Collection: Somerset Military Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  The Somerset Military Museum traces its origins to the early 1920’s when a collection of Somerset Light Infantry objects was put together as a small museum in the Regiment’s Depot Officers’ Mess at Jellalabad Barracks, Taunton. Later the museum was moved to larger premises in the Keep at Jellalabad Barracks – a landmark building overlooking Vivary Park. In 1963 it was again moved to a purpose-designed room in the Regimental Headquarters of The Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry at Jellalabad Barracks. It was, however, always the wish of the Somerset Light Infantry Museum trustees to find a permanent home for it somewhere within Somerset.

  Field Marshal The Lord Harding of Petherton launched an appeal in May 1971. This raised £32,000 to build a new floor to the Wyndham Gallery of the Somerset County Museum (now the Museum of Somerset) where the Somerset Light Infantry collection and that of the West Somerset Yeomanry, the Somerset Militia, Rifle Volunteers and their successor regiments could be housed and developed as a military museum for the County in partnership with the Somerset County Council. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother formally opened the new Somerset Military Museum on Tuesday 7th May 1974.

  In 1979 a charitable trust deed, which replaced the Somerset Light Infantry Museum Trust Deed, was set up which formalised the objects of the Somerset Military Museum Trust. This Deed was replaced by the current charitable trust deed in 1997. The new deed and subsequent amendments have allowed for the inclusion of North Somerset Yeomanry objects and have reflected changes to the title of the modern regiment and to the Trust’s loans policy.

  In 2004 the Museum’s collection of North Somerset Yeomanry objects was significantly increased when the NSY trustees donated objects, which had previously been housed at Tyntesfield and with the National Army Museum.

  From 2008 the Somerset Military Museum was closed for refurbishment for 3 years as part of the Museum of Somerset Project. The redesigned museum was reopened in September 2011.The centrepiece of the museum is Lady Butler’s painting of the Remnants of an Army, which is on loan from the Tate Gallery.

  Between 2010 and 2014 the museum’s large reserve collection was re-housed in the newly built Somerset Heritage Centre. This collection includes the major portion of its medal collection, which is now displayed in new wooden cabinets. Since 2014 work has been undertaken to rationalise the reserve collection with the aim of identifying objects surplus to the museum’s needs, and to formally accession objects which had not yet been accessioned.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2018

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  The collection reflects the purpose of the Somerset Military Museum Trust (SMMT) comprising objects and information relating to The Somerset Light Infantry, The West Somerset Yeomanry, The North Somerset Yeomanry and their successor units (principally The Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry, The Light Infantry and The Rifles), and also relating to the Somerset Militia, Volunteer and Irregular Units raised in the County of Somerset and relevant objects and information derived from enemy sources.

  The collection totals 6,001 objects and includes uniforms, medals, trophies including silver and porcelain, Colours, guidons and other standards, memorabilia, ephemera and photographs. A small collection of weaponry is held under licence.

  The collection spans the period from 1685, when the 13th of Foot was formed, to the present day. The 13th of Foot subsequently became The Somerset Light Infantry and is manifest today as a part of The Rifles. The Yeomanry collection is largely from the 19th and 20th centuries, whilst the militia and volunteers span the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Objects relating to The Somerset Light Infantry comprise the largest part of the collection.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2018

  Licence: CC BY-NC