Month: August 2015

On The Move Exhibition

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From cart to car, the ancient invention of the wheel created the world we know today. Our latest exhibition, ‘On The Move’, open until 26 September 2015 explores the ways we rely on the wheel and marks the 175th anniversary of the opening of Waltham Cross and Broxbourne railway stations.

Below is a gallery of images from Lowewood Museum’s photographic collection of transport across the Borough.

 

Broxbourne Station looking north from the bridge c.1954
Broxbourne Station Plaque 1960
Waltham Cross GER Station 1910
Waltham Cross Station 1905
Waltham Cross Station looking south from the bridge 1920
Broxbourne Railway Station
Waltham Cross Trolley Buses1959
Cheshunt Railway Station1962
Cheshunt Railway Station 1890
Broxbourne Station 1910
Hoddesdon High Street 1965
Hoddesdon High Street 1972
Broxbourne Station 1960
Waltham Cross Primrose Omnibus at York Road 1925
Waltham Cross Tram Terminal 1921
Broxbourne Station 1905
Waltham Cross Tram Terminal 1911
Waltham Cross trams 1930s
Broxbourne Station 1960
Waltham Cross High Street 1930
Broxbourne Station 1960
Broxbourne Station 1959
Hoddesdon High Street 1970
Waltham Cross Railway Station 1956
Waltham Cross Trolley Buses 1959
Waltham Cross Tram Terminal 1910
Cars in Hoddesdon High Street 1972
Waltham Cross Trolley Buses 1959

Royal Collection at Lowewood Museum

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Royal Display

Lock of hair from King Edward IV

One of the star pieces to feature in a new display at Lowewood Museum is a lock of hair taken from King Edward IV (1442-1483).

The new display celebrates the Borough’s Year of Heritage and petition for Royal Borough status, showcasing items in connection with the Borough’s royal history.

For conservation purposes the lock of hair has been in storage at the museum, but will be on display until 26 September 2015.

Born in France in April 1442, Edward was the son of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York. Following his father’s death, Edward won the struggle against the Lancastrians to establish the House of York on the English throne. Edward IV died in 1483 and was buried in St George’s Chapel, Windsor. His sons, Edward and Richard were left in the protection of their uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester – later to become the infamous ‘King in the Car Park’. Richard later assumed the throne and housed the two princes in the Tower of London where they were never seen again.

The piece of hair shown on display at the museum was donated to Lowewood in 1964. It was taken from Edward’s tomb on Friday 13 March 1789, and discovered during restorations of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.

Inside the tomb was the lead coffin of the king and recorded was “some long brown hair lay near the skull; and some of the same colour, but shorter, was on the neck of the skeleton.”

Today a piece of the hair remains with the Society of Antiquaries, London, along with the piece shown at Lowewood Museum.

 

Stephen Warner Diaries, Volume I, August 1915

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  Monday August 2, 1915

“hurry up old chappie, hurry up, hurry up, hurry up old chappie, hurry up, HURRY UP – this is chanted in a kind of  a sing-song by the Canadians when they are waiting for something and are getting impatient”

Tuesday August 3 , 1915

“this evening Lovett and I walked along the Calais Road about 2 1/2 minutes to the village of Francq, the extreme limit of where we may go without a pass. We entered the first little sorta minuet we saw and I introduced him to to a glass of vin du pays which he was anxious to taste. He chose red and I white and as a result I think he is less enthusiastic than I was!”

Wednesday August 3, 1915

“a year ago today England declared war and the mention of this fact is sufficient to bring to mind a thought of all the suffering and misery that has been caused during this time”

Sunday August 8, 1915

“the graves were about 8ft deep, two bodies being put in each grave with 2 wooden crosses on the head each bearing a strip of thin lead punched with the man’s number, rank, name, regiment and date of death – above in each case is another little strip of lead bearing the letters RIP. There are not many graves there yet but it is filing up only too rapidly”

Tuesday August 10, 1915

“no loitering is allowed in Etaples – the place stinks in the nostrils not only of the casual visitor but more unfortunately still in those of the military authorities. Reports have it that the Canadians got on the rampage there and what with one thing and another the place is now banned  and banned by those in command”

Thursday August 12, 1915

“today about 5 of the nurses arrived including the matron (Miss Todd) and assistant matron – among the other three was Miss Macmahon who was matron at Beachborough when I wrist went there. She remembered me and was very pleasant, so that maybe it will stand me in good stead later on!”

Saturday August 14, 1915 

“5.30am reveille (revally as it is usually called), 6.00am parade for early fatigue duty – whether it may be there are various parties made up for various duties, 7.15am breakfast, tidy up beds and kit, 8.30am parade for fatigue duty, 12.15pm dinner and leisure until 2.00pm parade for afternoon fatigue, 5.15pm tea, 6.00pm parade for next day’s orders, 9.00pm roll call in dormitories, 9.30pm last post and 9.45pm lights out”

Monday August 16, 1915

“8.45pm finished a kind of plum tipsy caked secreted with in my billy can as the result of the kind of officers – an excellent little meal for which we are very grateful and he had just brought in part a bottle of lemon squash so that he is a true friend to us”

Tuesday August 17, 1915

“I don’t mind washing my own body but I dislike doing the same for my own shirts, pants and handkerchiefs – but it has to be done, so I arm myself with sunlight soap and wrestle in the wash house with the said garments in a basin much to small for the job”