Collection: Craven Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  The museum was set up in 1928 and arose from collections made by various individuals and groups including Elbolton Cave Material from Craven Naturalists, Elslack Roman Fort material from Lane-Fox, local history material collected by Fraser Dufty and Alfred Green and geological material collected by R H Tiddeman and Arthur Raistrick, as well as material purchased from the collection of John Sunderland. Arthur Raistrick built up a regional collection relating to lead mining. More collections have come to the museum over time including those of Colonel Tottie of Coniston Hall, W W Holgate of Earby. The collection has been added to by material from excavations and watching briefs in the Craven area. This includes material from the Friends of Craven Museum (1970s), Brian Hartley’s excavations at Kirk Sink Roman Villa, Gargrave (partially deposited here) and recent commercial archaeological deposits.

  The Clement Roebuck collection of art was left to the town of Skipton on Roebuck’s death in 1988. Craven District Council supported the collection from 1989 and the collection formally came to Craven Museum and Gallery  in 2006.

  An inventory and deaccessioning project was carried out in 2014-15. This was carried out with the help of the Museum Development Yorkshire and following ethical guidelines. Among other deaccessions, this enabled material to be transferred to other local museums and archives including Grassington Folk Museum and the North Yorkshire Archives at Northallerton.

  From the initial setting up of the museum some material was only on loan and there are a number of legacy loans within the collection which we are currently trying to address to meet current standards. A legacy loan which continues to need to be managed is of the Elbolton Material from Craven Naturalists. This has been changed from a long term loan to a short term loan, which can be renewed at each review, but the lenders do not want to change it to a donation for historical reasons. We will continue to maintain close relations with the group.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2020

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  Archaeology

  The archaeology collection at Craven Museum and Gallery ranges from Palaeolithic to post-Medieval and reflects the settlement and movement of people through Craven, an area partially within the Yorkshire Dales. Key collections are items relating to Elbolton and other cave excavations, the Malham Moor lithics, Elslack Roman fort, Kirk Sink Roman villa, Higher Land medieval moated house and the medieval timbers from the Red Lion in Skipton. We also have key collections from important sites near Grassington and Ingleton. The archaeology collections are of interest to national and local researchers as well as forming a collection in which local people take a close interest. Public consultation around the NLHF development work demonstrated significant interest in this area of the collection.

  Social and Industrial History

  Main strengths of the collection include lead mining, farming and textiles, -Dewhursts (Sylko Cotton) and other mills. Craven’s farming history for the 18th to early 20th century is particularly strongly represented. There is a small collection of toys and dolls from the early 19th to the early 20th century. Objects in the social and industrial history collections link strongly with the ephemera, photographic and oral history collections. In particular, there are both ephemera and objects which relate to the canal and railway in Craven in the 19th and 20th centuries. We have a small but significant collection relating to local trades and businesses in Craven including slaters, tailors, joiners and cloggers. These items range from 18th to 20th century. Significant individual items include the besom engine, the early 19th century lathe from Hetton and the lead ore crusher from Bishopdale.

  There is also a significant small collection of items relating to Robert Thompson of Kilburn (Mouseman) which links with the Council Chamber furniture at Skipton Town Hall (entirely fitted out by Robert Thompsons of Kilburn).

  We also have further small collections which reflect individual collectors’ interests from the early history of the museum. In a few cases these have been added to by subsequent collecting and include firearms, swords, snuff boxes, ceramics (lusterware and sample sanitaryware), horology (both clocks and pocket watches).

  Ethnographics

  We have a small ethnographic collection which reflects cultures world-wide and was mainly from the collections of W W Holgate.

  Costume and Textiles

  This collection contains c.170 items from the Upper Wharfedale Folk Museum (including a corded quilted waistcoat from 1730). We also have dresses made or bought locally from the 19th and 20th centuries including some children’s clothing associated with specific individuals. An additional small but significant collection are the 57 items which were worn by Mary Anne Teal from Cononley (1829 to 1904). We also have 45 samplers by local makers from the 18th and 19th century, mostly framed.

  Photographs, including glass plates

  The photograph collection is large including over 3,000 items. We also have c.500 glass plates. The spread of subject matter is wide including local people and buildings, famous places, landmarks, social history (including businesses and sports groups). There are glass lantern slides which reflect the talks and lectures given locally. We have two magic lanterns and cameras from a number of periods. In addition, we have 1,500 postcards relating to either Craven residents or the local area. This includes the Capstick/Hoggarth collection (871 items) which chronicles one family in Settle over several generations.

  Ephemera, Books and Documents

  The ephemera collection contains over 3,800 items plus 10 boxes which are currently being catalogued as part of the NLHF project (which runs until May 2021). Items date mainly from the 18th century to the present and include legal agreements and indentures, insurance documents, tickets, receipts, guidebooks, patterns, funeral cards, advertisements and Christmas and Birthday cards. Almost all the items reflect the Craven area or have Craven links.

  Significant subcollections include the items collected by W W Holgate relating to his experiences in the Second World War and collections relating to local churches.

  The most unusual and unique document within this collection is the diary of Richard Ryley. He records the impact of the cotton famine on his life as a cotton weaver and itinerant musician in the 1860s.

  Paintings, Prints and Drawings

  Paintings, prints and drawings include around 300 items, mainly framed, within this there are two specific collections: Clement Roebuck and Arthur Reginald Smith. The rest are works mainly relating to the local area or local artists and the collection includes the earliest known watercolour of Skipton by Anthony Devis.

  The Roebuck Collection of 142 works includes a mix of oil paintings, watercolours, prints and drawings from the 17th to the mid 20th century. It’s core strength is the 20th century work. This includes works by: Edward Seago, Pierre Bonnard, John Piper, John Nash, Walter Sickert, Stanley Spencer, Grahame Sutherland, Laura Knight, Christopher Wood, Carel Weight and Jacobus Hendrick Pierneef. We have archive information and photographs which relate to his collecting pattern and connections with some of the artists. Although Clement Roebuck was originally from Huddersfield he spent much of his life in Craven, most notably at Starbotton where he encouraged artist friends of the mid 20th century to visit and paint the local area. His collection also reflects this local element as well as his wider collecting interests.

  Maps

  We have around 300 maps mainly stored flat, but some are framed or folded in book form. They relate to Craven and cover the geology, geography and archaeology of the area. 33 maps and plans relate to archaeology collections within the museum. The most significant items are two framed 18th century maps which relate to the building of the Leeds Liverpool Canal.

  There are also a set of maps which belonged to the steward of Skipton Castle in the 19th century.

  Numismatics

  We hold items from Roman coinage through to pre-decimalisation coinage. Significant items include the Frankish tremissis from Holy Trinity Church Skipton and also the Hebden hoard of 33 denarii thought to be a Roman soldier’s pay. There are c.500 other coins including four other Elizabethan/Stuart coin hoards as well as other stray finds which we have purchased through the Portable Antiquities Scheme.

  Natural History

  This includes taxidermy specimens of birds, fish and mammals. Many of the birds are the remains of a once famous collection from Colonel Tottie of Coniston Hall. There is also a birds’ egg collection, begun in the 1840s which relates to Henry Roundell and Colonel Tottie and contains their notebooks about the collection. We have several other collections of birds eggs, shells, butterflies and moths which have been donated by Craven residents over the life of the museum, but the specimens themselves are from worldwide.

  Herbarium

  There are c.1,800 individual specimens mounted and labelled with the name of the collector and the date and place of collection. Notes are also made on the rareity of certain items at the time of collection. The collection was mainly in the late 19th century and early 20th century and spans a period of approximately 40-50 years. Most of the specimens relate to Craven but some are from further afield and there is a small collection of material from India. The herbarium contains specimens of plants which are now extremely rare such as the Lady’s Slipper Orchid. The herbarium relates particularly to the plants found in the unique limestone landscape of Craven.

  Geology

  There are approximately 200 trays and boxes of geological specimens. Many of these relate to the Craven area although some are from further afield. Most are from the collection of Arthur Raistrick who was a noted geologist and one of the founder members of the museum. Amongst his collection are minerals which relate to lead mining and plants from the coal measures. We also have four outsize aggregate specimens of fluorite which are very rare (due to their size).

  Oral History Recordings

  We have 110 oral history recordings relating to the Craven Area. These have been collected from the 1980s up to the present. All oral histories on tape cassette have now been digitised and we are in the process of transcribing all of our holdings.

  Key collectors:

  WW Holgate (2nd World War Collection relating to the Home Front, Archaeology, Ethnography, Social History, Minerals

  John Crowther (Archaeology, Social History, Herbarium)

  John Frankland (Herbarium)

  Arthur Raistrick (Lead Mining, Geology, Archaeology)

  F N Dufty – First Curator of Craven Museum (Social History, Archaeology)

  R H Tiddeman (Geology: reef knoll fossil collection)

  Richardson Brothers (Archaeology: Malham Moor lithics)

  Clement Roebuck (Paintings, Prints and Drawings)

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2020

  Licence: CC BY-NC