In the Picture at Castleford Forum Museum

Castleford Forum Museum opened to the public at the beginning of December last year. 

We think it looks stunning...but don't just take our word for it, decide for yourself with these recently commissioned photos of the new museum.

Roman soldiers in training!

A view of the Roman displays

The rugby community case

A visitor plays on the Roman messenger game

Members of FOCAL look at the Queen's Mill community case

A young visitor enjoys the Jack Hulme photographs

Side view of the Iron Age chariot

Henry Moore's early career and Local Studies section

Looking downwards from the museum floor.  Jack Hulme and Harry Malkin pictures are display on the stair walls.

The mining display

Castleford ceramic display

If you like what you see then why not visit Castleford Forum Museum.

Opening times: Monday, Tuesday & Friday 9.30am – 5.30pm; Thursday 9.30am – 7.00pm; Saturday 9.30am – 4.00pm.

Free entry to the museum.

If you have already visited let us know what you think by posting a comment to the blog.

CEO Huggett's Escape 2 February 1918

Diary of George Kellett, 1918

George Kellett of 4, Bowman Street, Sandal fought in the First World War (1914 – 1918). Whilst serving for the Duke of Cornwall regiment in Northern France in early 1918 he received a Christmas parcel which contained a Christmas cake, parkin, a few apples and this diary. He recorded his year as a soldier, from digging trenches and playing draughts to burying the dead and going over the top.

George Kellett's diary as it looks now

Read George’s diary

To find out more about George’s year and learn more about the people in his life we are publishing all George’s diary entries online. Follow him on twitter @WW1_Diary and read the entries on the dates they were written.

George's diary entry for 7 February 1918 was:

Received a letter from Pam saying she has got up for a little I also received the Express with the news of Ceo  Huggetts escape from Germany into Holland.  Serg. Knife read the lesson at the evening service at YMCA

Wakefield Council's Local Studies holds a copy of the Wakefield Express, Saturday 2 February 1918 which contains a story about CEO Huggett's escape from Germany into Holland:

Here is the article transcribed:

GOOD NEWS FOR SANDAL WIDOW.

HER SOLDIER SON ESCAPES FROM GERMANY

“SHALL BE HOME ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY”

“Escaped to Holland. Shall be home about the middle of February – Huggett.”

These welcome words were the contents of a telegram which was received by Mrs. Huggett, of 16, Gordon-street , off Sandal Cross-lane, from Holland on Sunday, and there was great excitement and delight in the household in consequence. The joyful news concerned the soldier son of Mrs. Huggett – Private George Huggett, of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, who has been a prisoner of war in Germany since the end of August 1914.

Before the present war Huggett had served nine years in the army, having been stationed in Africa and then in Hong Kong.  At the outbreak of war he was working at the Walton Colliery, and he was immediately called up as a Reservist.  He was a member of “the contemptible little army” which proved the pride and salvation of Britain and her Allies.  It was during the memorable retreat from Mons that he fell into the hands of the Huns and he was officially posted as missing from the 26^th-30^th August, 1914.

One of our representatives called, upon Mrs. Huggett, the widowed mother of the long-absent soldier, on Tuesday morning, and found her in the middle of her household duties.  Asked about the news of her soldier son, she at once produced with joyful tears in her eyes, the welcome wire – “Shall be home about the middle of February” – and the expression on this good woman’s face spoke volumes.  It has been an anxious three years for her, for she has known the terrible trials which her son and other brave fellows have undergone during this time they have been in the keeping of the barbarous enemy.  Until recently she received about once a month a letter or postcard from her son, who has been in five different camps – the first was Doberitz – but, of course, the true state of affairs could never be related.  Until the time the authorities were compelled to stop the practices, parcels of food, etc, were regularly sent to him, and on one occasion at his request she sent him a pair of clogs.  In one communication she received from him, she gathered that he was working in the coal mine seven days a week, and it is safe to assume that he would not receive his weekly war bonus, “plus the usual percentage !”

Huggett is a single man and 32 years of age.  His mother is naturally much excited at the prospect of welcoming back her soldier son to the comfortable home in Gordon-street.  Her whole thoughts are concerning him, but the food difficulty appears to be troubling her – not for herself but for him she loves.  She is anxious to have something substantial ready for him when he comes home, but it is hoped that if the scarcity of meat and other food does continue there will be a jolly good feed for Private George Huggett when he enters 76, Gordon-street.  One thing is certain – Mrs. Huggett will do her best, and it is to be hoped the traders and those in authority will do theirs.

Mrs. Huggett is anxiously awaiting further news of her soldier son, but in the meantime she is quietly rejoicing in the fact that he has said good-bye to the cruel Huns.

George Kellett's Diary on display

George's diary is now on display at Wakefield Museum, Burton Street, Wakefield, WF1 2DD. The museum is free to visit, for info on opening times see Wakefield Museum visitor information

Crocs and old bones!

We have been busy this half term with schools and family workshops.  From the Ancient Egyptians to creating animation on iPads we have provided inspiration, creativity and enjoyment.

Using iPads pupils have taken stills and short films, editing work together to create a short slideshow of visits to Wakefield Museum.  Pupils have used an object from the Waterton display, at Wakefield museum, as inspiration to draw their own amazing animals.

Inspired by the Waterton collection of 'created' animals, year 2 pupils designed their own on iPads!

Pupils have also had the opportunity to come up close to objects from the museum's archaeology collections.  Egyptian artefacts have been taken into school to support their learning.  The objects allowed pupils to gain further insight on the ancient beliefs and culture of the past.

A mummified crocodile was among the objects taken into school this week!

The explorer Charles Waterton was brought to life in a 'Specials Week'. KS1 Pupils were enthralled by the tales of Charles’ trips to the rainforests of South America and learned about the habitat of the caiman crocodile.

Charles Waterton (Histrionics) proud of his collection

This week we have also launched a completely new session in which pupils become archaeological scientists to examine the effects that diet can have on our bones.  This new session has been developed for the You Are What You Ate project – a collaboration with The University of Leeds and The University of Bradford, and has been very well received so far!

The teachers in the very first session said:

What immediate impact do you think the experience had on the pupils?

Interest in investigating and drawing up on conclusions from the evidence – this is something that we expect them to do during lessons and this workshop enabled them to see why we do this.

The class were very interested and it gave them the opportunity to use clues and look for evidence to develop their thinking. I am sure it developed their interest in learning about the past.

And the responses from pupils were just as enthusiastic:

What did you enjoy about your visit to the Museum?

About skeletons which will help me in my future because I am going to be a doctor.

I liked working with the bones and putting them together.

That I could learn with my friends and listening to other people.

These sessions: Skeleton Secrets, are being offered free for a limited time. If you would like to book a session for your school, please email or call 01924 302700 for more information.

Our Crafty Crocs have been busy creating fish and sea themed crafts.  From lolly stick fossils to turtle shell printing and seascape painting our group of 2-5year olds have been up to their elbows in paint.  The next Craft Croc session is on Tuesday March 4^th at 10-11am and 1:15 – 2:15pm – to book call 01924 302700 or e-mail 

If you are interested in learning and events with Wakefield Museums, do visit our new site, Museums Learning, where opportunities for schools, families and adults will be regularly updated.  

World War 1 Diary - January

Throughout 2014 we will be tweeting entries from a World War 1 soldier’s 1918 diary.  You can follow George Kellett’s diary entries on Twitter @WW1_Diary.

We will also post the full month’s diary entries on this blog.

For some background information about George Kellett please see our previous blog: WW1 Diary blog, December 2013

1 January 1918

Had a good tea and concert in the ward tonight. Had a big convoy in today.

7 January 1918

Got a letter from home today with a birthday card enclosed.

8 January 1918

I received a Birthday card from Alice and Mary today.  With a 3/6 Postal Order enclosed from Alice and her mother.

9 January 1918

Received a letter from Pam with a 2/6 PO for a birthday present

10 January 1918

Received a letter from Ada and Millie with a Birthday card from Dorothy and a letter which her mother had helped her to write

Ada was George's sister.  Her daughter Dorothy is pictured here.

14 January 1918

Marked out for the con camp today. Have been in Hospital since Nov 30^th 17 so I have had a good spell here

15 January 1918

I with Paddy Morrison drew own kakki today. Sister White came in the ward this morning and gave us ½ doz post cards of the ward and patients

 

This photo was provided by George's family.  It may show the ward that George mentions in his diary.

16 January 1918

Got to the con camp this morning gave in our pay books so that we can be paid tomorrow

17 January 1918

Got to the con camp this morning in time for breakfast after a good lecture by the RSM got the large amount  of 5/- For pay today.

Started work for RSM Phillips today.

20 January 1918

Working until dinner time today at the YMCA hut. In the evening I went to the service

This is the YMCA hut at Le Treport (For an interesting article on the formation and role of the YMCA huts and the story of a female YMCA volunteer see: YMCA info)
 



24 January 1918

I got my name put down on the roll to be paid with the staff  men which allows me to draw 10/- a week. I received a registered letter from father today with a 5/- postal order enclosed.

George Kellett's father, Moses Kellett

27 January 1918

Went to the service again tonight with Paddy Morrison and Sergt. Knife we had a very nice evening together

30 January 1918

Paddy and I went to Le Treport and ? tonight we had a good night out . We went to no 27 there just for a bit of sport

 

The Great War Inspires

This year Wakefield Museums were successful in securing funding from Arts Council England to deliver a two year development project to build stronger museums. As part of this we have commissioned Faceless Company to deliver a project using museum collections to inspire an artwork and exhibition to commemorate 100 years since the outbreak of World War One.

Faceless Company have written this guest blog about the community workshops they have delivered as part of this project:

 

With work almost complete on The Great War Inspires artwork, it’s time to reflect on the participation and engagement in the project so far.

We contacted a range of groups about the project, including the 2460 (Pontefract) Squadron of the Air Cadets; the Army Cadets, Pontefract Detachment; the Royal Air Force Association, Pontefract Branch; the Pontefract Branch of the British Legion, Pontefract Library and the Pontefract Live at Home Scheme. All of them were interested to hear about how we were working with Pontefract Museum to commemorate the First World War, and to remember those who had fallen and agreed to take part in a variety of ways, including advertising workshops to their members, sharing their memories, providing space for sessions or visiting the exhibition.

The Pontefract Air Cadets were keen to take part in a creative workshop, and Helen and Stephanie joined over 30 of them, on parade, to create individual silk paintings for the project. The paintings were inspired by photographs of Pontefract buildings during the war, images of local soldiers and associated regimental paraphernalia, and imagery of the battlefields of the Great War

Our silk painting sessions allow participants to create something beautiful within a relatively short space of time, even if they have never experienced this kind of art work before. Each participant approached the task differently and as a result we have an array of beautiful silks, some have used vibrant colours to depict their chosen image, and others have chosen muted, sepia or grayscale style paintings, such as the one shown. All the participants have received a printed copy of their artwork to keep and we have records of them all on file.

As well as photographs from World War 1, our artists also took along images of World War 1 objects such as medals and the handkerchiefs that have inspired the artwork. Along with World War 1 paintings, these images provided colour references for the participants, as the majority of photographs from the Great War are black and white due to the technology of the time. The reason we chose to use images of buildings from the Pontefract area as they were in 1914-1918, alongside the more obvious wartime imagery, was to give the piece a sense of place, we did not want to forget those at home, or the impact that war has on a community such as Pontefract.

During the workshops participants also have the opportunity to look at 1^st World War poetry and to see other more personal artefacts such as letters home from soldiers, to give them some insight into life as a soldier during the Great War.

We approached Pontefract Library about hosting a few sessions in their space for local families to access, in part so we could widen the reach of the project to the Pontefract Community and to increase the trans-generational nature of the project, but we also wanted to encourage families to think about this anniversary and what it means to us, together. We also used this as an opportunity for the British Legion and the Royal Air Force Association to invite their members’ families to enjoy a creative activity together as part of the project.

During this session, as well as individual pieces, we created a large communal silk painting which made the session accessible to those with very young children. Our youngest participant was 2 years old and the oldest was a participant who recorded a letter written by his Uncle for us. Aged 91, he is a veteran of the 2^nd World War, where he served in the Navy.

In total we worked with around 60 participants on the participation elements of the project. Their silk paintings and recorded poetry and memories are now being worked into the artwork for the exhibition which will be unveiled shortly. As the work begins to take shape, I can feel the excitement building amongst artists, staff and participants alike. Final artistic and technical details are being ironed out in preparation for The Great War Inspires which opens next Saturday 25^th January at Pontefract Museum.

 

 

The Great War Inspires exhibition opens Saturday 25 January at Pontefract Museum and runs until 30 August 2014. Free admission.

 

Pontefract Museum, Salter Row, Pontefract, WF8 1BA

Opening Times: Monday to Friday 10.00am - 4.30pm, saturday 1030am - 4.30pm

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