Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums Blog

Bob Renaut Blog No. 3 – Guest blog by South Shields Museum & Art Gallery Volunteers Jean and Wendy

Hello. This is Jean and Wendy with more information about Bob Renaut who lectured in Art, Design and Photography at South Shields Marine and Technical College during the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

We would like to show you some photos taken in the 1970s of a college trip to the art galleries of London. Were you one of the students or lecturers on this trip? What was the year?

In the photo below, the lecturers are posing on the steps and Bob can be seen on the far right of the group. The man on the left is looking very cool with his wide-legged jeans, shades and his drink.

South Shields Marine and Technical College staff outside Tate Britain. TWCMS : 2011.113

Students and lecturers can be seen posing outside the Royal Academy of Art in London, below. The posters on the building advertise a Post-Impressionism exhibition. We love the impoverished art student look of the long-haired young man standing at the front of the group – with his long hair, cigarette in hand and patches on the well-worn, faded jeans!

Students and lecturers outside the Royal Academy of Art. TWCMS : 2011.111

The photo below shows students hard at work in an art class, the young man standing is doing some screen printing. The print appears to be a cross section of an orange with the juice running into the neck of a bottle. The man sitting at the back is sketching a self portrait, while looking at a mirror in front of him.

The art studio at South Shields Marine and Technical College. TWCMS : 2011.133

We think this is a great picture of people in the restaurant at the college, which is called ‘The Clipper Suite’.

The restaurant at South Shields Marine and Technical College

The ‘Clipper Suite’ restaurant at South Shields Marine and Technical College. TWCMS : 2011.129

They are enjoying a meal which has been prepared and cooked by the catering students. They are also being served by students learning how to apply the silver service technique. This was a very popular place to eat, as you can see by the smile on the gentleman wearing spectacles, who is looking straight at the camera. These meals were of restaurant standard but at subsidised prices!

In the next blog post we will show you some of Bob’s photographs taken at North Shields fishquay. Until then, take care, be good, bye bye 🙂

Discovering the history of the Co-op

Discovery Museum Local History Social History
Posted by administrator on June 22, 2011 Permalink Comments (3)

The Discovery Museum was a very different building one hundred years ago from the one it is today. It was once the headquarters of the North East branch of the Co-operative Wholesale Society. Founded in 1863 the society grew in popularity. Architects Leeson and Wood designed this building, Blandford House, which opened in 1899.

Blandford House in its Co-op heyday. Photography courtesy of © National Co-operative Archive

In 1977 the Co-op moved out and in 1981 the building was taken over by the museum. Many of our visitors remember the building in its former life. It contained a central courtyard, now the Turbinia gallery, warehouses, offices, an elaborate dining hall and even had its own bank.

The manager’s offices were very stylish compared to the warehouses and their toilets were some of the fanciest in town!

Managers' toilets by the archives

The offices were given an elegant new look in the 1930’s. You can still see the 1930’s features and the elaborate stained glass window in the entrance to the archives.

Sunrise Wheatsheaf Window in the entrance to the archives

The Great Hall is a beautiful Victorian space which was restored in 1999. It has hosted its fair share of celebrations over the years, used as dining hall for Co-op employees, it also hosted Christmas parties and retirement dinners.

The great hall in 1901 © National Co-operative Archive

This Christmas programme from 1924 shows the menu that was served, the orchestra members, the songs people sang and a list of guest singers.

Co-operative Christmas Dinner Programme from 1924 TWCMS: 2011.1414

1924 Christmas menu TWCMS: 2011.1414

It is not only the inside of the building which has changed. The green domes that sit on top of the turrets are actually made of copper. The metal has reacted with the air over the years giving them the pretty green sheen which we now see today.

Discovery Museum as it looks today

In 2013 the museum will be commemorating the 150^th anniversary of the creation of the Co-operative Society, look out for more information.

George Baxter Prints

Art Collections & Objects Collections Management Hatton Gallery
Posted by administrator on June 20, 2011 Permalink Comments (4)

I am in the process of cataloguing a collection of oil colour prints by George Baxter (1804-1867). The Hatton Gallery hold a collection of around 500 Baxter prints. The prints are of exceptional quality and provide an illuminating insight into contemporary Victorian life, depicting its society, dress, important events and people. Baxter also created meticulous reproduction of famous paintings. Baxter was fastidious in recording the minutiae of life in much the same way as a camera would today.

Prolific in his creative output, Baxter produced stand alone prints as well as prints for illustrated books, sheet music, needle boxes and playing cards. Baxter was steadfast in his determination to create inexpensive oil colour prints which resemble miniature oil paintings.

This print entitled Come Pretty Robin (1857) provides a rare insight into the print making process. The first print in neutral colour is taken directly from an intricate steel plate engraving. Following this first print Baxter applied successive layers of wood blocks in single colours. This process required a remarkable degree of precision and patience.

The Holy Family (1850). A fine example of how Baxter’s prints were used to illustrate sheet music.

The Descent from the Cross (1855). Baxter often printed reproductions of famous paintings. This is taken from a work by Flemish Baroque painter Pieter Pauwel Rubens. Baxter viewed the painting at Antwerp Cathedral and made studious sketches before translating it to print. This is considered by some experts to be the finest colour production by Baxter.

Fisherman’s Home (1848). Just 7 x 5.5 cm (h x w) this print provides an intimate glimpse into an informal contemporary domestic scene. The print is rendered in meticulous detail and the colours appear alive and vivid even in the tiniest spaces. The print is from a painting by F.J. Wyburd.

The Ascent of Mont Blanc (leaving the grand Mulets) (1855). This is one of a series of four prints depicting this ascent. These prints were taken from drawings by J. MacGregor, who was a member of the expedition. This first print shows the chief guide, Tissay, being pulled to safety after a sudden break in the ice.

Wreck of The Reliance (1843) this dramatic ship wreak scene off the French coast near Boulogne was based on an description of the event from the only British survivor R. Dickson.

Today, some 150 years later Baxter’s careful detail and exceptional sensitivity to colour is still very much admired. Baxter’s prints create an excellent picture of the England in which he lived.

A Victorian Spring at Monkwearmouth

Design Local History Natural Sciences Social History Volunteering
Posted by administrator on June 17, 2011 Permalink Leave a comment

Foxgloves decorate the entrance to Monkwearmouth

Last autumn Peter Gibson, Duty Manager at Monkwearmouth Station Museum, decided to turn his passion for gardening into a new, interesting and beautiful contribution to the museum’s grounds. The self-described “enthusiastic amateur” quickly drew up a plan for a traditional Victorian cottage garden in the front of Monkwearmouth and planted bulbs before the first snowfall. Now, several months later, visitors to the museum are greeted by the garden’s delightful array of flowers and ferns. Blossoms of every size, shape and colour decorate Monkwearmouth’s entrance, growing together in harmony.

Cascading blossoms in the front garden

Peter Gibson and Martin Middleton, a volunteer, working in the Sidings garden

But Peter is quick to point out that his work is anything but finished. The garden, like all thriving gardens, is constantly evolving and changing with the seasons. Peter also has impressive plans for the rest of Monkwearmouth’s grounds. Next to the new Sidings building (home to two railway wagons, currently under restoration), Peter and his team of dedicated volunteers are developing a second, more comprehensive Victorian cottage garden which includes over 25 varieties of plants, including vegetables, herbs and flowers. A shadier area has potential to become a fern garden, and Peter intends to turn an overgrown area into a wildlife meadow, where bees, butterflies, birds and possibly even hedgehogs can live in peace.

Sidings before Victorian cottage garden

New plants are added daily to the Sidings garden

Traditionally, Victorians kept small gardens to feed themselves and their families, taking pride in the beautiful flowers they grew alongside their vegetables. Today’s “Victorian” cottage gardens are similar to the traditional version, but are home to a variety of different and hybrid plants that weren’t available in the 19^th century. The inspiration, however, remains the same: a wide variety of flowers of all sizes completely covering the soil, immersing the visitor in blossoms and greenery.

Can you spot the bee in this picture?

Designing and planting the gardens has lead to some interesting ‘finds’. After trimming a number of overgrown branches, volunteers re-discovered an authentic loading gauge that dates back to Monkwearmouth Station’s working days. The loading gauge ensured that the trains could pass safely beneath bridges and go through tunnels after leaving the station.

Loading Gauge

Peter hopes that Monkwearmouth’s gardens will attract more visitors, and believes that with time, the gardens could become an attraction themselves. For now, though, the gardens certainly make for a beautiful addition to Monkwearmouth’s grounds. If you’re in the area, why not stop by and explore the whimsical array of foxgloves, tulips, daffodils, roses and more.

Senetti

The Persian Rose

Skyping With the U.S

Collections & Objects Education Fashion The Archives
Posted by administrator on June 15, 2011 Permalink Comments (1)

After going live on Flickr Commons, Tyne & Wear Archive & Museum’s Photostream had an influx of people viewing the photographic collections online. We have now reached over 200,000 views of the images we have uploaded to Flickr, to take a look at these follow this link.

We had a particular interest in our ‘Criminals of 1871-1873′ set, by Mr. Fladd and his 7th Grade Class at Deerfield Community School, New Hampshire, in the United States.

The history class had some questions about the collection of 19th Century criminals, in which Mr. Fladd filmed some of the students’ questions and posted the video at this address.

From there we decided to answer these questions through Skype, which is a video link over the web, so we could engage with Mr Fladd and his class of students in real time.

Skype Test with Mr Fladd in the United States

Testing Skype with Mr Fladd and his history class in the United States.

Peter Hepplewhite, our Learning and Outreach Manager, who provides education activities and sessions on items relating to the Archives, answered the questions that the history class had about the images on Flickr.

Peter Hepplewhite, talking about the Victorian criminals collection

An explanation of Victorian criminals of Newcastle from Peter Hepplewhite

James Davit, Newcastle Victorian Criminal

James Davit, a convicted Victorian Criminal in Newcastle 1873

It proved to be a great success. Speaking with Mr. Fladd and his history class through Skype was quite surreal at first, but it’s fantastic to think that people the other side of the world can enjoy, appreciate and learn about the collections held here at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums.

The students at Deerfield Community School are now recreating their own mug shots of Victorian Villians, here are a few to show you.