Past events at the Museum
1. Bishop Bonner’s Cottage Museum was opened on 4 May for this 2019 season by Hilary Bushell the Mayor of Dereham. Jonathan Boston the President of the Dereham Heritage Trust gave those present a personal recollection of the last person to have lived in the cottage, John Allison, known too many in the town as ‘One Armed Jack’, a veteran of World War One.
2. On 20th May Mike Hicks from Radio Norfolk interviewed Peter Wade Martins, the chairman of the Dereham Heritage Trust about the history of the museum and its new displays for 2019.
3. The museum has a new exhibition of its collection of Metamec clocks for the 2019 season. Metamec was once the largest manufacturer of clocks in the UK. Richard Walker started work for the Dereham firm in 1969 and he is still restoring and repairing the clocks to this day. Richard is interviewed in this film by Mike Hicks of Radio Norfolk about the clocks and his years working for Metamec.
PRESS RELEASE - Relocation of society archive to town centre
DEREHAM ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY
PRESS RELEASE
26 February 2018
Founded in 1953 by Dr. Eric Puddy and Canon Noel Boston, Dereham Antiquarian Society reached its 65th anniversary this month. 2018 also sees some important changes for the Society, and a largely new committee led by Dr Peter Wade-Martins have today reached the culmination of years of work to assess, pack and move the complete museum archive from a unit at Rash’s Green to a dedicated room in the Dereham Town Council offices, to be known as Dereham Archive Centre.
Dr. Wade-Martins said ‘We are very grateful to both Breckland District Council for providing the unit on Rash’s Green for many years and also to Dereham Town Council for being so helpful to accommodate all our needs in the new room.’
The new permanent archive centre is not only suitable for the care and preservation of the museum collection but will also be more accessible to the public and the move marks one of the most critical moments in the Society’s history.
Since its foundation, the Society has amassed thousands of artefacts, documents and photographs covering all aspects of town life and the close surrounding area. Every object has been examined and re-assessed according to strict collection criteria and the vast majority will find a home within the new archive.
The collection includes a rare set of archive copies of the Dereham and Fakenham Times from its first 1880 edition. These newspapers are a very valuable source of information for local researchers and the move to the centre of town will allow easier access when the Archive Centre is opened to the public. The Society are very grateful to Archant for allowing us to care for their precious historic newspapers.
Run entirely by volunteers, the Society encourages and supports research of the history of the town. Its purpose is to conserve and record evidence of Dereham’s history and to run Bishop Bonner’s Cottage as the fully accredited town museum. Filled with hundreds of relevant items, the museum also currently houses an exhibition of the history of Hobbies, with another on Dereham’s ‘Lost Scientist’, William Hyde Wollaston.
The Society produces a regular newsletter for members, and holds monthly illustrated talks at the Trinity Methodist Hall which are open to both members and the public for a small fee. Forthcoming events include subjects as diverse as mediaeval church graffiti, the Roman fort at Swanton Morley, old photographs of Dereham and elementary education in Victorian Norfolk.
Details on how to join the Society, volunteer, or to check out progress after the move can be found on the website www.derehamhistory.com along with many photographs and articles.
26.2.2018
PRESS RELEASE
26 February 2018
Founded in 1953 by Dr. Eric Puddy and Canon Noel Boston, Dereham Antiquarian Society reached its 65th anniversary this month. 2018 also sees some important changes for the Society, and a largely new committee led by Dr Peter Wade-Martins have today reached the culmination of years of work to assess, pack and move the complete museum archive from a unit at Rash’s Green to a dedicated room in the Dereham Town Council offices, to be known as Dereham Archive Centre.
Dr. Wade-Martins said ‘We are very grateful to both Breckland District Council for providing the unit on Rash’s Green for many years and also to Dereham Town Council for being so helpful to accommodate all our needs in the new room.’
The new permanent archive centre is not only suitable for the care and preservation of the museum collection but will also be more accessible to the public and the move marks one of the most critical moments in the Society’s history.
Since its foundation, the Society has amassed thousands of artefacts, documents and photographs covering all aspects of town life and the close surrounding area. Every object has been examined and re-assessed according to strict collection criteria and the vast majority will find a home within the new archive.
The collection includes a rare set of archive copies of the Dereham and Fakenham Times from its first 1880 edition. These newspapers are a very valuable source of information for local researchers and the move to the centre of town will allow easier access when the Archive Centre is opened to the public. The Society are very grateful to Archant for allowing us to care for their precious historic newspapers.
Run entirely by volunteers, the Society encourages and supports research of the history of the town. Its purpose is to conserve and record evidence of Dereham’s history and to run Bishop Bonner’s Cottage as the fully accredited town museum. Filled with hundreds of relevant items, the museum also currently houses an exhibition of the history of Hobbies, with another on Dereham’s ‘Lost Scientist’, William Hyde Wollaston.
The Society produces a regular newsletter for members, and holds monthly illustrated talks at the Trinity Methodist Hall which are open to both members and the public for a small fee. Forthcoming events include subjects as diverse as mediaeval church graffiti, the Roman fort at Swanton Morley, old photographs of Dereham and elementary education in Victorian Norfolk.
Details on how to join the Society, volunteer, or to check out progress after the move can be found on the website www.derehamhistory.com along with many photographs and articles.
26.2.2018
The very professional staff of Hadley & Ottaway handled the move with volunteers from the society.
|
Installing the shelving for the collection in the new Archive Centre
Carefull preparation for the move to the new Archive Centre
|
The main part of the societies collection is now in the new Archive Centre, it will take us time to get the collection reordered in its new home there will be a new press release when the Center is open to visitors.
Adding more recent bound copies of the Dereham Times to the Archive Centre, we now have up to the year 2016 with very few gaps.
Forthcoming event in Gressenhall church on March 10th 2018
Bridget Yates will be giving a talk on the history of music in Gressenhall church from the building of a gallery in 1635, now lost, to the installation of the organ in 1911. A number of the instruments played by the Tye family in the church have survived, and are now in Strangers’ Hall Museum. Also surviving is the ‘Gressenhall Tune Book’, which is being lent by Rev Jonathan Boston the Hon. President of DAS, and the talk will be accompanied by The Gressenhall Singers together with a band of local musicians playing and singing from the book. Some of the instruments have been loaned by Strangers’ Hall ‘for one night only’. In addition, the Gressenhall Ringers will be welcoming the audience with 17th century ringing methods on five bells. It should be a fascinating evening! All the profits will be going to the St Mary's church facilities fund.
WelcomingYear 1 from Scarning School to Bishop Bonner’s Cottage Museum
We were very pleased to open up the museum for a special visit from over 30 children from Scarning School on 7th February. We were lucky with the weather as the sun shone and a little snow has fallen over night, just right for an exciting walk from the school to the museum.
The trip was timed to tie in with their timetable as that term they were studying the local history of the area and comparing past and present. As we have no heating in the museum everyone kept their outside clothes on with a lovely range of colourful hats and flashing wellies. In the words of one of their teachers Charlotte Everett “The children are in year 1 and often walk past the cottage but none have ever been inside. We thought this would be a great opportunity to give them a real life experience of an iconic historical building in their own town.” Charlotte reported back to us “The children loved it”, and so did Julian and I, we hope they will be back next year.
Julian and Sue Walker White 07-02-2018
The trip was timed to tie in with their timetable as that term they were studying the local history of the area and comparing past and present. As we have no heating in the museum everyone kept their outside clothes on with a lovely range of colourful hats and flashing wellies. In the words of one of their teachers Charlotte Everett “The children are in year 1 and often walk past the cottage but none have ever been inside. We thought this would be a great opportunity to give them a real life experience of an iconic historical building in their own town.” Charlotte reported back to us “The children loved it”, and so did Julian and I, we hope they will be back next year.
Julian and Sue Walker White 07-02-2018
Year 1 from Scarning School in Bishop Bonner’s Cottage Museum
The museum’s twisty stairs were a bit of The museum's twisty stairs were a bit of a challenging for some and great fun for others.
Early Photographs in our Collection
Very exciting to discover that we have at least one hand coloured Daguerreotype photograph in our collection and possibly three. It was the first form of photography available and was used between 1839 and 1860. Our example is thought to be a portrait of one of the Jewson family, the three images are very similar and one of them is a mirror image of another.
Posted 02-02-18
Posted 02-02-18
Brian Warwick-Smith
We are very sad to break the news that one of our long standing members of the society Brian Warwick-Smith has recently died at the age of 89. He was a very active member of the committee between 2000 and 2004 when he served as Vice Chairman. He was affectionately known as ‘Mr Fix it’. No job was to large or small for Brian to tackle, he and his wife Ruth both volunteered in the archive as well as the museum. He will be very sadly missed, our thoughts and kind wishes go to his family. They have invited members of DAS that knew Brian to his Funeral, which will be on 20th December at 2.15, Earlham Crematorium. Posted 11-12-17
A Brave Son of Dereham - Bill O'Callaghan
The annual service was held on 22nd May to commemorate the memory of the Royal Norfolks in WW2 who lost their lives on 27th May 1940 in Le Paradis, France, and the only two survivors William O'Callaghan (from Dereham) and Albert Pooley. Dennis O'Callaghan, Willliam's his son, laid a wreath to the memory of all the Royal Norfolks who were executed by the SS at Le Paradis during the first months of world war two. In this video you will also hear Dennis talk about his father's experience and memories of the tragic event. We have an exhibition in the museum on the subject.
22-05-2016 Sue Walker White
22-05-2016 Sue Walker White
Canon Noel Boston 1911-1966
It is the 50th anniversary of the death of Canon Noel Boston, who died at the young age of 55 in 1966. He was one of the founding members of the Dereham Antiquarian Society and Bishop Bonner's Cottage Museum, who had been Vicar of Dereham for 20 years.
Peter Bradbury
We are very sad to announce that one of our most dedicated volunteers and hard working committee member Peter Bradbury died on 10th October. Peter was a delight to work with and the loss of his expertise, enthusiasm, humour and scholarship on a wide range of subjects will be very greatly missed not only by us but also by the Norfolk Heraldry Society and the Paston Society. Peter was also an excellent photographer and regularly gave illustrated talks. There is so much more to say about Peter and the detailed research that he was so good at and that we were so lucky to have shared in our newsletters over the years. The photograph above shows Peter in his RAF uniform in the 1950s.
Sue Walker White - Chairwoman Dereham Antiquarian Society
Sue Walker White - Chairwoman Dereham Antiquarian Society
John Craske - Dereham Artist - Exhibition in Norwich Free until June 6th -
A wonderful opportunity to see many of his major works not normally displayed together.
Bishop Bonner's Cottage Museum is lucky to have three artworks by John Craske (1881 - 1943). Two of these are on display in the exhibition. The exhibition leaflet (copied here) fails to mention his important Dereham connection. I have reproduced the first two pages of the eight page leaflet produced by Terry Davy, it is available from the museum from next Saturday 23rd May for 50p.
Bishop Bonner's Cottage Museum is lucky to have three artworks by John Craske (1881 - 1943). Two of these are on display in the exhibition. The exhibition leaflet (copied here) fails to mention his important Dereham connection. I have reproduced the first two pages of the eight page leaflet produced by Terry Davy, it is available from the museum from next Saturday 23rd May for 50p.
Sharing our museum's collections and having fun -
Had a great museum outreach afternoon helping to celebrate the 10th Birthday meeting of Dereham Parkinson's Support Group. We played 78rpm records dating from 1911 from the museum collection on a 1930s wind-up gramophone. Tea & cake with a lovely group Parkinson's UK, working in the community to support and change attitudes. If you would like to join them see the leaflet below.
The Re-thatching of the museum
Lewis Scaffolding started work at Bishop Bonner's Cottages on Sunday 5th Oct preparing the building for the thatchers. Thanks to a £35,000 grant from the town council the roof has been completely stripped and is being rethatched by M & B Thompson from Wymondham. See more at: http://www.derehamtimes.co.uk/news/secrets_of_ancient_dereham_cottage_revealed_1_3825740#sthash.5Htluou0.Tdm1teet.dpuf
Lewis Scaffolding started work at Bishop Bonner's Cottages on Sunday 5th Oct preparing the building for the thatchers. Thanks to a £35,000 grant from the town council the roof has been completely stripped and is being rethatched by M & B Thompson from Wymondham. See more at: http://www.derehamtimes.co.uk/news/secrets_of_ancient_dereham_cottage_revealed_1_3825740#sthash.5Htluou0.Tdm1teet.dpuf
The rethatching of the museum has given DAS the first chance in some 60 years to investigate the roof’s underlying structure and make a detailed photographic survey, and take samples, of what was revealed. This will be the base of an exhibition in the museum next year.
The finishing touch - the top of the South gable (below) was the last part of the cottage roof to be thatched. You can clearly see the three types of thatching material used on the roof. Water reed from Hungary was used on the main roof, then corn straw from Devon was for the base of the ridge with a finishing layer of flexible Norfolk sedge on the top.
|
|
December 2014 -Wetherspoon Submit Revised Planning Application for their Listed Cottage
New detail plans for the development of Wetherspoon's cottage in Church Street have now been submitted to Breckland Council Planning Department. Sadly they are not going to use the 400 year old listed building for accommodation but as a beer cellar and storage, the surrounding area will be paved and used as an extension to their beer garden. This plan will however involve the much need repair of the structure, and be an improvement to the setting of the building. As a listed building any changes have to be carefully considered and approved. The new planning application reference numbers are 3PL/2014/1243/LB and 3PL/2014/1085/F you can view the plans & documents on-line and leave a formal comment on the application at http://planning.breckland.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/planningSearch.
September 2014 - Good News - Wetherspoon are now looking at fully restoring their listed building in Church Street. The Dereham Times revealed the new plans on 18th September "Pub chain JD Wetherspoon has revealed it hopes to “fully restore” a deteriorating 17th century cottage in the grounds of the Romany Rye in Dereham, and will be discussing new options for its future with Breckland planners."
JD Wetherspoon initially said it would consider whether to appeal the decision but spokesman Eddie Gershon said that would not now happen.“Instead it is looking to either put the cellar inside the building or convert it into hotel rooms,” he said. “Wetherspoon is going to discuss these plans with the council planners and discuss what they think is best for the building.”Head of development and acquisitions Jon Randall added: “The cellar is currently situated in the poor quality single storey building between the listed building and the pub. If the cellar goes into the listed building we then could extend the existing garden. We would then fully restore the listed building. All of the above would be subject to planning.”
The proposition was greeted as “brilliant” by Sue Walker White, chairman of Dereham Antiquarian Society and one of the leading campaigners against the original demolition plan.
To read the full article by Kathryn Cross follow the link below http://www.derehamtimes.co.uk/news/revealed_pub_chain_s_hopes_for_listed_dereham_cottage_1_3773992
Thank you to everyone that objected to one of Dereham's Oldest Buildings being Demolition - The Planning application has been refused.
The time to comment on the planning application to demolish the cottage has now closed. JD Wetherspoon who own the Romany Rye in Church Street applied to demolish its Grade 2 listed building in the Conservation Area in Church St #Dereham. They wanted to have a beer garden on the site. It is one of the oldest buildings in the town, dating to the early 1600s we have so few left we can't lose any more. You can see the plans and read all the 90+ formal comments submitted on the two planning applications at the following two links under the documents section. http://planning.breckland.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/planningDetails?reference=3PL%2F2014%2F0523%2FF and http://planning.breckland.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/planningDetails?reference=3PL%2F2014%2F0524%2FLB
The English Heritage comments are very interesting reading the PDF file can be downloaded below
JD Wetherspoon initially said it would consider whether to appeal the decision but spokesman Eddie Gershon said that would not now happen.“Instead it is looking to either put the cellar inside the building or convert it into hotel rooms,” he said. “Wetherspoon is going to discuss these plans with the council planners and discuss what they think is best for the building.”Head of development and acquisitions Jon Randall added: “The cellar is currently situated in the poor quality single storey building between the listed building and the pub. If the cellar goes into the listed building we then could extend the existing garden. We would then fully restore the listed building. All of the above would be subject to planning.”
The proposition was greeted as “brilliant” by Sue Walker White, chairman of Dereham Antiquarian Society and one of the leading campaigners against the original demolition plan.
To read the full article by Kathryn Cross follow the link below http://www.derehamtimes.co.uk/news/revealed_pub_chain_s_hopes_for_listed_dereham_cottage_1_3773992
Thank you to everyone that objected to one of Dereham's Oldest Buildings being Demolition - The Planning application has been refused.
The time to comment on the planning application to demolish the cottage has now closed. JD Wetherspoon who own the Romany Rye in Church Street applied to demolish its Grade 2 listed building in the Conservation Area in Church St #Dereham. They wanted to have a beer garden on the site. It is one of the oldest buildings in the town, dating to the early 1600s we have so few left we can't lose any more. You can see the plans and read all the 90+ formal comments submitted on the two planning applications at the following two links under the documents section. http://planning.breckland.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/planningDetails?reference=3PL%2F2014%2F0523%2FF and http://planning.breckland.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/planningDetails?reference=3PL%2F2014%2F0524%2FLB
The English Heritage comments are very interesting reading the PDF file can be downloaded below
AN AMAZING DISCOVERY - NEW WORKS BY FAMOUS NORFOLK ARTIST JOHN CRASKE from Dereham -
Today I witnessed an amazing discovery by Phillip Duigan as he was looking through a book given to his grandfather Dr. Victor Duigan in 1927. As Phillip turned the pages there was a whoop of glee " I have just discovered three new John Craske paintings!". Amazed I looked at the three small paintings, one dated 1933 by the Dereham artist. As if this was not amazing enough for one day, on looking through another book Phillip discovered yet another painting by the artist. Images of the four painting are shown here for the first time in public. All these hand painted cards were gifts to Dr Duigan and his wife, who had developed a close friendship with John Craske while he was a patient. John Craske's remarkable story is told in the following article (follow the link below) writer by Ian Collins in 2004.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/what-s-on/a_rocky_life_in_pictures_1_702287
- Sue Walker White - 19th Sept 2014
Today I witnessed an amazing discovery by Phillip Duigan as he was looking through a book given to his grandfather Dr. Victor Duigan in 1927. As Phillip turned the pages there was a whoop of glee " I have just discovered three new John Craske paintings!". Amazed I looked at the three small paintings, one dated 1933 by the Dereham artist. As if this was not amazing enough for one day, on looking through another book Phillip discovered yet another painting by the artist. Images of the four painting are shown here for the first time in public. All these hand painted cards were gifts to Dr Duigan and his wife, who had developed a close friendship with John Craske while he was a patient. John Craske's remarkable story is told in the following article (follow the link below) writer by Ian Collins in 2004.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/what-s-on/a_rocky_life_in_pictures_1_702287
- Sue Walker White - 19th Sept 2014
May 10th WW1 Centenary family open day at the museum went very well
We had fun today at our free family open day, singing, dancing and laughing all part of 'Dereham in Peace and War 1914'.
We experienced the sights & sounds of 1914, a working 100 year old
motor cycle, live music & wind-up gramophone with original WW1 records. Viewed life at the time in 3D on a stereo viewer & photo-cards of the time, and children helped us decorate the cottage with paper chains. One of the best attended days we have had at the museum. Thank you to all of you that came and made it such a wonderful day.
Sue Walker White 10-05-2014
We had fun today at our free family open day, singing, dancing and laughing all part of 'Dereham in Peace and War 1914'.
We experienced the sights & sounds of 1914, a working 100 year old
motor cycle, live music & wind-up gramophone with original WW1 records. Viewed life at the time in 3D on a stereo viewer & photo-cards of the time, and children helped us decorate the cottage with paper chains. One of the best attended days we have had at the museum. Thank you to all of you that came and made it such a wonderful day.
Sue Walker White 10-05-2014
| english_heritage_comments.pdf |
| threat_to_dereham_heritage__-_eastern_daily_press.pdf |