Tom Hume (museum director)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Andrew Hume CBE was the first director of the Museum of London
.
Born on 21 June 1917, the only son of the late Thomas Hume of Burnfoot, Oxton
and Lillias Dodds, Hume was educated at the Heaton Grammar School in Heaton
, Newcastle upon Tyne
before attending King's College, Durham University
, where he won the Gladstone and Joseph Cowen prizes for academic excellence. Marrying Joyce MacDonald in 1942, he served as a navigator in the Royal Air Force
during the Second World War.
Hume's professional career began in 1949 with his appointment as Curator
of Kirkstall Abbey
House Museum in Leeds
, a position he retained until 1952, when he moved to the Buckinghamshire County Museum
in Aylesbury
. His talents were quickly noticed and he became director of the City of Liverpool Museums in 1960, remaining in the position until 1972.
Whilst in Liverpool
, Hume was approached to become the first director of the new Museum of London. He moved to London
in 1972, overseeing the final development of the site and the installation of the museum's first installations.http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/ Before retiring in 1977, Hume was offered the directorship of the British Museum
, which he rejected.
During the period from 1977 to his death on 16 June 1992, Hume was an active member of the Museums and Galleries Commission (formerly the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries) and the Advanced Committee of the London Transport Museum, the President of the North Western Federation of Museums, the Vice-President of the International Association of Transport Museums, and Chairman of the International Council of Museums
' British National Committee. He was also Museum Consultant to UNESCO, director of Unesco's Museum Exchange Programme and an Honorary Member of the International Council of Museums
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Museum of London
The Museum of London documents the history of London from the Prehistoric to the present day. The museum is located close to the Barbican Centre, as part of the striking Barbican complex of buildings created in the 1960s and 70s as an innovative approach to re-development within a bomb damaged...
.
Born on 21 June 1917, the only son of the late Thomas Hume of Burnfoot, Oxton
Oxton
Oxton may refer to:*Oxton, Merseyside, England*Oxton, North Yorkshire, England*Oxton, Nottinghamshire, England*Oxton, Scottish Borders, Scotland...
and Lillias Dodds, Hume was educated at the Heaton Grammar School in Heaton
Heaton, Newcastle
Heaton is a residential suburb and is split into two electoral wards located in the east end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, about from the City Centre. It is bordered by the neighbouring areas of Benton and Cochrane Park to the north, Walker and Walkergate to the east, Byker to the south and...
, Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
before attending King's College, Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, where he won the Gladstone and Joseph Cowen prizes for academic excellence. Marrying Joyce MacDonald in 1942, he served as a navigator in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the Second World War.
Hume's professional career began in 1949 with his appointment as Curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of Kirkstall Abbey
Kirkstall Abbey
Kirkstall Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery in Kirkstall north-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire. It is set in a public park on the north bank of the River Aire. It was founded c.1152. It was disestablished during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under the auspices of Henry...
House Museum in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, a position he retained until 1952, when he moved to the Buckinghamshire County Museum
Buckinghamshire County Museum
The Buckinghamshire County Museum is a museum in the centre of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire, England. It displays artefacts pertinent to the history of Buckinghamshire including geological displays, costume, agriculture and industry...
in Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
. His talents were quickly noticed and he became director of the City of Liverpool Museums in 1960, remaining in the position until 1972.
Whilst in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, Hume was approached to become the first director of the new Museum of London. He moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1972, overseeing the final development of the site and the installation of the museum's first installations.http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/ Before retiring in 1977, Hume was offered the directorship of the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, which he rejected.
During the period from 1977 to his death on 16 June 1992, Hume was an active member of the Museums and Galleries Commission (formerly the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries) and the Advanced Committee of the London Transport Museum, the President of the North Western Federation of Museums, the Vice-President of the International Association of Transport Museums, and Chairman of the International Council of Museums
International Council of Museums
The International Council of Museums is an international organization of museums and museum professionals that is committed to the conservation, continuation and communication to society of the world's natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible.- Overview :Created...
' British National Committee. He was also Museum Consultant to UNESCO, director of Unesco's Museum Exchange Programme and an Honorary Member of the International Council of Museums
International Council of Museums
The International Council of Museums is an international organization of museums and museum professionals that is committed to the conservation, continuation and communication to society of the world's natural and cultural heritage, present and future, tangible and intangible.- Overview :Created...
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