Will you be our 50,000th viewer?

In just over 2 years this blog has generated nearly 50,000 views!  That's amazing!

To say Thank You for your amazing support and regular visits we would like to offer a small prize to our 50,000th viewer.

So, if you are the one that ticks the counter over to exactly 50,000, take a photo of the page as proof and email it to us along with your name and address, telling us how you found the Museum Blog and we will send you a small gift!

No photo, no prize!

Do keep visiting the Blog, to find out about what we're up to in the museums and behind the scenes.

We are sorry, but prizes can only be sent within the UK. 
Offer not open to Wakefield museum staff!

Beards are so 2013!

Jeremy Paxman has shaved off his beard,   In an interview with the Radio Times he said:

 

‘If a chap can’t shave on holiday, what can he do? Beards are so 2013.’

If you're planning on following Jeremy Paxman's lead, and getting rid of your bothersome beard.  If your facial hair is all a fluster, if your moustache is causing mischief then take some inspiration from these examples of shaving equipment on display at Wakefield Museum as part of the Men In The Mirror exhibition:

Shaving Mug, 1800s

 

This shaving mug belonged to naturalist and explorer Charles Waterton of Walton Hall, Wakefield. Shaving mugs date back to the use of open razors.

A cake of shaving soap was fitted in the base of the mug and a water soaked brush was swirled over the soap whipping up a creamy lather.

Depending on the design some allow the shaving brush to be placed safely whilst using the razor to shave.

The mug and brush method became less popular after the First World War when safety razors and manufactured creams and sticks became available.

There are many types of mug designs and they have become popular souvenirs and collectables.

Rolls Razor, 1930s

This safety razor was sold with the claim: ‘The razor that is stropped and honed in its case’.

The case has a rigid rectangular frame enclosed by two detachable lids, one lid carried a stone and the other a leather strop.

The razor has a safety guard and was easy, fast and safe to use. It was a very popular product and many different designs were produced. The name evoked speed and class.

Braun electric razor, 1993

In 1950 German company Braun produced their first electric razor.

Whereas competitors' models had a comb-like metal layer that shielded the user's skin from the blades beneath it, the S 50 featured a thin, perforated metal foil that covered the cutting blades. When the user placed this surface against his face his facial hair went through the holes and was trimmed by the blades.

The 1990s brought more experimentation. The Braun Universal featured a dual head, the world's first, as well as visual feedback: Red and green indicator lights revealed the charging status.

Remington electric razor, 1960s

 

Many electric razor advertisements in the 1960s were aimed at women. They were encouraged to buy them as gifts.

The company began in the 1930s and offered a cheaper product than rivals Braun.

Remington made a breakthrough when they pioneered the incorporation of flexing soft foil system with their shavers in 1975.

Visit the Men In The Mirror exhibition at Wakefield Museum for lots more beard (and hair) related displays.  The museum and exhibition are free. 

Men In The Mirror runs until 31 May

Bringing back a Castleford tradition!

We are really excited about a workshop set to take place in Castleford Forum Museum on Saturday 15 February.

Classes for amateurs to paint pottery began in Castleford about 1920 and went on until the 1950s.

Henry Moore himself took part in pottery painting evening classes in Castleford run by his old art teacher, Alice Gostick.

Henry Moore painting pottery in Castleford (Moore on left)

Hand painted enamelled plate by Henry Moore c.1920, produced at Alice Gostick’s Peasant Pottery Classes held at Castleford Secondary School. On loan from Leeds Art Gallery and Museums

Artist, Karen Slade from the Company of Artisans will be coming to the Forum in February to revive this tradition!

Karen has designed special workshops based on the Castleford pottery. 

Participants will be able to use ceramics blanks and glazes to create their own works of art. The pieces will be taken away to be fired, and be brought back to the Forum to be collected later.

Two workshops will be run for families with children aged 7+.  This is not a session just for children!  Everyone participating will have their own piece to work on - adults and children alike.

The third workshop will go into a little bit more depth with technique, and is suitable for adults (and young people over 15).


Saturday 15 February
Painted Pots
FREE!
9.45 to 11am or 11.30 to 1pm - for families with children aged 7+
2 to 4pm - for adults and children aged 15+
Booking is essential as places are limited - call 01924 302700 or email.

Participants will also have the opportunity to contribute to Castleford's history!  The museum's pottery collection includes a plate decorated with the names of people who took part in pottery decoration classes in the 1930s and so the workshops will also work on a new piece for the museum to keep!

Plate handpainted with the names of people attending the pottery decoration class taken by H. Worrill at Glasshoughton Evening Institute, 1933-1939. The pottery was made at Clokie and Co. Ltd. and after painting it was returned to the pottery for its gloss firing.

So, just for a little bit more inspiration, here are a few more pieces from the Castleford Pottery Collection...

Jug made by Clokie and Co. in the 1930s.

This is one of several pieces made by Clokie and Co. in the 1930s which were influenced by the work of the Art Deco designer Clarice Cliff.

Dish handpainted with an abstract design in about 1920. It has been suggested that this may have been painted by the artist Henry Moore at an evening painting class.

Painted by F. Marshall of Castleford in 1924 at an amateur pottery painting class The pottery was made at Clokie and Co. Ltd. and after painting it was returned to the pottery for its gloss firing.

There is a lot more available to see in Castleford Forum - and also in our online collection!

Happy New Year

Wakefield Museums wish you a Happy New Year

Happy New Year card from the museums' collections 1950-1970

We hope that 2014 will be a happy and healthy year for you.  As for Wakefield Museums, we are going to be very busy.  Here is a taster of what we'll be up to. We hope you can join us....

At Castleford Forum Museum we will be welcoming lots of visitors to this fantastic new venue and exploring ways of working with the local community to develop our displays and tell the stories of the area.

2014 marks 100 years since the start of the First World War.  We have a programme of events and activities planned to commemorate this including:

- Tweeting entries from a 1918 diary in the collections (follow on Twitter @WW1_Diary)

World War 1 Diary entry blog.

- The Great War Inspires exhibition at Pontefract Museum from 25 January

The Great War Inspires blog

- A Great War trail at Wakefield Museum from July 2014

Special exhibitions & displays next year will include costume, bikes & boats.  Events will be hosted for families throughout the school holidays; as part of the Wakefield Art Walk & to support national campaigns such as Museums at Night.

Our You Are What You Ate Travelling pod will continue to tour around the district's libraries. 

Whatever we do next year we'll keep you informed on this blog.  Thank you for reading throughout 2013 and hope you continue to enjoy our offer next year.

Wakefield Museums wish you a very merry Christmas

To wish all of our lovely blog followers a Happy Christmas we’d like to take you on a whistle-stop tour of our Christmas related collections.

We have picked some of the more interesting and unusual items!!! 

Surely no Christmas tree is complete without a rabbit-child bauble. 



A festive pork pie poster.





Stuck for what to get Uncle Bob? How about a Christmas Biro?

And for your best friend ....

Kids...ask your parents

Father Christmas (and the Easter bunny????)

Cock-a-doodle Christmas

 The height of 1889 Christmas fashion

Greetings sincere

And now for the cats...



Castleford Forum Museum proves a hit with visitors

Castleford Forum Museum opened on Monday 9 December. Just over a week later we reflect on visitor's thoughts so far.

Visitors have been flocking to see the new museum and library at Castleford.  Some of the comments from visitors have included:

"Love the new building - really lovely"

"An excellent addition to Castleford, Thank You"

"Very interesting facts and displays."

"The kids enjoyed the museum"

"Really interesting, a lot of information in a small space.  Well thought out and displayed"

"The town really needed a facility like this.  Well done all the team who fought to make it reality."

"Worth every penny.  What the town has wanted for years.  Well done classy Cas."

"The museum is awesome to what it was.  As a Cas lass i love it."

"I really like your roman section, because it's my topic at school"

Front of House staff who work at Castleford Forum Museum have been enjoying hearing memories from visitors that have been inspired by the museum displays.  Many of the subjects explored in the displays are within living memory,  and the people of Castleford are full of wonderful tales of characters and experiences relating to what they see. 

"He used to live down our road" - about Gilligan's roundabout

"Arthur Atkinson was a legend, but was known to us kids as Uncle Arthur. He ended up working in the cinema"

We have also been given lots of pointers about objects on display, especially the pottery and glass pieces. Visitors have also been suggesting what we should add to the displays:

"Would like to see the history of Castleford Theatre, Bill & Ben and other famous residents"

Groups and individuals are invited to explore subjects they are interested in by getting involved with the curating of the community cases.  If you have any ideas about further displays please contact us 

A lovely moment came when a women recognised herself on one of the photos talking about the history of Queen's Mill.

"Oooh That's me!"

She then brought her friends back to see her on the Allinson's Lorry:

If you have not yet visited the new Castleford Forum Museum, do pop along and if you have already visited and liked what you saw then tell a friend to go!

Castleford Forum Library and Museum, Carlton Street, Castleford, WF10 1BB

Telephone - Museum: 01977 722084

Free Entry

Opening times

Monday - 9.30am to 5.30pm

Tuesday - 9.30 to 5.30

Wednesday closed

Thursday  -  9.30am to 7.00pm

Friday  - 9.30am to 5.30pm

Saturday - 9.30am to 4.00pm

Wakefield Museum has gone potty about Christmas!

The latest display to adorn the foyer of Wakefield Museum has been created with a seasonal theme.

A stunning selection of over 25 medieval pots have been displayed in a festive shape…

Here is the display being created (can you tell what it is yet?)


A selection of medieval pots from the museum collections



The first pots go in

It's taking shape

Just adding the finishing touches...

Ta da!

The theme of medieval pots was decided upon to support our new travelling pod display that is currently touring around Wakefield Libraries.  The travelling pod has been funded by the Wellcome Trust as part of the ‘You Are What You Ate’ project.  This project has produced three temporary exhibitions which have explored the theme of healthy eating in very different ways. The pod will spread the healthy eating message further as it is based on the three exhibitions.  You can see the pod at Airedale Library and Learning Centre until Monday 14 January, it will then be moving to South Elmsall library.

The travelling pod and the display at Wakefield Museum is part of the You Are What You Ate project, funded by the Wellcome Trust and in partnership with Wakefield Council, the University of Leeds and the University of Bradford.