Collection: Chertsey Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  Chertsey Museum first opened to the public in 1965 as a voluntary run museum located on the first floor of the Old Town Hall in London Street. The original collections consisted of Chertsey Abbey floor tiles, Cypriot, Mycenaean and South Italian Greek pottery, furniture, local watercolours and photographs and some ethnographic material, all of which belonged to the Chertsey Urban District Council, plus material bequeathed by Mr. J. Tulk. This consisted of pottery, clocks and furniture. In addition to these collections, much material was donated by local individuals when it became known that a museum was being formed. Some of this material was of a non-local nature.

  In 1969 the first professional Curator was appointed, and CM was offered the Olive Matthews collection of costume and accessories on long-term loan. However, the existing building was inadequate both in terms of storage and display of such a substantial collection. In 1970 the Trustees of the Olive Matthews Trust (OMT) purchased the present Museum building, The Cedars in Windsor Street, a grade 2 listed Regency Town House with an attractive rear garden. In 1972 OMT entered into an agreement with the Chertsey Urban District Council, allowing the display of both the Council’s and the OMT collections. The new Museum opened to the public in the same year.

  As a result of local government re-organisation in 1974, the Chertsey Urban District Council and the Egham Urban District Council were amalgamated forming Runnymede Borough Council (RBC). RBC operates CM under the powers of the Public Libraries and Museums Act, 1964. Today, CM is managed as part of the Community Development Business Centre with the Community Development Committee of the Council as its governing body.

  CM has built up a strong core of local public support, including the press and some local businesses. The Friends of Chertsey Museum was launched in 1994 to help raise the profile of CM locally, to help generate funds and to promote and support CM’s activities.

  In May 2002 the museum relocated to temporary premises whilst The Cedars underwent a major refurbishment project, with the building of a new multi-purpose extension and the installation of a platform lift. For the first time Chertsey Museum has flat access throughout. The Museum re-opened at The Cedars in July 2003.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2022

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  The collections in total consist of approximately 24,400 objects. These are largely held at CM and off-site stores, or on display in The Cedars. Existing collection areas are outlined below:

  The Tulk Bequest (60 items)

  This collection of clocks, furniture and miscellaneous items were bequeathed by Mr J Tulk in 1962.

  The Runnymede Borough Collection (approximately 15,000 items)

  This collection consists mostly of material evidence related to the history of the Borough of Runnymede and environs. It includes; a horology collection of regional significance with local makers such as James Douglass and Henry Wale Cartwright represented; topographical paintings, prints and works on paper in addition to portraits of local civic and historic figures associated with the Borough, by artists including Robert Gallon, William Daniell and Joseph Farrington; archaeology from the Thames Valley of national significance, such as a Viking sword by the German maker Ulfberht and a Bronze Age socketed axe complete with wooden handle, the only one of its kind in Europe; medieval tiles and stone work from Chertsey Abbey; a geology collection of prehistoric animal bones and antlers from the Thames Valley; social history, including material relating to the Chertsey foundries, and documents and maps relating to the local area; and a collection of ancient Greek pottery.

  The Olive Matthews Collection of Costume & accessories & Decorative Arts (approximately 8,300 items)

  This collection is on long term loan from the Olive Matthews Trust who oversees its care and administration. The core of the collection is a group of costumes and accessories, ceramics, silver, furniture and clocks originally belonging to the late Miss Olive Matthews of Virginia Water. The costume collection consists of high quality fashionable English clothing from the period 1700 to the present, with one important item from the 17th century, an embroidered gentleman’s cap dating from between 1600 and 1610. Much of the material was acquired by Miss Matthews from the Old Caledonian Market in North London before 1939 and more rarely at auction sales. OMT’s remit allows it to seek significant additions to supplement the existing collection. This long-term loan collection was renewed for another 30 years in 2002.

  The Oliver Collection (approximately 1,200 items)

  This collection is on long term loan from the Oliver Trust, set up in 1985 to oversee the care and administration of the collection of Sydney Oliver of Egham, an antiques dealer, valuer and local historian. The collection consists of paintings and prints, photographs, ephemera, clocks and social history objects, many of local significance but also including non-local material. A 10-year loan agreement for this collection was originally entered into by RBC and OT in 1986. The loan was reviewed in 1994 and as a result was extended for a further 10 years to run from December 1996. The collection is currently under review, in consultation with OT, as part of the process of rationalisation.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2022

  Licence: CC BY-NC