The Gainsborough Heritage Association has been excited to celebrate its 30th anniversary this year. Celebrations included a special event for dignitaries and volunteers to enjoy and reminisce on the hard work achieved over many years to build and develop a thriving Heritage Centre. Offering free entry to everyone the Centre opened on Saturday 19 October to celebrate and share the heritage of the town with the local community. Throughout the year we have shared stories and memories from the Centre’s development through our social media channels and as a team we are proud and determined to continue protecting and preserving the heritage of the town for many decades to come.
The story begins back in 1993 when Andrew Birkitt and Paul Kemp formed the Gainsborough Heritage Society and ran their first exhibition at Richmond House. Over 2,000 people queued to see the collections of photographs and memorabilia on display, showing the need for a museum in the town. This first exhibition led to the creation of the Gainsborough Heritage Association in 1994. The Committee of the Gainsborough Heritage Association would like to take this opportunity to share a massive thank you to Andrew, Paul and the fantastic volunteers that have helped to continue this story over the last 30 years.
On 16 March 1994 a public meeting was held at the White Hart Hotel that formally created the Gainsborough and District Heritage Association. Nettleham Engineering located in the old Marshall & Sons factory offered premises within Marshall’s old offices to establish Gainsborough’s first Heritage Centre. The grand opening of this Heritage Centre in the old Marshall’s factory took place on 15 and 16 October 1994 with Sir Nicholas Bacon officially opening the new venue. The opening day included a display of Marshall products from Field Marshalls to portable engines and the Marshall Traction Engine, Teapot was also in attendance. It was a great celebration of the town’s heritage!
My name is Gemma, and I have volunteered with the Association from 2012 to present day leading the Oral history project and helping with the promotion of the Heritage Centre over the years. I was very honoured to be involved in the 30th anniversary celebrations, as my grandparents Harold and Patricia Clarke were in attendance back at the opening of the first Heritage Centre in 1994. Previously, in the role of Works Manager for Marshall Sons & Co my grandfather went on to work with the Nettleham Engineering firm and helped the Association locate premises in Marshall’s old offices. Harold also became one of the Vice-Presidents for the Association, over the years I have been pleased to continue in his footsteps!
Unfortunately, the old Marshall buildings closed back in 2003, the space where the factory once stood is now home to Marshall’s Yard. At the same time, the first Heritage Centre also closed causing a long ten-year search for new premises. The Committee would also like to thank Cliff Bradley & Sons who helped to save Gainsborough’s history with the offering of the Old Post Office building that is now the home to the current Gainsborough Heritage Centre. Volunteers also worked hard during the period between the location of new premises to store and continue preserving objects from Gainsborough’s past.
30 years on and the Heritage Centre continues its mission to protect, preserve and promote the towns heritage! The Gainsborough Heritage Centre is a fantastic building however, from 2008 to 2016 the building required a large amount of funding and construction work to develop the space. Fundraising events included a Marshall Tractor Rally and 1940s dances to enable a lift to be added to the building for access between the three floors.
The Heritage Centre, known as the Old Post Office, located on North Street includes permanent exhibitions with artefacts recording the towns industrial heritage as well as a street and house scene covering the towns social history. The exhibitions include objects that have a story connected with the town and have been donated by Gainsborough people. In addition, the Centre boasts an excellent research library with facilities to search for family history, newspaper articles and much more. We also cannot forget our Exchange Tearoom that offers a delightful menu of drinks and light refreshments. In 2016, Julia Deakin, a Gainsborough born actress officially opened the new and accessible Heritage Centre, only open previously on one floor this event was the start of many good years to come!!
The 30th anniversary celebrations also saw the team welcome Jeremy Curtis who launched his new book called Hickman Hill: A Lesson in History. It was fantastic to see so many people popping along to meet Jeremy and purchasing their signed copy of his new book. The day also saw Jeremy present a signed copy to a representative of Queens Elizabeth High School as well as a lady who worked in the former telephone exchange that was located on the top floor of the Old Post Office building now the Heritage Centre.
The celebrations continued with Andrew Birkitt and Paul Kemp reminiscing about their first exhibition that they held at Richmond House. They were not to know that in 30 years they would be here celebrating the fantastic museum now located in the Old Post Office building on North Street. As part of the day, we recreated the photo published in the Gainsborough News with Andy and Paul holding the very same object from the collection.
Continuing into the evening the celebrations included an anniversary speech from Chairman Andrew Birkitt with the unveiling of a new acquisition for the Centre by Sir Nicholas Bacon, President of the Association. The new painting is an original oil on board painted in 1890 by William Edwards Millner, a well-known Gainsborough artist. We would like to extend our thanks to the dignitaries who attended including the Town Mayor Cllr Kenneth Woolley.
On behalf of the Gainsborough and District Heritage Association Committee we would like to thank the volunteers past and present who have continued to support the work of the Centre. The Heritage Centre is a fantastic and thriving place thanks to the support of our members and volunteers. If you would like the chance to win £100 or other seasonal prizes then please purchase some Christmas Draw tickets to continue supporting the work of the Centre. Fancy being a volunteer, then please pop in to the Heritage Centre to find out more, the Centre is open on Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10am to 4pm.
