17 FEBRUARY 2004
Minutes of a meeting of the NORTH NORFOLK AREA MUSEUMS COMMITTEE held in the
Council Chamber, Council Offices, Holt Road, Cromer at 2.15 pm when there were present:
County Council Representatives:
County Councillor D A Baxter
County Councillor J A Sheppard
County Councillor P Jimenez
County Councillor L G Randall
County Councillor M Taylor (substitute for County Councillor M R H Cartiss)
District Council Representatives:
Councillor H C Cordeaux
Councillor Ms V R Gay
Councillor Mrs A R Green
Councillor Mrs H T Nelson (Chairman)
Co-opted Members:
Ms M Britz
Mr P Brooks
Mr D Robb – Curator, Air Defence Radar Museum, Neatishead
Councillor R Combe (Observer)
County Councillor S Murphy – Chairman of Norfolk Joint Museums Committee (Observer)
Officers:
Mr S Baker – Head of Leisure and Community Services
Mr D Gurney – Principal Archaeologist, Norfolk Museum and Archaeology Service
Ms A Hollinshead – Area Museums Officer
Ms H Patterson – Norfolk Monuments Management
Mrs V Trevelyan – Head of Norfolk Museums Archaeology Service
Also present:
Ms E Carstairs – Straw Museum
Mr G Harmer – Norfolk Motorcycle Museum
Mr B Hogg – Mundesley Maritime Museum
Mrs C L Lloyd – Stalham Firehouse Museum
Mr S P Toomey – Stalham Firehouse Museum
(21)
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS
Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor J Sheppard who was
substituted by County Councillor M Taylor.
(22)
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting of Committee held on 7 October 2003 were approved as
a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
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17 February 2004
(23)
ITEMS OF URGENT BUSINESS
The Chairman stated that there was one item of urgent business which she wished to
bring before the meeting which concerned the headline in the Eastern Daily Press
newspaper “Norfolk’s Own Eden Project”, which she determined would be discussed
as the next item under public business.
(24)
NORFOLK’S OWN EDEN PROJECT
The Chairman stated that she had determined that this matter be dealt with as a
matter of urgency pursuant to the powers vested in her by Section 100B(4)(b) of the
Local Government Act 1972.
The Head of Museums and Archaeology referred to the headline “Norfolk’s Own
Eden Project” which had appeared in the Eastern Daily Press that day. She stated
that she was mystified by it as it was not known how much funding the East of
England Development Agency was offering to develop key regional landmark
projects. She had had a briefing from the University of East Anglia concerning
Norfolk’s “Eden” Project and she understood that a proposal was to be put forward to
link a series of carbon dioxide reducing projects to create a regional network. It was
discussed whether the West Runton Elephant would be part of this. She added that
she was slightly surprised by the comparison with the Eden Project as she was not
aware that it would be as visual in the same way. She stated that the Museums and
Archaeology Service was not formally associated with this bid.
Councillor H C Cordeaux expressed concern that such a project would clash with the
West Runton Elephant project. The Head of Museums and Archaeology replied that
she did not believe there would be a clash as the University of East Anglia’s project
comprised more practical projects eg wind turbines, but this may be a complementary
way of raising awareness of climate change.
(25)
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
(26)
NORFOLK MUSEUMS AND ARCHAEOLOGY SERVICE UPDATE
The Head of Museums and Archaeology stated that many of the issues to be raised
would be covered under the following item, but there were, however, three key areas
which she wished to speak on.
She stated that the fundamental review of the Museums and Archaeology Service
had been very satisfactory with recommendations which would need the consensus
of the district councils and had been approved at the recent meeting of the Joint
Musuems Committee. It was hoped to start the recommended work on individual
service level agreements with each district. The Museums and Archaeology Service
already had a clear service level agreement with this Council for both registered???
and independent museums. It was hoped to identify exactly what work the Museums
and Archives Service was doing and what this District Council may contribute. She
added that it would be helpful to put this on a business footing with reporting back to
this Committee. Some people felt that hidden contributions were not being
recognised in the agreement, and she felt it would help to have them properly
described.
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17 February 2004
The Head of Museums and Archaeology Service stated that as a result of the recent
fundamental service review, the final agreement for which should be reached at the
next meeting of the Norfolk County Council, the budget would be increased to cover
on-going deficits. It was accepted that these were unavoidable matters which had to
be covered without making cuts in the Service.
The Head of Museums and Archaeology stated she was very pleased that the
Renaissance in the Regions had finally been sorted out. Her department was the
lead of the Eastern England Museum hub and as such was in line for additional
funding. The Museums and Archives Council could use Renaissance in the Regions’
funding for additional projects. Her Department was currently in a phase two hub
which meant that only smaller amounts of money could be obtained to provide new
services. Due to the pressure of work on the Area Museums Officer who supported
independent museums and provided a watching brief for other museums as a whole,
it was hoped to employ a Museums Officer for Norfolk. The Museums Officer would
advise on achieving registration status. It was hoped that smaller amounts of
Renaissance in the Regions funding would be available over the next year and in
2006 it was hoped that further funding would be available.
(27)
AREA MUSEUM OFFICER’S REPORT
The Committee noted the report of the Area Museums Officer, which outlined the
tasks she had undertaken between October 2003 and February 2004 and considered
how this role might develop.
The Area Museums Officer referred to the Norfolk and Waveney Maritime
Partnership and stated that a grant had been received from EEMLAC to support the
Partnership. This would be used to produce a Maritime Heritage Trail leaflet and
Passport Scheme which would include all the museums in the Partnership.
County Councillor P Jimenez asked whether Cromer Museum was busier in February
when admission was free than in January and the financial implications for the shop.
The Area Museums Officer replied that February was a busier month and mainly
comprised local people, especially children and families. Whilst entry was free of
charge during February, donations were higher. She stated that she would bring
figures relating to donations and to the shop to the next meeting of the Committee.
The Area Museums Officer replied to Councillor H C Cordeaux that museums events
were advertised in the Eastern Daily Press and in addition, leaflets were produced,
which she would bring to the next meeting of the Committee.
The Chairman advised that the 2004 ‘Day Out in North Norfolk’ would take place on
19 and 20 March at Pensthorpe.
(28)
CROMER MUSEUM ACCESS AND REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT
The Area Museums Officer informed the Committee that the Heritage Lottery had
awarded £299,500 to the Cromer Museum Access Project. Match-funding had been
made by Norfolk County Council, this Council and the Friends of Cromer Museum,
and £116,000 had granted by Objective 2. This money would be used to improve the
entrance to the Museum, develop a website, administrative support and marketing.
The Museum was still considering the options around developing a tourist information
centre on the Henry Blogg Memorial Garden site and the possibility of having the lift
on the outside of the building. This would mean they would have to make fewer
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changes to the Victorian Fisherman’s Cottages and preserve more of the historic
integrity of the buildings.
The Area Museums Officer stated that the Museum was to close in September 2004
so that it could be cleared in order for building work to start in October 2004. She
outlined the proposals and emphasised that it was intended to retain the character of
the building, as during public consultation, many people had commented that they
liked the atmosphere of it.
County Councillor L G Randall asked whether the shop would be enlarged. The Area
Museums Officer stated that it was intended to either extend the existing shop space
or locate the shop in the new entrance.
Councillor Ms V R Gay asked how extensive the archives were in Cromer Museum.
The Area Museums Officer that there was quite a lot of material about Cromer, as
well as materials in storage and it was hoped to provide greater public access to
them. She was asked many questions about local Cromer families. She added that
she would be happy to show Members of the Committee around the Museum.
Ms E Carstairs asked whether anything could be done to promote Dr Edward Bach
who spent much time in North Norfolk collecting flowers for his remedies. The Area
Museums Officer replied that a booklet on Dr Bach was available in the Museum
shop, and it might be possible to have an album about famous people in the Museum
post-project.
(29)
UPDATE ON THE SEAFRONT ENHANCEMENT SCHEME/RNLI MUSEUM
DEVELOPMENT
The Head of Leisure and Community Services reminded the Committee that this was
a £6.1 million scheme comprising three elements; Cromer Pier, Cromer Lifeboat
Museum and the Promenade, which would be interlinked by an arts project.
The Head of Leisure and Community Services stated that the Pier scheme had
started on 5 January 2004 and was progressing rapidly. Building was to be carried
out for an extension to the entrance to the Pier and extra seats and facilities. It was
hoped to complete work on the pavilion by 15 May, and on the Pier entrance by the
end of June. The work was on schedule and it was hoped to meet the timescale in
order to complete work before the start of the tourist season and before shows began
in the Pavilion theatre. He added that the ‘Folk on the Pier’, however, who had been
scheduled to perform at this time, had had to be relocated to the Runton Road Car
Park.
The Lifeboat Museum was to be moved to the Rocket House area because of the
need to move the inshore lifeboat into the number one boat shed in order to make it
more efficient to the RNLI for a quicker response. There would be a purpose built
museum on the side of the Rocket House. The contract tenders were due in next
week and work should start in March.
The Head of Leisure and Community Services displayed plans for the remodelling of
the Pier forecourt which included reduced car parking, although some spaces would
remain for house owners and the disabled. It was intended that there would be a
different pavia on the promenade in order to reduce the expanse of tarmac, but not to
destroy the outline of the Promenade.
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Five or six arts projects would link the area, with the principal element on the
forecourt. This would consist of a compass, themed on the local lifeboat heritage,
with lines to indicate the directions in which a selection of sea rescues had taken
place. The lines would be emphasised by sculptured, lit, granite columns. It was the
200th anniversary of the beginning of Cromer Lifeboat this year and so the timing of
this project was most fitting.
A second arts scheme would comprise ceramics projects in the Rocket House. A
typographer had also been appointed to design a font for Cromer and this would be
displayed in the Pavilion Theatre.
In October, a third arts project would the lighting up of buildings in Cromer using art
works projected onto them. This would form part of a weeklong promotion in Cromer,
in which local artists were being invited to take part.
A final arts element was to look at the opportunities to provide music, although
funding for this might not be achievable. There was also to be an exhibition by
Edward Pocock comprising drawings and paintings of buildings in Cromer.
The Chairman asked how much money the Council had been able to draw down for
the projects. The Head of Leisure and Community Services stated that it had been a
true partnership project, involving funding from a range of partners. He added that
Cromer Town Council had been fully involved in the projects.
(30)
NEWS SPOT
Mundesley Maritime Museum
Mr B Hogg informed the meeting that Mundesley Maritime Museum would be
opening over Easter and then again on 1 May 2004. This year, a minefield memorial
to commemorate the 26 soldiers who had died clearing mines along the Norfolk
Coast from 1943 – 1970, was to be unveiled on 2 May 2004 by the Lord Lieutenant.
Shell Museum
Councillor R Combe stated that the Shell Museum at Glandford had been offered a
collection of shell sculptures made by Peter Coke of Sharrington. The Museum was
tiny, and to accommodate these sculptures, it would require a large extension. The
Museum was currently looking into how it could fund the extension and obtain
planning permission to do so.
Norfolk Monuments Project
Ms H Patterson referred to the site visits to Salthouse Heath, Weybourne Priory and
Beeston Priory, which had taken place that morning prior to the Committee meeting.
She explained that the Norfolk Monuments Project had been set up in the early
1990s. She herself had looked at 650 sites in Norfolk over the last 10 – 12 years. Of
these, 40 management agreements and grants for landowners, on which sites of
interest had been discovered, had been agreed. Several landowners had signed
management statements to look after the land concerned and would inform Norfolk
Monuments Projects whether they were intending to carry out any works which might
affect the site. The Advisory Committee included English Heritage, DEFRA and
Norfolk County Council and met twice a year. Norfolk Monuments Project ran in
tandem with Earth Works Survey which took aerial photographs of earthworks of
note. A copy was given to the landowner and was also included in a book, a copy of
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which it was hoped the landowner would purchase. Helen Paterson concluded by
stating that funding was always a problem.
Councillor H C Cordeaux stated that the site visits had been very interesting and he
hoped that this would be an annual event.
The Chairman thanked Mr Gurney and Ms Paterson for the site visits.
Stalham Firehouse Museum
Mrs C Lloyd stated that the Museum had been in existence for one year and was the
second oldest firehouse in Britain, having been built in 1833. It was also the second
smallest. The Museum opened on a volunteer basis, mainly in the summer and at
Easter. The previous year, the Museum had received two awards. She explained
that the Firehouse had been built to house the first fire engine in North Norfolk. The
fire engine was made of wood and was pushed by hand to the fire. This was in
operation until 1902 when a second engine was purchased.
Norfolk Motorcycle Museum
Mr G Harmer explained that the Norfolk Motorcycle Museum had opened 11 years
previously and received many visitors from Easter to the end of October every year.
He stated that he would like to progress further with relocating the Museum to larger
premises, but was concerned that North Walsham and Fakenham tended to be
forgotten as opposed to Cromer. He asked if it was possible for the North Walsham
Tourist Information Centre to be located in one of the rooms in the North Walsham
Office.
Mr Harmer added that an acquaintance had a collection of classic and historic cars
and if it was possible to connect that collection with that of the Norfolk Motorcycle
Museum, it would be larger than the national museum in Beaulieu. Mr Harmer was
concerned that his acquaintance may leave his collection to Beaulieu Museum who
may then auction it off. The Head of Norfolk Museums Archaeology Service
responded that if there was a proposal to create a museum, there were a number of
issues to consider, ie bequeaths.
Nelson Monument
County Councillor M Taylor stated that it had been fascinating for him to attend this
meeting and hear about the achievements of many individuals. He stated that he
was pleased to see the maritime trail extending to the Waveney area as many people
who stayed in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft could take advantage of such trails.
He stated that the responsibility for the museums in his area had been given to the
County Council. A new project entitled ‘Time and Tide’ was being developed in that
area and replaced the maritime museum on the seafront. He added that in Great
Yarmouth, the Nelson Monument was being restored.
Straw Museum
Ella Carstairs stated that corn dollies formed a very small part of straw work. She
stated that the Straw Museum comprised 20 years of works and included marquetry,
and swiss straw lace from which garments could be made, as well as thread and
embroidery. She stated that she had never received any funding for the Museum
and she preferred not to charge an entrance fee so that children and others were not
denied access to knowledge. She emphasised the importance not only of people
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being able to see the see the straw work but also to observe how to use it. An article
about the Museum was to be featured in the Eastern Daily Press as well as on a
programme to be shown on Anglia TV presented by Paul Heiney entitled ‘An Anglian
Winter’. Mrs Lloyd of the Firehouse Museum advised Ella Carstairs that she might
be able to secure funding through ‘Awards for All’.
Crossing the Line
Margi Britz informed the meeting that this year’s exhibition at Salthouse Church
would take place from early July to early August. The theme was ‘Crossing the Line’
and would be different to last year’s exhibition, as it would comprise video work,
photography and workshops. The Chicago Bay Choir had contacted the organisers
and expressed a wish to perform for one day during the exhibition. Louis de
Bernieres was to give an evening performance.
Sheringham Museum
Mr P Brooks, stated that Sheringham Museum was to put on two displays. One was
about the Upton family and their influence on Sheringham, and the other was to be
the biggest exhibition ever of the work of John Craske, who was born in Sheringham.
But the latter exhibition would be dependent upon obtaining insurance.
RAF Air Defence Radar Museum, Neatishead
Mr D Robb explained that at the end of the year, the Museum had won the Berry
Savory Award. This year was the sixtieth anniversary of D-Day, in which radar had
played a large part. An open day was to take place at the Museum on 1 June 2004.
He did not know what the future of the Museum was to be as he had been advised
that a decision would be made by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces in early
March. If it was to close, Mr Robb stated that there were plans for the survival of the
Museum, and he might consult the District Council for their advice.
County Councillor S Murphy, Chairman of Norfolk Joint Museums Committee stated
that the site visits which had taken place that morning had been very interesting. He
added that this was an exciting time for the Museums Service with so many new
projects taking place.
The meeting closed at 3.50 pm.
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