Collection: North Lanarkshire Council

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  The collections, owned by North Lanarkshire Council were, prior to local government reorganisation in 1996, held by four separate museum bodies. Monklands District Council (originally Airdrie Museum which opened in 1896), Cumbernauld & Kilsyth District’s collection which begun in 1975, while Motherwell District and Summerlee Heritage Trust were both established in 1986-87. Material culture was collected to reflect the social and industrial history of the area.

  In the case of Summerlee Museum it focussed on heavy industry and collected throughout West Central Scotland. Professor John Hume was a major influence on the formation of the collection. He was responsible for advising on major acquisitions such as the Gibb and Hogg locomotive and the machine tool collection.

  Recent key acquisitions include the collection of the Airdrie Savings Bank, the UK’s last independent savings bank which closed in 2017; a collection of items from Tannoy’s Coatbridge factory which closed in 2020; a rainbow flag signed by pupils and teachers at Airdrie Academy; venue closure signage from the first Covid lockdown; drawing instruments from several former draughts people and tracers; a clock from Hartwood Hospital; a chess set made by workers at the Caterpillar factory in Uddingston using nuts and bolts from the production line.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2024

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  There are approximately 38,000 items in the collection, with over 12,000 relating to industrial history, 20,000 covering social history, 6,000 relating to world cultures, art, natural history, geology and archaeology. In addition, NLC Archives hold 46,000 archive files and items.NLCMC also has a handling collection for use by the Learning and Access team for workshops, reminiscence sessions etc. and a set dressing collection of domestic objects used in open displays, for example the Summerlee miners’ cottages. These collections are not accessioned as they are duplicative, in poor condition and/or have no object history. Since their condition will also deteriorate over time due to handling and use it is not appropriate to accession them into the permanent collections.

  Areas of strength in the collection include the industrial history material relating to the coal, iron, steel and engineering industries, along with their associated social history and archival collections, all of which was awarded Recognition status in 2009. The cinematography collection is another area of strength. It is Scotland’s foremost cinema collection, comprising over 1,500 objects ranging from industrial cameras and projectors to a cinema organ, furnishings, uniforms, ephemera and home cine equipment. The banner collection is also of significance, with rare and important examples from the 19th Reform movement, friendly societies and trade unions.

  The collections meet the statement of purpose and key aims of the service. Together they reflect the industrial history of the area and the social life of those communities. NLCMC ensures the full ranges of its collections are on display to allow the public to learn about the collection and the history of the area. A programme of temporary exhibitions, changing permanent exhibits, learning programmes, special events and special projects all provide visitors with opportunities to engage with the collections. There is public access to the museum collections in store by appointment and digitised collections available online.

  The collections owned by North Lanarkshire Council can be divided by both subject area and individual museum.Every effort will be made to ensure that collections remain within the geographical area to which they relate, however their location within the museum stores and displays will be governed by their conservation needs.

  North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre, Motherwell

  The collections can be subdivided as follows:

  Archaeology

  There is very little archaeological material in the collection, items relate to Roman archaeology and some medieval finds.

  Applied Art

  The collection includes civic material, a small amount of Cleland Pottery, glass and silverware relating to local groups and societies.

  Fine art

  This small collection comprises of 19th century to late twentieth century small-scale prints and paintings by modern and contemporary Scottish artists such as Bet Low, Jim Pattison and George Wylie.The collection also includes work by local artists Roy and Dan Ferguson. There is also a small collection of civic painting featuring former Provosts and other dignitaries. Of particular note are two works by prominent Motherwell artist, Millie Frood.

  Numismatics

  The collection comprises a small collection of miscellaneous coins from the Victorian and Edwardian periods.

  World Cultures

  There is currently no relevant material in the collection.

  Natural History and Geology

  There are no collections in this category.

  Social History

  The social history collections relate to the communities involved with iron and steel, coal and mineral extraction, engineering and associated industries, principally covering late 19th century to mid 20th century, and relate to the following main areas:

  • Domestic life-housing, furnishings, cleaning, cooking, wellbeing, and hobbies and pastimes.

  • Community life-local and cultural traditions, organisations, law and order, education, entertainment and sport and the two World Wars.

  • Personal life-certificates, documents souvenirs and memorials, male and female costume, and personal artefacts.

  • Working life-manufacturing transport and distribution.

  The Airdrie Collection

  The collections relating to the town and area of Airdrie can be subdivided as follows:

  Archaeology

  This collection includes local prehistoric material, Roman pottery and artefacts. And miscellaneous medieval /Middle Eastern material.

  Applied Art

  There is a small amount of pewter material, glass and ceramics relating to local churches.

  Fine Art

  The collection includes a large number of civic dignitaries, prominent local figures and landscapes.

  Numismatics

  A small number of Roman coins, and tokens from churches and local works.

  World Cultures

  A large collection of African, Polynesian and East Asian material from the Victorian period.

  Natural History and Geology

  A small natural history collection exists and a substantial geology collection of fossils and gemstones as well as other material.

  Social History

  The social history collections relate to the community’s involvement with the weaving and coal industries and cover the following main areas:

  • Domestic life-food and household items.

  • Community life- local groups and societies, law and order and burgh material.There are also some early firearms and edged weapons.

  • Personal life- certificates, documents and a costume collection, which includes friendly society, military and civilian clothing.

  Industrial History

  • Working life-costume, artefacts and ephemera relating to the weaving industry, including handlooms, together with a full range of appropriate tools, and a mid-C19th steam engine.

  Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge

  Archaeology

  The bulk of the museum archaeological collection originates from the site of the former Summerlee Iron Works on which the museum is situated.Most items are industrial and arise from the early 19th century to mid 20th century.

  Applied Art

  The collection of applied art is small and includes pottery, glass, silverware, horology.

  Fine Art

  This section of the collection is very small and contains paintings, drawings and prints. Almost all the works have h3 associations with the Monklands District, being historical views, portraits of local people or works illustrating aspects of daily life.The exceptions are three works by Ken Currie, which depict industrial workers.

  Numismatics

  The collection includes a small number of medals, Scottish Trade Tokens, Miners Tallies and coins of the realm.

  World Cultures

  There is very little material in the collection.

  Natural History/Geology

  The collection includes examples of coal and other materials.There are no mounted or preserved specimens.

  Social History

  The social history collection relates mainly to the communities involved with iron and steel, coal and mineral extraction and engineering and associated industries and covers the following main areas:

  • Domestic Life – household items (including furniture), items associated with food, drink, and tobacco. Leisure time items (hobbies, sports etc).

  • Community Life – local and cultural traditions (including religious beliefs), guilds, trade unions, friendly societies, political groups, the Co-operative movement, law enforcement, health, welfare, education, housing, sanitation, and wartime life.

  • Personnel Items – including items of costume (mainly female and child) textiles.

  Industrial History

  • Working Life – industrial costume, hand tools, service industry items, retail trade, domestic, catering, communications.

  Large Industrial Collections

  The museum has a large collection of industrial material ranging from large individual plant to small hand tools. The collection covers the main industries of Scotland with an emphasis on iron, steel, coal and engineering. Highlights of the collection include the Cardowan Winding Engine, Spade Forge and Gibb & Hogg Locomotive.

  Transport

  Throughout Summerlee’s 27 acre site a road, rail tram network has been developed.Summerlee has a tramway system with a 1908 Lanarkshire double decker tram and no.1017, a 1904 single decker tram in operation.

  Buildings

  As resources have allowed the museum has acquired buildings and architectural fragments significant to the industrial history of North Lanarkshire.

  Cumbernauld Museum

  Fine Art & Applied Art

  The fine art collections consist of mainly minor Scottish artists, a sizeable collection by the local artist, Alex Gibson, and an increasing amount of contemporary local work. The applied art collection is relatively small, restricted to civic material, a small amount of silverware relating to local groups and societies.

  Archaeology

  The collections consist of medieval material from departmental excavations, with much smaller quantities of roman and pre-historic material.

  Social History

  These collections cover the bulk of the collection and are wide ranging in most aspects of social history.

  • Domestic life- housing, food implements.

  • Community life-local and cultural traditions, law and order and Burgh material.

  • Personal life-costume, souvenirs and memorials.

  Industrial History

  • Working life-small agricultural collection and a few mining objects.

  Numismatics

  Very small collection covering Roman, medieval and contemporary coinage, plus trade tokens etc.

  Natural History/Geology

  Collections consist mainly of groups of material collected by rock and fossil collectors, plus a few local specimens.

  World Cultures

  Very small collection of objects, mainly from Africa, but with no particular theme.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: 2024

  Licence: CC BY-NC