Explore collections

The Foundling Museum was established as an independent charity in 1998 by the childcare charity the Thomas Coram Foundation for Children (subsequently renamed Coram Family and now known as Coram), which is the successor of the original Foundling Hospital. It opened to the public in June 2004.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2016

Licence: CC BY-NC

The original Foundling Hospital and the Foundling Museum Collections relate to the history of the Foundling Hospital between its foundation in 1739 and its closure in 1954, and also contain objects created after this date which relate to the themes and history of the Foundling Hospital. They consist of paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, manuscripts, books, furniture, furnishings, clocks, silverware, pewter, clothing, coins, medals, photographs and the Foundling Hospital tokens.

The Gerald Coke Handel Collection (GCHC) relates to the life and work of the composer George Frideric Handel. The collection includes manuscripts, printed books and music, ephemera, coins, medals and a small number of art works from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, including paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture. The GCHC is a major international research collection. The GCHC was left to the State by Mrs Patricia Coke upon her death in 1995. The GCHC was permanently allocated to the Museum by the Secretary of State in December 2008.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2016

Licence: CC BY-NC

The collections are mainly personal belongings that were brought by the Freud family from Vienna in 1938, and further items belonging to Anna Freud who lived in the house until her death in 1982. Very few items have been added to the collection since the house opened as a museum in 1986; some donations and some left as legacies.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2016

Licence: CC BY-NC

The museum’s collections consist of:

• Sigmund Freud’s personal collection of classical antiquities (c 2000 items)
• 19th and 20th century furniture and furnishings (c 130 items)
• Oriental carpets (c 30 items)
• Paintings, prints, and etchings (c 50 items)
• Photographic prints (c185 items)
• Sigmund and Anna Freud’s personal effects (including Anna Freud’s possessions such as jewellery (c.1000 items))

There are also extensive archive and library collections.

The core of the collection is Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic couch and the rugs and cushions that cover it – it is highly symbolic of and significant to the history of the mind and the 20th century. Other key collection items include some flat works, for example a portrait of Sigmund Freud by Salvador Dali and Palm Tree by Lucian Freud. Some of the collection is significant solely because it was owned by Sigmund and/or Anna Freud and can help to shed light onto their lives and/or work. Some objects, such as some of Sigmund Freud’s antiquities, for example, are fine and rare examples drawing international interest in their own right.

As the priority when forming the museum (at the wish of Anna Freud) was Sigmund Freud and his possessions, many of Anna Freud’s possessions didn’t get accessioned. It is only recently in 2013 that Anna Freud’s possessions were reassessed and many were accessioned.

The museum has upwards of 10000 digital images, forming a record of the history of the museum and a record of museum objects and archival material. These have not been accessioned but are in a sense actively generated and ‘collected’.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2016

Licence: CC BY-NC

The Michael Stanyon Archive was founded in 1999, based in Berkhamsted as part of the Dacorum Heritage Trust, before later moving in full to Frogmore Paper Mill. The archive has been run by volunteers since its inception, led by Michael Stanyon from 2001 until his retirement in 2019, with a paid collections officer then hired in early 2021. The archive has been housed in several rooms within the Frogmore site during its history, most recently moving to its present location in the summer of 2020.

The collection has grown to include over 9000 items catalogued on the collections database, providing a rich source of information on a range of topics relating to paper­ making and its history, with a particular focus on the Gade Valley area and the significant individuals and organisations involved. The archive is an essential source for public exhibitions run in the Frogmore Paper Mill visitor centre and has also been a valuable resource for published research and researchers of family history.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

The Apsley Paper Trail collection consists of over 9000 items primarily relating to the history of papermaking within the local area and the notable individuals involved in its history. A wide range of materials and objects are included in the collection, including documentary items, photographs, books, magazines, paintings, machinery, products, and the social history of the mills and their workers.

The collection is primarily stored within the Michael Stanyon Archive at Frogmore Paper Mill. Further items are displayed across the Frogmore Paper Mill site and in the Tudor Room at Apsley Cottage.

Major categories included in the collection are:

4.1    Library

Books relating to the history of paper-making and the local area. Particular interest is given to local mills and the companies associated with them, as well as key individuals. The library has been divided into the following categories:

• Papermaking
• Directories
• Histories of Mills {Outside Herts)
• Local History Material {Herts)
• Miscellaneous
• Hand Papermaking
• Samples of books printed on JD
• Printing
• Watermarks

The library also includes large-size company books such as ledgers, minute books, and rolls of long service.

4.2    British Association of Paper Historians (BAPH)

The archive collects published output from the BAPH and holds a complete collection of the Quarterly Journal. Articles in the journal have been listed individually on Modes. BAPH material is held under the umbrella entry APT 1851.

4.3    Dickinson Fire Brigade

Items relating to the Dickinson’s Fire Brigade. Many of these items are listed on Modes with the collection code APT DFB. Items are also collected relating to the fire brigade at Frogmore Paper Mill.

4.4    Company Magazines

A large number of internal company magazines were produced by John Dickinson Stationery under various titles and company names. These have been indexed on Modes under their individual titles.

4.5    Products

The archive includes many examples of paper and stationery products, with a particular focus on those produced by John Dickinson stationery companies and brands, and by the British Paper Company. This category also includes sample selections and related advertising material.

A further sub-section of this category includes objects made during wartime production at the mills, with several items from wartime production at Apsley also included in the collection.

4.6    Papermaking equipment

Machinery, equipment and materials used in the process of paper-making or used by workers at the mills.

4.7    Photographic Material

A large selection of photographic material, ranging from portraits, aerial views of paper mill sites, advertising, machinery, workers, and the social aspects of the companies including sports and leisure. Photographs have partially been divided into the following categories:

• APT DBM – Dickinson Buildings and Machinery
• APT DAd – Dickinson Advertising
• APT DP – Dickinson People
• APT DSpSc – Dickinson Sports and Social

4.8    British Paper Company

Items relating specifically to the British Paper Company, based at the Frogmore Paper Mill site. Items are listed under the code APT BPC on Modes.

4.9    Documentary material

A large amount of documentary material is stored within the archive with various official documents, correspondence, patents, blueprints, maps, and company notices included.

4.10     Trophies

Several trophies and items relating to the Dickinson Sports Guild are included in the collection, with many on display within the main office.

4.11     Textiles

Several textile items are contained within the archive, primarily uniforms and flags.

4.12     Media

Media and film relating to paper making and paper mills. This includes cine reels and DVDs, and a large selection of digital photographs.

4.13     Company Memorabilia

This includes promotional and souvenir items relating to John Dickinson and related companies and products.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

The Museum was established in 1967 with the purpose of preserving Frome’s important industrial past which was fast disappearing. Since the late 20th century Frome has grown fast into the vibrant artisan town it is today.

The current collections reflect the history of Frome and surrounding neighbourhood up to 2019. All periods are covered. Currently most items are in a physical format – but in the future more digital surrogates will be held as required.

The collections have developed almost entirely through donations alone. It is not Museum policy to take items on loan unless there are special reasons to do so.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2019

Licence: CC BY-NC

Strengths include two collections of national significance:

• The Singer’s Art Metal Works collection
• The Garston Veterinary Museum (donated in 2017).

The scope of the collections today span:

• Industrial history
• Veterinary history
• Social, political, economic, cultural and religious history
• Visual art (relating to the area or by local artists)
• Costume (mostly Victorian or later)
• Geology, archaeology and Selwood Forest (natural history)
• Performance (FAOS / FMTS)

Notable strengths include:

• Metal working
• Printing and the book trades
• The wool trades

The collections by material type include:

• Artefacts reflecting the full scope of our collections as listed above.
• Substantial library and archive
• Historical maps
• Visual art
• Historic costumes
• Geological specimens
• Archaeological artefacts
• Recordings (audio and film)

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2019

Licence: CC BY-NC

Fine and Decorative Art

Oils, watercolours, lithographs, prints, and linocuts by artists who have lived and worked in North West Essex, particularly those who lived in and around Great Bardfield and Finchingfield between the early 1930’s and the death of John Aldridge in 1983. Artists represented include John Aldridge, Edward Bawden, Chloe Cheese, Sir George Clausen, Olive Cook, Thomas Hennell, Walter Hoyle, Sheila Robinson, Eric Ravilious, Michael Rothenstein, and Kenneth Rowntree. Photographs by Edwin Smith (1912-1971) and by other artists associated with North West Essex. Sculpture, ceramics and designs, notably wallpaper designs by artists living and working in North West Essex from the 1930’s. The Gallery has a particularly important collection of the works of Edward Bawden, including linocuts, lithographs, designs for posters and wallpapers and pencil sketches. The collection also includes a photographic record of Bawden’s house and studio by Roy Hammans, 1989, and an oil portrait of him by his grandson, Tom Russell (1989-91). Ceramics designed by Eric Ravilious, principally for Wedgwood. Wallpaper designs by John Aldridge and by Edward Bawden.

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC

Archaeology Collection

A small collection comprising material relating to the Palace and its grounds, including a group of 19th century material found in the adjoining park (formerly part of the Palace estate), artefacts found under the floorboards of the Palace itself during building work and stray finds from the allotments and gardens formerly part of the Palace estate).

Subjects

People (religious); Architecture

Fine Art Collection

A small but growing collection of prints and drawings with a few oil paintings, depicting the Bishops of London, the Palace and its immediate environs in Fulham.

Subjects

Architecture; People; Bishops

Local and Social History

The collection includes: a. Objects that were left behind in the Palace and associated buildings including old gardening tools b. Objects associated with the Bishops of London, including textiles, memorabilia, autograph letters and seals c. Unprovenanced domestic items and textiles of sufficient quality or interest to assist with interpreting the building.

Subjects

People (religious); ArchitecturePeople

Printing Collection

Matrices and moulds from the principal eighteenth- and nineteenth-century London type foundries, complemented by business archives and by one of the world’s best collections of type specimen books. Cataloguing and conservation of a major collection, acquired from Stephenson Blake in 1996, is currently being undertaken with the aid of a grant from The Pilgrim Trust.

Subjects

Graphic Design; Printing; People

Printed Ephemera Collection

Postcards, news cuttings, church service programmes and other items associated with the Bishops of London and the Palace.

Subjects

People (religious); Architecture

Photograph Collection

Photographs old and new of the Palace buildings, the grounds, those who have lived and worked there and events held there.

Subjects

People; Bishops

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC

Arms and Armour Collection

The collections relate to the Lancashire Fusiliers Regiment (20th Foot) 1688-1968 and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers 1968-present and its antecedents, Regular, Volunteer and Militia from 1688 to present and affiliations made by the Regiment. Objects include small arms, uniforms, insignia, models, maps, paintings and personalia. Important objects are books and badges presented to the 20th Regiment in May 1821 by Napoleon (shortly before his death); Uniforms of Robert Ross, commander of the 1814 British expedition to the USA and Wax effigy and personal effects of James Wolfe, commanding officer of the regiment 1750-58.

Subjects

Arms and Armour

Medals Collection

A wide-ranging collection of medals, most important of which are the Victoria Crosses.

Subjects

Medals

Personalia Collection

Personal items include items such as documents, letters and diaries, pay books, postcards, photographs and cigarette boxes.

Subjects

Personalia

Photographic Collection

Photographs relating to the Regiment and its history.

Subjects

Photography

Archives Collection

The Museum Archives cover the regimental history from its formation in 1688 to its links with the North west from 1796 onwards, including Regimental Journals from 1891 to present day. There are records for officers who have served from the formation of the regiment, all campaign medal rolls from 1799-1902 and honours and awards from 1799-Present day; all soldiers killed in action, burial sites of all WW1 and WW2 soldiers of the regiment, details of 9,500 men who enlisted between 1881-1902 (1st & 2nd regular battalions) and edited editions of WW1 war diaries. Campaign records cover the Crimea war, Indian Mutiny, Sudanese war, Boer war, WW1, and WW2. There are also records of the 19 Victoria Crosses won by the regiment, including the famous ‘Six before Breakfast’ at Gallipoli, 1915.

Subjects

Archives

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC

The Regiment had established a private museum by 1949, when it made the Tower of London its permanent home. On the 31st March 1960, concerned about the future of the museum, the Regimental Council declared their intention of ‘holding together the traditions of the Regiment and of perpetuating its deeds’ by holding ‘the Regimental Collection “upon trust”‘ and on the 9th of November 1962 the Royal Fusilier Museum in the Tower of London was opened by HRH Princess Marina Duchess of Kent. Housed in Her Majesty’s Tower of London, where the regiment was raised, there could be no finer or more appropriate setting for a museum of military history.

In 2010 the trustees embarked upon a major project called Fusiliers Advance, to transform the exhibition space and enable all visitors to the Tower to be offered free access for the first time. The museum was reopened by HRH The Duke of Kent, our Colonel in Chief, in April 2011.

In 2013 the museum began a three year project, Unpacking History: The Great War to commemorate the deeds of the Royal Fusiliers during the First World War. This project encompassed education, outreach and collection projects as well as the digitisation of First World War collection material and the creation of an online catalogue on the museum’s website.

The museum was awarded Full Accreditation by the Arts Council England in October 2012, demonstrating our commitment to achieving a high standard of service and a commitment to improving collection care. We received an invitation from the ACE to submit an Accreditation Return, with a deadline of 30th September 2015. The museum submitted the return and was awarded its re-accreditation in May 2018.

In 2017 the museum began a collection move project moving material stored in the basement into a new bespoke storage space created during the Unpacking History project. The project will improve the care, storage and conservation of this section of the collection as well as producing high quality photographs of the collection material. The project will engage more users with the collection both in general and through a dedicated series of talks and tours.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2018

Licence: CC BY-NC

Regimental property held by the Battalions formed the basis of the museum’s collection, which was subsequently supplemented by appeals to serving and ex-members of the Regiment for items of interest. Today the Collection of around 3500 objects is diverse and of high quality and contains uniforms, insignia, weapons, paintings and personal effects relating to the Royal Fusiliers and affiliated companies.

There are a large number of social history objects whose value is not their uniqueness but in the stories they can tell. Unpacking an archive box throws up any number of remarkable individual stories. A red leather bound notebook only 10cm long, looks unremarkable but in fact contains the signatures of ninety-five winners of the Victoria Cross. Amongst these is Private SF Godley’s, a Royal Fusilier recognised for his action at the Battle of Mons in 1914. The collection includes some rarities and star pieces of national importance including 12 of the 20 VCs held by the Royal Fusiliers, the French Eagle taken from Napoleon’s army at Martinique, a magnificent silver wine cooler presented to the Regiment by William IV and the Uniform and Bearskin of King George V.

There is also an archive of over 20,000 objects which have not traditionally been seen as part of the museum’s collection and are not accessioned but which formed an integral part of the 2010 Heritage Lottery Fund Bid and which support the collection. The trustees took a decision to integrate this material into the collection. The museum is working through the archive, which includes material such as; official Regimental records such as War Diaries, photographs, and maps as well as personal documents of individual soldiers, for example, pay books, letters, diaries, photographs, postcards… and cataloguing appropriate items which will be formally accessioned into the collection in due course.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2018

Licence: CC BY-NC

The collection was first displayed in a museum at Budbrooke Barracks (1928 – 1960) before moving to St John’s House. The base of the collection is Regimental items donated by officers/soldiers (ex-servicemen). Today many donations are also received from members of the public. The collection provides a basis for displays, education, research, and study.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

The objects illustrate the history of the Regiment* from its formation In 1674 to the present day. The items belonged to soldiers who served with the Regiment, or have a connection to the Regiment, its allies, or enemies.

*When describing the Museum collection the term the ‘Regiment’ applies to Lillington’s Regiment of Foot (1674 – 1743), Sixth Regiment of Foot (1743 – 1782), Sixth or First Warwickshire Regiment of Foot (1782 – 1832), Sixth or Royal [First] Warwickshire Regiment (`1832 – 1881), Royal Warwickshire Regiment (1881 – 1963), Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers (1963 – 1968) and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (1968 – ).

The collection contains different types of objects.

Type of object	Approx no. of objects
Archives (personal documents, letters, postcards, diaries, maps, scrapbooks and official army records, photographs	7000
Medals (unofficial Regimental to official campaign medals, gallantry medals, long service and good conduct medals, miniature medals, and sports awards	3200
Memorial Plaques	70
Musical instruments (bugles, drums, and a flute)	30
Textiles (Regimental Colours, pennants, foreign flags, and embroideries	200
Silver (Regimental and sporting memorabilia)	110
Library books	70
Fine art	150
Framed photographs and prints	90
Weapons (firearms, edged weapons, and miscellaneous weapons, ammunition – used by soldiers serving with the Regiment and their opponents)	250
Decorative art (mainly Regimental ceramics and glasses, memorial tusks & horns)	90
Uniforms (mainly Victorian period onwards. The earliest are Birmingham Loyal Association and the Militia – full-dress and service-dress, officers, non- commissioned officers, and other ranks)	600
Costume accessories – hats, helmets, belts, sashes, footwear etc.	1000
Badges	750
Equipment	150
Relics and souvenirs	300
Biological specimens	1

From March 2023, after a hiatus of six months while the museum completed its new build at Pageant House, the museum’s MODES database has been regularly updated with new location information and new acquisitions (compiled from the accession register). During this process, some improvements have been made to descriptions where this is possible. As of beginning of April 2024, the total number of entries on the database was 13839. Teams of volunteers are working through the collections to audit, document, condition check and, where needed, repack items. When they have identified an object without an accession number, they have issued it with an ‘E’ number acting as a temporary ID until either the accession number has been found by cross-link to records, or a new retrospective accession number is issued.

Although the earliest objects in the collection date from 1674 (letters from William Prince of Orange to Sir Walter Vane about the formation of the Regiment), the majority of the collection dates from the nineteenth century onwards. The key themes represented within the collection are major battles, particularly both World Wars, and personal stories of individual soldiers and their daily routine. Material relating to the activities of the current Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, the successor regiment of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, are only acquired where there is a clear connection to the areas of the historic recruiting grounds of the regiment in Warwickshire, Coventry and Birmingham.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

Military

Collection consists of uniforms, medals, weapons, colours and objects covering the period 1674-1968 when the regiment had various names latterly the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and from 1968 the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

Library

A collection of works on the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and campaigns in which they fought, including a run of “St George’s Gazette”. There are also works on British military history, badges and medals. 18th to 20th centuries.

Subjects

Military History; Geography and History

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC