#015 – February 2017
Dorset County Museum Volunteer Newsletter Dates for Your Diary: ARCHAEOLOGY UNCOVERED Friday 3rd, 7.30pm The Social Role of nonmetal valuables in late Bronze Age Britain Dr Joanna Bruck LUNCHTIME CONCERTS 1.00pm to 2.00pm Thursday 8th and 22nd Thomas Hardye Alevel Students Thursday 16th—Damian Clarke GEOLOGY REVEALED Wednesday 22nd 7.00pm Coast Heritage Risk Prof. Robin McInnes Children’s Activity Morning Wednesday 15th
Welcome to Issue No.15 of DCMVOX…
Goodbye, Helen ... We are sorry to announce that Helen is starting an exciting new job much nearer to home and will be using her skills, expertise and love of textiles within an ecclesiastical setting. She has been a valuable member of the team and her extensive knowledge, undoubted commitment and unfailing support will be sorely missed. We are, however, delighted for her and wish her the best of good luck in her new job. Fantastic Find Congratulations Linda Roberts, a volunteer in the Fine Arts team. As the Arts reserve collection is in the process of moving from its current home in Colliton Street to the top floor of Old School, Chris Dart and Linda Roberts from the Fine Arts team have been clearing out the room at the top of the building under the eaves. Behind the shelving there is a lot of dark space and, as Linda is suitably lithe and elfin-like, she volunteered to climb through the shelving and check the space behind. In the darkness she spotted a rolled bundle and a metal cylinder. The rolled bundle turns out to contain the original, hand-drawn and handcoloured architect drawings from Crickmay's concerning the building of the Museum in 1883 with the original design of the frontage onto the High Street and of the Victorian Gallery. These beautiful drawings will have a place in the “Tomorrow’s Museum for Dorset”. Well done, Linda and Chris!
Social History We have been mounting monthly changing displays in the little case in the Victorian Hall, a small collection of Christmas things and now some delicate china that belonged to a Victorian member of the Society. You probably also saw the items excavated from the Prison, put on by Rosemary Maw, to inform us about this site. We should be glad to hear from any volunteers who might have ideas or objects for a small display in the coming year. Felicity Hebditch—Honorary Curator
Tomorrow’s Museum for Dorset Update ... Main Exhibition: MIX—Artwork by Maddy Down, Helen Francis and Peter Runeckles
Victorian Hall Nautilus Beautiful Survivor (extended until the end of May)
Tea Room From 16th January Merrily Harpur
Where we are….
The exhibition designs are progressing well and are now moving from concept design stage in to more developed designs. The team will be holding a series of focus groups with different users and non-users of the Museum to begin to get feedback on these initial designs. Details of these focus groups will be announced shortly. Fundraising efforts are progressing well with some very generous gifts coming in from individuals and grant-making trusts who are excited by the quality of the Museum’s extraordinary collections and the plans for the Tomorrow’s Museum. The Valentine Trust have pledged a remarkable £50,000 towards the project, showing strong local support. The project team continues to work to develop the plans, costings and buildability of the project. The team and project board continue to meet regularly to ensure the project remains on schedule to meet the HLF May Round 2 submission deadline. Please visit www.tomorrowsmuseumfordorset.org and subscribe to the e-newsletter for the latest project developments Dorset County Museum, High West Street, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1XA Tel: 01305 262735 - www.dorsetcountymuseum.org
Visitor Quote of the Month: Loved it all. Charming place.
My Favourite Object—The Sedan Chair Felicity Hebditch, Honorary Curator, Social History When people were asked what they would like to see go on display in the Dome at the Millennium, one boy said he would like to see a sedan chair. They should have come to the DCM; we have two. One stands in the corner of the store, quite a substantial size, rather like a hansom cab without the wheels. It had to be waterproof on rainy nights so is made of leather, cuir bouilli or boiled leather, which would be lighter to carry than wood. There was one at Lyme, described in a small pamphlet Peeps into an old Playground, printed in 1895: “Gummer the Chairman”...used to hire out himself and three other men, two long poles and a true veritable Sedan chair, with a roof that lifted and a glass door, and he conveyed us at a good round trot to balls at the Assembly Rooms, musical parties or dinners at Dr. Hodges’ residence...and other gaieties. Gummer had a bald head, a few straggling locks of grey hair in his neck and across his forehead, a button of a nose always red, a bright red handkerchief which he constantly swept round his face and head and then dropt into his tall hat. He was small and spare, and wore a long blue coat with brass buttons.... Children were also taken to parties in their best clothes, free from the possibility of tripping in a puddle. Edward Goldsworthy in Recollections of Old Taunton describes how they worked: The lady or gentleman got into it and sat down, the top was lowered, the door shut, [the poles fitted onto the sides] and the chair lifted into the street. It was then lifted from the ground by two men ...; they then started off in a jogging trot, keeping step. It often occurred, when chairmen were scarce, that “Little Hole” was associated with “Long Dick Turle”, and the difference in their height made the insider very uncomfortable, as it either threw him against the glass in front, or bumped his head against the back of his chair. The sound made by these chairs, when in motion, was a very peculiar flapping sound, and could be heard a long way off. At night they carried a lantern on one of the front poles, which swayed about with the motion of the chair...I think I saw the wife of one of the chairmen performing the duty of “Chairman”. A grand lady once exclaimed Some are born to ride, some are born to be ridden. With a Sedan chair that is all too true.
Maintenance, Front of House and Tea room We continue to require cover for both Maintenance and Front of house. We URGENTLY need a volunteer for Saturday mornings in the Tea room. If you can help, please get in touch with: Jill Minchin on volunteering@dorsetcountymuseum.org
Welcome to our new volunteers…. … but first of all a ‘thank-you’ to Meryl Anderson who is leaving us to move back to Derbyshire. Her particular interests were our coin collection and the Roman mosaics in the Victorian Hall, and I know that she will be missed.
LIBRARY CLOSED
Volunteers Needed
Wednesday 1st February—1.00—3.00pm Thursday 2nd February—all day Wednesday 8th February—all day Friday 10th February—all day Wednesday 15th February 10.30am to 12noon Thursday 16th February—all day Friday 24th February—tbc Monday 27th February—tbc
team and may well also help our Textiles team and Mary-Anne Edwards who will be helping Gabby with projects in the Fundraising team.
Members of the Museum (although we hope they will) and all abilities and interests are warmly welcomed.
If you become aware that a fellow I returned from the Christmas break volunteer is not receiving a copy of to find six applications from would- DCMVOX by email, please do let me be volunteers that I am now know, and I shall ensure the mailing We welcome three newly accredit- processing; this is good news for the Museum but we are constantly list is updated. ed volunteers this month, Adrian Thank you. in need of help in most departHolden who will be working in Jill Minchin Digitisation and Photography, Caro- ments so please continue to Volunteer Co-ordinator and Trustee encourage people to come to us. line Scott who has If you like to receive They don’t this newsletter have to by become email please send your contact details to joined thewould Library Gabriella Crouch on development@dorsetcountymuseum.org