Collection: Touchstones Rochdale

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  The Arts & Heritage Collections are organised within three main areas: Museum, Art Gallery and Local Studies and Archives. Although the Art Gallery and Museum did not open until 1903, Rochdale Corporation had been receiving gifts and donations as early as 1874. Some of the first gifts to the museum were local flints and fossils, rocks and minerals. Many local collections were donated, bequeathed or purchased, including a collection of flint implements received from Dr.H.C.March. This collection dates from the Neolithic period and can be largely attributed to the Rochdale area. Later donations included objects of curiosity along with collections of Natural History, Ethnology and local history.

  The museum was to later benefit from another local benefactor, Charles Heape, whose family also gave very generously to the Art Gallery Collections. Charles Heape donated his collection of Egyptian artefacts, collected during his travels in the late 1890s. His brother, Richard Heape gave to the public library a series of photographs taken as a record of these travels. These incredible images now form part of the Local Studies Collection.

  An important development in the history of the museum was the establishment of the John Bright Memorial Room in 1925, made possible by the generosity of the Bright family. The most striking object in the room was the large oak bookcase, the gift of John Bright’s daughter. This bookcase and the 1,200 volumes contained in it were a national gift to John Bright in 1853 in acknowledgement of his work on behalf of the Anti-Corn Law League.

  The museum collections grew over the years, as did all local authority museum collections, with donations of curiosities, local and natural history.

  The first artwork was donated to the town in 1898 and displayed in the public library, prior to the foundation of the current art gallery.

  The majority of the art gallery collection was donated by local people, especially wealthy industrialists in the early years of the 20th century, or purchased from funds bequeathed to the gallery. This includes:

  • Thomas Kay Bequest of Northern and Italian Renaissance paintings and late Victorian works on paper to the former Borough of Heywood in 1912.
  • Robert Taylor Heape donations of Victorian paintings between 1901 and 1913.
  • Richard Heape donation of 19th century watercolours in 1917.
  • Royds Bequest of 19th century pen and ink illustrations in 1916.

  During the war years both the museum and the art gallery collections were put into storage while the building was taken over by The Ministry of Food. Following the end of the war the art collections were reinstated, while the museum maintained a presence in the John Bright Room. The majority of collections continued to be held in storage.

  In the late 1960s the decision was made to seek an alternative home for the museum, and the former vicarage of the Parish Church of St. Chad was thought to be a suitable venue. Following extensive renovations to this handsome 18th century building, Rochdale Museum opened there in 1975. Displays included local social history, agricultural implements and costume. A later development included a live collection of old and rare breeds of domestic animals in the museum grounds. Period room settings and changing exhibitions were regular features of the museum. The Museum remained open in St. Chad’s Vicarage for almost 15 years.

  In 2000 Heritage Lottery Funding was granted as part of a £2.25 million scheme to redevelop the building where the museum and art gallery were originally housed. On 1 July 2002, the building reopened with Art Gallery spaces, Heritage Gallery, Education Studio, Cafe and Tourist Information.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2022

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  The Museum Collection

  The collections fall into the following areas; Archaeology, Egyptology, Natural Sciences, Egyptology, Social History, Decorative Arts, Costume and Textiles. The figures below are based on early inventories which do not take into account group accessioning lots. It is estimated that there may be at least 100,000 objects in total within the collection.

  Archaeology

  This comprises of locally found flints and tools, donated from 1896 onwards which formed the nucleus of the original museum. There have been a few additional donations over the years. Archaeology is not actively collected, however, we will take in local archaeological material which is fully provenanced. Estimated 1500 items.

  Egyptology

  The Egyptology collection is of national if not international importance and dates from pre-dynastic times to the Christian era. Much of the collection was excavated by Sir William Flinders Petrie, and relates to collections in other museums. There have also been significant gifts by the Heape family. Estimated 2000 items.

  Natural History

  The natural science collections consist of shells, a herbarium, an egg collection and a small number of mounted specimens (birds and mammals). Estimated 2500 items.

  Geology

  The Geology collection is one of the earliest collections of the Museum Service and comprises specimens of local, national and international provenance. There is also a large collection of fossils, including local coal measure fossils. Estimated 5000 items.

  Local/Social History

  These are, numerically, the largest Museum collections and relate to all aspects of local people’s life and work. Most of the items date from the 19th and 20th centuries and include furniture, locally made clocks and ceramics dating from the 18th century to the present day. There is also a small collection of medals, coins and tokens, an early donation, which has never been actively collected. The collection also includes items relating to local trade and industry e.g. clogging, coopering, carpentry, tinsmiths, wool, cotton, and silk trades. Estimated 35000 items.

  Local Personalities

  There is a comprehensive collection relating to Gracie Fields (1898 – 1979) the Rochdale born star of stage, screen and radio. Estimated 4200 items.

  Costume & Textiles

  The costume/textile collection consists of mainly nineteenth and twentieth century material and includes costume accessories. Many of the items have been locally donated or purchased. There is also a small collection of textiles from the states of Sind & Gujarat in Western India and Pakistan. Estimated 2500 items.

  Decorative Arts

  There is a small collection of ceramics, which includes Meissen and Staffordshire figures, tea services and presentation pieces from such potteries as Wedgwood and Copeland. There is also a small collection of wine and beer glasses, decanters and bowls. Estimated 800 items.

  Education Collection

  A collection of items, mainly related to Social History curriculum themes has and is being collected specifically for Education or hands on use. Estimated 3200 items.

  The Art Gallery Collection

  The collection continues to grow today partly through the support of charities such as the Contemporary Art Society. The most significant bequests and donations have been:

  • The Handley Bequest exists for the conservation of existing and acquisition of new artworks for the collection.
  • A significant number of 20th and 21st century works have been presented by the Contemporary Art Society.
  • Recent support from the Art Fund (New Collecting Award – 2017-2019) towards the purchase of work to build our collection art by women artists. The art gallery collections comprise around 1600 works, primarily paintings, prints and drawings, prints. There are smaller holdings of photographs, sculpture and contemporary craft. Artists represented in the collection are of local, national and international standing.

  Collection outline

  • A small number of northern European 17th century portraits and landscapes
  • A substantial collection of British Victorian genre, narrative and landscape painting
  • Early British modernist art • 20th century British figurative work
  • Late 19th/early 20th century British Impressionism
  • Topographical and landscape painting by local artists from the late 19th century to the present day
  • Contemporary art from 1970s to present
  • A small, mixed disciplinary collection of contemporary craft from 1970s to present
  • Key work by important women artists from the Victorian period to the present day.

  There are significant holdings of the nationally known, locally born artists Edward Stott, FW Jackson, John Collier (Tim Bobbin) and Bob Crossley. Other major artists represented include J Waterhouse, Walter Sickert, CRW Nevinson, Mark Gertler, Matthew Smith, Ivon Hitchens, Laura Knight, LS Lowry, Stanley Spencer, John Bratby, Jacob Epstein, Lucian Freud, Frank Auerbach, Gillian Ayres and Cornelia Parker.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2022

  Licence: CC BY-NC