MUSEUMS PROVIDE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AGES

 

 

 

 

"The Sights & Sounds of Newton Abbot" 

10th March- 29th October 2010

The 2010 exhibition is a vibrant mix of photographic images, extracts from the film and oral archive collections, and objects from the collection.

Within the exhibition two ancient objects have been loaned to the museum. One object is a prehistoric wooden figure, known as the Kingsteignton Idol, discovered by WBB clay workers in 1867.  It was previously on display at Exeter Museum. 

It will be the first time that the idol has been displayed in Newton Abbot.

The second object of great historic interest is over 2,500 years old! 

It is a rare, bronze- age spear head, found near the ‘Idol' in the river bed near B&Q!

These two ancient exhibits will bring the ancient history of the town to life. 

These objects could be used to stimulate creative writing/story telling?-

• Who was the man that dropped the spear-head in the clay?
  
  

  Was he murdered?

  Did he drown?

  Why was the figure carved? Idol worship/child's toy/did it have healing powers for the ancients?

  The figure is made of oak, discussions on types of trees and wood carving.

   

  
  Last year's, very successful John Lethbridge exhibition, will be available for a re-visit, or be a perfect opportunity for the school to visit the exhibition if they missed it in 2009. The full-sized replica of John Lethbridge's, (18th century diver and inventor) diving- machine awaits you!

  The Lethbridge exhibition could stimulate projects on:-
  

  Materials

  Exploration & invention

  History of the town

  Shipwrecks & seafaring & pirates!

  Trade

  Story- telling and writing & drama

   OR Stories about a young boy who likes diving and discovers an old wreck on the sea bed, and finds silver...does he keep it a secret or share it with his mates?

  
  

  PLUS!...there is the GWR Railway Room with a working signal box, and items and photos relating to IK Brunel and his influence on the town....again many railway stories could be developed from visiting the room.

  PLUS!!! Two Tudor carved wooden panels will be on display for the first time...the story of the survival of the screen could be told from a journalistic point of view, or a creative story could be made as if the writer was the screen.etc. .
  
  The museum welcomes school visits, and pre-planning conversations with teachers.
  We have a wealth of information that can be used.  Give us a call on 01626-201121
  or email:- museum@newtonabbot-tc.gov.uk
  
  
  Information packs can be custom built to  fit your projects.

For more information ring Felicity Cole at the museum on

Tel 01626-201121. www.museum -newtonabbot-tc.gov.uk

Admission Free.

Newton Abbot Town & GWR Museum, 2a St Pauls Road, Newton Abbot TQ12 2HP

"The Museum Link" Group

The group began through the celebration of the life of Driver Nicks. His son, Mike Nicks and
long time friend Keith Wills (both railwayman's sons) arranged a meeting of ex-GWR men.
The museum was very happy to host the meeting.  Many of the men who attended had already been part of the GWR oral archive reminisance work created by the museum.

After the presentation of a photograph to the museum by Ivy Nicks, Driver Nicks wife, the museum asked the men if they would like to continue to meet? 
This was greeted with enthusiasm, and the group has continued to meet three or four
times a year in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, 9, Devon Square, Newton Abbot.

If you are an ex-railwayman, do give us a ring if you would like to join the group. There
is no fee.  Just ring 01626-201121. 

 Information to assit Schools & Clubs prior to visiting the museum- general
  interest for all.

2010 Information.


The exhibition for 2010 incudes the John Lethbridge Exhibition, if you missed it in 2009
you will have opportunities to visit it from March 10th-30th October 2010. (Scroll to end to see possible Lethbridge activities for schools.)

'The Sights and Sounds of Newton Abbot' features extracts from the museum oral archive collection.
This includes the memories of GWR men and reminiscences from the local community. 
     Wartime Newton Abbot
     Memories of New Year around the Clock Tower 
 and many other memories that could be useful for school projects.

There are extracts from the museum film archive, together with many images of the town.
All this provides a good stimulus for many school projects concerning the history of the town.

The museum welcomes school visits, and pre-planning conversations with teachers.
We have a wealth of information that can be used. 

The museum is available for short Heriatge Trails within the centre of the town, please discuss your needs with the Curator prioir to booking.

St Leonard's Tower is available for a class visit, again booking is essential, and owing to the confined space numbers need to be planned and discussed prioir to a visit.


Give us a call on 01626-201121
or email:- museum@newtonabbot-tc.gove.uk

Mr & Mrs Gill perform!                                                                                                    

and discuss the inventions of I.K. Brunel.


Mr & Mrs Gill are happy to give a 'Performance' where the characters take you back in time on a fascinating trip on the first train to Newton Abbot in 1846. This 'performance' can be used during school visits to stimulate enquiry about Newton Abbot's past.
There is a working signal box in the GWR Room which enables the children (& all visitors) to try out, and understand the basics of signalling.

Learning through the Museum Archives

Each year a new exhibition is created, and each year members of the public, who
have a connection with the exhibitions donate photographs or archive material that
follow the theme of the exhibition.  In this way the museum archives are continually
growing.

These archives are available to everyone.  They are displayed in the museum in files. 
Some archives become relevant to schools, some with family history researchers.

The exhibitions that created these links were:-



The Polish Exhibition-2003

Many local familys in the area, have Polish connections, through the Polish
home at Stover.                                                                                                      Tomas Trafas, Polish Consul & Teresa Wright

Photographs, together with tales of their survival during the WWII ,were brought in
and shared with everyone. Teresa Wright, a Polish volunteer, offered her collection of Polish Folk Art carved figures.  Contact was made with Ilford Park Polish home, and they
loaned photographs of the 1940s when the Polish camp was first established after the
WWII.
Tomas Trafas, Polish Consul, London, kindly agreed to open  the exhibition for the museum.  Funding was sought to enable the museum to ask 'Karolinka' a polish folk dancing group based in London, to show the town of newton Abbot their Polish connections.   'Karolinka' performed twice, once in the town and once at Ilford Park.

It was a day a vibrant colourful costumes and wonderful music!
After the exhibtion the museum was given a collection of Polish costumes to add to the collection.                                


                                                                                                                            




Brunel 200-  Events and Exhibitions -2006.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                   

During 2006 the museum was involved with many different exhibitions
and events to celebrate the genius of I.K.Brunel.
the Institutions of Civil and Mechanical Engineers gave permission to the
museum to have on loan a model of a small cart made by Brunel himself,
with the breath-takingly beautiful watercolours, of the South Devon Railway,
painted by William Dawson. Each page depicts an aspect of the atmospheric railway
as it was in 1848.  The atmospheric railway only worked as far as Newton. 
The pumping stations of Starr Cross, Totnes and Torre are all that remain today.
(Totnes and Torre were never used)
The atmospheric railway only ran for a short time (18 months) before it was
decided that it was not working properly, and it was demolished.







                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                            

                                                                                                                                   Newfoundland's top two Folk Singers

                                                                                                                                   perfom in the museum.

In 2007

The exhibition was on Newton Abbot's connections with Newfoundland. 
Again, many members of the public gave information and photographs to
the museum.  Newfoundland folk singers visited a local school and performed
in the museum, both performances were arranged by Wren Music.  
There were a few visitors from Newfoundland who thoroughly enjoyed the occasion.                                                                  





In 2008

The exhibition was all about the Story of the Bibbings Family.
John Bibbings, one of the sons of Arthur Bibbings attended the opening,
together with two of the ladies that worked in the Bibbings the Chemist
in the 1940s.

Bibbings the Chemist was renowned throughout the town. Mr J Bibbings
fitted out his Chemist shop in Queens Street with mahogany fittings, which
remain to this day, (Bibbings is now The Pharmacy Cafe)

Mr John Bibbings senior, was very accomplished man, and created
many of his own remedies and potions. Bibbings perfumes were very
well known throughout the area particularly, Bibbings Devon Violets
and Lavender Water.

One of John Bibbings sons, Arthur Bibbings became more interested in photography,
and a collection of this artistic black and white photographs were displayed during the exhibition, together with a "Then & Now" photographic exhibition of the town,
which was very popular.  

A digital frame enables the museum to be able to show many of the Bibbings
photographs from 2008 exhibition.

A community photographic project arose from this exhibition, schools and
local groups were able to attend workshops with Kate Green a photographic artist,
using the Bibbings photos as their starting point.  They went on to photograph the
town and its people, and displayed their work
all around the town in different venues.

                                                                                                                                                             Robert Stenuit-diver
                                                                                                                                                             marine archaeologist 
2009- John Lethbridge 250 Exhibition                                                                                                  with colleague
                                                                                                                                                             Marc Jasinski                  

In 2009 the museum celebrated the truly remarkable life
of Newtonian, John Lethbridge. 

Lethbridge invented a diving machine in 1705 and salvaged shipwrecks all over the world. 

The exhibition will be very useful for schools this year. 
It can stimulate projects on many levels,
materials,
adventure,
invention,
and local heros.