Collection: Weymouth Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection overview (Cornucopia)

  Maritime Collection

  This is the core collection of the museum. It includes shipwreck artefacts including relics of the Royal Adelaide and the East Indiaman the Earl of Abergaveny; a paddle steamer collection; ship models; ships’ chins; seamen’s personal items; Royal Navy ships’ crests, photographs and prints; and material relating to smuggling including the tombstone of Lt Thomas Knight, killed by smugglers.

  Subjects

  Maritime

  Fine Art Collection

  There is a large and interesting collection of local pictures and prints, including the greater part of the Bussell collection; a life-size equestrian portrait of George III after Beechley; a portrait of Sir Christopher Wren by Sir Godfrey Kneller; and a portrait of Sir James Thornhill by William Hogarth.

  Subjects

  Fine Art

  Science and Industry Collection

  The museum houses artefacts from a range of local industries including: the records of the Whitehead Torpedo Works which first came to the town in the 19th century; artefacts relating to local ship and boat building and ancillary trades such as chandlers and fishing; and the Ludlow collection of brewing artefacts including the archive of the old established brewery firm of Devenish and their competitors John Groves, before the two firms merged in the 1960s. The Devenish material includes the company boardroom silver; the Grant of Arms of the company; the boardroom furniture including a William IV sideboard, a longcase clock, a bracket clock, instruments and portraits in oil of family heads of the firm.

  Subjects

  Science and Industry

  Social History Collection

  The museum has the borough collection of robes, wigs and insignia of civic dignitaries; constables staves of office in brass and wood; bounds rods in ebony and silver; bronze regulation measures; silver trumpets; and a collection of portraits in oil and photograph of past mayors. A curious addition to the regalia is a ULU throwing club. There is also First and Second World War memorabilia; seaside artefacts such as swimsuits, pinball machines and crested commemorative china, as well as the bath and much restored bathing machine used by George III during his visits to the town. There is a small collection of clocks and assorted toys.

  Subjects

  Social History

  Transport Collection

  Artefacts relating to the Great Western Railway include cast iron notices; track samples; flags; uniforms; and timetables.

  Subjects

  Transport

  Archives Collection

  The museum houses the borough collection of records including the borough Charter, the Sherren Papers, the minute books of committees and a collection of maps and archival ephemera.

  Subjects

  Archives

  Source: Cornucopia

  Date: Not known, but before 2015

  Licence: CC BY-NC