- Wikidata identifier:
- Q61932630
- Responsible for:
- Discovery Point; Verdant Works Museum
- Instance of:
- nonprofit organization
- Persistent shareable link for this record:
- https://museumdata.uk/museums/q61932630/
Collection-level records:
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Collection history (Collection development policy)
Dundee Heritage Trust (DHT) was founded in 1985, to preserve the industrial heritage of the city. This came from a desire to protect the industrial collection which was previously a part of the Dudhope Industrial Museum, whose collection was being dispersed. Full details of the origins of the trust can be found in the booklet: Dundee Heritage Trust The Beginning by Charlotte M Lythe, Austin H Walker, Michael J Edwards and Douglass H Ross (ISBM 1 870349 09 1).
In 1991 DHT secured the purchase of Verdant Works for the textile museum. In spring of that year the textile machinery, which had been the impetus for the creation of DHT was moved into Verdant Works.
Initially, the RRS Discovery was leased to Dundee and it arrived in Dundee at Victoria Dock in 1986. To begin, there was a quayside visitor centre whilst the purpose-built Discovery Point and Dock where built.
When DHT purchased the Discovery for £1 in November 1995s from the Maritime Trust they also gave DHT the collections that were related to the trust that was on loan and in store at the National Maritime Museum. As a result, there are a number of prefixes and numbering systems that DHT continued to use. These are ADM, BAR. BER, HOD, K, ROY, SCO, SHA, SKE, W 79.133. Items which came in subsequently have the prefix DUNIH.
From the 90’s DHT has collected for both the Polar and Textile collections. Both collections have been developed through donations and purchases for the collection and supplemented with loans both in and loans out. The collections have been stored at Verdant Works and Discovery Point, with one off site store. Both collections are Recognised of National Significance, awarded by Museums Galleries Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government.
Source: Collection development policy
Date: 2019
Licence: CC BY-NC
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Collection overview (Collection development policy)
Royal Research Ship Discovery and Polar Collections
The primary object is the historic vessel RRS Discovery, built in Dundee and the first ship built specifically for scientific research in polar regions. She took Captain Scott to the Antarctic in 1901-04 as well as taking part in other important expeditions.
In addition to the RRS Discovery, the Trust also holds associated collections related to the history of the ship and other polar expeditions. The collection is a Recognised Collection of National Significance and covers the fields of costume, numismatics, fine art, arms & armour, archives, science, photographs and social history. Items within the collections vary from navigational instruments, scientific specimens collected on the ship’s expeditions to personal objects which vividly represent daily life for polar explorers of the period. These include such items as wooden skis, sledging equipment (e.g. man and dog harnesses), fine quality expedition crockery and cutlery for use in the officers’ wardroom and some of the original food rations and games used for amusement during the long, dark Antarctic winters. The collections contain many rare and unique objects which have very special resonance and international importance.
Textile Industry of Dundee & Tayside
The textile collections relate to the history of Dundee’s textile industries – primarily jute but also flax, polypropylene and non-wovens. The core of the collection is the textile machinery representing the processing of jute through all the stages of the mill and factory.
The collection is a Recognised Collection of National Significance and as well as the large machinery objects, the associated textile collections cover the fields of industrial history, social history, fine art, archives, photographs, costume and numismatics. Topics covered in the collection include Dundee mills, research and development, textile products, quality control, textile engineering, the industry’s Indian connections and the lives of the workers. Objects include machinery patterns, jute and flax products, small tools, technical drawings and plans and quality control equipment. The archives and photographic records of various mills and their workers have considerable historical research value.
Source: Collection development policy
Date: 2019
Licence: CC BY-NC