MUSEUM MATTERS August 2018 Roy Sears 13th September 1945 to 6th June 2018 Newsletter of The Friends of The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne Chairman's Jottings Mick Butler At the moment there is very little to report on Museum, well recognising that the entire the positive side. Fortunately, the Museum Stoke Bruerne canal corridor area is a key and the café - sometimes even to element in the Trust’s overall grand plan. overflowing - have been doing very well thanks largely to the wonderful weather, but In the meantime, we just have to maintain a behind the scenes it is very much a status general watching brief on things, carrying quo situation. out minor, yet essential, maintenance tasks to the exhibits, helping to look after Sculptor As I have explained previously, while the and undertaking the boat’s occasional trips now soon-to-be-completed Canal & River to local canal events. The Sculptor team Trust management re-organisation has would dearly like to do more but been under way, a virtual complete stop to acknowledge that the restraints now placed progress on any future developments has upon them are, I would like to describe, for been in force. To a large extent this is the future 'greater good'. understandable but, oh dear, isn’t it frustrating. By now The Friends were hoping that substantial progress would have been made on the Trust's sizeable Heritage Lottery Fund grant application. Unfortunately, the bid is on hold although I am assured it will be reinstated again very soon, hopefully before the end of the year. We all want to see a modernised and refreshed Museum with new and imaginative exhibits, other attractions and amenities, including a lift to the upper Sculptor being measured for new cloths - galleries, but patience still has to be the we are keen to continue with the watchword. I will keep you posted. I know maintenance the boat requires to protect our previous investments (Photo: KD) only too well that CRT people all the way from the very top are batting on behalf of the You will find in this issue of Museum Matters reports of some of the things that In this Issue have been happening, will happen and are planned. There is also a tribute to Roy Chairman's Jottings 2 Sears, an influential presence in the setting FoCM News 4 up of The Friends group who, very Sculptor update 5 tragically, died in a road accident in early Roy Sears 6 June. I only came to know Roy in recent Canal & River Trust reorganisation 9 years but soon realised what a genuinely Cover picture: Roy Sears 13th September 1945 to 6th June 2018 (Photo: Christine Sears) © The Friends of The Canal Museum www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk Registered Charity No 1121146 Page 2 Chairman's Jottings Mick Butler lovely gentleman he was - friendly, sincere, interested and would like to know more of dedicated to whatever activity or cause he what is involved, please get in touch with was involved with. To say he will be greatly me for an informal chat. My contact details missed is the understatement of the year. I are on page 16. can only endorse all the good things that are being said and written about him. Now perhaps I am saving the best till last! Christine, we have truly lost someone very None other than our Village at War th th special. We are all thinking of you and your Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, 8 -9 th family. September. This is our 11 year of being at war and over the years the event has firmly established itself as one of the most popular and successful re-enactment occasions in the country. The re-enactors really do throw themselves enthusiastically into the occasion - we see the same faces every year, joined by new faces and also new entertainment. The public love it too - in their thousands. Let’s hope for a fine weekend. At the time of writing the sun is still shining. Although we dearly need the rain, rain gods please be kind to us this year! And if anyone wishes to get involved in a volunteering role over the weekend, please liaise with the Museum. We can always find a job for you. Remember, The Friends as a group always welcome your thoughts and contributions. Roy and Christine Sears ready to enjoy a Village at War event (Photo: LS) Moving forward, The Friends’ Annual General Meeting is scheduled for 7.30pm on Thursday 22nd November. It will be held, as usual, in the café at the Museum. After the business session, which we try to keep to within half an hour, there will be an informal reception with light refreshments. Please let us know in advance of your intended attendance so that we can cater accordingly. It would be nice to think we shall have a few new names put forward for election to The Friends’ Council. If you are Don't forget to come along and enjoy our Village at War (Photo: KD) © The Friends of The Canal Museum www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk Registered Charity No 1121146 Page 3 FoCM News Over and Under the Hill - There is another Financial Update chance to experience a journey through Blisworth Tunnel with a historical By the start of the year, reserves stood at commentary on trip boat Charlie and walk around £80,000. There have been only back over Blisworth Hill in the company of small items of expenditure on running costs knowledgeable heritage guides. The walk for the charity and on the rope exhibit in the distance is about 2 miles and duration is Museum. Sculptor was taken to the annual about 2 hours. Places are limited and the Historic Boat Show at Braunston and we price is £6 for adults and £4 for children. are very grateful to the organisers who The walk and boat is organised by Stoke have now donated £1,000 to the The Bruerne Boat Company and Stoke Bruerne Friends. Canal Partnership in conjunction with The Canal Museum and the Canal & River Works are needed on on various parts of Trust. To book contact Stoke Bruerne Boat Sculptor and discussions are ongoing Company on 07966 503609 or email about these. We have indicated a sizeable [email protected] donation to CRT to help with these costs, but we await a decision regarding timing. Village at War, Stoke Bruerne - It's almost that time again. Over the weekend of 8th & Paul Lynam, Trustee and Treasurer. 9th September, Stoke Bruerne will once again be going back in time to the 1940s. FoCM Events This will be the 11th year this award winning re-enactment event has been staged and Table Top Sale - On Bank Holiday Monday as usual the village will be packed with 27th August there will be a table-top sale on vintage entertainers, a black market, the Museum Green alongside The military and vintage vehicles, living history Museum. It will be under cover if the groups, individual re-enactors, fashion weather is inclement. If you'd like to parades, memorabilia displays, fly pasts, declutter and sell some unwanted gifts or tea dances and much much more. This bric-a-brac, book space at just £5 per table, popular event raises funds for The Friends or just come along and have a browse. All of The Canal Museum and also benefits proceeds to The Friends of The Canal other not-for-profit groups and charities, so Museum (registered charity no. 1121146). please come along and support it. Donations from sales of items also Weekend passes are £10 (accompanied welcome. To book a table, or for more children under 16 free) including free entry information, contact Lynda Payton 01604 to the Museum and parking. For more 862501 or email information check out the website at [email protected] www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk/ vaw-2018 or telephone 01604 862229 © The Friends of The Canal Museum www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk Registered Charity No 1121146 Page 4 Sculptor Update Kathryn Dodington Sculptor has had a relatively quiet summer had us back in Stoke Bruerne around so far. We took Sculptor to the Crick Boat midnight. Rob and Kathryn recovered Show and this time had different moorings Sculptor a couple of days later. on the other side of the marina. We had a huge success in showing people Sculptor We had a lovely weekend at the Braunston and talking about her history – we estimate Historic weekend mixing with other historic we engaged with about 1,200 people over boats and, perhaps, more importantly, the three days. mixing with like-minded people. We had the pleasure of the company of Sue and David Daines on Cyprus for the return trip together with our curatorial person Steve Bagley – it was Steve’s first time through Blisworth which he thoroughly enjoyed. Tim Coghlan kindly donated £1,000 to Sculptor's causes – Tim has been incredibly generous over the years so thank you to him and to Braunston Marina. That Sculptor's ongoing maintenance is concerning The money is allocated to Sculptor Friends and the Sculptor volunteers (Photo: KD) and remains so. The return trip was challenging. We had to We are currently in discussion with Canal & wait until Raymond was moved as we were River Trust about Sculptor’s maintenance – on a long finger mooring with very little room there is a concern that despite The Friends to swing Sculptor into the marina proper. of The Canal Museum wishing to help However, we were away by 09:00 and financially with this, we don’t seem to be made good progress through Crick Tunnel able to agree when this maintenance to the top of Watford.