News Desk

Visits to the Museum

Meg Thomas and Connie Huxtable man the stall. [Full image 35.9kb]

The Museum has been open every Wednesday and first Sunday during the spring period. Admission is FREE to all visitors at the moment while we re-organise the Museum's exhibits in preparation for the opening of the new Surrey Iron Railway Exhibition on July 26th which is the bicentenary of the opening of the S.I.R. Volunteers Meg Thomas, Eric Shaw and Marguerite Lee-Delisle are organising this new display which we hope all members and friends will come and see.

During March we had two school visits from St Teresa's Primary School who enjoyed Textile Printing workshops. During April we had a visit from an Adult Education Group doing a historical walk round Mitcham Cricket Green and on May 17th we had the Annual Visit from Merton Borough's Magical History Tour who tour Merton's museums during Museums Month. Lastly we were pleased to welcome Cranmer Primary School who made their first visits to the Museum in May.The Museum has been quite busy and must thank all the volunteers for their sterling work.

Outreach

Founder member Charles Ford with the 20th Anniversary display. [Full image 33.2kb]

Once again we were pleased to have a stall and exhibition at the National Trust Fair in Morden Hall Park. This was all the more successful as at first we were told all Charity Stalls were to be banned from the fair - thankfully this decision was reversed and we raised £382 for Museum funds. Thanks go to Volunteer Stephen Ashcroft who designed and mounted our display on 20 Years of the Wandle Industrial Museum. In case you weren't aware, W.I.M. was founded in 1983!

Thanks also go to all the volunteers, members and friends who gave their time over the Bank Holiday weekend to help us to raise this fantastic amount, which I think is a record.

Members' Events

The Members' Outing to the Public Record Office in Kew in March was a great success. Ray Leyden kindly arranged this so that we all travelled there by mini-bus. We hope to use this mode of transport again so watch the Newsletter for the next event!

Volunteers Outing

[Full image 25.2kb]

This had been arranged for May 15th to Wimbledon Theatre to see Calamity Jane starring Toyah Wilcox. As you may know, this event had to be cancelled since Miss Wilcox pulled out of the show in order to appear in the television programme I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. We were all very disappointed and hope to arrange another trip to the theatre in the autumn.

Other news

Our much appreciated curatorial adviser. Simon Lace, has left Museum of Richmond, and become curator at Maidstone Museum, a well funded, fully staffed, and lottery assisted establishment. We congratulate him on this well deserved step up, and deeply appreciate his willingness to continue as our adviser. We look forward to a members visit to Maidstone later this year to see him in his new surroundings.

There are still some members who have not yet paid their membership for this year. We value our members and hope that you will respond. Reminder Forms included.

Dates for your Diary

[1] Mitcham Carnival - Saturday 14th June all afternoon
[2] Wimbledon Village Fair - Saturday 21st June all day

[1] Opening of Surrey Iron Railway Exhibition and Launch of new S.I.R. Booklet Saturday 26th July (Invitation to come)
[2] Annual General Meeting 2nd October - details in the next Newsletter

Sheila Harris May 2003