The ‘working party’ of members at Yeovil Museum, under Mr.L.C.Hayward, have continued to put in regular weekly attendances, and besides the usual answering of queries from members of the public, identification of objects, and routine cataloguing, there have been several new activities, among them:

The cataloguing of pictures in store, completed by Mr. and Mrs.H.B.Hughes;

Mr.M.Lindley has commenced the task of sorting and cataloguing the T.J. Cave bequest of slides and negatives;

Mr.L.A.Denner has been instrumental in obtaining a large number of items to augment the rather sparse equipment relating to gloving held by the Museum, so that, at last, a fairly comprehensive display can be attractively mounted to illustrate Yeovil’s former principal industry. This has been almost completed in the upper gallery with assistance from Mr Brooke;

Five silver cups belonging to Yeovil Town Band were taken out of store, thoroughly cleaned by Mrs Hayward and Mr and Mrs Brooke, and placed on display in the lower gallery;

The Misses Rendell, together with Mrs.V.Stok, have continued their work on the dress collection; and

Mr.Jeffery has rendered his usual expertise with regard to coins, etc.

The museum workshop on the ground floor, which has been divided to afford an extra gallery, has meant a good deal of reorganising the storage of material reserve exhibits, etc., temporarily stored in Hendford Manor, and much more remains to be done when a nearby garage has been prepared to provide a permanent store.

The ‘Robertson collection’ has now arrived at the Museum, has been unpacked, and once it has been checked and catalogued, will need to go on display in the new gallery – once the contractors have completed the work of reconstruction and fittings!

There is still a tremendous amount to be done in displaying exhibits to their best advantage and with descriptive matter, Those members of the Society who are not yet ‘Friends of Yeovil Museum’, can assist by joining – the subscription is only £2.50 a year, and you do not have to give active support – though this would be most welcome if you are able! It might be mentioned that Mr and Mrs G.W.Raymond, who belong to the Art Group of Yeovil, and are ‘Friends, of the Museum’, have painted a 30ft-long frieze, depicting the “fish mosaic from Lufton Roman Villa, which stretches along, the wall above the Roman exhibits in the upper gallery.

If you feel yo are able to help, either simply by joining the ‘Friends’ with a modest annual subscription to assist the funds, or by being willing to undertake some of the tasks needing to be done (the AGM is due soon), then see Mr.Hayward, who co-ordinates the activities, or John Moon – he’s the Secretary of the ‘Friends’ also – we’re a friendly lot!

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