Friends' 30 year Celebrations held 7 July 2023

 Last Friday we held a party for the members of the Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery at Christ Church Community Centre; it was 30 years and a day after the first meeting of the Friends was held in the main gallery in Apsley House when our Patron Desmond Morris and the Mayor, Doreen Dart were present, along with 160 guests. We have been planning the event for almost a year, inviting former Chairs Ray Ward and Paul Ricketts to our committee's Christmas meal to ask for their ideas and whether they would be involved; they readily agreed to speak and bring slides of  the ceramics collection. Members of the committee really played to their strengths and pulled together to ensure the evening ran really smoothly, with barely a hitch. 

Barbara designed a plan of the room, bought cheese and biscuits, made vegan cakes and did masses of washing up, Brigid made the big cake and bought a topper for it which arrived 2 hours before the party. Rosemary and Martin bought the wine and crisps and served it with David and Lynda who also got out chairs and helped clear away; they also washed the glasses at the end of the evening. Martin and Kate moved masses of chairs and tables before and after the event. The other Martin also helped with the tables and chairs. Angela persuaded people to buy raffle tickets. Politicians and museum professionals came and stayed rather than just dropping in, and the evening was warm without being too unbearably hot.

Friends had some 14 years or so ago, paid for the ceramics collection to be photographed, the resulting slides showed continuously during the proceedings which was really interesting. Many of them had been photographed from several angles so you could see them really well. The running order was as follows:

• 18.45 arrive
• 19.00 canapes from Olive Tree cafe served and chatting
• 19.15 speakers:
• Paul Ricketts Friends' history 
• Ray Ward Friends' talks series
• John Walsh the Journals
• Martin Newman archaeology
• 20.00 eat cheese and biscuits, watch slides, look at Journals and chatting
• 20.15 Cake cutting
• 20.30 raffle drawing
• 21.00 end

Of course it was difficult to keep to the times, but hopefully there was the right balance of chatting and  entertainment. I didn't take any photographs, but was sent some photos after the event which I'll add here. Starting with my favourite one:

You wouldn't think the backs of people's heads would be so good, but it gives a feeling of being in the room; it was sent to me by Phil Dearden, Harold's grandson who is researching a book about his grandfather, has recently joined the Friends and drove from Kidderminster where he lives to be with us.

I've included these general photos of the audience sent by Barend whose empty chair can be seen below as he takes photos

He's captured quite a few smiles

Above introducing speakers and below with Paul Ricketts who was Chair of the Friends before I was

Another nice photo

Here's  Ray Ward talking:

 and below John Walsh, who was on the committee when I joined and talked very movingly about editing the Journals

And here's a photo of Martin Newman who is on the present committee talking about the importance of being an archaeological repository

Then came the cake cutting and the photo just before the cutting of the gorgeous cake with its topper.

and here's a better photo of the cake:

Above Kate, Gillian and Stan looking at a map Stan had brought for us to look at

Above Pauline and Martin Styles chatting

Above a general view of people milling around and below people chatting outside where it was a wonderfully balmy evening

Thank you to all those who came along to help us celebrate and to everyone who continues to support us and Swindon Museum and Art Gallery. I had hoped to have a quote from our Patron Desmond Morris who now he is living in Ireland, could not join us, but I'll pass it on when he gets in touch.

Trip to St.Mark's Church with Michael Gray

 After our March talk on the History, Art and Architecture of St.Mark's Church, heritage architect Michael Gray kindly agreed to give us a guided tour of the church  on the 11th of May. It was our first trip of the year and we were looking forward to meeting up in person again. There was a great turn out, but the weather was challenging, the 11th marked the first day of rain after something like 7 weeks without rain. The garden was desperate for rain, but we weren't, especially when outside in the graveyard. I took some photos which appear here, for more detail on St.Mark's, please click on the link to the blog above.

We started by looking at the outside of the church, as you can see it was wet! The church is very impressive from the outside, designed by architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, it showed its best side to the railway line that went beside it so people on the train knew they took things seriously in Swindon and could be very grand

This photo shows Michael with Maria Drysz beside him recording the talk for radio 105.5. The interview can be heard as follows: Michael Gray talking about local architecture in general and St Marks in particular, Thurs 26th May 3pm.    Repeats on Sun 29th May 5pm Spotlight 105.5 FM Copied and pasted so strange white background!!

Some of the monuments in the graveyard are listed, I could only find a listing for the Armstrong monument, but they were very impressive.

I looked up Christian Rea, you can find a copy of his will here, he died on 15th of September 1857, and is described as a 'Gentleman of Swindon'.

Another view of the tower

And once safely inside, we were shown a print of the original Gilbert Scott drawing of the church, vicarage and school.

Here's a general view of the inside of the church looking towards the altar

I listened to Michael talking about these windows, and realise I have written something about each one in the post about the original talk, so will refer you to that now.

The lectern is rather impressive

This is the window designed by Martin Travers, on a sunny day, the sun shines through this wonderfully

The parable of the prodigal son is a wonderful window

This one is beautiful, an 'off the shelf' design rather than individually designed for the church

This is the latest addition to the stained glass, the top panel reads 'Forward in Faith' and references the 4 churches in the area: St.Mark's represented by the lion, St.Saviour's by a crown of thorns surrounding a ball, St.Aldhelm's by a lyre and St.Luke's represented by a flying bull or ox

We finished the tour off with a choice of home made cakes and biscuits and a drink. With grateful thanks to Michael Gray and Fr Toby Boutle, the Parish Priest and the whole team who were there on that day to welcome us. You did a brilliant job.

Two Year Anniversary of Closure Marked

 When Apsley House, home of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery closed on 18 March 2020 in line with every other public building, because of Covid restrictions, we didn't realise that would be the last time we would be able to visit. It didn't reopen when restrictions were lifted in early 2021, and then when all restrictions were to removed on 19 July 2021, we learned it would never reopen, be emptied and the building sold as surplus to requirements.

The signs outside the building indicate the opening hours, but it never opens, the general public may think it does open occasionally. We met outside the building to remind people of its status, as closed, and how important we think a museum and art gallery are for the people who live here, and who used to like to visit it. An article in the Swindon Advertiser says this much more eloquently than I can do: https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/20004480.cake-marks-second-anniversary-swindon-museum-art-gallery-closure/

We had large and small cakes to commemorate the event, and lots of people came along to support us. Here's a photo taken after we'd gathered and had a speech and started to eat the cake:

I took some more photos of cake with toppers on, I didn't know you could buy such things:

We also had iced cakes with flags in:

There was a card, held here by Angela Atkinson, says on the outside: 'On the 2nd anniversary of your closure' and inside

'Dear Apsley House, Two years ago today you were closed to us & we lost our museum and art gallery. We miss you #FreeOurCroc

This was setting up at the beginning, the sign says 'Swindon Borough Council this is a Swindon Borough Council designated site for rapturous applause.

A sad day we felt we needed to mark.

There were biscuits with marzipan crocs on, and a croc suited supporter, hopefully Angela's blog will have those photos, please click here to find more content and photos.