been removed. If you were at dramatisation about Margaret Catchpole is the community events that took place to being considered. Clearly there is strong mark the opening of the exhibition and the endorsement for the museum service to start of Museums and Galleries Month, give more prominence to the story, both you will also have seen the opportunity real and fictional, of this fascinating that such an exhibition provides for us to Ipswich character. engage with, and involve, the wider community in the work of the museum. Three Year Plan The young children in their Chinese silk The big issue for the service is finalising costumes, giving a performance of the three year development plan which is Chinese drumming, with a back drop of the now due to go for adoption by the Joint town hall steps and a graceful Chinese Museum Committee (i.e. by both Ipswich dancer, definitely brought a lump to the and Colchester Borough Council) in early throat of many in the audience. Incidentally June. Initially we had planned that it would full praise to the marketing team who be adopted in March but quickly realised successfully got this event listed as one of that, even though we were under no the top 10 events happening nationally, to obligation to do so, it would be very mark Museums and Galleries Month. valuable to gather feedback from a wider range of organisations. The consultation Peter Berridge

9 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Friends News

FUTURE EVENTS: Visit to Audley End Visit to Colchester House and Gardens and Castle the Fry Art Gallery Colchester Friends have invited Saffron Walden, Ipswich Friends for an evening visit to Colchester Castle on Friday 6 August 2008 27 June. This event is already fully Alan Swerdlow has arranged a booked. visit to Audley End and the Fry Gallery at Saffron Walden. Audley Lunch Time Talk with End has just reopened after a £1 John Webb, million face lift so there will be new things to see. The morning will be 16 July 2008 spent at Audley end. After lunch Paul Bruce has arranged another (at own cost) we will visit the Fry lunchtime talk for the Friends at Gallery in Saffron Walden to see The Admirals Head in Little the current exhibition Edward Bealings. John Webb will speak Bawden in the Middle East. about A Week in Ipswich with There will be an introductory talk. Elizabeth I. John has been The cost will be £22 (less for working since 1950 on the history English Heritage members). of Ipswich . He is the author of Booking forms are being three books on Ipswich published distributed with this Newsletter. by the Suffolk Records Society. Winter Evening Talks John’s talk will cover a period in 1561 which was particularly Mary Hollis writes: significant for the Tudor dynasty. I expect most of you know that Booking forms are being Howard King can no longer distributed with this Newsletter. As provide the Friends with the usual, numbers will be limited to excellent programme of evening 50. In the event of overbooking all talks during the winter months. applications up to 25 June will be Sadly for us he will, in future, be entered in a draw. required to work longer hours for the Museum Service and will therefore not be able to continue in

10 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 his role as Talks Organizer. the wide variety of talks we have Howard will be a hard act to follow. enjoyed so far. Many of you, I'm A change concerning the location sure, belong to other local, cultural of the evening talks will be made. Societies and Groups and will also This has been brought about have participated in courses because of the dissatisfaction where good speakers have been expressed by the members at the enjoyed. Perhaps you could pass AGM on hearing that the Borough details of these speakers onto me for future reference? I look forward to talking to and hearing from members so that we can arrive at a programme of talks to suit our interests. Dates for Your Diary Evening Talks to be confirmed. Wed 1 October 2008 Wed 5 November 2008 Wed 3 December 2008 Report of FOIM visit to are now charging the Friends a Gardens and Castles of hiring fee for use of the various meeting rooms at the Museum and North Wales 28 April to in the Mansion. 1 May 2008 We will therefore be holding the Early on Monday morning a driver forthcoming winter talks in the from North Wales collected 39 Methodist Church via the Ipswich Friends and one brave Blackhorse Lane entrance. It is a Colchester friend. We had a long comfortable venue where we will drive to our first stop at Blists Hill, be able to continue serving coffee Victorian Village in Shropshire. We and tea before the talks. enjoyed two hours wandering However to assist with this around the reconstructed domestic nicety I need some workshops, pubs and shops. I coffee making volunteers. Offers bought a copy of a handbill printed please! in 1900 in Blists Hill advertising RD I also need your help to maintain and JB Fraser (est. 1838) of

11 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Princes Street, Ipswich who coming down to water in which offered to buy “your false teeth and Whistler has inserted buildings, turn them into money”. We then boats and people of special moved on to Ironbridge to admire meaning for the Marquess. the first iron bridge in the world On Wednesday we had another erected by Abraham Darby in early start to go to Portmeirion, a 1779. model village built to plans of Sir Leaving Shropshire we passed Clough Williams-Ellis to resemble through Langollen and on to an Italian village. The brightly Snowdonia. We appreciated the coloured houses have great skill of Errol, our driver as he charm. Though people live there, negotiated the winding steep road to deliver us to our base hotel in Llanberis in the early evening. On Tuesday our second Welsh driver, Selwyn greeted us all “Bora da” as we set off for Bodnant Gardens. The Gardens are spectacular and rightly famous. They descend by a series of terraces to the River Conway. The rhododendrons and azaleas were in full bloom and there were drifts of narcissi in the meadows. The lily pond was classically elegant. We would have liked to stay longer but we had to continue our journey. Plas Newydd in Anglesey is on a hill with a commanding outlook Portmeirion over the Menai Strait. It was built to me the general effect is that of a in the Classical Style in the late rich man’s Toytown, even so it is th 18 century by James Wyatt on well worth seeing. the site of an older building. The most interesting exhibit is the 15 We then went to Blainau Ffestiniog feet high by 58 feet wide mural in and travelled by light railway to the dining room. It was painted by Port Madog. In the afternoon most Rex Whistler for his friend the fifth of us went to the slate museum. Marquess of Anglesey. It is a Thousands of men were employed composite picture of wooded hills in the quarries in their heyday. Later slate went out of fashion and

12 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 was replaced by cheaper finding us so much to see and materials. We continued to making all the arrangements, also Penrhyn Castle, built in the 19th to Barbara Cole for her ever century for a Manchester chemist. efficient supporting staff work. We The castle is a massive monument were very fortunate with weather of tasteless and oppressive which was generally dry. Finally vulgarity, and we were glad to get our most grateful thanks to our two out of it – although the tea room Welsh drivers who gave us great served excellent Welsh confidence on the difficult specialities. mountain roads and who were On Thursday we returned to always friendly and informative. Ipswich taking our break at the Andrew Gunn Earl of Plymouth’s new farm shop at Ludlow. I found the “fidgety pie” irresistible. The thanks of the party are due to Alan Swerdlow for

From the Membership Secretary

We extend a warm welcome to subscription, you wil find a red members who have joined since spot on your envelope. I look the last Newsletter was prepared: forward to hearing from you. Mrs R Clapperton The subscription rates are £12 for Mr P Cawthorn an individual and £15 for joint/ The Countess of Euston family members. Mr & Mrs J. Sinclair STANDING ORDERS Mr & Mrs J. Irvine Mrs D. Snell Many thanks to all those who have Mrs Z. Gravener responded to my appeal for £3 to Mr & Mrs I Freeston make up the difference between Mr & Mr I MacDonald the old and new subscription rates. Sixty six people have still And two corporate members: underpaid. Please change your Barnes Construction standing order for the coming year. Stan Gasking Ltd Barbara Cole OVERDUE SUBSCRIPTIONS Membership Secretary If you have not yet paid your 2008

13 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Our New Art Curator—Emma Roodhouse Emma Roodhouse tells us about herself.

up work in London. In particular my work at the Government Art Collection (Department Culture, Media & Sport) focused on using the collection to promote British art in several hundred major British Government buildings in the UK and overseas. The Collection, which has been developed over the past 100 years, contains works of art by a wide range of primarily British artists, and they range from the sixteenth century to the present day. It was certainly a great opportunity to see how No.10 Downing Street works and inside the Oval Office on another I started my career in museum and occasion. gallery work 11 years ago after As well as working with art graduating from my MA in collections I have had the Museum Studies at Manchester opportunity to expand my University. Of course my interest in curatorial knowledge in a past role history and art had been as the Royal College of Surgeons developed much earlier and of Edinburgh Quincentenary museum work suited my natural Curator. This was a temporary curiosity about people and their post for 9 months that had a short objects. Since Manchester I have deadline to curate an exhibition on had the chance to work with a 500 years of surgery. I worked variety of collections on planning alongside surgeons, artists, exhibitions, research and doctors, college staff and management. volunteers in order to curate the One of my first jobs was working displays. with artists in Birmingham for a My most recent post was working charity on public art commissions as the Curator for Falkirk Council but I was eventually tempted to Museums with responsibility for move to the ‘big smoke’ and took

14 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 collections management and the the present day’; ‘Dunmore temporary exhibition programme. ceramics nineteenth century Falkirk’s main museum is a decorative pottery’ and an beautiful historic house, called exhibition in partnership with Callendar House, dating back to Scottish National Portrait Gallery the 14th century and it also has a on the different types of media working Georgian kitchen. As used to create portraits. Curator for Falkirk Council I looked Emma Roodhouse after the fine and decorative art, social and industrial history Arts Curator collections. I had the opportunity to curate displays on ‘Kitchen Goddesses: influential women in cookery from eighteenth century to

Collection Notes Joan Lyall tells us the work being done to clear the High Street Exhibition Gallery so that roof repairs can be done.

In the Spring newsletter Jayne museum known as the High Street Austin, our Collections Manager Exhibition Gallery so that the roof mentioned that during the first could be repaired . Many of you three months of the year we were will have visited this display area due to clear the area of the to view the wonderful carved

Before (above) in January and After (right) in late April

15 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 timbers when it was open as The grotesque figures carved on them, Glory of the Parts About – Tudor including a female figure or ‘she- and Stuart Ipswich. These devil’ in shackles circa 1590-1610. important timbers include part of One decorative post has a carving the frontage from 98 Fore Street; with a Tudor rose, the cross of St. corner posts from Tavern Street, George, a musician, a bear and a Foundation Street, Carr Street and greyhound from the Buttermarket the Ram Inn on the Quayside; opposite the Ancient House, about beams from the Customs House 1580, and one depicting the fable and a fabulous double-faced of the fox and geese date 1490 wooden sundial from Smarts from Foundation Street . Wharf. The timbers are now safely stored having been photographed, measured and documented. Also within the High Street Exhibition Gallery, on the stage which lies out of sight of the visitor, were stored Natural History, Archaeology, Social History and Museum Management books and journals. Also, correspondence, ledgers, wage books, minute books and other Ipswich Museum ephemera giving an insight into how the museum operated in the early part of the twentieth century. All these volumes have been entered onto Excel spreadsheets and moved to a dedicated room within the museum. Pooley’s men removing a corner post Joan Lyall It was a tricky task taking these Documentation Officer very heavy timbers down from the walls and we were grateful for the help and expertise of Pooley's Removals Some of the corner posts have

16 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Conservation Corner

Dragons and Silks porcelain, tea pots, knives and chop sticks etc. The conservation section has been busy doing work for the ‘Dragons, Cheryl Osborne and Anna Todd, Silks and Stories’ exhibition (see private textile conservators, have page 22). I have had the help of mounted a silk flag for us and are Ray, Kath, Hilli, Stella, Chris, and conserving a silk dragon robe for new boy Steve. the exhibition. Anna was an ex student of ours, now a full time Steve Taylor originally came to mum and part time conservator. help David Jones but decided to take up residence in the Dominique has conserved a piece conservation lab and clean sparkly of Chinese ‘Ikea’ flat pack things instead. Like me he likes furniture. A dressing table that was things to be shiny. However I know glued together was actually meant when to stop and have to rein to come apart for travel or storage Steve in occasionally. All the or perhaps it was just meant to be volunteers have done, and are still easy to assemble. It came apart in doing, sterling work. bits each with a Chinese symbol on it. Typically they forgot to include the hex screw!

Teapot cleaned by Kath Hilli and Stella, when not cleaning Coins before and after Steve’s stuff from afar and Cathay, are still cleaning photographing ceramics. Sheila is still trawling through the accession We have cleaned crossbows, lots registers when she can and tracing of coins, lots of silver dangly things our flints, although Len and Steve of unknown purpose, small figures, have unfortunately not been able

17 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 to come as much as they would minutes on our hands and knees have wanted of late. looking for it. Luckily I found it by Beccles kneeling on it causing me some pain but saving our blushes. I had a trip to Beccles Museum to The clock was a doddle so I won’t repair a dental drill, a clock door, speak about that. Who wants to and treat a cricket bat. The hardest know when things go right? thing about the job was actually getting into Beccles Museum. Conferences They forgot I was coming and after I have been expounding the an hour of standing in the rain I virtues of Colchester and Ipswich took myself off to a café had Museum Service at the David cheese on toast and pot of tea for Harris conference in the one. Metropolitan University in London, Eventually a nice chap turned up, and soon at the British Disaster apologised, and showed me the Management Association delights of Beccles Museum. He Conference at Kentwell Hall. introduced me to his dental drill Hopefully there will be no disasters and his clock. Not knowing what but if there are they will rent our exactly they wanted me to do was freezer for all their wet stuff. a problem and my travelling I had to compose myself before conservation kit did not stretch to going on stage to speak to110 removing tread wheels and other people at the David Harris stuff. However I did have some Conference. I get very nervous. I glue and begged a piece of leather was on after the French from the shoe repairers in a conservators from Versailles but nearby street. I managed to make thankfully before the Polish his drill look presentable. Part of conservators from Auschwitz the problem was that it actually still Birkenau Museum. I met the worked and the local children Polish conservators before could get it going by pulling a Christmas when I took my son to piece of string supplied for this Auschwitz. He said he liked purpose by the accommodating Krakow but did not like Auschwitz. curators. I decided that Good, I said, that is how it should immobilising it would be in the best be. interests of the drill and the children. Unfortunately whilst Bob Entwistle engaged in this we dropped a Senior Conservation Officer fiddly screw that held it all together. We spent a pleasant 20 18 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Treasure from Suffolk

The past twelve months have been collection range from a 17th a busy period for the discovery of century gold finger ring to a archaeological finds which are Roman coin hoard. The former covered by the 1996 Treasure Act. was found at Lavenham and is The museum service was decorated with the arms of Sir fortunate to be able to acquire a Thomas Eden of Sudbury (died group of Anglo-Saxon metal works 1614) or one of his sons. The from Witnesham, near Ipswich, latter was found at Saxmundham including a magnificent silver great and contains three gold coins, or square-headed brooch, sadly now solidi, and 58 silver coins, or broken into several pieces after siliqua, which were buried around nearly fifteen hundred years in the AD 402 during the reign of ground. Only seven or eight silver Honorius, the last emperor to rule brooches of this type are known Britain. from Britain and, like several of Philip J Wise them, this brooch is of Scandinavian design. Other cases Heritage Manager yet to be added to the museum

Colchester’s Entymology collection frozen at Ipswich The biggest threat to a museum’s collection from Colchester insect collections are insects Museum’s Resource Centre to themselves. An entymology Ipswich where it could be frozen in collection is like a free buffet to the Ipswich’s huge walk-in freezer. dreaded Museum Beetle! After spending a week at -40 OC To reduce the risk of such the 35 cabinets of creepy-crawlies, damaging infestations the some 100,000 specimens in total, Entymology store at Colchester made the 18 mile return journey. has recently been refurbished and All arrived safely - wings and legs sealed more effectively to prevent in-tact. hungry insects getting in. Regular monitoring will now To ensure that nothing living ensure that they remain safe. remained it was decided to Steve Yates transport the entire Entymology Documentation Officer 19 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Community Outreach The adage “one thing leads to One of the exciting aspects of my another” might have been coined job as part of the larger hub is the for community outreach! We have opportunity it affords to get a new bout of reminiscence work involved with other smaller arising from the Coming to Ipswich museums. Which is why I’ve been project, which has created a new supporting the wonderful Norfolk multicultural loan box and so far and Suffolk Aviation Museum at delivered new training to some 25 Flixton near Bungay in organising people working with the elderly in its first family fun day on 25 May. day centres and residential homes. See www.aviationmuseum.net for Two highly successful projects details. The equally wonderful working with children from has fostering families in Essex gave agreed to run one of their buses rise to the prospect of doing up there on the day. If you would something similar on the Suffolk like a FREE seat, please get in side of the border. We are now touch with me for details. running The Coming Alive! project Add that to the photography with a group of children who are project we’ve been running in the having fun creating their own Big (community) Garden at High animation inspired by Ipswich Woods Country Park in Museum’s Natural History Colchester, and a lively drama, Collection. literacy and art initiative currently The Chinese exhibitions in building towards an exciting half- Ipswich and Colchester have term week in and around the inspired closer contact with our village of Tiptree (famous for its local Chinese communities. So far jam) and you can see that Amy we have been recording memories (the assistant outreach officer) and inspired by some of the objects in I have plenty to keep us out of the “Dragons, Silks and Stories” trouble. exhibition; supporting a Chinese Ruth Gillan drumming ensemble to expand its Outreach Officer numbers and repertoire; enabling Free drumming workshops: Every a Chinese dance teacher to work Sunday, until 13 July, 2 - 4 pm at CSV with Chinese children and finding Media Clubhouse, Ipswich. Suitable out how a creative writer might for children aged 6 - 14, To find out work with teachers at the Chinese more and to book call Mel Holmes on school in Colchester. 01473 418022

20 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Staff activities

New Education Assistant Away Days at the Museum of training sessions launched East Anglian Life School pupils are a key audience Marlene Moyes and the front of for Colchester and Ipswich house team had a very cold but Museum Service and we already enjoyable away day at the deliver curriculum-based, Museum of East Anglian Life in engaging and relevant Stowmarket on 19 and 20 March. programmes to over 30,000 pupils It gave the team the chance to and students each year. spend some quality time together To develop the schools provision away from the work environment. further at Ipswich, all museum However, it wasn’t all play as they assistants will be actively involved took the opportunity of looking at by delivering sessions directly to the service the Museum of East students and to this end a Anglian Life offers to its visitors as comprehensive and lively training a whole. The team concentrated programme, devised by Rachel on what was good and what could Macfarlane and Caroline Hammer, do with improvement and if there has been launched. was anything from their service that could be applied at Colchester All museums assistants will have and Ipswich Museums. The away their own individual personalised day also gave the team an learning plans and then working in opportunity to find out what our small groups, our colleagues will neighbours are up to and to also study object handling, observing find out how naughty the team colleagues, drama sessions, manager is! Marlene was intent learning styles and group on smuggling in carrots and apples management. for the resident horse even though Already, the feedback from the first the sign said “Please do not feed training group has been really the horse”. positive. The objective is to have a Saskia Stent good number of colleagues completing their training by September 2008 and ready to deliver a range of learning sessions that meet the needs of pupils and students. Lynette Burgess

21 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Ipswich Museums Information

Christchurch Mansion 7 August 2008, 2 - 4pm Opening times: Daily 10am - 5pm Embroidery (Café closes at 4pm) Museum and Gallery 3 21 August 2008, 2 - 4pm Opening times: Tues - Sat 10am - Children's wear 5pm Mansion: 01473 433554, Similar events are taking place at Museum 01473 433551 Hollytrees Museum in Colchester. www.ipswich.gov.uk (click on ‘museums’) Don't miss your chance to see some of Colchester and Ipswich DRAGONS SILKS AND STORIES Museum Service's most beautiful in Gallery 3 costume as they come out of their boxes! Hosted by the costume This exhibition curator you will have the chance opened on 3 to see beautiful items close-up, May. Items from many of which have not been on Ipswich’s display before. Chinese collection have There will also be the possibility to been put on handle some of the items. display to GUIDED TOURS OF THE coincide with MUSEUM AND MANSION the Olympic Guided tours are available at games in China. Christchurch Mansion and the There is a free Museum. These must be booked drop in activity in advance through the Mansion. Make Your Own Chinese Art from The Friends provide the guides. A 10am to 4pm on Sat 5July choice of tours is available. The tours last around 75 minutes. OUT OF THE BOX : BRINGING On Wednesday afternoons during COSTUME TO LIFE British Summer Time Free Taster Events at Christchurch Mansion: tours are offered. These last for 30 minutes and start at 2 pm and 3 24 July 2008, 2 - 4pm pm. They are not suitable for large Beadwork groups.

22 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 Guardians to the King -Terracotta Treasures from Ancient China

Colchester Castle, Essex officials, dancers, musicians and cavalry horses. Working in 19 July – 2 November 2008 partnership with Essex County Don’t miss Colchester Castle’s Council, Colchester and Ipswich most stunning exhibition to date Museum Service is delighted to be featuring 43 miniature terracotta hosting this blockbuster exhibition. figures from the Chinese Han Mon – Sat 10am – 5pm Dynasty. This is only the second time these figures have ever been Sun 11am – 5pm out of China and their first visit to Admission charge to Colchester the UK. Castle applies (Free with FOIM The miniature figures, from membership card) Xuzhou Museum in Jiangsu For further information: 01206 Province China, are 2,000 years 282939 or old and represent soldiers, www.colchestermuseums.org.uk

Visual Arts Ipswich at the Town Hall

Open: Tue-Sat 10 am- 5 pm Jun 28 - Aug 1: Edmund Goubert, Information from: Fugitive Pieces [email protected] A new body of site-specific paintings, documentary photographs of the www.townhallgalleries.org.uk works 'in situ' will also be on display in Telephone: 01473 432863 the Gallery.

GALLERY 1 GALLERY 2 - Suffolk Craft Society May 29 - Jun 12: PULSE June 3 - 28: Sue Bruce Liz Ballard, Juliet Holton, Ryan Ceramics & Prints Jordan, Richard O'Sullivan, Dominique Rey, Justyna Scheuring Jun 28 - July 13: Danielle Spelman The inaugural collaboration with The Ceramics by Suffolk Craft Society New Wolsey Theatre's annual PULSE invited guest exhibitor. Fringe Festival. Installations and live art events will be hosted across festival venues.

23 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 painting or drawing it into your very Summer Holiday Events own fine art masterpiece! Booked in Ipswich sessions at 10.30am, 11.30pm, 12.30pm, 2pm & 3pm, £1.50 per All sessions are free unless a charge is person. stated. Where booking is required telephone 01473 433554. Please cancel Meet Thomas Gainsborough @ your bookings if you are unable to Christchurch Mansion, Tue 29 – Thu 31 come, as there is often a waiting list. July The Museum Service regrets it cannot Step back 250 years to 1758 and meet the take bookings for large groups. wonderful Thomas Gainsborough when he was painting in Ipswich. Find out what The Silk Trail @ Ipswich Museum, inspired him to create the magnificent Christchurch Mansion and Gallery 3, masterpieces on display in the Wolsey Art Thu 24 July – Sun 31 August Gallery, and how he painted them. Listen Everyday over the summer holidays as Gainsborough shares fascinating tales you can enjoy a fun quiz trail at to help bring the pictures to life with the Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich stories that are hidden within them. Museum and Gallery 3 in the Town Performances at 11am, noon, 1pm, Hall. In the quiz trail you can learn 2.30pm and 3.30pm. more about the museums and how many of their fascinating objects were Chinese Animal Prints @ Ipswich inspired by, or came from the East. Museum, Tue 29 July – Fri 1 August Plus, everyone that completes a quiz Put your stamp on history and come trail form will be entered into a prize along to Ipswich Museum to create draw, for the chance to win a fabulous your own fabulous Chinese print prize. Drop in during normal opening stamp from which you can create times amazing pictures. Take inspiration from the beautiful animals on display Broccoli Landscapes @ Christchurch in the Natural History Gallery and see Mansion, Mon 28 July – Fri 1 August how these creatures influenced Have you ever thought that broccoli Chinese prints. Have your turn to looks a bit like a tree? Well Thomas create your own print stamp out of Gainsborough thought the same thing foam or lino and use it to make and used them to create his own mini beautiful print pictures that you can still life landscapes before he drew take home as a memento of your day. them. Now is your chance to make Booked sessions at 11am, noon, 1pm, your own mini still life landscapes to 2.30pm & 3.30pm, £1.50 per person. inspire your artistic side. Will you use a mirror for a lake, a pebble for a rock Fan Decorating @ Christchurch and broccoli for a tree? Come along Mansion, Mon 4 – Fri 8 August and see what kind of a beautiful Cool yourself down this summer by landscape you can create before having a go at decorating your own

24 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 fan. Be inspired by the beautiful 13 August collection of fans on display and have Using a template your Tudor a go at designing your own. What instrument will be a work of art and kinds of patterns and pictures will you make some great sounds! Our friendly create on your fan? Using metallic freelancer will be on hand to help you pens and other decorative items this make your instrument and you can fun and creative session will get your decorate you instrument however you design skills flowing! Drop-in event like. Take it home and amaze your 10.00am – 12.45pm and 1.45pm – friends and family with the music you’ll 4.30pm, £1 per person. be able to create. Booked sessions at 11am, noon, 1pm, 2.30pm & 3.30pm, Egyptian Embalming @ Ipswich £1.50 per person. Museum, Tue 5 – Fri 8 August Do you want to know how the Ancient Tudor Minstrels @ Christchurch Egyptians mummified their Pharaohs? Mansion, Wed 13 August Ever wondered how they got the Don’t miss your chance to listen to brains out of the nose? Well come professional Tudor musicians playing and take part in an enchanting in the Main Hall and hear some embalming ceremony to find out. As traditional Tudor music. Performances well as getting the chance to see at noon, 1pm, and 2pm. precious Egyptian objects that are not normally on display, you will also be Chinese Magic @ Ipswich Museum, Thu able to take part in some fun role-play. 14 & Fri 15 August Booked sessions at 10.30am, 11.30pm, 12.30pm, 2pm & 3pm, £1 With our enchanting magician Hui Ling per person. Zhu you can see a variety of close-up tricks! Performance at noon. Meet the Egyptian Storyteller @ Ipswich Museum, Wed 6 & Thu 7 August Circus Skills Workshops @ Ipswich Come and hear tales of Pharaohs Museum, Thu 14 & Fri 15 August and Gods with our enchanting Come and take part in a circus skills Egyptian storyteller. She will take you workshop where you will have the on a journey into the past and tell you chance to have a go at plate-spinning, about life in Ancient Egypt. Take a ribbon dancing and using a Diablo. closer look at an Egyptian headrest Our professional Chinese acrobat and and learn about what the Egyptians performer will teach you these skills would have used as a mirror. so that you can take them away with Performances at 11am, noon, 1pm, you to amaze your friends and family. 2.30pm and 3.30pm. Booked sessions at 1.30pm, 2.30pm, Make Your Own Tudor Instrument @ and 3.30pm, £1.50 per child. Christchurch Mansion, Mon 11 – Wed Animals Go Live! @ Ipswich Museum,

25 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008

Tues 19 – Sat 23 Aug Come along and create your own Chinese birth year shadow puppet. Enjoy getting closer to nature this Are you a rat, a tiger, a dragon or a summer, as Ipswich Museum hosts monkey? Depending on what year you Go Live Week. Every day you can were born in you can discover the meet and learn more about a selection animal that represents you in the of birds, reptiles and bugs. Chinese zodiac. Have fun making your puppet and why not have a go at The Owl Show, Tue 19 & Wed 20 making your own mini theatre so that August you can have hours of fun putting on Marvel at these beautiful birds of prey your own shadow puppetry and watch as they swoop over your performances at home. Booked head. Booked sessions at 1.30pm, sessions at 11am, noon, 1pm, 2.30pm 2.30pm, and 3.30pm. Entry to owl & 3.30pm, £1.50 per person. shows by ticket only £1.50 per person (2 years and under free). Toy Talks @ Christchurch Mansion, Mon 18 – Fri 22 August Big Bugs, Thu 21 August Be enchanted as you are guided Don’t miss your chance to get closer through some of the fascinating toys to some unusual and fabulous big in the collection. Can you guess what bugs. Booking is advised. Sessions they are made from and which one are £1.50 per person starting from made an appearance in the Great noon. Last session finishes at 4pm. Exhibition? How did the Victorians get toys to move without batteries or Fluffy Creatures, Fri 22 August electricity? Drop-in talks at 10.30am, Come and have the chance to find out 11.30pm, 12.30pm, 2pm and 3pm. some great facts and stroke some amazing fluffy creatures. Booking is The Victorian Chimney Sweep @ advised. Sessions are £1.50 per Christchurch Mansion, Mon 25 & Tue person starting from noon. Last 26 August session finishes at 4pm. How did a Victorian chimney sweep manage to keep all the chimneys on a Snakes, Sat 23 August house like Christchurch Mansion so Find out more about the fascinating clean? Just how did he hide the mess world of snakes and get closer to from the rich lady of the house? some real life slithery friends. Booking Come and find out from our Chimney is advised. Sessions are £1.50 per Sweep and try and have a go at some person starting from noon. Last of his sweeping techniques in this session finishes at 4pm. interactive and fun storytelling session. Performances at 11am, Shadow Puppets Workshop @ noon, 1pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm. Christchurch Mansion, Mon 18 – Fri 22 August

26 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008 News from Other Organisations

The Suffolk Book League event. Literary Suffolk by Anne Parry Despite its name Ipswich Arts was published in April this year to Association covers the whole of celebrate the 25th anniversary of Suffolk and North Essex with the Suffolk Book League. It member groups in all areas of provides information about all the Suffolk. Each group has a authors and poets who have lived designated page on the website in Suffolk, visited Suffolk and that includes graphics, a written about Suffolk, including description of its activities and a children’s authors. It is a 28 page link to its website. A5, available for £1 at tourist Also in the spotlight are the information offices, libraries and Ipswich Charter Hangings. For some book shops. those who have not viewed these Ipswich Arts Association : One eight magnificent panels in year on-line exhibition, here is the chance to see them online. Further, there is Those who lament the passing of news of IAA Lectures and Images, the local arts magazine Concerts and a page of useful will be pleased to know that it is links to other arts organisations. enjoying a renaissance as an on- line publication, now with the For information on arts events, to advantage of full colour. The post an event or to apply for articles cover a wide range of arts membership visit www.ipswich- related topics and it is an integral arts.org.uk and go to Contact Us. part of Ipswich Arts Association Ferial Evans website www.ipswich-arts.org.uk. This first year for the website has IAA Representative been a resounding success with data recording a high volume of visits. It is smart, stylish and very easy to navigate with wide- ranging, free events listings for both members and non-members of Ipswich Arts. For a very modest fee, an advertiser is able to buy a full colour box with graphics and a comprehensive description of the

27 FOIM Newsletter - Summer 2008

FOIM COUNCIL 2008-2009 President: Vice-President: Alan Swerdlow Chairman: Paul Bruce, The Old White House, Culpho, Ipswich IP6 9DH 01473 738265 Vice-Chairman: Mary Southwood Secretary: Kathleen Daniel, 37 Parkwood, 11 Henley Road, Ipswich IPl 3SE 01473 225429 Treasurer: Roy Suttle, 59 Bennett Road, Ipswich IP1 5HX 01473 410542 Membership & Social Secretary: Barbara Cole, 11 Booth Lane, Kesgrave, Ipswich IP5 2XL, 01473 630584 Newsletter Editor: Mary Halliwell, 31 Queens Road, Felixstowe IP11 7QU 01394 279753 e-mail: [email protected] Guides Co-ordinator: Siobhan Steel Other Council Members: David Kergon, Jeremy Latham, IAA Representative: Ferial Evans Ipswich Society Representative: Ken Wilson Ex-officio Member: Peter Berridge, Colchester and Ipswich Museums Manager Any correspondence, except where indicated, should be sent to: FOIM, c/o Ipswich Museum, High Street, IPSWICH IP1 3QH Registered Charity Number: 275527 FOIM CORPORATE MEMBERS

AXA Insurance plc. The Linden School of Music Barnes Construction Notcutts Nurseries Ltd Birketts Ryan Insurance Group BOCM Pauls Ltd Stan Gaskin Ltd Dummett Copp Suffolk New College Fred Olsen Ltd Titchmarsh & Goodwin East of England Co-operative Society Watson & Hillhouse Ltd Ipswich Building Society

Newsletter Published by The Friends of the Ipswich Museums

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