Twentieth Anniversary Objects Exhibition 19-20 October 2013
A Pictorial Report of the Society's public exhibition at the Yew Tree Hall
This major exhibition for the Society was held to celebrate our twenty years since being formed in October 1993. It used objects from the past to illustrate aspects of our area's history. Members supplied the objects and wrote short 500 word histories of the objects and their local historical associations. The poster illlustrated some of the objects.
Advertising the event was taken very seriously, because this was the opportunity to showcase the Society, the work of its members, and of course the fascinating local history, to the community in general. Here the leader of the exhibition team, Dr John Husdon, displays an eighteenth century guide book in an excellent piece in the Times and Star.
Photograph stolen from Times and Star.
The idea of an exhibition of objects came, in fact, from our President, Professor Angus Winchester, who offered his 'memory map' as the first object, perhaps little expecting the idea to be taken up and applied to the twentieth anniversary exhibition so enthusiastically. See the full map here.
Angus Winchester, right, our President for twenty years, kindly came to open the exhibition, and to thank and congratulate the exhibition team under the leadership of John Hudson, left.
Photograph Derek Denman.
Here is a table full of some of the objects.
Photograph by John Macfarlane
The exhibition was busy for the full two days, and though no counting was done, it seems that up to 400 people saw the objects.
Photograph by John Macfarlane
The objects (actually 24) were preceded by a brief introduction, by Charles and Fiona Lambrick. This placed all the objects within the historical and archaeological context of the history of our area.
The oldest object would be this neolithic stone axe.
Photograph by John Macfarlane
.
The most recent object would be the nose-cone of a training bomb, from a WWII plane crash on Red Pike. This fired the imagination of Lorton School children, when they were shown some of the objects on the day before the public exhibition.
Photograph by John Macfarlane
.
It is probably fortunate that the school children were not invited to ponder on the application of vintage medical practice, and its instruments.
Photograph by John Macfarlane
.
The exhibition circuit was completed with the story of the Society over its twenty years. In particular, a collage of posters was presented in tribute to the late Ted Gilbertson, who arranged talks for the Society.
Photograph by John Macfarlane.
To finish, what was lacking was coins, and many visitors were surpised that there was no charge, not even for the refreshments. The exhibition group had decided that this exhibition was freely offered by the members to the local community in celebration of twenty years.
A further and more comprehensive report can be seen on http://www.loweswatercam.co.uk/131020_History_in_20_Objects.htm
Image and all text by Derek Denman.
