Object A – Z – N is for NALGO protest
Origins of NALGO NALGO, the National and Local Government Officers’ Association, was a prominent British trade union founded in 1905. It began as an association of local municipal guilds (professional network/trade union for public sector and local council employees). It had a focus on establishing a pension scheme, improving pay and working conditions, and stamping […]
Object A – Z – M is for Mourning Jewellery
Mourning brooches are wearable tokens of grief. While modern Western sensibilities might find this practice grim, from the 17th to the early 20th centuries, it was a highly respected custom and a highly profitable industry. The evolution of mourning brooches, and indeed other mourning wear, reveals how society’s relationship with death changed over three distinct […]
Object A – Z – L is for Long-case Clock
Our Long-case clock Our L object is an inlaid mahogany long-case clock made by John Fernly in Trowbridge, Wiltshire circa 1775. This clock is an eight-day movement type (we shall explain that further in the article) with anchor escapement and rack striking on a bell. It has an automaton of a moving hawk inserted at […]
WEFT Returns 11th July
West of England Festival of Textiles, WEFT, is our biennial exhibition celebrating local and regional artists, makers and businesses inspired by textiles. WEFT 2026-EXPLORE See the structure. Feel the texture. React to the fabric. Explore a landscape of unusual fibres, patterns, colours & interactive installations as we explore the materials that shape our lives. WEFT […]
Object A – Z – K is for Kings Arms painting
The Kings Arms, Silver Street painting by W W Wheatley Within our collection we have a series of over 30 illustrations and watercolours by the artist W W Wheatley. Before we dive in to the background of the artist, the subject matter of this particular painting is one that often causes confusion. The name ‘Kings […]
Object A-Z – J is for Jigsaw Puzzle
The Origin: “Dissected Maps” (1760s) In 1762, a London mapmaker and engraver named John Spilsbury created the first known example of what we would today call a jigsaw puzzle. He didn’t intend it as a game; he glued a map of the world onto a thin piece of mahogany wood and used a hand-held saw […]
Object A-Z – I is for Illuminated Letter
Illuminated Origins: From Practicality to Prayer In the early days of the written word, scrolls were the standard. However, as the codex (the ancestor of the modern book) took over around the 2nd century, scribes needed a way to help readers navigate long blocks of text. Large letters originally served as visual landmarks, helping a […]
Lift only Access Tuesday June 9th
We will be having some new fire alarms installed in our main stairwell on Tuesday 9th June and access to the museum will be via the lift only. We apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Object A-Z – H is for Horse Brass
What is a Horse Brass In the simplest terms, a horse brass is a decorative brass plaque attached to a horse’s harness, traditionally used on heavy “draft” horses. Centuries ago, horse brasses weren’t just for show, they were amulets. Carters and farmers believed that “the evil eye” or witchcraft could cause a horse to fall […]
Object A-Z – G is for Gaumont Cinema photograph
The Gaumont’s beginnings The Gaumont cinema in Trowbridge was located at 27 Fore Street and served as a major local landmark before its closure and eventual demolition. It was just one of many cinemas within the British arm of the Gaumont group – over 300 by 1929! While the name is French, the British arm […]
