ALLERFORD MUSEUM

Autumn Newsletter:

SUMMER FAIR

Luckily we had good weather for the Summer Fair held on 13^th June. The event was a great success with delightful maypole and country dancing displays by local school children, outdoor games, tombola, various stalls and refreshments together with a visit to the Museum and Victorian Schoolroom. We raised more funds than previously and the sun shone throughout the afternoon.

The 2010 Fair is booked for Saturday 12^th June and a Grand Craft Fair for 21^st August.

THE MUSEUM 2008 - 2009

A number of major improvements and projects have been tackled during the last 18 months. These include the resurfacing of the playground, rewiring of the visitor areas of the building with the addition of new lighting, the acquisition of eight display cabinets from the County Museum at Taunton Castle and the redecoration of the Victorian Schoolroom. Several new displays are now in place and others have been reorganised to improve layout and labelling.

New exhibits include equestrian and veterinary items, old optical instruments, models illustrating dress through the ages and various carriage and early motor vehicle lamps. In the Archive Room a new shelf unit has been built to contain the West Somerset photographic collection.

Outside, the finishing touches are currently being carried out to the new Dairy display beside the Shoemaker’s Shop and the Blacksmith’s Shed is being re-clad and reorganised with the addition of other rural trade exhibits.

All-in-all, this has been an extremely busy time for our ‘ageing’ and too few volunteers but we live in hopes that an influx of able-bodied young people will appear over the horizon to help us improve the Museum even further!

If you haven’t visited the Museum and Schoolroom recently, please do come along – you will see such a difference, both inside and out. We look forward to seeing you, your family and your well-behaved dogs.