Letchworth Museum & Art Gallery
Encyclopedia
Letchworth Museum and Art Gallery is a museum in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire
, England. It has permanent displays dedicated to the natural history of North Hertfordshire, including the famous Black Squirrel, as well as its archaeology from remote prehistory to the turn of the twentieth century.
Letchworth Museum was a key partner in developing 2feet4feet, an educational website aimed at Year 1 children and their teachers.
Its first curator, W Percival Westell (1874-1943), was a well known author of works on natural history and archaeology. Appointed as Honorary Curator in 1914, the post became salaried in 1928 and he remained as Curator until his death. During the time spent at the museum, he wrote 84 books and gave 145 radio talks for the BBC
, mostly on natural history
. He established one of the country’s first museums’ loan services in the 1930s. His assistant in the early 1930s was Erik Shimon Applebaum, later professor of Archaeology at the University of Tel Aviv.
Westell’s successor at the museum was Albert T Clarke, who was in post from 1944 to 1968. His assistant from 1957 was John Moss-Eccardt, who became curator in 1968.
Although run initially by the Letchworth and District Naturalists’ Society, it was transferred to Letchworth Urban District Council in 1939. Since the dissolution of the Urban District Council in 1974, the Museum has been run by North Hertfordshire District Council
, together with Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery
and, for a few years in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Royston Museum and the First Garden City Heritage Museum.
, where researchers may consult them by appointment. The more significant objects are displayed in Letchworth Museum; there are also some finds in Hitchin Museum
that document the prehistory and early history of the town. The collections displayed in the museum are important for demonstrating the cultures and societies of North Hertfordshire
's past.
Of particular significance in the collection is a group of Lower Palaeolithic handaxes from the Hitchin
area, finds from the Romano-British
small town of Baldock
and finds from the Deserted Medieval Village
of Caldecote
.
, including William Ratcliffe and Spencer Gore
. There is also a collection of work by Margaret Thomas
, who settled in Norton
in the early twentieth century.
, butterfly
and moth
collections, and birds. There is a special display devoted to the black squirrels
that are common in the area.
objects, including ceramics; there is not currently a display of recent social history, though, to avoid an overlap of coverage with the First Garden City Heritage Museum, also in Letchworth Garden City.
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England. It has permanent displays dedicated to the natural history of North Hertfordshire, including the famous Black Squirrel, as well as its archaeology from remote prehistory to the turn of the twentieth century.
Letchworth Museum was a key partner in developing 2feet4feet, an educational website aimed at Year 1 children and their teachers.
History
Letchworth Museum and Art Gallery was founded in 1914 to house the collections being amassed by the Letchworth and District Naturalists’ Society. The building was designed as a single storey structure by Barry Parker, one of the principal architects of the early Garden City movement. It was enlarged in the 1920s and extended to the rear in 1960-3 to designs by Courtenay Melville Crickmer (who had designed Letchworth Library, next door, in 1938).Its first curator, W Percival Westell (1874-1943), was a well known author of works on natural history and archaeology. Appointed as Honorary Curator in 1914, the post became salaried in 1928 and he remained as Curator until his death. During the time spent at the museum, he wrote 84 books and gave 145 radio talks for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, mostly on natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
. He established one of the country’s first museums’ loan services in the 1930s. His assistant in the early 1930s was Erik Shimon Applebaum, later professor of Archaeology at the University of Tel Aviv.
Westell’s successor at the museum was Albert T Clarke, who was in post from 1944 to 1968. His assistant from 1957 was John Moss-Eccardt, who became curator in 1968.
Although run initially by the Letchworth and District Naturalists’ Society, it was transferred to Letchworth Urban District Council in 1939. Since the dissolution of the Urban District Council in 1974, the Museum has been run by North Hertfordshire District Council
North Hertfordshire District Council
North Hertfordshire District Council is the local authority for the North Hertfordshire non-metropolitan district of England, the United Kingdom. North Hertfordshire covers the north-eastern part of Hertfordshire, in the East of England region...
, together with Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery
Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery
The Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery is a local history museum in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England, with an extensive collection that tells the story of the town’s social history and of the rural industries that contributed to its prosperity...
and, for a few years in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Royston Museum and the First Garden City Heritage Museum.
Archaeology
Archaeological collections are stored at the Museums Resource Centre at Burymead Road in HitchinHitchin
Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
, where researchers may consult them by appointment. The more significant objects are displayed in Letchworth Museum; there are also some finds in Hitchin Museum
Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery
The Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery is a local history museum in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England, with an extensive collection that tells the story of the town’s social history and of the rural industries that contributed to its prosperity...
that document the prehistory and early history of the town. The collections displayed in the museum are important for demonstrating the cultures and societies of North Hertfordshire
North Hertfordshire
North Hertfordshire is a local government district in Hertfordshire, England. Its council is based in Letchworth.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the amalgamation of the urban districts of Baldock, Hitchin, Letchworth, and Royston and the Hitchin Rural District.From eastward clockwise,...
's past.
Of particular significance in the collection is a group of Lower Palaeolithic handaxes from the Hitchin
Hitchin
Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
area, finds from the Romano-British
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
small town of Baldock
Baldock
Baldock is a historic market town in the local government district of North Hertfordshire in the ceremonial county of Hertfordshire, England where the River Ivel rises. It lies north of London, southeast of Bedford, and north northwest of the county town of Hertford...
and finds from the Deserted Medieval Village
Deserted medieval village
In the United Kingdom, a deserted medieval village is a former settlement which was abandoned during the Middle Ages, typically leaving no trace apart from earthworks or cropmarks. If there are fewer than three inhabited houses the convention is to regard the site as deserted; if there are more...
of Caldecote
Caldecote, Hertfordshire
Caldecote is one of the smallest civil parishes in Hertfordshire, England. It covers only .Situated to the west of Ashwell. Caldecote consists of a cluster of cottages around the redundant Church of St. Mary Magdalene...
.
Art
The Art Collections principally comprise works by local artists, with some important works by painters who were attracted to the early Garden CityGarden City
- Places :Australia:*Toowoomba, Queensland, nicknamed "Garden City"*Garden City, a locality within Port Melbourne, Victoria* Westfield Garden City, a Westfield shopping centre in Upper Mount Gravatt, Brisbane...
, including William Ratcliffe and Spencer Gore
Spencer Gore
Spencer William Gore was an English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club in 1874 and 1875 and a tennis player who won the first Wimbledon Championships in 1877.-Early years:...
. There is also a collection of work by Margaret Thomas
Margaret Thomas
Margaret Thomas was an English-born Australian travel writer, poet and artist.Thomas was born at Croydon, Surrey, England, daughter of Thomas Cook, shipowner. Her date of birth is often cited incorrectly as 1843 and she was herself inconsistent about both her age and date of birth...
, who settled in Norton
Norton, Hertfordshire
Norton is a small village in Hertfordshire, one of the three original villages which were absorbed into Letchworth Garden City, the other two being Willian and Old Letchworth. The village is known to have existed by 1007, with remains of the medieval settlement visible as earthworks in a field...
in the early twentieth century.
Natural history
Letchworth Museum has an extensive and regionally important collection of natural history items. Of particular note are several herbariaHerbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
, butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
and moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
collections, and birds. There is a special display devoted to the black squirrels
Black squirrel
The black squirrel is a melanistic subgroup of the Eastern Grey Squirrel. They are common in the Midwestern United States, Ontario, Quebec, and in parts of the Northeastern United States and Britain.-Habitat:...
that are common in the area.
Social History
The Museum has a small collection of social historySocial history
Social history, often called the new social history, is a branch of History that includes history of ordinary people and their strategies of coping with life. In its "golden age" it was a major growth field in the 1960s and 1970s among scholars, and still is well represented in history departments...
objects, including ceramics; there is not currently a display of recent social history, though, to avoid an overlap of coverage with the First Garden City Heritage Museum, also in Letchworth Garden City.
See also
- First Garden City Heritage Museum
- Hitchin Museum and Art GalleryHitchin Museum and Art GalleryThe Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery is a local history museum in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England, with an extensive collection that tells the story of the town’s social history and of the rural industries that contributed to its prosperity...
- List of museums in Hertfordshire