Open Art Exhibition 2015

7th November 2015

The Borough's annual Art Exhibition was opened by the Mayor of South Ribble at 11am on Saturday the 7th attracted almost 90 entries. The work has been adjudicated by well-known Fulwood artist and teacher Pam Potter.

First Place: Dr Christopher Tattersall, for
'My Wife: Advanced Alzheimers'

Runner Up: Douglas Holloway, for
'Top Lock, Wheelton'

Third Place: David Jaundrell, for 
'Quayside'

Works by Bill Southworth, Yvonne Birchall, Mark Reynolds, Sue Redman and Maureen Walker were also Commended. The public can now have their say by voting for the painting of their choice. The work receiving the most votes will be awarded the South Ribble Blue Ribbon at noon on the last Saturday of the month.

Pam Potter with the winner 
Christopher Tattersall

David Hunt (Curator) introducing the 
Mayor and Consort of South Ribble

Local Artist Chris Oakden with 
Eleni, the subject in his painting 
'Sweet Dreams'

Sue Redman with friend Joan Hassall 
stood by Sue's commended work 
'Shining Through'

Standing Room Only!

Beautiful Silverwork of Martin Sergeant

Stewart Whillis at Leyland Museum

18th July

In a quite brilliant lecture local clock expert Stewart Whillis fascinated a considerable audience at the museum with the story of William Leigh, one of the master clock makes of English horologists golden age.

Stewart Whillis answering many questions

Amongst his creations was the celebrated Worden Hall clock. Stewart spoke of his own very early involvement with rescuing the clock. He has been responsible for weekly windings ever since, as was recently recognised by a presentation from South Ribble Borough Council. Stewart added, ‘It has been a pleasure to have been custodian of what is a marvelous piece of English workmanship at its very best. William Leigh was decades ahead of his time’.

Museum makes 1000th acqusition to its collection

16th July

In our most successful Archaeology Festival ever, visitors attending Dot Boughton’s fascinating talk about her involvement in the discovery of the Silverdale Hoard were in for a special treat. The Viking treasure, discovered in 2011 is believed to have been one man’s share of the much larger Cuerdale Hoard. 

Coins from the 1840 find are currently on display at the museum kindly on loan from the Harris Museum, Preston. Image P1020348 shows Dot autographing postcards of the Silverdale Hoard. She spoke at some length of her role as Finds Liaison Officer at the British Museum for the NW of England.

In this respect she is responsible for treasure Trove, and presented an inscribed silver ring found by metal-detectionists Iain Gunn and his wife at Mawdesley to the museum. It dates from around 1550 and is of a type known as a Posy Ring.  

Dot examining a small bronze axe

This is the first Treasure Trove the museum has received. It was also the 1000^th donation of items to the South Ribble Museum collection. As curator Dr David Hunt said, ‘We are a tiny volunteer run museum so this is quite a day for us. I don’t think our founders in 1978 could ever quite have envisaged this day coming along!’. But that was not the end of the occasion, because Dot went on to identify a locally found small bronze axe as dating from around 1700bc. That is almost 4000 years old. Dot had the last word, ‘This is really exciting, it is not a rare or valuable find but really is what my job is all about; saving our heritage for the nation’.

Thomas Mawson 1861-1933

28th March 2015

At Colin Dickinson’s illustrated talk at the Museum about  the Edwardian garden designer Thomas Mawson 1861-1933, the audience was thrilled to discover that a number of the Mawson family were in the audience! 

Click image for larger view

After Colin’s description of Mawson’s work, one of the leaders in his field in the twentieth century, his grandson and successor in the family firm, Tom Mawson made a short speech. Mawson’s relationship with Lord Leverhulme has recently been in the news in the context of plans to restore the extensive Mawson garden at Lever’s former complex at Rivington, and the audience was amused at his efforts to placate the soap king. The designer left his mark firmly on the gardens of our district, including Haslam Park in Preston, Stanley Park in Blackpool and the gardens along the promenade at St.Annes. 

Click image for larger view

Click image for larger view

Stay up to date with our museum activities by visiting the Museum Website

High School Exhibition 2015

The exhibition runs from March 3rd to 28th 2015

Click an Image for a larger view...

Lancashire Monochrome Exhibition

7th February 2015

The Lancashire Monochrome Group comprises amateur photographers from throughout Mid-Lancashire. They specialise in 'black and white' photography, producing iconic images with a timeless quality.

We present over eighty pieces of there work on display in our exhibition room until the 25th of February.

It is not an elitist group but a meeting of varying ability, styles and specialisms. The majority of its members also subscribe to a camera club or photographic society, finding the two adding value to each other and being complementary in their range of activity.