Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  When the museum was founded in 1976 the majority of items donated were bygones, farming tools and maritime items. The collection gradually expanded to include the range of artefacts held today. The vast majority were and still are donated by local people with a much smaller number purchased or bought at auction. Currently the most rapidly growing collections are in archaeology and the digital database.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2023

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  Social History

  This represents one of the core collections and includes articles of domestic, agricultural, farming and business use, mainly originating from the local area and illustrating life and industry over the last few centuries. There are also old toys and games.

  Maritime History

  A separate category due to the historic and current importance of the marine industries in the local economy. The collection includes artefacts relating to boat building, sail making, fishing and oystering and also covers the history of local racing yachts, sailing barges and houseboats.

  Archaeology

  Included in this important section are finds of pottery and other objects plus flints and stone axe heads excavated locally or dredged from the sea. There is a particular emphasis on the Roman period due to the island’s Roman occupation and proximity to the Roman garrison at Colchester. Two Roman cremation burials from Mersea are currently on an extended loan from Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service. Recent additions are timbers from a Bronze Age walkway and other artefacts found during excavations on the island. There are also remains such as pedestals and briquetage from the salt making industry in the Red Hills.

  Local History with photographs, documents, maps and plans

  This is becoming one of the most important and fastest-growing themes. Of particular interest are a large collection of local postcards from the early 1900s and some speculative plans for the development of Mersea as a large seaside resort. There is a growing digital archive of over 45,000 images and documents which can be viewed on the museum’s computer database, plus census returns and parish records for family history research.

  Natural History and Geology

  This smaller category includes rocks and fossils from local sites, particularly East Mersea, with a few interesting specimens from further afield. There is a small collection of stuffed birds and small mammals and some ancient animal bones.

  Costume and Textiles

  A small collection which includes women’s, children’s and babies’ clothing from Victorian times onwards, some military and other uniforms and a selection of accessories and textiles such as tapestries and samplers, most with a local connection.

  Militaria

  A category which includes locally recovered artefacts from the Civil War such as cannon balls and musket balls, plus items from the two World Wars including service records, medals, gas masks and helmets. Several aeroplane propellers and engines dredged from the sea are displayed outside.

  Engineering

  This comprises of a small collection of powered engines for domestic or commercial use. However due to a change in emphasis at the museum some of these items are now on long term loan to the Museum of Power at Langford which has better facilities to display and run them.

  Art

  The museum holds a small collection of art comprising original oil paintings and watercolours and some prints, mainly of local scenes or by local artists. There are two items of sculpture.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2023

  Licence: CC BY-NC