A Museum for Windsor? Latest Developments

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thamesweb	A Museum for Windsor? Latest Developments	Lead	[-]
Posts: 2477 ( 9-Mar-2006 07:30 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	New Directions For Borough's Past 7th March 2006 RBWM Press Release The treasures and antiquities that make up the Royal Borough Museum Collection are to have a new showcase in the heart of the community linking with the local studies collection in the council's library service. Key elements of the Town & Crown exhibition will move from 24 High Street to Windsor Library in Bachelors Acre, where it will be possible for the Friends of the Royal Borough Museum Collection to present the area's rich heritage in a central and accessible location. The move will have the added advantage of enabling closer working with the local studies service, which has thousands of books, maps, photographs and cuttings to complement the museum's stock and allow greater scope for exhibitions and displays. Cllr Richard Fagence, lead member for leisure and cultural services, welcomed the new arrangements as a positive step forward for both the heritage and library services. He said: "The borough's library and information service already has a strong local studies collection. By relocating elements of the Town & Crown there will be new opportunities for the two to work closer together to create an effective and accessible heritage and local studies centre for the entire community." The positive move has been supported by the Friends of the Royal Borough Museum Collection, who were commended for their dedication by Cllr Fagence. He added: "We are very fortunate to have such a hard-working band of people to help the council keep our heritage service alive and relevant. I take my hat off to them for their enthusiasm and the generous way they give their time to the service." The change in direction for the Town & Crown follows a mutual decision by the council and the Friends (through their joint heritage centre working group) not to go ahead with plans for a small heritage centre in space provided on the new East Berkshire College campus. Julian Grindell, vice principal for East Berkshire College, said: "This is good news for the Royal Borough and doesn't impact on our new college building in St Leonard's Rd. We wish the borough every success with the move and will continue to work closely with them on future projects." Beryl Hedges, chairman of the Friends of the Royal Borough Museum, said the library would give the volunteers a stronger local base in a building which already attracted more than 120,000 customers a year customers who would soon be able to enjoy heritage displays as well as using library services. She said: "This will now create the opportunity for a massive fund-raising project for the Friends to obtain premises for a museum for Windsor instigated by Dr Brigitte Mitchell, secretary of the Friends." Arrangements for the move are currently being worked out by the council in conjunction with the heritage development officer and full details will be made available as soon as possible. It appears to be a step in the right direction, but hardly a museum, is it!!
thamesweb	Library Corridor Used for Museum Display	#1	[-]
Posts: 2477 ( 3-May-2006 09:03 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Borough Press Release 3rd May 2006 A new chapter in the life of the borough's past opens this week when the Royal Borough Museum Collection gets a new home in Windsor Library for its regular programme of displays. The displays are on the move following the closure of the Town & Crown exhibition area at 24 High Street and the library location will provide wider opportunities for linking with the local studies service to mount special exhibitions and events. The doors will open to the public for the first time today (Wednesday May 3) with two new displays The Story of Windsor and Brunel & the Railways. Cllr Richard Fagence, the borough's lead member for leisure and cultural services, will officially open the new display area and he paid tribute to everyone involved for their hard work and enthusiasm. He said: "This is a very positive and exciting development and I would like to thank officers and the Friends of the Royal Borough Museum Collection for helping to make it happen. The library location will give the collection a new venue in the heart of Windsor and I look forward to the future programme of displays about our borough's fascinating past." To mark the opening Caroline McCutcheon, heritage development officer, has mounted two exhibitions with the help of Friends volunteer Malcolm Lock, In the first floor corridor of the library is The Story of Windsor, which traces the history of the town from Saxon times to the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. In the local studies area is a display on Brunel & the Railways, which features reproductions of paintings and designs showing Brunel's unique impact on the borough, particularly relating to the development of the Great Western Railway to Maidenhead and its branch line from Slough to Windsor. Among the artefacts is the diary of Mr Maun, the stationmaster at the GWR Central Station, which gives a fascinating insight into the working life of a station 100 years ago and the royals and other heads of state who passed through on their way to Windsor Castle. Booklets accompanying the Brunel display tell the story of the man and his association with the borough. Library staff have selected a variety of books linking to the theme, including some on Sir Daniel Gooch, the 19th century locomotive and cable-laying engineer who lived in Clewer. The displays are open during all library hours as follows: Monday 9.30am 5pm; Tuesday 9.30am 6pm; Wednesday 2 5pm; Thursday 9.3-am 5pm; Friday 9.30am 7pm; Saturday 9.30am 3pm. Editorial I am sure Windsorians and others with an interest in the history of the town will welcome these two new displays but I am saddened by the facilities - a first floor corridor indeed! Windsor deserves better! Much better!! Shortly we shall be announcing an interesting new development regarding a museum for Windsor... watch this space.
thamesweb	Campaign for Windsor Museum gathers pace	#2	[-]
Posts: 2477 ( 3-May-2006 10:56 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I am delighted to report that a group of Windsorians are actively campaigning for a proper museum in Windsor. The lack of museum space has been a matter of concern for a number of years, ever since the closure of the displays at the Guildhall, and even there space was limited. To contribute towards the campaign please visit the Windsor Museum Appeal Website
thamesweb	Re: misinformation by the Royal Borough	#3	[-]
Posts: 2477 ( 1-Aug-2006 05:08 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Goodness me! Take a look at this. I stumbled across it by accident and couldn't believe my eyes. Obviously a carefully worded piece of 'puff' to give the impression that Windsor has a thriving museum! The Windsor Museum by the Borough Spinners!
PartyPooper3	Who owns the Garden Cafe site in Alexandra Gardens?	#4	[-]
Posts: 11 ( 7-Aug-2006 08:05 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Does anyone know whether the council own the Garden Cafe site in Alexander Gardens? I ask because this is a) an eysore and b) a perfect sight for redevelopment as a purpose built museum. A truly ambitious plan would allow current and future integration of the nearby railway arches, which if refurbished would make an ideal cool, dark environment for delicate historical items. I read that the Museum team were looking to buy a landmark building in Windsor. Landmark buildings cost money, and those near the Castle are already put to good use by the private sector. If the Garden Cafe really is council owned, then this money could be put to good use replacing an ugly, inappropriate building with a museum that Windsor could be proud of. Since this cafe is next to the coach park, many day-trippers will go straight past it, so the location is ideal.
colchesterman	Re: Who owns the Garden Cafe site in Alexandra Gardens?	#5	[-]
Posts: 23 (27-Sep-2006 10:05 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I have a feeling that this area is on what was formally Great Western Railway land. Certainly the coach park was constructed on the former goods yard and the access road to the various businesses under the arches would have belonged to the railway company. I do not know who owns the land now. I agree that the 60s(?) shop and caf, plus the stairs and lift to the station above, look awful but the site probably makes money so it would not be easy to take over and redevelop as a town museum. I am not convinced that the arches would make a safe place to keep valuable artefacts. The arches are notoriously damp and some if not all have had their 'ceilings' lined to direct the water away from the usable floorspace. Super location though!
Mr Whippy	Re: Who owns the Garden Cafe site in Alexandra Gardens?	#6	[-]
Posts: 25 (29-Sep-2006 11:21 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The Council owns the coach park area and i believe the tenants pay loads for the privilege of being there both in rents, rates and maintenance charges. There was talk that the coach park would be closed and redeveloped, moving the coach park down to the M4 roundabout at end of the ByPass incorporating a train station to transport all the visitors by rail (steam) and saving Windsor's narrow roads and the tenants residential area from the traffic and pollution and parking! But this was a few years ago, i wonder what happened?
thamesweb	Open Day at The Borough Collection, Tinkers Lane	#7	[-]
Posts: 1599 ( 6-Nov-2008 08:43 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	You are cordially invited to the annual Museum Open Day on Saturday 15 November from 10am-4pm The short talks by local historians last from 20 to 25 minutes and are on the following topics: 11.00am Bread Riots and Famine - Brigitte Mitchell 12.00pm Kitchenalia - Valerie Batt-Rawden 2.00pm Rationing - Valerie Batt-Rawden 3.00pm Banquets - Leslie Grout
Avon Edward Foote	Museum at Library: What's the problem	#8	[-]
Posts: 18 ( 1-Dec-2008 04:07 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Although, I am a digital subscriber to the Maidenhead Advertiser, I must wait a week to get access the Windsor/Eton Express after it has been added to the Archive tab. I have just read the 21 November issue with the announcement of Museum space being added to the Reference Room at Windsor Library. To me Library/Museum combinations are a natural combo for the other. Together, they get children to the Library more frequently, because Museums get lots of primary school trips for seeing and touching to help learning and understanding. And us older family historians get to see the real artifacts of local history when we are at Library to gawk at Burke's Gentry or at a distant cousin's family research. But, I must add for thamesweb's attention that I went to the local publications group's homepage, as he recommended, and filled out an enquiry form for getting copy of new issue of Windlesora. They either have a technology glitch, or they have ignored my request for cost and shipping charges information because it is outside the UK. Are they on holiday? Eddie (Avon Edward) Last Edited By: Avon Edward Foote 2-Dec-2008 02:52 PM. Edited 2 times.
movingtoEngland		#9	[-]
Posts: 22 ( 5-Dec-2008 02:27 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I am a little surprised at the lack of a proper dedicated museum in Windsor. A town with such rich history deserves to have one, however the castle is in a way a type of museum. Has there ever been a museum in Windsor prior to this? I guess something is better than nothing though. I didn't read through all the articles on this so forgive me if I am repeating info that was already posted, but where does the funding come for this? The city I live in has a pretty decent museum, but most of their funding these days comes from private donors due to City budget cuts and they do a lot of fundraising activities throughout the year to keep afloat.
Avon Edward Foote	My response after visiting Windsor Library	#10	[-]
Posts: 19 (27-Jan-2009 04:45 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	A few days ago, I dropped by Windsor Library to see the Museum case in the local reference room upstairs. While some may have written negative things about the older hallway exhibit in the Library, I, personally, found it very meaningful and, I feel, it is in a very good location. The glass case for display of authentic archaeological finds in the local reference room is magnificent, but the map, that is along side the artifacts, does not show finds at Tyle Place Farm in 1860s. At the time of discovery, the objects were placed in Victoria and Albert and at British Museum. By the way, Thamesweb has an excellent webpage on Tyle Place Roman objects. I link to Thamesweb page from my Windsor history pages at chotank.com. As a result of my visit to Windsor, I have concluded that the Windsor Library does not have adequate space to substitute for a fully-supported Museum in its own building.
thamesweb	Windsor looks set to get a town centre museum – at last!	#11	[-]
Posts: 1731 ( 2-May-2009 05:02 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Guildhall set to be new Windsor & Royal Borough Museum Cabinet has given the go-ahead for the Maidenhead Room of the Grade I listed Guildhall (pictured below) in High Street to be used as a home for permanent Windsor & Royal Borough Museum exhibitions. Subject to the agreement of English Heritage and listed building consent, it could be open next year. Cllr Simon Dudley, lead member for adult and community services, said the news would be warmly welcomed by residents who had been calling for a museum for many years. He said: "It is a great shame that much of the borough's museum collection remains hidden away and local people have, quite rightly, been calling for a solution. "We are determined to give the collection the home it deserves and over the past two years we have been looking at a number of different options to make it more readily available to the public. "We believe the Guildhall is an appropriately-historic and convenient location. A large part of the civic collection is already there but currently the building is open to the public just one day a week. By turning the Maidenhead Room into a permanant home for the museum we will give more residents and visitors the opportunity to enjoy these treasures and also to appreciate this fine building. "The council looks forward to working with the Friends of the museum to deliver their long-held aspiration to provide a museum in Windsor." The museum exhibitions proposed for the Maidenhead Room will be designed to a very high quality, with particular care taken to preserve the 17th century building. The aim is to create a family-friendly, educationally inspirational and interactive visitor attraction, telling the story of Windsor and settlements across the borough through exhibits and interactive touch screen presentations. The old robing room downstairs will be used for educational activities for school groups. There are also plans for improving accessibility for people with mobility problems and all works will be undertaken with specialist advice from English Heritage. The Guildhall was last used as a museum exhibition centre in 1982 and since then the collection has been in storage, with regular displays mounted at the old visitor information office in High Street and latterly at Windsor Library. The museum is just part of the council's vision for opening up the Guildhall to more public and commercial use. It is already a popular venue for weddings, conferences and dinners but the borough's cabinet has also tasked officers with developing plans for making better use of and upgrading the building by working with a commercial partner to maximise the opportunities for a wider range of functions, for example dinner packages with pre-meal river trips or guided walks. Cllr Dudley explained: "The Guildhall is an amazing historical asset and we want to make sure it is well used and appreciated by as many people as possible. We believe it will also be possible to generate more income which can then be used to maintain the Guildhall, thus reducing the burden on local council taxpayers.
movingtoEngland		#12	[-]
Posts: 39 ( 3-Jul-2009 06:56 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I went to the library to see the "museum" recently. Seriously, Windsor needs its own dedicated museum. The little display case in the library is not large enough space to do any justice. I am new here so not sure who I would lodge a request. Would it be our local council person?
thamesweb		#13	[-]
Posts: 1911 (10-Jul-2009 02:25 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	We are all hoping that the plans announced for The Guildhall will come to fruition and that sufficient space will be available to make a good display. Certainly the premises provided at the Borough depot in Tinkers Lane is not up to the standard required for daily public access and is bursting at the seams anyway. Space at The Guildhall will improve matters no end. And guess what, we used to have a museum at The Guildhall!
Pat Larkin	Guildhall museum.	#14	[-]
Posts: 694 (10-Jul-2009 05:10 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I didn't know that thamesweb.....so, who closed the original museum, and why, and when did this happen please...?
thamesweb	Museum Closure	#15	[-]
Posts: 1967 (22-Jul-2009 08:13 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The museum at The Guildhall, 'The Windsor Guildhall Exhibition', was closed abruptly and without consultation in 1982 having been the pride of the royal borough since 1949. The Guildhall was not ideal having limited storage space, admin space and no parking for visitors but at least we had something. For the last 27 years we have had nothing. I am afraid I am not counting the nominal displays at the library. In these intervening years much cash (some £206,000) was spent on The Guildhall to make it a 'Conference Centre' (yet attracting an income of only £50,000 per annum) while £215, 280 was spent on the Desborough Centre in Maidenhead to make that a Conference Centre too! Some plans did exist for Jennings Yard (the privately owned car park with a reputation for clamping) at River Street for a Heritage Centre to be included as part of the site's redevelopment, but as the redevelopment never took place, the Heritage Centre never materialised either. There were some display cases in Madame Tussaud's exhibition at the Central Station, but that agreement was terminated when the lease was sold to L & R Leisure. Newly announced plans feature the Maidenhead Room (they can rename that for a start!!!) as the home for the Windsor Museum. The RBWM publication 'Around the Royal Borough' (Summer 2009) has included a full page about the plans and states, 'The council looks forward to working with the Friends of the Museum to deliver their long-held aspiration to provide a museum in Windsor. The aim is to create a family friendly, educationally inspirational and interactive visitor attraction, telling the story of Windsor and settlements throughout the borough through exhibits and touch screen presentations. The old robing room will be used for educational activities for school groups.' The borough publication claims that the exhibitions will be designed to a high standard, will improve access for those with mobility problems, and also have an sensitive eye towards the structure of the 17th century building. To this end English Heritage will be consulted. The Borough Collection comprises some 6,000 pieces including prehistoric tools, Bronze Age, Roman and Saxon artefacts as well as maps, textiles, books, paintings and prints up to the present day. We look forward to an opening date!
thamesweb	'Windsor Footsteps' in Support of the Museum Appeal	#16	[-]
Posts: 2312 ( 5-Oct-2009 03:57 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Windsor Footsteps has been designed so that you can use your mobile phone to find out about Windsor's history. At twelve selected locations around the town centre pre-recorded commentaries can be 'dialled up' providing the history of the adjacent building or location. These include The Central Station, now a shopping area (and in recent times renamed 'Royal' Station for reasons that escape me), Goswell Hill (Breakneck Alley), the Air Mail Post Box at the junction of Park St and the High Street, and The Masonic Hall, the first school building for The Royal Free School before it moved to Bachelor's Acre in the mid-1800s. Windsor Footsteps Information and Phone Numbers It is also possible to sample the pre-recorded messages from your home phone. You do not have to be in situ to hear the histories and you will be helping the fund-raising for Windsor's new museum at the same time. Thanks!