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The Quilters’ Guild was established in 1979 as a national organisation representing quilt-makers throughout the country. The Guild aims to give quilt-making the status it deserves as both a craft and an art, and to encourage and maintain a high standard of workmanship and design. Its focus on encouraging contemporary practise is vital in keeping historic skills alive, and ensuring the continuation of a traditional craft which continues to evolve and remain relevant to a changing contemporary society. This is reflected within its Collection.

Since The Guild’s inception it began to form a collection of patchwork and quilted works as an educational resource to inspire and inform its members. The first acquisitions included a House Block quilt, made in 1978 by founder members of The Guild; two Wholecloth Quilts made for Claridges Hotel, London as part of their renovated Art Deco Wing in the 1930s; and samples and small pieces made by or owned by Averil Colby (see influential figures in the history of the Collection below). As the organisation grew, so did the collection, and the importance of collecting a broad range of patchwork and quilted textiles to represent the types and styles produced over the last three centuries became apparent. As an historically (and predominantly) female craft, patchwork and quilting and its history and development is an important part of British social and domestic history, and it was not comprehensively collected within other public collections.

Influential figures within the history of patchwork and quilting have led to important donations. Averil Colby was a patchwork and quilting historian, writer and teacher, and her manuscripts and notes for her books form an important resource in our archives collection. She was also an avid collector of historic fabrics, and her extensive collection, which dates back to the 18th century, forms the core basis of our fabric collection. Barbara Bailey was a founder member of The Quilters’ Guild and a prolific practitioner and teacher. The Collection has 36 pieces made by her dating from the 1970s – 80s, including teaching samples and miniature quilts. In 2002, 21 quilts were left in a significant bequest from Angela Brocklebank, an active member of The Guild as well as a teacher and collector. In 1993, The Guild were bequeathed a number of samples, small domestic objects and tools from the estate of Amy Emms, an influential wholecloth practitioner and teacher. These pieces are further supported by several additional donations of quilts made by Amy Emms.

There are several key acquisitions that stand out as being particularly rare, iconic and important, both in our historic and contemporary holdings. Arguably the most important is the 1718 Silk Patchwork Coverlet. This piece, bought at auction in 2000, is the oldest known dated patchwork coverlet surviving in the U.K. Its unique design and complex construction, coupled with its very early 18th century date of creation make it a vital piece of historical evidence that resonates within an international context. Other significant historic pieces include a small collection of early 19th century printed cotton pieced patchworks, demonstrating exquisite workmanship and an encyclopaedia of printed cotton designs. A pair of mid-nineteenth century coverlets made by or for sisters of the same family, known as the Bloomfield and Wyatt Coverlets, were purchased separately in 2003-4 but contain a very unusual design incorporating embroidered religious verses and even some identical fabrics. An interesting piece for the last quarter of the century features an art nouveau inspired design in applique and couching made by a member of the Ladies Work Society, and is unusual in both design and maker. Contemporary makers are also represented, and show a great variety in pioneering techniques and styles. A large piece, Pink Boat by Jo Budd demonstrates the art quilter’s more abstract source of inspiration and uses a rust dyeing technique. A studio piece by the internationally sought after quilt artist Pauline Burbidge, Honesty Skyline, brings our collection firmly into the 21st century.

As the collection has grown and evolved, it has become important to maintain a strong sense of focus for the collection. We continue to collect items from any period, but aim towards representing the variety and breadth of quilts created. This can be challenging, as most pieces demonstrate individual artistic flair and personal variety. The need to collect items that reflect the work of community groups, and works created for social and political purposes has also been recognised as an emerging area for collection. There is also an increasing awareness to represent and reflect diversity within our Collection, in all its forms.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2021

Licence: CC BY-NC

The Quilters’ Guild Collection totals over 850 quilts and related items from the British Isles. It comprises of a comprehensive range of patchwork, quilted and applique pieces, exploring the breadth of those allied crafts throughout the history of their creation. Its significance lies in capturing that full range, representing works across the social spectrum to demonstrate different types, styles, fabrics and makers.

The existing collection consists of:

• Quilts, coverlets and tops
• Clothing
• Domestic items
• Tools and equipment
• Patterns and templates
• Archives relating to the Collections
• Objects relating to the organisation’s history and key people within it
• Fabric samples
• Library – reference collection of current, and out of print texts relating to the history and techniques of patchwork, quilting and applique.
• Archive relating to the history of The Guild as an organisation
• Oral history Project ‘Talking Quilts’ (which includes transcripts and digital recorded files)

The Collecting Policy for the Library and Archive material are appended to the back of this document.

In addition to the accessioned Collection, we hold an education collection which is frequently used for the purposes of outreach in the form of travelling trunks. These are hired by groups, and represent a snapshot of the history of patchwork and quilting. Each trunk has themed interpretation to help direct the user experience. The quilts in these trunks, (which are also used for the purposes of talks, lectures and displays where conditions are not appropriate for the accessioned collection), are all duplicates of items currently in the main collection.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2021

Licence: CC BY-NC

The Museum’s origins go back to 1864 when The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews granted its Committee powers:

“to collect such articles relative to the game as they may think necessary and to make such arrangements to render them accessible to members as may be consistent with their due preservation.”

By 1884, the collection was on display in the Clubhouse in what was described as “a cabinet of curiosities”. The collection grew with display space always limited, eventually leading to the Club opening the British Golf Museum in 1990.

As the British Golf Museum (1990 to 2020) the basic objective of the Museum’s collecting policy was to assemble the finest possible collection of objects relating to the history of men’s and women’s golf in Britain and British influence abroad, from the Middle Ages to the present day. Also included were items representing other sports and their relationship to golf. This brief was interpreted in the widest possible sense so as to include objects relating to golf that could be construed as social history or the history of sports in general.

As the R&A World Golf Museum (2021), this collecting policy has broadened: to assemble the finest possible collection relating to the history of golf as it evolved in Britain from the Middle Ages onwards, spread and grew around the world through British influence and latterly independently, and as is now played in all its forms by all abilities.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2023

Licence: CC BY-NC

Themes represented within the collection include the origins of golf; early comparative ball and stick games; social and cultural evolution; golfing societies and clubs; club and ball design and manufacture; grassroots, elite amateur and professional golf; worldwide spread and adoption; The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews; The Open and the AIG Women’s Open; The R&A championships and international matches; the Rules of Golf.

Core Collections

Clubs and Club Heads

The Museum holds an outstanding collection of clubs ranging from the 18th century to the present day. Priority in collecting focusses upon three areas: acquiring examples of design, technological and manufacturing evolution; examples designed by or otherwise associated with prominent clubmakers or manufacturers; and clubs used by champion golfers. A champion golfer is defined as a golfer who has won a significant national or international championship (professional or amateur) and/or has represented their country in international competition.

Clubmaking Equipment

The Museum has a good collection of clubmaking equipment. The bulk of the collection is associated with wooden club manufacture, deriving from the workshop of St Andrews clubmaker and collector Laurie Auchterlonie. A smaller collection of iron clubmaking equipment is also representative of the trade. Items predominantly date from the late 19th to late 20th century, and range from small woodworking tools to band saws – due to size and storage considerations, the Museum cannot collect large items of machinery associated with industrial mechanised clubmaking.

Balls

The Museum has an outstanding collection of feather balls, gutta percha balls, rubber-core balls and modern multi-core balls. As with clubs, the Museum’s collecting priority focusses upon significant developments in ball design; prominent ballmakers and manufacturers; or balls used by champion golfers as defined above.

Ballmaking Equipment

The Museum has a small but extremely important collection of feather and gutta percha ballmaking equipment. Considerations of size and storage make it almost impossible to collect machinery associated with the mechanised manufacture of balls from the rubber-core era and beyond.

Equipment

The Museum has an expanding collection of golf equipment, reflecting the introduction and increasing prominence of club bags, tees, markers and other accessories from the late 19th century onward. The Museum focusses upon collecting items demonstrating the design development of these items; their association with champion golfers; or role in commemorating key golfing events or institutions around the world.

Artwork and Photographs

The Museum has an expanding collection of artwork (original mediums and prints) and photographs (prints, slides and digital), widely represented in the Museum’s displays and publications, and covering themes such as championships, champion golfers, golf courses and clubhouses. Where necessary, due to conservation and/or setworks considerations, material from this classification chosen for display or research may be digitised and reproduced in an appropriate format.

Medals and Trophies

The Museum has a large and extremely important collection of medals and trophies. The Museum actively collects items won by champion golfers at national and international level, alongside items considered significant in relation to the social and cultural development of the game around the world, club prizes being the most common and representative symbols of golf’s global spread.

Decorative Art / Memorabilia

This is a broad classification within the collection. The Museum actively collects in this area to build on an already strongly representative collection, reflecting a wide picture of golf and its place within and influence upon society and popular culture from the late 19th century onwards, and societal changes in the game itself. This classification includes a diverse range of materials including textiles, ceramics, bronzework, metalwork, glassware and printwork.

Documents

The Museum has an extensive archive of contextual and research material, including autograph books, Rules books, minute books, scorecards, programmes and other championship ephemera, alongside a large collection of original club and ball patents from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.

Costume

The Museum’s costume collection reflects the development of specialised golfwear from the late 19th century onwards. The Museum actively collects costume, with an emphasis on clothing worn by champion golfers; the evolution of golfwear (design and perceived standards of dress); and its adoption by popular fashion.

Film and Audio

The Museum holds a collection of digitised film and audio material for reference, display and to support engagement and interpretation. The Museum maintains access to the original format material, and is only interested in collecting moving image or audio that comes with copyright clearances.

Books and Periodicals

The Museum has a large collection of golf publications covering general golf history, club histories, course design and architecture, and periodicals.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2023

Licence: CC BY-NC

Military

The Operations Room contains 20 original radar consoles, along with the original illuminated display boards and ancillary command, control and communications exhibits.; Vehicles associated with radar, including: a 1953 Mobile Type 14 radar vehicle, a 1951 Direction Finding Vehicle and a Bloodhound Mk11 surface to air missile decommissioned in 1991; 1980s computers used to train RAF Fighter Controllers in the tactics of fighter aircraft. Three are active and can be used by visitors. Collection of photographs and photographic equipment relating to the development of radar, the people associated with air defence and with RAF Neatishead in particular. Paintings and artwork on the subject of radar. RAF Station and Unit Badges.

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC

Local History Collection

Objects, evidence, memories and associated information relating to everyday life, work, and education in the London Borough of Tower Hamlet from the 19th century to the present day, with the aim of becoming the Museum of East End Life. Future collecting will aim to ensure that the collections represent the social, cultural and ethnic diversity of Tower Hamlets and the contribution made by all groups to its history.

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC

The idea of a Museum came originally from the Reverend Robert Gwynn, curate of Upwood, the Reverend Jones, vicar of Ramsey and local farmer Marshal Papworth who in 1977 set up a group of local business-men, farmers and residents to investigate the possibility of a Museum to reflect the history of the rural area around Ramsey. The Museum is situated on part of the 10th century Benedictine Abbey which was sold to the Cromwell family who used it as a stone “quarry”. The site was later purchased by the Fellowes estate (is it estate or family?) and the buildings used as workshops and stores.

An army of volunteers cleared the site as many of the buildings required extensive repair and renovation. Existing material, particularly the stone, was recycled to retain the original atmosphere.

All the stone buildings were originally roofed with thatch which had deteriorated beyond economical repair. Over 20,000 pantiles, donated by the public, were used instead. However in order to retain authenticity the reception building remained thatched. The Wood Barn was dismantled and rebuilt on stronger foundations. Its original use as a storage facility continues today.

The Whitehall Barn came from Whitehall Farm in Upwood and its reconstruction at the museum added a much needed indoor display space. Entry to the museum by the public began in 1983. However, after further restoration and preparation of exhibits and displays, the Museum was officially opened by local author Sybil Marshall in 1988.

The interiors of the Trades Room and Stable Block were transformed. Over the years more improvements have been made in landscaping and enhancement to building exteriors.

The displays have also expanded, to incorporate a wealth of memorabilia depicting rural life alongside an array of machinery and vehicles. The collections have continued to develop by donations from local individuals and businesses . notable additions have been the contents of a cobblers shop and of a chemists shop. Both of these are now displayed as replica shops. A typical wooden 1930/40’s fen cottage was dismantled, restored and reconstructed on site. It is furnished in 1940’s style. Activities relevant to children have and are being developed.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2023

Licence: CC BY-NC

Agricultural History

As the principal industry of the area is agriculture; the Museum has collected machines and implements illustrative of this aspect of the area’s past. The artefacts include carts, tractors, and ploughs as well as a large collection of machinery related to sugar beet and other root crops including information on local potato grower Jabez Papworth.

Craft and Trade History

Groups of objects from different rural and urban crafts and trades practised in the Ramsey area. There are displays relating to thatching and fen related activities such as eel catching, as well as replicas of retailers such as G B Hydes of Ramsey.

Social History Material

Material which reflects the changes in social and domestic life of people of the area. The social history displays include items from the Ramsey railways, the capture locally of Second World War spy Josef Jakobs and the Ramsey Town Band. There is also a Victorian parlour, study and kitchen. The Fen Cottage reflects life in a farm workers cottage during the 1930s- 1940s.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2023

Licence: CC BY-NC

The origin of the Museum was an Exhibition to celebrate the Centenary of the opening of the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway in 1976, which gathered a number of items of equipment and small objects with a photographic display. It attracted interest and funding to convert a disused station building with wheel chair access for a permanent museum site which opened in 1978. The museum was recognised by the Museums & Galleries Commission and subsequently Arts Council England. A further development was the restoration of the former Furness Railway Signal Box in 2000. A two-stage programme to refurbish and extend the original Museum buildings achieved its first phase in 2015 and continued with a new Train Shed for rolling stock with an Archive Room which was completed and opened to the public in June 2017.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2022

Licence: CC BY-NC

The Ravenglass Railway Museum has a collection of over 7,000 objects – the largest items being narrow gauge and miniature railways rolling stock and locomotives connected with the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway in Cumbria dating from 1875 to the present. The Museum also holds library, archive and image collections of material about the Railway company, the associated Preservation Society and a large collection of narrow-gauge railway documents and images in the John Milner Collection. Significant objects are part of a 3ft gauge coach from the original railway and 15in gauge Bassett-Lowke 4-4-2 Synolda, 0-4-0 Katie, Internal Combustion Loco No 1 and Quarryman, with redundant wagons and coaches of historic interest that had a valuable role in the railway’s commercial operations. This is supported by a small collection of railway models representing the wider work of the Bassett-Lowke model company which converted the railway to its present form in 1915 and by a large collection of small objects and ephemera covering all aspects of railway and the economic activities associated with it.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2022

Licence: CC BY-NC

The collection was originally started by the society when we were able to rent the old Gravir School and opened to the public in July 2000.

The collection, artefacts, photographs and archive material have been created by donations from the local community over these past twenty five years.

Our exhibits concentrate on the social history over the last 150 years with a wide range of artefacts related to household, crofting, local trades and professions. These have all been donated to the Society by the local community.

The main display room includes dedicated displays featuring peat cutting, butter making, crofting, fishing and whaling. There is also a display dedicated to Angus Macmillan, DSO, the Hero of Buzanzy in WW2.

A seperate room includes a recreated rural country kitchen with a large collection of artefacts on display with full open access.

The museum area also includes an area dedicated to the Angus Macleod Archive.

Each room has been enhanced with dedicated storyboards giving an overview of all the displays.

The front exhibition area includes an interactive screen with a lot of interpretive video and linked displays.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

The collection tells the story of the people of the Pairc area of the Isle of Lewis, the land on which they lived and worked, and the relationship between the people and the land.

The collections fall into four themes:

• Domestic Life

• Religious Life

• Working Life

• School Life

The collection is made up of objects, photographs, ephemera, paintings and video/audio recordings.

Of particular significance are:

The portable pulpit dating from a period prior to 1882 and later found in Gravir Free Church.

The collection of memorabilia relating to Angus Macmillan DSO, the Hero of Buzancy including his diaries written in the trenches and now included in a digital display system.

The Angus Macleod Archive with extensive written files collected by Angus over many years and includes Crofting, Fishing, Village Histories and Ceilidh House stories.

Source: Collection development policy

Date: 2024

Licence: CC BY-NC

Local and Social History

The social history collections have a wide range of objects, ephemera and images that tell the story of Reading since the 1700s. The Huntley and Palmers collection explores the history of Reading’s world famous biscuit maker. The textile collection consists of costume and costume accessories, some working clothes and banners with Reading links. There is an extensive collection of images and ephemera from Reading and the surrounding area. These mostly date from the late 19th century and 20th century. The Museum is continuing to collect images and ephemera that reflect the lives of Reading people today. Since 1995 the Museum has been collecting audio recordings of Reading people’s life stories and experiences. The most usual item is the unique full-size Victorian replica of Bayeux Tapestry. Working life

Subjects

Industry and Commerce; Working; Domestic

Social History Collection

The fishing collection includes reels, creels, rods, bait kettles and commemorative items. The remainder of the collection is designed to present the cottage as it might have been in Walton’s time. The furniture and furnishings of the cottage include material in a number of media, assembled to present the cottage as it might have been during Walton’s occupancy. The fishing collection is a particular strength.

Subjects

Metalwork; Fishing (amateur); Furniture; Social History; People (literary); People; Western European

Natural Science

There are many named collections and in total 207,000 biological specimens and 200,000 geological specimens.

Fish

The collection consists of mounted fish and fishing flies. The small collection reflects Walton’s interest in fishing.

Subjects

Fish; Biology

Silchester Collection

Objects illustrating everyday life in a typical British Roman town. The Silchester Collection consists of a wealth of items from the Roman town of Calleva, near Silchester, in Hampshire. Most were found during the Society of Antiquaries’ excavations which uncovered the area within the town walls between 1890 and 1909. Finds from modern excavations at the site are now deposited with Hampshire County Museums and Archives Service.

Subjects

Romans; Historic interest; Local History; Epigraphy; Regional importance; Archaeological interest; Archaeological sites; Archaeological objects; Archaeology (settlement); Artistic interest; Archaeological excavations

Ancient Egyptian, Sudanese and Near Eastern Collection

The museum holds 700 ancient Egyptian, Sudanese and Near Eastern objects. Classes of objects represented in the collection include: amulets; basketry/ropes; canopic jars (lids only); coffins; faience figures; faience vessels; flints; food/plant materials; glass vessels; jewellery; metal figures; metal vessels; animal remains (mummies); papyri; pottery; Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figures; relief sculpture; sarcophagi; scarabs/sealings; shabtis; cosmetic palettes; stelae (stone); stone figures; stone vessels; textiles/leather; toilet articles; tools/weapons; wooden figures. Objects are known to have come from the following locations in Egypt (with the name of the excavator/sponsor and year of excavation given where possible): Abydos (including Petrie – Egypt Exploration Fund, 1902-1903); Amarna; Badari (Brunton – British School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1922-1925); Cairo; Koptos (Petrie, 1893-1894); Dendereh (Petrie and Mace – Egypt Exploration Fund, 1897-1898); Derr; Fayum; Harageh (probably Engelbach – British School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1913-1914); Hu (Petrie and Mace – British School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1898-1899); Kafr Ammar (Mackay and Petrie with the British School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1911-1912); Kharnos (location uncertain); Rubaiyyat (possibly Grenfell and Hunt – Egypt Exploration Fund, 1901); Lahun; Memphis (probably including Petrie – British School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1908; Petrie, 1916?); Naqada; Qasr el-Banat (probably Grenfell et al. – Egypt Exploration Fund, 1898-1899); Qasr Ibrim (probably Emery – Egypt Exploration Society, 1961); Riqqeh (Engelbach et al. – British School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1912-1913); Saft el-Henna (Duncan et al. – British School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1906); Tarkhan (Petrie et al. – British School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1911-1913); Thebes; Karnak; Luxor; Qurna; Ramesseum. Objects are known to have come from the following location in Sudan(with the name of the sponsor given): Buhen (probably Egypt Exploration Society). Objects are known to have come from the following locations in the Near East (with the name of the excavator/sponsor and year of excavation given where possible): Tell el-‘Ajjul (Petrie – British School of Archaeology in Egypt); Tell Fara (Petrie – British School of Archaeology in Egypt, 1927-1930).

Subjects

Antiquities; Ancient civilizations; Egyptian history; Antiquity; Archaeological sites; Archaeological objects; Egyptology; Archaeological excavations

Archives Collection

The small archive focuses on Isaac Walton material. The archive collection includes several editions of “The Compleat Angler”, including a first edition, a library of fishing publications and scrap books on the history of the cottage.

Subjects

Archives; Documents (personal)

Source: Cornucopia

Date: Not known, but before 2015

Licence: CC BY-NC