Museum

James Ward: The Greatest Animal Painter of his Time

~ EFDMLW ~ Leave a comment

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of local artist James Ward RA. To celebrate, the museum has opened an exhibition highlighting his life and work, with loans from the Tate and Fitzwilliam Museum. The exhibition opened on 21 September 2019 and is on display until 25 January 2020.

The Moment, 1831, James Ward (1769 – 1859). Tate, London 2019. Photo credit:(C) Tate, London 2019

Ward was born on 23 October 1769 in London, the son of a greengrocer and cider merchant. He left school at a young age, before he could read or write and at the age of nine was the only wage earner in his family, washing bottles for 4 shillings a week.

Drawing came naturally to Ward, and by the age of 12 he was an apprentice mezzotint engraver to one of the best, John Raphael Smith. He was later appointed the painter and mezzotint engraver to the Prince of Wales. Ward chose to pursue his painting career, aspiring to be appointed as a member of the Royal Academy, which he finally achieved in 1811 at the age of 42.

Ward made Cheshunt his home for the last 31 years of his life. He had loved the countryside ever since he was a boy, it was so different from the hustle and bustle of London streets. In July 1855 he suffered a stroke that ended his career and died at Roundcroft Cottage in Cheshunt on 16 November 1859.

Portrait of James Ward, engraved by James Ward, c.1835, after John Jackson (1778 – 1831). Presented by Richard Godgrey 1994. Tate, London 2019. Photo credit: (c) Tate, London, 2019

On display in the museum is a selection of Ward’s works loaned by the Tate and Fitzwilliam Museum, as well as a sketchbook demonstrating the breadth of his work. These compliment the museum’s own collection of Ward’s work, on display in Lowewood’s James Ward Gallery.

The museum is open Wednesday – Friday 10am – 4pm and Saturday 10am-5pm. Admission is free.

This project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Lowewood Museum wins award

~ EFDMuseum ~ Leave a comment

We are delighted to announce that Lowewood Museum has won the Transformation Award from Hertfordshire Association of Museums at their inaugural awards event.

LowewoodMuseum-018The award was given for the shop and café area at the Museum. It was recently refurbished as part of the Arts Council England funded No Borders development project, which also involved Epping Forest District Museum and Chelmsford Museum.

 

Lowewood Museum, which is run by Epping Forest District Council in partnership with Borough of Broxbourne Council, was one of three projects to be short listed for the award.

Museums, Heritage and Culture Manager Tony O’Connor, who attended the award ceremony on Friday, 16 November at North Hertfordshire Museum, Hitchin said, “I was absolutely delighted to receive this award on behalf of the team at Lowewood Museum. It is a great privilege to be able to develop the public offer we provide at Lowewood Museum, helping to make it a vibrant and welcoming attraction for visitors and residents to the Borough of Broxbourne. The funding from Arts Council England through the ‘No Borders’ project has had a huge impact in enhancing our museum offer.”

LowewoodMuseum-004

The new shop and café area has brought new visitors to the Museum, allows space to display a wider range of gifts and books, and provides a great space to host private views for exhibitions and family friendly activities.

 

Leader of Borough of Broxbourne Council, Mark Mills-Bishop said, “The award is a great achievement for the hard work done in transforming Lowewood Museum as part of the No Borders project. It is testimony to our drive and commitment to making Lowewood Museum the best in Hertfordshire.”

LowewoodMuseum-010Lowewood Museum is open Wednesday – Friday 10am – 4pm and Saturday 10am – 5pm.

 

Lowewood Museum project wins National Lottery support

~ EFDMuseum ~ Leave a comment

cheshunt war memorial
Cheshunt War Memorial

Lowewood Museum has received a National Lottery grant of £16,140 for Broxbourne: We Will Remember Them, a project to record, share and commemorate the lives of First World War soldiers from Broxbourne.

Volunteers will be recruited to research stories of those who fought, using the Borough’s war memorials, archives and personal collections.

Local sewing groups will come together to create commemorative embroidered postcards, and a number of community sharing days will take place at the Museum for people to share their own stories of ancestors and friends who fought in the First World War.

 

Through online information, digital records and a touring exhibition, the project will bring local people together to preserve the stories of those who served in the First World War, ensuring their legacy lives on.

Councillor Dee Hart, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture said: “We are overjoyed that support from National Lottery Players will make this meaningful project possible.

“During our special Year of Community the project will bring the community together to share their stories and help remember those of others involved in the First World War.

“This project will add great value to our ongoing work in commemoration of the First World War centenary, recording and sharing the stories of our war heroes.”

Robyn Llewellyn, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund East of England, said:

“The impact of the First World War was far reaching, touching and shaping every corner of the UK and beyond. Thanks to National Lottery Players, Lowewood Museum will work with the community in Broxbourne to explore the continuing legacy of this conflict and broaden our understanding of how it has shaped our modern world.”

Broxbourne Council set up a Commemorative Panel to oversee a programme of events and initiatives between 2014 and 2018. These have included the For The Fallen community performance, screenings of War Horse and Private Peaceful, commemorative heritage plaques to recognise the contribution of Edith Cavell and Admiral Sir Hedworth Meux, the digitalisation of Stephen Warner’s war diaries, commemorative poppies at the Cheshunt Old Pond roundabout, a ‘War and Peace’ poetry competition and the granting of Freedom of Entry to the Royal Anglian Regiment.

The funding has been made possible by money raised from National Lottery players.

Share your stories and be part of a Museum exhibition

~ EFDMuseum ~ Leave a comment

St Catherine’s School, Hoddesdon celebrates being open for 200 years this October. Lowewood Museum is looking for past pupils to help remember what school life was like.

If you attended St Catherine’s School, or any of the schools which have joined to form St Catherine’s i.e. St Paul’s Infants School and Haslewood Junior School, please get in touch and share your memories.

Lowewood Museum will be celebrating the 200 year anniversary with an exhibition and are also looking for any objects that you would be able to loan to put on display.

 

This project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Please contact Lowewood Museum 01992 445596 or email museum.leisure@broxbourne.gov.uk

Call for memories flyer.jpg

December fun thanks, to The National Lottery players

~ EFDMuseum ~ Leave a comment

December fun thanks, to The National Lottery players

From Monday 11 to Saturday 16 December 2017, Lowewood Museum and Epping Forest District Museum will be offering a 10% discount in our gift shops (and at Lowewood Museum’s refreshment area) to National Lottery players.

We are two of the 350 participating National Lottery funded visitor attractions across the UK in saying ‘thanks’ to people who have raised money for good causes by buying a lottery ticket.

 Lowewood Museum has received £156,000 for exhibition and engagement projects including the restoration of the Pulham kiln site in Broxbourne.

Epping Forest District Museum has received £1,782,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.  The money paid for the recent redevelopment as well as a range of projects, enabling community engagement and collections acquisition.

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said:

“December is a wonderful time to experience the UK’s rich, diverse and exciting heritage, which has been transformed by more than £7bn National Lottery funding since 1994.  This is a small gesture of thanks and a way of giving something back to the people who buy tickets.”

 

Cllr. Dee Hart Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture at Broxbourne Borough Council said “Thanks to National Lottery players we’ve been able to care for and celebrate the wonderful heritage of the Borough of Broxbourne and are very grateful for the support given.”

Terms and Conditions
One National Lottery ticket provides 10% off in the Museum Gift Shop and Refreshment Area.
All National Lottery games qualify for the offer, including tickets from any National Lottery draw based game or National Lottery Scratchcard. Proof of ticket can be paper or digital.
The offer is valid on the days the museum is open between 11 and 16 December. Lowewood Museum is open 10am to 4pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and from 10am to 5pm on Saturday.
Only one ticket can be used per transaction.
The offer is only valid on Museum stock items and not items sold by the Friends of Lowewood Museum.

 

Culture without Borders Development Trust

~ EFDMuseum ~ Leave a comment

Become a Trustee for our new…………..

‘Culture without Borders Development Trust’

Created to support Epping Forest District & Lowewood Museums

and Spotlight Theatre, Hoddesdon

If you live or work in Epping Forest District or the Borough of Broxbourne, or have a passion for culture, history and learning and believe that you have the relevant skills and expertise to offer this exciting new development trust, we would love to hear from you.

We are establishing a Charitable Trust  to assist us with our ambitious development plans and  further promote the knowledge and appreciation of our shared history and culture, not only on a local, but on a regional and  indeed, national level. We have appointed several people so far but have a few trustee positions still vacant and to celebrate ‘National Trustee Week 2017’, it’s a perfect opportunity to recruit.

The trust will play a key role in developing funding strategies, fundraising campaigns, including individual giving and legacies, to assist with the future development and help attract or create new exhibitions and events, building on the strong body or work already undertaken.

Trustee skills:

We welcome applications for Trustee positions, from those who are not only committed to ensuring that the museums’, culture and theatres futures are secured and that they go from strength to strength, but also have specialist skills in the following areas:

Finance     –     Fundraising     –    Philanthropy    –    Marketing    –    Communications    –    PR  –   Arts   –    Heritage    –    Leisure and Culture    –     Retail, hospitality and tourism    –   Charity & Social Enterprise

Deadlines for an expression of interest are midday Friday 24th November 2017.

Interviews for shortlisted candidates will be during week commencing 4th December 2017.

For an informal discussion or for an information pack, please contact:

Tony O’Connor

Epping Forest District Museum

39 – 41 Sun Street

Waltham Abbey

EN9 1EL

Tel: 01992 564986 Email: aoconnor@eppingforestdc.gov.uk

Culture without Borders Development Trust

~ EFDMuseum ~ Leave a comment

Become a Trustee for our new…………..

‘Culture without Borders

Development Trust’

Created to support Epping Forest District & Lowewood Museums and Spotlight Theatre, Hoddesdon.

If you live in Epping Forest District or the Borough of Broxbourne, or have a passion for culture, history and learning and believe that you have the relevant skills and expertise to offer this exciting new development trust, we would love to hear from you.

We are establishing a Charitable Trust to assist us with our ambitious development plans and  further promote the knowledge and appreciation of our shared history and culture, not only on a local, but on a regional and  indeed, national level.

The trust will play a key role in developing funding strategies, including individual giving and legacies, to assist with the future development and help attract or create new exhibitions and events, building on the strong body or work already undertaken.

Trustees skills:

We welcome applications for Trustee positions, from those who are not only committed to ensuring that the museums’, culture and theatres futures are secured and that they go from strength to strength, but also have specialist skills in the following areas:

Finance     –     Fundraising     –    Philanthropy    –    Marketing    –   Communications    –    PR  –   Arts   – Heritage    –    Leisure and Culture    –     Retail, hospitality and tourism   –   Charity & Social Enterprise

There will be an open evening for all those interested in becoming a Trustee on Tuesday 13th June 2017 at the Epping Forest District Museum, 4 to 7 p.m.

This will be an invaluable opportunity to learn more about the new charity and your potential role as a Trustee, it will, also, be a chance to see the new exhibition space and displays in Epping Forest.

For an informal discussion or for an information pack, please contact:

Tony O’Connor

Epping Forest District Museum

39 – 41 Sun Street

Waltham Abbey.EN9 1EL

Tel: 01992 564986 Email: aoconnor@eppingforestdc.gov.uk

Would you like to help shape the future work of Lowewood Museum?

~ EFDMuseum ~ Leave a comment

 

As part of the ground-breaking ‘No Borders’ museum resilience project, Lowewood Museum is looking for local residents to take part in two museum focus groups this summer. The aim of these groups is to involve the community in ensuring the work of the museum is accessible and relevant to all, and to help us engage with audiences who are currently under-represented at the museum.

The No Borders project

‘No Borders’ is a partnership project between Lowewood Museum and two Essex museums – Epping Forest District Museum and Chelmsford Museum. Supported by funding from Arts Council England, this project aims to support the three museums to develop sustainable, inspiring services for the future. Attracting new and more diverse audiences and increasing accessibility for all is an important part of this work. Improvements will be made to various visitor services including a redesign of the gift shop, the introduction of a pop-up café and better accessibility for disabled visitors. It is also planned for the museums to establish new, charitable Development Foundations to undertake fundraising in support of the work of the museums.

The Focus Groups

 

Access focus group: This focus group will look at issues surrounding access to the museum’s services, including physical, sensory and intellectual access. Please get in touch if you are a resident of Broxbourne living with health or impairment related issues or represent or work with residents with additional access needs and would like to help us improve access for all.

BAME focus group: The second focus group is looking to bring together Broxbourne residents who define themselves as being of Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic in background. This focus group will help the museum ensure its future exhibition and events programming and its collection of objects reflects the diversity of local residents.

Both focus groups will take place at Lowewood Museum and will each last two hours. Each focus group will be limited to 10 people. Before the meeting, participants will be sent the current museum events programme and pre-visit information to review. This should not take more than 30 minutes. All participants will receive a £15 ‘Love2Shop’ voucher, which can be spent in thousands of high street stores, to thank them for their time.

To find out more or to register your interest in taking part in the focus groups please contact the museum by email on museum.leisure@broxbourne.gov.uk or call 01992 445596.

Please let us know whether you would like to attend the Access focus group, the BAME focus group or both, your preferred contact method and usual availability.