British Military Museums

[Mike Jackson]

Depressing news in today's Daily Telegraph "Army museums in the line of fire as MoD ends funding". The museums named to be "losing central cash " are: QRIH (Eastbourne), KRH (Preston), 13/18 H and LD (Barnsley), Gordon Hldrs (Aberdeen), R Hampshire (Winchester), RRF/R Warwicks (Warwick), Essex (Chelmsford), Y&L (Rotherham). The article notes that the 13/18 H amd LD Museum will be moving to Newcastle.
Happy Monday morning! Mike

[Irv]

Lets hope they can get some private funding.

[oc14]

Originally Posted by Mike Jackson

Depressing news in today's Daily Telegraph "Army museums in the line of fire as MoD ends funding". The museums named to be "losing central cash " are: QRIH (Eastbourne), KRH (Preston), 13/18 H and LD (Barnsley), Gordon Hldrs (Aberdeen), R Hampshire (Winchester), RRF/R Warwicks (Warwick), Essex (Chelmsford), Y&L (Rotherham). The article notes that the 13/18 H amd LD Museum will be moving to Newcastle.
Happy Monday morning! Mike

13/18 H and Light Dragoons museum has already left it's home at Cannon Hall (Cawthorne) and moved to Newcastle. Very sad news about the Y & L Museum which is (as far as I know) mainly funded by local authority. Sadly no longer any regular army unit to fight their corner. During my lifetime the museum moved from Endcliffe Hall in Sheffield due to the "anti militaristic" views of Sheffield City Council into the less than attractive setting of Rotherham Library and Art Gallery and subsequently to Clifton Park in Rotherham. Oh well, I suppose that will free up a little more funding for the one legged, ethnic origin, lesbian groups that contributed so much to the history of this once great island of ours. !
PL
Disclaimer: please note that any views expressed in this post are entirely my own, please feel free to agree or disagree accordingly !

[3748 Hussar]

Mike,

The QRIH museum in Eastbourne is being almagamated with the QOH museum in Warrick to become the New QRH museum .

3RD Hussars
4TH Hussars
7TH Hussars
8TH Hussars
QRIH
QOH
QRH

3748 Hussar

[Mike Jackson]

The observations above are very helpful but don't say much for the accuracy of reporting by the Daily Telegraph (but at least the subject got a mention - even though inaccurate) Mike

[Mercian]

A lot of councils must be the same, here is the Boer War memorial for the 4th Cheshire Volunteer Battalion where it's been for years, it's in the cellar of Stalybridge library, all the men on it are local men and J Cox died out in South Africa aged 24. Less We Forget?

[Charliedog012012]

I was saddened when the DLI Museum was closed due to financial cutbacks by the local authority. We are told that the contents of the museum are stored securely and some will be in travelling displays......that misses the point completely.......where are these travelling displays???....inaccessible to most people. Now I read that the Y & L Museum will be leaving its home at Clifton Park in Rotherham. It is such a shame, and leaves me both bemused and a little angry. What price heritage? As my mother used to say, "when it's gone, it's gone....and only then will people realise it cannot be brought back" How very true.

[badger123]

Originally Posted by oc14

13/18 H and Light Dragoons museum has already left it's home at Cannon Hall (Cawthorne) and moved to Newcastle. Very sad news about the Y & L Museum which is (as far as I know) mainly funded by local authority. Sadly no longer any regular army unit to fight their corner. During my lifetime the museum moved from Endcliffe Hall in Sheffield due to the "anti militaristic" views of Sheffield City Council into the less than attractive setting of Rotherham Library and Art Gallery and subsequently to Clifton Park in Rotherham. Oh well, I suppose that will free up a little more funding for the one legged, ethnic origin, lesbian groups that contributed so much to the history of this once great island of ours. !
PL
Disclaimer: please note that any views expressed in this post are entirely my own, please feel free to agree or disagree accordingly !

Not sure it will make a massive amount of difference to the Y&L museum (thankfully). The Council has been living with the inevitable reality that MOD funding would be likely to end at some time in the future and has expected this for many years. Because the old museum building was demolished, the Council took the opportunity to make the regimental museum part of the general Borough museum at Clifton and in fact the Y&L museum now has more space than it previously had (but bizarrely now exhibits less items).

Being part of the general museum means that it enjoys the same opening hours and is managed by the same staff as for all the other exhibits (security, shop, reception etc). The old Y&L Museum Curator went years ago and like the rest of the Local Authority collections (art/Roman/industrial/pottery etc) it is all managed by a couple of collections staff (if there is a drawback, then this is it).

As a bonus, the regimental archive which is also located at Clifton museum, has been amalgamated with the general local archive and is accessible for free and again managed by the same staff as the local archive. I spent 18 months assisting with cataloguing the 7000 photos and many thousands of documents (the archives are a superb resource and I highly recommend them if you ever manage to visit Rotherham).

I believe Rotherham Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the regimental trustees some years ago to look after the collection in perpetuity and although a reduction in cash from the MOD may have the effect of the Council having to fund the shortfall, I doubt it will mean the closure of the Y&L museum as it is firmly embedded within the general museum.

Please see pictures of some of the museum exhibits. Anyone see an issue with the Victorian CSgt's uniform helmet in the last picture?

Ivan

PS As for freeing up more funding for the one legged, ethnic origin, lesbian groups, I agree that we have our priorities all wrong in this mixed up country of ours!

[badger123]

Originally Posted by Charliedog012012

I was saddened when the DLI Museum was closed due to financial cutbacks by the local authority. We are told that the contents of the museum are stored securely and some will be in travelling displays......that misses the point completely.......where are these travelling displays???....inaccessible to most people. Now I read that the Y & L Museum will be leaving its home at Clifton Park in Rotherham. It is such a shame, and leaves me both bemused and a little angry. What price heritage? As my mother used to say, "when it's gone, it's gone....and only then will people realise it cannot be brought back" How very true.

I'm not so sure the Y&L museum will be leaving its home at Clifton Park? As far as I am aware, it is seen as an integral part of the Borough Council's general museum.

Ivan

[Charliedog012012]

Thank you Ivan. I am very glad to hear that. I think that the cynical person within me immediately linked cut in funding to closure! So good to hear that it is not so. It would have been such a shame if the funding situation caused it to close. Nice to hear that the Council have made a pledge like that. It is very encouraging and reassuring.

[Peter Brydon]

The mention of travelling displays reminds me of a couple of exhibitions of militaria put on in Lancashire in the distant past with items that had been borrowed from collectors and other Museums, I don't suppose many members will be surprised to learn that apparently a number of items disappeared never to be returned to their owners.

Sadly this country seems to be rapidly heading towards bankruptcy which is not entirely surprising as we don't appear to have much in the way of Industry anymore and with the purse strings being pulled ever tighter Museums seem to be easy targets for yet more savings.

P.B.

( I wonder if like me members of a certain age wonder whatever happened to all those major British manufacturers who used to be household names )

[Peter Brydon]

QE2 crown on helmet plate.

P.B.

[badger123]

Originally Posted by Peter Brydon

QE2 crown on helmet plate.

P.B.

Correct!

Its actually a post 1952 Bandsman helmet put with a Victorian uniform. One of the unfortunate side effects of not having a knowledgeable and dedicated regimental museum curator is that these types of mistakes are more common place.

I have pointed this out but it will be 'changed next time they adjust the display'. Still, I suppose its better to have a slightly inaccurate display than no display at all.

Ivan

[Peter Brydon]

Originally Posted by badger123

Correct!

Still, I suppose its better to have a slightly inaccurate display than no display at all.

Ivan

I agree, it is rather ironic and particularly sad that with the commemorations for the anniversary of WW1 continuing ,a lot of the local displays that show the sacrifices made, are under threat of disappearing forever.

P.B.

[charlie962]

The closure of Firepower Museum at Woolwich was well timed: 300th Anniversary of the Royal Artillery as well as WW1 Centenary interest. Now we must wait and see what the new setup will be at Larkhill in a couple of years time.....
Charlie