Collection: Headstone Manor and Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  Geographical Area

  The Museum has a special responsibility to collect, safeguard and make accessible material evidence of the history of the area now encompassed by the boundaries of Harrow Council. ‘Local’ material is defined as objects, specimens, documents, photographs and works of art:

  •found in, produced or manufactured in, or known to have been used in Harrow;

  •connected to known Harrow people;

  •of specific interest to Harrow Museum or closely associated with the area defined by the boundaries of Harrow Council.

  The Museum will therefore aim to only collect objects that are inextricably linked with the area as defined above. Items made in, at some point used within, or otherwise provenanced to the Museum collecting area, may be acquired, regardless of their location at the time of acquisition. Where this involves the collection of items from another museum’s collecting area, a principle of open actions and good communication will apply.

  The Council or Borough boundary does not always coincide with logical geographical boundaries, therefore in certain fields ‘local’ may have to include material from localities currently in adjacent boroughs or counties.

  In an emergency, and to ensure the preservation of important material in public ownership, the COPB is exceptionally authorised to collect material from outside the stated collecting area, relating to those parts of Harrow and its environs not yet covered by any museum service. Such material is acquired on the understanding that it may be transferred to other museums at a future time.

  Time Period

  The Museum aims to collect local objects from any period of time, but the majority of the current Collection dates from the 19th and 20th centuries. The aim is to strengthen the Collection by obtaining items from periods that have little or no representation in the current Museum Collection-such as the Medieval period, as this is a notable gap in the Collection.

  The existing collection includes the following subjects/collecting areas:

  Social History

  Social history material comprises the vast majority of the Harrow Museum Collection. It consists of a wide range of items in line with the Social History and Industrial Classification categories system. Harrow Museum’s Collection of social history material has been acquired principally by donation since the Museum’s founding in 1986. Collecting prior to 2007 was at times uncontrolled and on a passive basis in all subject areas. This has resulted in a patchy Collection with many gaps needing to be filled. Special attention will now be given to the expansion of this part of the Collection through the acquisition of carefully selected items.

  Domestic and family Life

  This represents the most substantial part of the Social History Collection and is primarily made up of personal items and household objects. Examples include household furniture and machines, clothing, storage, toys, and items associated with hobbies and pastimes.

  Working Life

  This section of the Social History Collection primarily comprises of material relating to local agriculture and industry, as well as the retail, trade and service industries.

  Working Life has a strong representation in the Collection due to the large quantity of agricultural material associated with the Harrow area’s agricultural past.

  The working life section of the Social History Collection also contains a high number of objects from local industries. Principle local industries include the Kodak factory, the Hamilton’s brush company, and the Whitefriars glass factory.

  Community Life

  The Social History Collection contains items that represent the community. This includes material from local government, religious buildings, education, health, welfare, the military, groups and societies, organisations and public entertainment.

  Personal Life

  Items belonging to or used or related exclusively by one individual person – normally carried or kept privately by that person. This can include personal papers, diaries or personal items. The Museum started a ‘Harrow Asian Archive’ in 2006, which aimed to collect items representing Harrow’s Asian communities. Attempts to broaden the scope of this part of the Social History Collection to reflect Harrow’s diverse communities is now integrated with the overall development of the Collection to better reflect the current community of Harrow.

  Natural History and Geology

  The Harrow Museum Collection contains a small number of natural history specimens. The Natural History and Geology Collection comes generally from non-local areas of Britain. Subject to nature conservation interests, including any conservation laws and by-laws, the Museum will collect as the opportunity arises, evidence of local geology for display, study, reference and educational purposes. It is expected that the primary source of such material will be controlled and properly documented field collecting by the COPB and any reputable organisations or local societies. However, the acquisition of important private or historic collections of natural sciences material from the Harrow area is of equal importance and the Museum will aim to acquire subjects of this nature if or when the opportunity arises.

  Archaeology

  Archaeological material derived from fieldwork, excavations and stray finds from the area now in the jurisdiction of Harrow Council is held in the Harrow Museum Collection. This Collection is almost entirely made up of pottery finds, tiles, and animal bones, and mainly covers the Roman, Medieval, post-Medieval and Victorian periods, with the strength of the Collection lying in its 13th century Medieval pottery Collection. The Collection was examined, sorted and re-packaged with the help of the Museum of London.

  Most of the future archaeological acquisitions are likely to be from properly controlled archaeological excavations and surveys, carried out by trained museum staff or reputable archaeological organisations. Wherever possible a prior agreement for the eventual preservation of the finds and private or historic collections will be acquired.

  Fine Arts

  There is a miscellaneous Collection of works of fine art in the Harrow Museum Collection.

  Notable items are the cartoons of stained-glass windows, which are a part of the Whitefriars Collection. The Museum recognises this is a collection that can grow to include art from local artists within the borough of Harrow.

  Numismatics and Exonumia (Currency and Medals)

  There is a small Numismatics and Exonumia Collection at the Museum, which includes six medallions, medals and coins. The majority of items date from the 20th century, with a few examples from the 19th century and one Roman coin.

  Books and Written Materials

  The Harrow Museum Collection contains several hundred items of written materials and books, almost all dating from the 20th century.

  There are approximately 200 books in this Collection, covering a range of topics and themes. Several of the books are closely connected to the local area or Museum Collection, though others are considered less relevant. This Collection also contains a small number of minute books, ledgers and diaries, as well as other written material, including pamphlets, magazines, leaflets, periodicals, booklets, newspapers and documents.

  Photographs, Postcards and Maps

  A considerable amount of the Collection is made up of printed material, which generally falls under the categories of photographs, postcards, and maps.

  The majority of this Collection dates from the 20th century and covers a range of sites and subjects. In total, there are over 500 postcards, 38 maps and more than 250 photographs in the Harrow Museum Collection.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: unknown

  Licence: CC BY-NC