a report for the Museum of English Rural Life at the University of Reading Rural Crafts & Trades Today An assessment of preservation and presentation in museums and archives by David Viner December 2007 Grundisburgh Smithy, Museum of E.Anglian Life, Stowmarket DAVID VINER Understanding, preserving and presenting the historic environment 8 Tower Street CIRENCESTER Glos GL7 1EF Phone & Fax 01285 651513
[email protected] Rural Crafts & Trades Today An assessment of preservation and presentation in museums and archives Contents Executive Summary page 03 Definitions & Websites pages 04-06 Introduction, background to the study, project brief and methodology 001-018 pages 07-10 Appendix One Questionnaire & Survey pages 11-15 Appendix Two Sites Visited & Consultees pages 16-24 Rural Crafts and Trades collections today – an overview 019-059 pages 25-37 Appendix Three [separately bound as Part Two] The Directory 239 pages Appendix Four Rural Crafts & Trades collections analysis Pages 38-66 Appendix Five Audiovisual Archives pages 67-79 Appendix Six Crafts & Trades Organisations pages 80-82 Appendix Seven Principal rural crafts holdings at Museum of English Rural Life, Reading pages 83-88 Acknowledgements pages 89-90 Appendix Eight [separately bound as Part Three] Rural Crafts & Trades Bibliography 44 pages 2 Rural Crafts & Trades Today An assessment of preservation and presentation in museums and archives Executive Summary 1 The study has as its primary objective the creation of a databank of information on rural crafts and trades material and related sources held in museums across the country, in accordance with Renaissance Vision – sharing knowledge & expertise; Priority Area 2. This is presented in three parts, a Report, a Directory of detailed information listed by museum, and a Bibliography, to create a combined databank of 373 pages.