Collection: Topsham Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection overview (Cornucopia)

  Social History Collection

  There are Victorian toys and games and a fine three-storey dolls house made by a local carpenter in the 1860s. There is also a Praxinoscope, an early means of showing moving pictures with a moving drum with slits. Domestic items are well represented in the collection, including: a warming pan of 1670; some bellows; a chestnut toaster; and the fittings and equipment of a 1930s kitchen. There is a model of Topsham, c.1900.

  Subjects

  Social History

  Decorative and Applied Art Collection

  The museum contains an interesting collection of furniture, some on loan from the National Trust and the Victorian and Albert Museum. There is a four poster bed; an 18th century rocking cradle; a Victorian high chair; a mid 18th century rocking horse; a 19th century French painted writing desk; and 18th century Italian mirror; a 19th century sofa; a Victorian tapestry pole firescreen; a clock of 1730; and another clock interesting because it shows the time of high tide at Topsham Bar.

  Subjects

  Decorative and Applied Arts

  Fine Art Collection

  There are paintings of the Holman family, including Lady in a Red Dress, which is Dorothy Holman’s mother, nee Sophia Andrews; and another of Dorothy Holman’s grandmother and brother.

  Subjects

  Fine Art

  Maritime Collection

  There are artefacts relating to ship building, fishing and maritime trade; also ship models, shipwright’s tools, maps, photographs, maritime paintings, documents and other material.

  Subjects

  Maritime

  Science and Industry Collection

  The local trades and crafts of cask making and coopering are represented by tools, as are other local trades. Ship building, one of the key industries, is illustrated by a set of shipwright’s tools.

  Subjects

  Science and Industry

  Biology Collection

  There is material relating to the natural history of the River Exe.

  Subjects

  Biology

  Transport Collection

  There is a penny farthing bicycle which was ridden by the sons of Richard Holman in the 1890s. It was built by Thomas Pitcher of Bristol.

  Subjects

  Transport

  Personalia Collection

  There is memorabilia of the actress Vivien Leigh, whose first husband was the brother of Dorothy Holman who bequeathed the house for use as a museum.

  Subjects

  Personalia

  Costume and Textile Collection

  The costume collection includes a blue braided coat of the 1750s, said to have been worn by Thomas Putt, who developed an apple known as Tom Putt, which is still grown. There are also examples of lace.

  Subjects

  Costume and Textile

  Photographic Collection

  There is a large collection of photographs recording the local topography, people, events and maritime history of Topsham and the Exe Estuary.

  Subjects

  Photographic equipment

  Archives Collection

  There is the family tree of the seafaring Hodder family who lived in Holman House at one stage.

  Subjects

  Archives

  Other

  Subjects

  Agriculture; Archaeology; Arms and Armour; Geology; Medals; Medicine; Numismatics; Oral History

  Source: Cornucopia

  Date: Not known, but before 2015

  Licence: CC BY-NC