| Code | NA6329 |
| Place Entry | Clifton Park Museum/Clifton/Rotherham/South Yorkshire |
| Notes | Following the opening of Clifton Park in June 1891, Clifton House was opened as a public museum on July 8th 1893. Local societies and collectors contributed items for the displays, and mr Key from the S Kensington Museum (now the V&A) came to "superintend the placing of works of art in the cases". The Rotherham Advertiser reported the official opening ceremony at some length.
Initially the museum was administered by the Parks Committee. The first Curator was a Mr Moore, and there was an admission charge of 6d. Lighting was by gas and a police constable was employed to guard the collections on a salary of £120 per annum.
In the early 1920s the Library Committee took over the administration of the museum, and in 1923 appointed Mr Ethert Brand as honorary Advisor. From 1924, when Ethert Brand was appointed as Honorary Curator, the museum began to develop its collections. Electric light was installed and the building redecorated inside. After Brand's untimely death in 1938, his own large collections of antiquities, geological and natural history specimens, pottery and other items were purchased from his family for the museum. Following a short period of closure during 1939-1940 Mr F Boardman, the Chief Librarian, became the Curator. His successor was Mr G Lovell who was succeeded by the Director of Libraries, CC Williams.
In 1973-4 the buildings surrounding the courtyard were demolished. Although part of the original house, they did not provide sufficient space or security for a museum with growing collectons. The new extension, opened in 1974 by Alderman P. Wright, contained extra gallery space, a classroom for school visits, a well-equipped workshop, stores and office accommodation. moreover it enabled the staff to display the original kitchen of the house and place exhibits in the covered courtyard. Externally the new building was designed to be compatible architecturally with the original house.
During 2002-4 a £3 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled significant restoration and redisplay work, and the Museum was closed during this period to enable the work to be carried out, re-opening in January 2005.
Rotherham Council Minutes references to Museum 1891-1896 in General Purposes & Parks Cttee (NB notes not exhaustive)
1891
19 Mar to arrange a loan for the purchase of Clifton Park
25 May sealing of contract authorised
3-10 Jul numerous decisions
20 Jul, draft byelaws for parks
27 Jul recommended opening a museum - minute struck out, followed on 28 Aug by a council motion
14 Dec museum sub-committee appointed by Cttee of Council
1892 (page no.s in printed vol.s of minutes)
87 sub-cttee viewed house & made recommendations
228 sub-cttee report: appoint curator (rejected) & solicit exhibits
259 gifts
280 museum to be opened etc
289 loans referred to sub-cttee
346 gifts & loans, appointment of sub-cttee
359 loans
1893
33 Mr Acland MP asked for advice
64 loans from the Science & Art Dept. arranged - the usual conditions to be complied with
122 heating
pp.145, 185
250 exhibitions at opening, included the no. 1 loan collection of watercolour drawings & sketches by JMW Turner RA lent by the Trustees of the National Gallery
272 painting of premises, bell
303 gifts, loans, admission figures (monthly hereafter).
335 gifts, loans, heating.
376 gifts, loans, local room suggested
413 gifts, loans
1894
20
46 the Dept of Science & Art have now placed the Museum on their list of provincial museums to which annual collections are lent
20 Mar (Cttee Minute Book p.428 - absent from printed vol.)
pp. 82, 111, 160
190 letter from DSA, S Kensington, re future loans
pp. 221, 257, 292, 323, 366, 396
1895
20 lists of paintings etc loaned by W Ryland, E Nightingale, LE Hickmott. Pottery, porcelain & glass loaned by J Howitt
57 no changes in exhibits
85 lists additional pictures loaned by Mr Nightingale. 70 moths presented by Mr Young
117 application to National Gallery for another loan
135 Sunday opening times established - Council resolution
154 various loans
183-4 School of Art exhibition
212-3 Dept. of Science & Art to change exhibits. 30 pictures returned to Mr Nightingale (who objected to Sunday opening)
23 Aug (p.24 of unnumbered pages between 224/225) various loans.
236 loan of 2 cases of birds Cllr. Mason
263 no change in exhibits
304 new exhibits from S Kensington Museum listed
336 178 pictures from National Gallery of British ARt at SK Museum, depicting "The Rise and progress of art in England"
1896
pp. 26, 74, 106,138, 179, 216, 246, 279, 311, 344, 383, 422
See entry for Clifton House for architectural history. |
| Place Name | Clifton Park Museum |
| Area2 | Clifton |
| Area3 | Rotherham |
| Area4 | South Yorkshire |
| Notes | Following the opening of Clifton Park in June 1891, Clifton House was opened as a public museum on July 8th 1893. Local societies and collectors contributed items for the displays, and mr Key from the S Kensington Museum (now the V&A) came to "superintend the placing of works of art in the cases". The Rotherham Advertiser reported the official opening ceremony at some length.
Initially the museum was administered by the Parks Committee. The first Curator was a Mr Moore, and there was an admission charge of 6d. Lighting was by gas and a police constable was employed to guard the collections on a salary of £120 per annum.
In the early 1920s the Library Committee took over the administration of the museum, and in 1923 appointed Mr Ethert Brand as honorary Advisor. From 1924, when Ethert Brand was appointed as Honorary Curator, the museum began to develop its collections. Electric light was installed and the building redecorated inside. After Brand's untimely death in 1938, his own large collections of antiquities, geological and natural history specimens, pottery and other items were purchased from his family for the museum. Following a short period of closure during 1939-1940 Mr F Boardman, the Chief Librarian, became the Curator. His successor was Mr G Lovell who was succeeded by the Director of Libraries, CC Williams.
In 1973-4 the buildings surrounding the courtyard were demolished. Although part of the original house, they did not provide sufficient space or security for a museum with growing collectons. The new extension, opened in 1974 by Alderman P. Wright, contained extra gallery space, a classroom for school visits, a well-equipped workshop, stores and office accommodation. moreover it enabled the staff to display the original kitchen of the house and place exhibits in the covered courtyard. Externally the new building was designed to be compatible architecturally with the original house.
During 2002-4 a £3 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled significant restoration and redisplay work, and the Museum was closed during this period to enable the work to be carried out, re-opening in January 2005.
Rotherham Council Minutes references to Museum 1891-1896 in General Purposes & Parks Cttee (NB notes not exhaustive)
1891
19 Mar to arrange a loan for the purchase of Clifton Park
25 May sealing of contract authorised
3-10 Jul numerous decisions
20 Jul, draft byelaws for parks
27 Jul recommended opening a museum - minute struck out, followed on 28 Aug by a council motion
14 Dec museum sub-committee appointed by Cttee of Council
1892 (page no.s in printed vol.s of minutes)
87 sub-cttee viewed house & made recommendations
228 sub-cttee report: appoint curator (rejected) & solicit exhibits
259 gifts
280 museum to be opened etc
289 loans referred to sub-cttee
346 gifts & loans, appointment of sub-cttee
359 loans
1893
33 Mr Acland MP asked for advice
64 loans from the Science & Art Dept. arranged - the usual conditions to be complied with
122 heating
pp.145, 185
250 exhibitions at opening, included the no. 1 loan collection of watercolour drawings & sketches by JMW Turner RA lent by the Trustees of the National Gallery
272 painting of premises, bell
303 gifts, loans, admission figures (monthly hereafter).
335 gifts, loans, heating.
376 gifts, loans, local room suggested
413 gifts, loans
1894
20
46 the Dept of Science & Art have now placed the Museum on their list of provincial museums to which annual collections are lent
20 Mar (Cttee Minute Book p.428 - absent from printed vol.)
pp. 82, 111, 160
190 letter from DSA, S Kensington, re future loans
pp. 221, 257, 292, 323, 366, 396
1895
20 lists of paintings etc loaned by W Ryland, E Nightingale, LE Hickmott. Pottery, porcelain & glass loaned by J Howitt
57 no changes in exhibits
85 lists additional pictures loaned by Mr Nightingale. 70 moths presented by Mr Young
117 application to National Gallery for another loan
135 Sunday opening times established - Council resolution
154 various loans
183-4 School of Art exhibition
212-3 Dept. of Science & Art to change exhibits. 30 pictures returned to Mr Nightingale (who objected to Sunday opening)
23 Aug (p.24 of unnumbered pages between 224/225) various loans.
236 loan of 2 cases of birds Cllr. Mason
263 no change in exhibits
304 new exhibits from S Kensington Museum listed
336 178 pictures from National Gallery of British ARt at SK Museum, depicting "The Rise and progress of art in England"
1896
pp. 26, 74, 106,138, 179, 216, 246, 279, 311, 344, 383, 422
See entry for Clifton House for architectural history. |
| Source | Various information sheets, 1970s-1991 |