Issue - meetings

To consider the Curator’s quarterly report.

The Curator presented her report for the July to September quarter, and highlighted the following areas;

·         The recruitment of new casual museum assistants.

·         The continued and valued contribution that the volunteers make to the museum.

·         The recent fire risk assessment report, the outcome of which was good and two out of the three minor recommendations have been completed.

·         Rundown of the buildings and site works; shire hill store gully clearance and maintenance.

The Curator also spoke of a gold Anglo-Saxon signet ring (known as the North-west Essex ring, museum accession no. 2014.1) that had been requested for loan to an exhibition at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, University of East Anglia, Norwich from 25 July to 18 October 2020. The Museum Society Board agreed to this request on 29 October 2019. The exhibition was titled; ‘Nara to Norvic: Arrivals and Beliefs at the Extremities of the Silk Roads, AD 500-1000’.

The hoop of the ring was decorated with bird and interlace patterns in moulded low relief, with other motifs the shoulders, either side of the rectangular bezel. The bezel was engraved with a figure holding a cross-headed staff in one hand and a bird of prey on the other wrist; there was a larger bird of prey above him. The ring appeared to reference both Germanic / pagan and late Roman / Christian symbolism and dated form the period of Sutton Hoo and the emergence of regional kingdoms in England under Anglo-Saxon leadership, and the gradual adoption of Christianity. It was a unique object and was likely to have belonged to a king or at least a person wielding significant power.

The Curator said that the ‘Take away the walls’ exhibition had resulted in new partnerships for the museum.

The Curator went through the visitors’ figures for the quarter and advised that the Museum was very close to the notional target of 3,600 and only fell slightly short with 3,387 users for the quarter. It was also noted that the cumulative figure was still above the target for the year.

The Curator went on to highlight the upcoming events.

Councillor Light expressed her gratitude to the volunteers.

The Curator said that she would email them and pass on the appreciation.

In response to a Member question the Museum Society Chairman said that there would be a Christmas Party that the volunteers would also be invited to.

Councillor Sell asked the Curator about the figures as he pointed out that last September’s figures were better.

In response the Curator said that each year is different and that the overall figures for the year were not a concern.