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The Jet Age Museum is part of the Gloucestershire Aviation Collection.  It promotes and preserves the history of Gloucestershire’s contribution to world aviation; to do so for the inspiration, enjoyment and information of the public; and to provide an educational resource and a focus of aviation interest.

Gloucestershire Aviation Collection, an all-volunteer membership organisation, was set up as a registered charity (no. 297818) in 1987. Based in a series of temporary premises, it collected aircraft, other artefacts and archive material relating primarily to the Gloster Aircraft Company, but also to local aerospace companies Dowty, Smiths and Rotol and to other aspects of the county’s aviation history, such as early pioneers, World War 1 and World War 2, Gloucestershire Airport and other county airfields. Jet Age Museum was adopted as the charity’s trading name in 1997.

From 1992 it set out to assemble a representative collection of Gloster-built aircraft, including building replicas ourselves where applicable, and to raise funds for a permanent home. In spite of many setbacks, it attracted significant funding, donations and support in kind from local authorities, other museums, businesses, trusts and individuals.  It opened to the public in its permanent home in 2013 next to Gloucestershire Airport at Staverton near Gloucester.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

Jewish Museum London’s collections include those from the first Jewish Museum in 1932, to the Museum of the Jewish East End (founded, 1983) which ran in parallel to each other before amalgamating on one site to form the new Jewish Museum London in 2010.

2.1 Jewish Museum 1932-1995

The first collections were acquired by the volunteer-run Jewish Museum based in Bloomsbury Square in 1932. Among its initial acquisitions were items from one of the first Judaica collections in the country that were on sale at the time, the Arthur Howitt Collection, later joined by Judaica from the Arthur Franklin collection. Many outstanding items of Judaica (including synagogue silver and textiles and items used for private worship) were collected under the leadership of Wilfred Samuel – chairman of the committee from its inception to his death in 1958. He was succeeded by Alfred Rubens, who had joined as its expert on prints and drawings and continued as chairman for the next twenty-five years.  Over time, the museum committee also collected social history items with the caveat, however, that they should be at least 100 years old, which meant that they tended to omit the history of the late 19th century onwards. The focus was on rare and outstanding items. An important early acquisition was (in 1932) a fine 17th century synagogue ark, discovered at Chillingham Castle in Northumberland. Another substantial addition was the bequest of a beautiful collection of over 1,500 paintings, prints and drawings by Alfred Rubens, spanning from the 18th to the 20th centuries to the collection, in the 1990s.

2.2 Jewish East End Museum / Museum of the Jewish East End / London Museum of Jewish Life 1983-1995

The London Museum of Jewish Life had independently come into existence in 1983 under the name Jewish East End Museum (later: Museum of the Jewish East End) with the aim to collect and document the history of the Jewish East End of London and salvage cultural heritage of that area. Collecting activity focused on the everyday life of the immigrants and acquisitions included materials relating to working life (e.g. tailoring, cabinetmaking), social and political activity, local charities (e.g. Jews’ Temporary Shelter) and home life (household materials). The museum collected numerous photographs and documents and recorded oral histories. In 1988 the museum changed the name to the London Museum of Jewish Life and expanded its collecting policy to reflect the diversity of Jewish roots and life in Britain.

2.3 Jewish Museum London 1995-2010 (operating on two sites), 2010-2023 (Camden)

In 1995 the Jewish Museum was amalgamated with the London Museum of Jewish Life, first operating on a two-site basis under the directorship of Rickie Burman. In the same year it acquired the archive of Holocaust survivor Leon Greenman, of whom the Holocaust gallery centred on.  In 1997 the Jewish Museum was awarded Designated status by the Museums and Galleries Commission in recognition of the outstanding importance of its Judaica collections as part of the national heritage. In 2010 the two collections were amalgamated under one roof. An important new acquisition was a 13th century mikveh, excavated in the City of London, the largest and one of the oldest exhibits at the museum. In 2015, an agreement with the Jewish Military Museum following their closure, assigned the Jewish Museum responsibility for the management, accessibility and engagement with their collection of military items.

2.4 Covid 19 pandemic and new operating model, 2020-2023

In 2020, the global COVID-19 pandemic led to a temporary pause in acquiring new items (March 2020-Jan 2021) and a subsequent change in direction established programmes such as ‘Inclusive Judaism’ which encourages the acquisition of items from underrepresented groups (see Appendix 1). In 2023, the Museum closed and sold its Camden building in order to release funds to be financially sustainable, and accelerate the vision to develop a new Jewish Museum London for the future. The Museum is now operating as a ‘Museum Without Walls’ expanding its loans programme and museum curated displayed hosted by external venues; items from the core collection feature in regularly changing displays at JW3, the National Holocaust Centre and Museum, Bradford Reform Synagogue. Throughout 2024, items will be on display in at least five regions of the UK; London, Manchester, Bradford, Nottingham, & Brighton, with plans to expand our outreach and display potential in the coming years. Aside from items on display, the collection has been transferred into storage with Queens Fine Arts, a company approved by both our Board of Trustees and insurers. The collection can be accessed by staff for Museum projects and research requests.

Acquisitions were paused from July 2023 to April 2024.

The long-term agreement with the Jewish Military Museum and associated loan of their collection ceased with collections management responsibilities returning to the Jewish Military Association (AJEX) in 2023.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

The Jewish Museum London collection contains over 32,000 items including a Judaica collection with Designation Collection1 status as recognised by Arts Council England. It has a combination of items that reflect the religious traditions and practices, alongside those that illustrate the history and culture of Jewish people in Britain. It seeks to reflect the diverse roots of the Jewish community in Britain, including Ashkenazi, Sephardi & Mizrachi traditions, however, the collection is more heavily weighted towards Ashkenazi material. The earliest material dates to the medieval 11th century with a small percentage of items relating to 17th/18th century and a higher concentration of objects dating to the 19th century onwards. The collection includes items that reflect the roots and identities of Jewish people in Britain, including their countries of origin (primarily European countries). This has led to certain items having tenuous links to British Jewry through association rather than a direct connection. The collection aims to represent Jews from all cultural, ethnic, religious and sexual backgrounds that reflect the Jewish population of Britain past and present.

Designated Collection

3.1 Judaica (representing the religious aspects of Judaism)  Primarily collected by the early Jewish Museum, items consist of those used in the synagogue (eg Torah ornaments), home (eg Hanukah lamps) or by individuals (eg amulets). There is overlap with the textile collection (e.g. Torah mantles, kippot, tefillin) and books/manuscript/documents collection (e.g. synagogue records, ketubot (marriage certificates), & Mizrach) The Judaica collection includes silverware and other metals (e.g. rimmonim), glass and ceramic (e.g. Sabbath lamps), textiles (e.g. tallitot) and paper-based items (e.g. Haggadah).

Non Designated Collections

3.2 Social History (representing the history and culture of Jews in Britain) Primarily collected by the Museum of Jewish Life, items consist of secular objects often connected with communal activities (eg trophies, regalia), domestic items (eg cooking equipment) and personal items (eg jewellery). There is overlap with the costume/textile collection (e.g. wedding dresses) and with books/manuscripts/documents (e.g. memoires, personal letters, magazines) and the art collections (prints/paintings/photographs) The social history collection includes silverware and other metals (trophies), glass and ceramic (e.g. figurines), and ephemera (e.g. Bar mitzvah invitations).

3.3 Working History (representing the industries and working life of Jews in Britain) The collection is mainly made of items from the 19th and 20th century representing the East End industries following the great migration. Well-represented trades include tailoring, cabinet making, baking, printing, hat making and cigarette making. Later 20th century material includes well known businesses such as Boris Bennett photographic studios to the more obscure such as the Massil Master Bowling Pin.

3.4 Military History (representing the history of Jewish military service)  Items relating to Jewish military history include a range of service medals, prayer books, correspondence, and photographs.

3.5 Costume & Textile (representing both items of religion and social /working history)  Items relating to a religious context are centred on synagogue textiles, (e.g. Ark curtains and Torah mantles 17th – 20th century) and those used in the home such as challah covers, or items of personal piety such as prayer shawls.  Non-religious textiles include a range of domestic items (eg tablecloths) and several banners from communal organisations, including one of only two surviving Jewish trade union banners. Costumes are primarily late 19th and 20th century, including wedding dresses, uniforms, clothing accessories (eg handbags, shoes and hats) and baby clothes (including circumcision gowns). They also reflect diverse traditions of Jewish costume throughout the world, including Baghdadi Indian clothes and a Bukharian barmitzvah robe. There are also two concentration camp uniforms and several costumes from Yiddish theatre actors.

3.6 Prints & Drawings (2D artwork exc. paintings) The Rubens collection makes up one of the world’s most important collections of Jewish prints with depictions of religious ceremonies and practices, Jewish costume, portraits of famous Jews, and caricatures by masters such as Rowlandson and Gillray. It also holds additional prints and drawings collected by the museum, including work by Simeon Solomon, and Eva Frankfurther, alongside cartoons, sketches and collages.

3.7 Paintings & Sculpture (2D & 3D works of art) The museum holds a small collection of primarily 18th and 19th century oil paintings and miniatures of historical interest. There are also a limited number of small busts and sculptures either by Jewish artists or depicting Jewish individuals.

3.8 Archaeology & coins The museum has a small collection of classical, Middle Eastern and medieval coins, medals and seals, and occasional archaeological pieces (eg Sumerian clay bowl).

3.9 Books, manuscripts & documents  The book collection includes both religious and secular books, printed in a range of languages, including English, Hebrew, Yiddish and German, from the 17th to the 20th century. There are also bound religious registers. Books in the collection are treated as museum objects, rather than reference sources. In the event of disposal, any religious books must be disposed of according to appropriate religious custom. There is a wide range of both religious and secular manuscripts, documents and ephemera in the collection, dating from the 17th century to the present day. The 19th/ 20th century is heavily represented with synagogue records and ephemera, ketubot (marriage certificates), amulets and other religious documentation, trade cards, bookplates, posters, invitations, scrapbooks, account books and ledgers, newspapers, magazines and annual reports. Personal papers and records include letters, diaries, certificates, ID cards and passports. There is a fine collection of posters, playbills and other ephemera relating to Yiddish theatre in London.

3.10 Photographs The museum holds both original photographs and an archive of historical and contemporary images. Original photographs are primarily gelatin silver prints, with a very small number of daguerrotypes and albumen prints. There are also large framed items and photographs housed in albums and scrapbooks. The majority of images in the collection are copy prints in the Photographic Archive, generated from original photographs loaned to the museum for this purpose. Originally in the format of 35mm negatives, these images are now produced digitally and housed on the museum’s computer network. Photographs illustrate the full range of the museum’s collecting interests, including people, places, activities and areas of origin. The museum has collected photographs of all aspects of Jewish life, with a more recent focus on documenting contemporary life and representing the broad Jewish spectrum. It does not collect unidentified photographs.  All new acquisitions must have their copyright status assessed and cleared (where possible) and take data protection issues into account.

3.11 Oral History The museum’s Oral History Archive consists of personal histories, working life and communal activities, and include interviews with refugees from Nazism, Holocaust survivors and others who have come to Britain from around the world. Copyright in all interviews is cleared at point of recording. Most audio is on cassette tape with a combination of digitised mp3/wav. Versions, and /or a transcription.

3.12 Audio-Visual collections  The museum holds a small archive of audio-visual material. This is primarily reference material on VHS or DVD, with a few examples of archival footage. Copyright for reference material has generally not been cleared. Recent audio/visual acquisitions have been restricted to digital versions only.

3.13 Holocaust collections Items relating to the Holocaust are primarily from the archive of Leon Greenman, with additional items relating to kindertransport testimony. There is also a small collection of antisemitic items from the time, and liberator photography.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

Personalia

Collection of some of the personal possessions of John Bunyan, 1628-1688, including the anvil he used for his work as a tinker and his metal violin. Bunyan was imprisoned for his beliefs for 12 years in Bedford Goal, and a stoneware jug thought to have been used to take him food and drink, and a wooden flute reputed to have been made from the leg of a stool in his prison cell are on display. The collection also includes copies of many of his works, including the Pilgrim’s Progress.; Collection of objects and documents relating to the history of the Bunyan Meeting Free Church.

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC

The idea for the creation of the John Moore Museum dates back to 1967, the year the Gloucestershire writer John Moore died and also when the restoration of the late-medieval terrace which houses the museum began. The museum was not officially opened until 1980, although the Merchant’s House (which houses only replica items) could be visited by the public from 1973 onwards. Originally, the museum did not have its own collections, being reliant on loans objects from the locally significant Holland-Martin Collection of historic agricultural implements. However, from 1988 and the appointment as curator of Dr Robert King, the museum set about a policy of collecting its own natural history, social history and John Moore related objects and of returning items borrowed from the Holland-Martin Collection; the latter were finally all returned.

Today the museum continues collecting in these areas. Since 2010, and following a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, we have developed the Merchant’s House as a heritage site where people may learn about the life of the Tudor merchant class.

The incorporation, from April 2015, of the Old Baptist Chapel (OBC) into the museum’s management portfolio allows us to interpret the architectural and social history of another originally 15th century building and enables us to diversify our heritage product. It also provides extra facilities and increased revenue generation potential through education workshop and events space, plus events hire.

In 2003, John Moore’s widow, Lucile Bell, died and left the museum’s governing body a substantial donation with the stipulation that it be ring fenced for museum related projects.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

Natural History

Taxidermy specimens of native British wildlife, primarily mammals and birds which are representative of Gloucestershire Fauna.

Geology

Rocks and minerals that are representative of the geology of Gloucestershire and parts of surrounding counties.

Social History

Predominantly agricultural implements, representative of the types of tools used on the land in Gloucestershire.

John Moore

Items relating to the Gloucestershire writer, principally, but not exclusively, books and articles by or relating to him.

Archives

Mainly materials connected to the history of the Abbey Lawn Trust and in particular the built heritage which it preserves and interprets.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

Personalia Collection

Artefacts which belonged to or are associated with John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, including, his house and furniture, his library, letters, personal possessions and clothing. These include material relating to the Wesley family, some items from the mid 17th century, from before John Wesley’s birth in 1703 and some from the 19th century, after his death.

Historical Collection

Items relating to the history of Methodism, including notable Methodists, lay and clergy, as well as Methodist events, organisations and institutions and general history, covering the whole of the UK and overseas wherever Methodist communities have been established. The collections include books, ceramics, costume, textiles, manuscripts, paintings, silver, chapel furniture, archival material and other items. The period covered starts with John Wesley and continues to the present day. The collections embrace the social history of Wesley’s Chapel and the Leysian Mission in this part of London.

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC

Personalia

Items relating to the life and works of the poet John Keats 1795-1821, and elated to his family and close friends. This includes objects, documents, books, visual and audio media. paintings, prints and sculpture.

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC

Arms and Armour Collection

There is a significant collection of both firearms and edged weapons.

Subjects

Arms and Armour

Medals Collection

There is an extensive and important collection of campaign medals and medals given for honours.

Subjects

Medals

Personalia Collection

The collection includes information about notable people associated with the Regiment.

Subjects

Personalia

Social History Collection

This collection covers the Regimental silver, vehicles, and illustrations of the Regiment, including paintings, prints and drawings.

Subjects

Social History

Costume and Textile Collection

This is a collection of uniforms and uniform accessories including buttons and braid. Non-uniform textiles include flags and kit bags.

Subjects

Costume and Textile

Archives Collection

There is archival material relating to the history and activities of the Regiment.

Subjects

Archives

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC