News
While working on the fire engine, the team have looked into other similar “Newsham” engines around the country, and came across a recently restored engine, now displayed at Royal Wootton Bassett. Arrangements were made to meet the restoration and project team at the Museum (located in the Old Town Hall of Wootten Bassett), to learn from their experience and to broaden our knowledge.
The engine is displayed in a purpose built case, underneath the Town Hall, and is a well loved feature of the town.
Thanks are due to Dave Thompson and Chris, who shared their knowledge and enthusiasm with us and opened up the display case so that we could examine things close up. It was very interesting to learn about a completed project and about the issues that we still face, and pitfalls that we can avoid, during our conservation and restoration of the Offley fire engine.
‘Inspired By My Museum’ was launched at the Museums Association Conference and Exhibition 2013 in Liverpool and is calling for budding writers to record and share their personal reactions, connections or experiences inspired by a visit to a museum.
Entries can be in the form of a poem, short story or reportage and people can take their inspiration from the museum space, architecture, design, a specific object or objects within the museum, or even the museum/exhibition curator. The competition is open to anyone aged 16 or over.
The last date for entries to Inspired By My Museum is Monday 10 February 2014. The winning entries will be published in a special commemorative book next year.
To find out more visit
http://www.sampad.org.uk/news/inspired-by-my-museum-sampad-and-british-council-i/
November is a time of remembrance for many in the United Kingdom. The 11th day of November is the anniversary of Armistice Day, and has become a time to reflect upon both the past and present sacrifices being made by service personnel.
The North Herts museum service has an extensive collection of military objects, these include uniform, photographs and everyday items such as ration books. In order to commemorate the ending of the First World War we have selected photographs of a small number of items in storage to share with you here today.
Figure I is a photograph of Graham Sydney Gilbertson a second Lieutenant in the Bedfordshire Regiment, 4th Battalion and later the 7th Battalion. Unfortunately Mr Gilbertson died aged 19 on the 28th November 1917, he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial .
Fig I Graham S Gilbertson
Figure II shows the Death Plaque commemorating Graham S Gilbertson’s life and death. The plaques were presented to the families of all who died during the First World War.
Fig II Death Plaque
Figure III is a ration book which is dated 6th July 1918 belonging to a local family of the name Waldock. Rationing was not introduced until February 1918 and was a response to an increase in German U-boat activity in the Atlantic. The Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) had been established in 1914 in order to ensure food shortages did not occur, in spite of initial panic buying in 1914 the population settled well into a routine until late in 1916. Britain relied upon food imports from Canada and America and until 1916 this was a relatively safe business, however in 1917 German U-boat activity increased and merchant ships were attacked. This resulted in DORA issuing a self-rationing policy which, unfortunately was not sufficiently effective and the continuing U-boat activity in the Atlantic meant that malnutrition was becoming a problem by 1918. In January 1918 sugar was rationed, and by the end of April butter, margarine, cheese and meat were added to the list. The decision to introduce rationing was shown to be the correct one as levels of malnutrition decreased.
Fig III National Ration Book
We Will Remember Them
