Collection: Lyme Regis Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection overview (Cornucopia)

  Geology Collection

  The important geological collection derives from the coastal outcrops and hinterland of Lyme. About half originates from the Rhaetian and Lower Jurassic, the rest from the Middle and Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous. There are rocks, minerals, vertebrates, invertebrates and a few plants. The collection has many good specimens, with some historically important pieces, and comprises a good general collection of local fossils. The archive of documents from many leading geologists is an important aspect of the museum’s collection, as well as the association with Mary Anning, the first great fossil collector to realist the scientific significance of fossils.

  Subjects

  Geology

  Personalia Collection

  Mary Anning (1799-1847), the first professional fossil collector to recognise the scientific importance of her finds, is represented in the museum by her digging trowel. The museum has on loan her inscribed bound copy of the Theological Magazine for 1801. Mary Anning was a native of Lyme and the museum has her correspondence with all leading geologists of the day. The author John Fowles is closely associated with the museum and served as its hon curator from 1977-88. The town has rich literary associations and these feature in the museum. Eleanor Coade (1733-1821) was owner and director of the factory in Lambeth where Coade stone, an early form of artificial stone, was made. Her family came from Lyme and she used Belmont, in Pound Street, as her summer villa. The museum has a Coadestone gate pillar cap from Belmont.

  Subjects

  Personalia

  Fine Art Collection

  There is an oil painting, c.1830, of Mrs Anne Marder (1793-1872), mother of Henry and James Wood Marder, the two major fossil collectors of mid-Victorian Lyme. A watercolour records the Fossil Depot at the turn of the 20th century. There is a considerable collection of paintings and drawings illustrating local history, topography and Lyme’s continuing appeal to artists. The collection includes the work of 19th century artists of local and national standing, as well as some interesting portraits of local figures. There is a portrait of Henry Dinham Chard (1760-1848), the first of Lyme’s three main ship builders. The collection of prints and maps includes contemporary prints of the great Dowlands landslip of 1839 to the west of the town; maps and plans of the Cobb and harbour relating to work done after disasters such as the great storm of 1824; and many prints of the town itself.

  Subjects

  Fine Art

  Social History Collection

  This collection covers local history, trade and industry. It includes architectural material ranging from 14th century oak tracery through Coadestone (an early form of artificial stone), to a name plate used in the film The French Lieutenant’s Woman, based on a novel by Lyme author John Fowles. There are household and personal possessions including William Buckland’s coprolite table and a 16th century rent table; a diary by Edward Drake and artefacts from the siege of Lyme during the Civil War in 1644; town weights and measures; photographs and artefacts from HMS Formidable, torpedoed in Lyme Bay in 1915; Second World War memorabilia; and textiles, lace and costume. There is a model of the Snap, built in 1812, and the only Lyme-built ship to serve in the Royal Navy.

  Subjects

  Social History

  Ancient Egyptian Collection

  The museum holds 1 ancient Egyptian object. Object class represented in the collection: stone vessels (one only). This is a stone jar believed to come from the Holcombe Roman villa site in Devon. England and which was donated to the museum in the 1940’s (accession number 1991/52).

  Subjects

  Antiquities; Ancient civilizations; Antiquity; Archaeology; Egyptology

  Maritime Collection

  There are artefacts relating to ships and shipping.

  Subjects

  Maritime

  Arms and Armour Collection

  There are Civil War cannon balls and musket balls.

  Subjects

  Arms and Armour

  Transport Collection

  There is a late 18th century fire engine and railway memorabilia.

  Subjects

  Transport

  Photographic Collection

  There is a set of photographs of pathological specimens of fossils, such as broken and healed, or abnormal, cephalopods and reptiles. There is a good range of early images covering local history and topography augmented by a very good collection of postcards.

  Subjects

  Photographic equipment

  Archives Collection

  The museum has a small, but interesting and growing collection of books, letters and other items associated with historically important geologists who have worked in the Lyme area. All original documents are lodged with the Record Office, but there is a good collection of secondary material and ephemera. There are two bound sets of classic early papers on local geology and palaeontology from the Transactions of the Geological Society of London, one inscribed to the Philpot sisters from their authors. There are two bound volumes of letters, dated 1913-1923, to Wingrave from various palaeontologists and collectors, including S S Buckman, G C Crick, H L Hawkins, W D Lang, L Richardson, W J Solis and L F Spath.

  Subjects

  Archives

  Other

  Archaeology; Biology; Medals; Medicine; Music; Numismatics; Costume and Textile; Decorative and Applied Arts; Oral History; Science and Industry

  Source: Cornucopia

  Date: Not known, but before 2015

  Licence: CC BY-NC