Appendix 1 WELLINGBOROUGH MUSEUM COMMITTEE SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT Saturday, 26th February 2011 at 4.30pm INTRODUCTION This report reflects the work of Wellingborough Museum Committee during the period February 2010 to February 2011. This is the sixth time the report has been written by the Committee elected by the Museum Volunteers and is representative of the work that has been carried out during the year. The committee consists of: Delia Keech Chairman Judith Thompson Vice Chairman Barbara Lees Minutes Secretary John Goddard Curator Emeritus Eileen Baxter Melody Kelly Ian Nunney Patricia Soane Christine Riddle Daksha Tailor Helen Wharton Robert Wharton Trustee representative The Wellingborough Museum Committee, which meets each month, concentrates on the exhibition of artefacts and documentation. It is important that we display as many items as we can in both long term and short term exhibitions. The minutes of the monthly meetings are emailed to volunteers and are also placed on the back counter in the shop area of the museum. VOLUNTEERS Volunteers play a huge role in the development of the museum. There are over 70 of us helping on a weekly basis both in the shop and behind the scenes. New volunteers include: Sheila Andrew Sheila Cockerill Kathleen Beale Cheryl Hale Carole Chatwyn Christine Jones Paul Chatwyn Olivia Main Thanks to everyone who has contributed during the year. We have also had help from Isobelle Breslin, Jacob Chennell and Emily Thorpe. They spent their Work Experience time with us and have done some voluntary work with us since. We now have a curatorial adviser, Simon Davies, who works for the MLA and is working with us on Accreditation. CATALOGUING AND ARTEFACTS There are now over 37,000 artefacts on the computer database. Work has continued on ensuring that all the items are entered on to the computer and that they are either photographed or scanned. We also have over 7500 photographs in our photographic collection compared to about 1000 in the year 2000. Amongst the artefacts accessioned this year are: Winifred Wharton Lace Collection a large part of which is in the display case in the café area. Edison phonograph Large collection of music from Herberte Jordan’s shop Irchester Hoard and Irchester Strainers. These are on loan from Northampton Museum. Maths exercise book from a pupil at Wellingborough School in the 1850s. Memorabilia from the Evening Telegraph A rocking horse Record books from Wellingborough Workhouse Isham Funeral Bier Framed photographs and deeds from Wilson Browne, Solicitors EXHIBITIONS Holocaust Local Weddings through the ages including wedding dresses and other artefacts Waendel Walk Carnival Exhibition Saxby memorabilia including a mannequin dressed as Princess Diana, in a reproduction of the clothes that she wore when visiting the factory in the 1980s. The clothes were made by Jill and Riejan. The Seaside – holidays past and present Remembrance including models from the Northants Military Modelling Club and a dugout with a mannequin First World War soldier. Wellingborough shops over the ages – in connection with the BBC ‘Turn Back Time’ series Christmas traditions Guide Exhibition – this was externally organised by the Northamptonshire Girl Guide Association and supplemented with our own material. Oddfellows 200th Anniversary prepared by Lesley Foster and Ann Boyle Camera Club Autumn exhibition External Exhibitions June Gluning has prepared two exhibitions on Old Wellingborough and the Villages in the Wellingborough area which have taken place at Wellingborough Library. Barbara Tomkins has prepared an exhibition for Great Doddington Open Gardens Robert put together a collection of photographs used at the Swanspool Fun Day which was organised by Sally Spencer SPECIAL EVENTS The Viking re-enactors, the Bifrost Guard, use our premises on alternate Saturdays, during the winter to practise their skills and attracted spectators. 23rd January Holocaust lectures by Zigi Shipper and special workshops for school pupils 24th April St George’s Day organised in conjunction with Wellingborough Council, included maypole dancing by Redwell Primary School, fairground activities, a barbecue and a parade of dragons. The Council provided the publicity and organised road closures. 7th, 8th, 9th May Waendel Walk – late opening on Friday, Saturday and special opening on Sunday. 3rd July Wellingborough Carnival 14th August Viking day and barbecue 21st August Kettering Carnival 28th August Fete and old fashioned fair games, with majorettes 31st August Birds of Prey arranged by Nikki Thomson 28th October Murder Mystery Day arranged by Nikki Thomson and staff from Wrenn School TALKS During the past 12 months there have been a variety of talks given to different organisations. Some of these groups have visited the museum during the evening and on other occasions Robert or Ian have gone out to groups such as the W.I. or Residential Homes. 15th February Rushden Pensioners Parliament at Rushden Hall (Robert) 2nd March 1st Wellingborough Scouts at the museum 5th March Wellingborough Disabled Club at Perkins Court (Ian) 9th March Bozeat W.I. (Robert) 11th March P.H.A.B. (Ian) 18th March Kettering Museum (Ian) 20th March Waverley Valley Preservation Society at the museum 25th March Bedford Airways Group (Robert) 6th April Earls Barton German Exchange visitors at the museum 13th April Central Wellingborough W.I. (Ian) 14th April Rosewood Court (Robert) 19th April Rosewood Court (Robert) 4th May St Barnabas Cubs at the museum 6th May Hope Church, Rushden (Robert) 10th May Rushden Airways (Ian) 24th May 2nd Wellingborough Rainbows at the museum 25th May 1st Orlingbury Brownies at the museum 25th May Abington Vale Wives at the museum 4th June Perkins Court (Robert) 7th June St Barnabas 2nd Wellingborough at the museum 8th June Great Park Street Rainbows at the museum 10th June Ladies group (Ian) 29th June Rushden Pensioners Parliament (John Earl film show) 5th July Girls Brigade at the museum 14th July Great Doddington Ladies Club at the museum 22nd July Park House (Robert) 1st September Finedon (Robert) 10th September Wellingborough Disabled Club at the museum 27th September 1st Irchester Cubs and Scouts at the museum 13th October Great Doddington Group at the museum 1st November Great Doddington Ladies Club 23rd November Salvation Army (Robert) 23rd November Men’s Fireside Club (Ian) PUBLICITY Ian has appeared four times on BBC Radio Northampton. Ian writes a monthly column in the Evening Telegraph. The paper also frequently uses photographs from our photographic collection in their nostalgia articles. VISITOR NUMBERS AND VISITS TO THE MUSEUM During 2010 we had 28,918 visitors to the museum. We do not include in that figure our visits to schools and talks to groups, or visitors to our external exhibitions. This is a smaller increase than in previous years. This can be accounted for by very poor weather, which stopped our events during the Waendel Walk weekend, cold snowy weather in January and December, and the summer disruption caused by road works to the town centre. We have had daytime visits from the following schools: Wrenn, Wellingborough School, Sir Christopher Hatton, Warwick Primary, All Saints, Freemans, Oakway, Croyland Primary School, East Hunsbury Primary School, Denfield Park Junior School, Ruskin Infant School, Wellingborough School Pre-Prep, and Our Lady’s Holiday Club. Redwell Primary School spent a Victorian Day at the museum arranged by our volunteer, Christine Green. In addition Ian has visited Warwick Primary School as a Roman, an Egyptian and to talk about life in the Second World War, Higham Junior School to talk about life in the Second World War, Wollaston Primary School to talk about the Saxons, Wilby School, Friars School as a World War One soldier and Ruskin Infant school as an archaeologist. In total well over 1000 pupils have visited the museum to study various aspects of the National Curriculum. THE GALLERIES DOWNSTAIRS – Showcases from pre-history to the 2nd World War. The Bronze Age artefacts found at Wilby Way have now been displayed. Jenny Whitby has recreated the skeleton, known to us as ‘Will’. Coins from the Irchester Hoard and the strainers found in Irchester are now on display. We have an additional low showcase which has been used to display artefacts connected with special exhibitions and also to show newly accessioned artefacts. Showcases, which will be used for Wellingborough industry, have been placed in the Engine Room together with a K6 red telephone box. A considerable amount of work is still needed to be done in this area before it can be opened fully to the public. CAFÉ AREA – showcases containing Winifred Wharton lace collection, artefacts connected with the shoe industry and the bottle collection UPSTAIRS – work has continued on the Model Railway. The additional showcase by the side of the railway is used for railway artefacts and Royal memorabilia. Work has continued on providing additional text in the ironmongers, laundry and Second World War areas. LANDING – Two showcases of toys belonging to Osborne’s Toy shop in Rushden. They are responsible for changing this collection on a regular basis. Showcase on the development of photography. The cameras in this case belong to Maurice Palmer and he changes the collection on a regular basis. The map display case includes the complete set of Wellingborough in 1886. The open space on the landing is being used by the Film Archive to show some of their large collection of cameras. DULLEY ROOM In addition to regular use