Blog

Back To Childhood

Our next Exhibition, opening in mid July, will be looking at Toys, Games and Gadgets from the 1970's to the present. As part of our research, Ruth Stratton, Helen Stamp, Dave Armitage and John Woolston visited the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. Originally part of the V&A Museum in South Kensington, the iron structure of the building was re-erected in Bethnal Green in the late 1860's and opened in 1872 by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) . It attracted 1.5 million visitors in its first year. 

The museum team gained some valuable ideas from their visit and were very impressed with the scope of the exhibits - from a 3000 year old Egyptian doll to the electronic games of the 21st century. There was even a rocking horse from the 17th century believed to have been used by a young Charles 1. Impressive indeed and well worth a visit - It's free.

We can't of course compete with the scale and depth of this collection (2 of their display cabinets would fill our little museum) but we hope to bring back some of the memories and thrills that we remember from our younger days.

The Museum Volunteers Meet Our New Exhibition

A couple of weeks ago there was a gathering of the Museum Volunteers and their guests to see and discuss the new Exhibition, From Village To Town.  With a few nibbles and a few tinctures they were able to familiarise themselves with the displays to better aid the many visitors to come.  Matt Caro, the Exhibition Leader and Designer, thanked everyone for their help, as seen above.  And even our photo maestro, Derek Allen, got in one picture :

From Village To Town Official Opening

On Friday 20 January the Mayors of Hertsmere and Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council, and other dignatories, gathered to open the new Exhibition at the Museum.  Dave Armitage, the Museum Manager, gave a short talk about how the Exhibition came about and the work involved.  Mayor Pete Rutledge from Hertsmere thanked everyone involved, and Matt Caro, the Exibition Organiser and driving force, spoke about the many interviewees that had come forward to make it such a comprehensive and compelling trip through the formation of modern Borehamwood.  Tea and other beverages were enjoyed by all as they toured the new descriptive panels and unique listening posts. We hope to see you all here soon!

From Village To Town

Now open – our new Exhibition.  From Village To Town – Celebrating A Century Of Migration explores the changes to Boreham Wood since the coming of the railways.  Told through your voices, there are listening posts for each significant decade where you can hear these voices of our interviewees through an appropriate phone receiver.  This all builds up to a facinating timeline of the growth of the area as wave after wave of new people settle in the Village and make it a Town. Curated and developed by Matt Caro, this is a must-see Exhibition, whether you have just moved into the area or your family has farming roots going back a century or more.

The Workers Have Arrived

Our new Exhibition is on the way! Here we see Ruth and John starting the installation of From Village To Town. What are the phones for?  All will be revealed by the end of the week.  Exhibition opens next Tuesday.

Down The Shops Opens Up

Town Mayor Cllr Clive Butchins and Dave Armitage

Ruth Stratton - Hertsmere Museums Officer, Cllr Clive Butchins, Cllr Pete Rutledge, Dave

Down The Shops is our new Exhibition about Shops and Shopping in the Village in Boreham Wood over the past century, and has been open a couple of weeks now.  It was ‘officially’ launched one evening last week when Dave Armitage, the Museum Manager, and Hertsmere Mayor, Cllr Pete Rutledge, opened the doors to the volunteers and helpers.  The Exhibition is based around the Hanson & Maude sweet shop and café which featured so prominently in the life of the Village.  In fact Mary Hanson, a Museum Trustee, also paid us a visit when we opened.  Come down and share your memories of the shops along Shenley Road.

Mary Hanson in front of the shop

Inside Hansons

Photos by Derek Allen

Almost There - Down The Shops WIP Part 2

Opening tomorrow - our new temporary Exhibition, Down The Shops, is nearly ready.  Our stalwart craftsmen and engineers put the finishing touches to our fascinating history of the shops of Borehamwood. Hope you can visit next time you are out shopping!

Down The Shops Work-In-Progress

Work on our new Exhibition opening on Tuesday July 5th is progressing well. Yes, we make all our own exhibits!  Actually we are recreating a well-known Village shopfront, amongst many other original onjects from the period.  Hope we’ll see you there.

Help Our Shopping!

Can you help? Our next exhibition, due to open on 5th July, looks at the changing face of shops in Borehamwood. We hope it will be a trip down memory lane as well as showing just how much the shopping experience has changed.

What we need help with is carrier bags - if you have any stashed away with shop names on them which have either long gone or, in the recent carrier bag revolution, no longer produced. Also, do you have any photos of shops which are no longer here or any particular purchases you would like to share with the community? Please do get in touch. 01442 454888. We would love to hear from you.

Thank you!

Smile Please! : New Discovery Trail

A Museum Trail is now available for children and families who visit the exhibition.  Please see the attached PDF for more details.