Collection: Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  The purpose of Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft is to present the story and historical context of the artists and craftworkers who lived and worked in Ditchling and its surrounding communities since 1900.

  This is to be achieved through the acquisition, organisation, preservation, and interpretation of relevant and related objects and information, and their deployment for public display, research and learning.

  In addition, the Museum will hold selected objects collected by the Bourne sisters, founders of Ditchling Museum, which reflect their diverse collecting practice.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2019

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  The collection currently consists of objects resulting from the collecting practices of Joanna and Hilary Bourne when the museum was established in 1985, and items subsequently acquired by gift, purchase, bequest. Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft (formerly Ditchling Museum) was registered in August 2000; prior to this there was no collecting policy.

  20th century fine art, applied art and crafts

  Collection of works of international importance made by the artists and craftsmen of the Guild of St Joseph & St. Dominic: Desmond Chute, Joseph Cribb, Eric Gill, Philip Hagreen, David Jones, Bernard Brocklehurst & Valentine KilBride, George Maxwell, Hilary Pepler, Dunstan Pruden, Noel Tabbernor, Kenneth Eager, Jenny KilBride, Ewan Clayton, Edgar Holloway, John Maxwell.

  These works include silverwork, sculpture, stonework, wood carving, engraving, weaving, printing and lettering

  • Collection of fine art by Ditchling artists: Charles Knight, Amy Sawyer, Frank Brangwyn, Louis Ginnett, Laurence Christie.
  • Small collection of work relating to Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada.
  • Large collection of weaving by Ethel Mairet (and students of Gospels workshop) and Hilary Bourne.
  • Representative collection of works of calligraphy by Edward Johnston.
  • Working drawings by Eric Gill, Joseph Cribb, Kenneth Eager.

  Archaeology

  A small collection of archaeological material from Ditchling and the surrounding area including coins, pottery, flints and glass.

  Rare books and archival material (primary sources)

  • Comprehensive collection of work by private press St. Dominic’s Press and Ditchling Press including pamphlets, labels, cards and posters.
  • Evan Gill collection; includes a comprehensive collection of works (St Dominic’s Press books, correspondence, juvenilia, ephemera by Eric Gill).
  • Small collection of private press books such as Golden Cockerell Press containing wood engravings by Eric Gill
  • Diaries, work books, letters relating to the work of Guild members and associates
  • Photograph albums/books made/owned/inscribed by Guild members and associates

  Documentary material (secondary sources)

  • Information books and ephemera about art and craft, and biographical information on Guild members, Ditchling artists, and associates
  • Correspondence, written records (including reminiscences), relating to Ditchling Maps, estate agents details and architectural plans
  • Posters, leaflets and programmes of Ditchling events from 18oos until the present day
  • Printed materials, local newspaper cuttings
  • Books relating to Ditchling and Sussex history
  • General children’s books dating from Victorian times to current local authors and illustrators

  Clothing collection

  • Eric Gill’s work smock
  • Petra Tegetmeier’s (nee Gill) hand woven and sewn wedding dress A small collection of hand woven, hand dyed, hand sewn garments made by Ethel Mairet, Hilary Bourne and Valentine KilBride
  • A small collection of Ditchling shepherds smocks
  • A small collection of generic historic clothing collected by Hilary Bourne

  Geology

  A very small collection of geological specimens including a shepherd’s crown, an ammonite and iron pyrite.

  Photographic images

  A collection of original and copied photographic images on paper, glass negatives, 35mm transparencies, postcards, showing:

  • Members of The Guild of St Joseph & St Dominic, and their Ditchling artist/craftspeople associates
  • Work by members of The Guild of St Joseph & St Dominic, and their Ditchling artists/craftspeople associates
  • Topography of Ditchling village
  • Ditchling people and village events
  • Museum events
  • Photographic prints and glass negatives of Victorian portraits with no known Ditchling provenance

  Social history

  • Small collection of (largely Victorian and early 20th century) objects with a Ditchling provenance
  • Collection of generic domestic objects (largely Victorian and early 20h century) with no Ditchling provenance

  Sound and film archive

  • Collection of 35mm film and videotapes of village events
  • Collection of recordings, reminiscences and oral history interviews relating to artists and crafts people of Ditchling
  • Collection of recordings, reminiscences and oral history interviews relating to Ditchling events/village life

  Tools and equipment

  • Collection of tools and equipment used by the artists and craftspeople of Ditchling to make their work eg; Edward Johnston’s desk, Joseph Cribb’s stone and wood carving tools, Dunstan Pruden’s work bench, Stanhope Press used by St Dominic’s Press
  • Tools relating to agricultural occupations.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2019

  Licence: CC BY-NC