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A VIP Visit To Our New Exhibition

We had our own Exhibition launch recently and were joined by Cllr Parveen Rani who is the Hersmere Culture portfolio holder and so responsible for our 'compact' Museum. Manager Dave Armitage showed her around the new Exhibition which features the highlights from our last ten years since we moved to 96 Shenley Road.  We've concentrated on such delights as the model of Elstree Station in 1900 and Hanson's shop, so you can see the trains and weigh out and eat your own sweets in 'old' money.  (Sorry, there is no 'Hanson's ice cream' available!).  Cllr Rani was very impressed by the hard work our volunteers have put in over the years, and here's a photo of us during her visit.

Our New Exhibition Is Open

Your Museum At 10 is our new Exhibition and it's now open.  Come and see a working model of the railway station in 1900; see the sweet counter at Hanson's and weigh some dolly mixtures in lbs and ozs while using a traditional till; see a model of the Village Hall with  a Saturday night disco; and much more.  This is the story of your museum in 96 Shenley Road which is ten years old this November. A lookback at some of our Exhibitions and the local history that inspired them. And here's a shot of the tireless workers who brought you this extravaganza!

New Exhibition Work-in-Progress

Our new Exhibition is called Your Museum At 10 and is a sort of 'greatest hits'. It features many of the best items from our previous 15 exhibitions and lots of your favourite memories of Elstree and Borehamwood.  So we will have Hansons, the Village Hall, the Lynx Club and a working model of the station as it was in 1900 among many other delights.  Our photos show the team hard at work with the new railway layout, and you might spot the Village Hall in the background.  Opening this Saturday at 10 am. See you there!

New Exhibition On The Way

For #MemoriesMonday we have a photo taken by Mary Hanson of the shelves inside her shop in the 60s. Maybe you can recognise your favourite sweet! The Museum is now closed until Tuesday 12th September while we prepare our new Exhibition. We are celebrating our tenth year in 96 Shenley Road by looking back at our local history and featuring the 15 Exhibitions we have created for you in that time. You will be amazed at the topics we have covered when we open again. And we feature such important memories as Hansons and many others.  Look out for All Our Yesterdays - A Rewind Through Time coming soon.

New Wall Display In The 96 Cafe

We have a new display down the wall in the cafe on the ground floor of 96 Shenley Road. Here's a short explanation of the new panels :

Working with a collection of selected artefacts from Elstree and Borehamwood Museum, artists Anji Archer and Christina Armstrong of Open Art Box CIC, facilitated a series of six two hour workshops which took place at St Michael and All Angels Church in Borehamwood between March and June 2023.

These workshops ran on Monday afternoons where already a community group called Chatter Tables was operating. Anyone was welcome to join.

The workshops explored themes inspired by the Museum’s collection and the area’s local history. Each workshop focused on a different theme and encouraged sharing of stories amongst the group about their memories of Borehamwood. The participants were given the opportunity to learn more about the history of their local area as part of the workshops.

Here are some of the items they created :

Elstree Memories

For #MemoriesMonday here's a colourised postcard from around 1905 showing The Chapel and playing field at Elstree School.  No doubt about the game they are playing, but the exact location of the photo is unknown.  And a couple of pith helmets too!

Murder, Mayhem And Mystery : A Query Answered

On #MemoriesMonday we go back to 1855, so not really a memory for any of us, but an excuse to correct one of the panels in our current Exhibition, Murder, Mayhem And Mystery.  When we wrote the panel we didn't know what happened to alleged poisoner Sarah Newton from Rowley Green.  We left her at Hertford Assizes in March 1855 and assumed she was found guilty of the murder by poisoning of her husband and son. But here is the court report of the day which was given to us by an anonymous visitor - to whom, much thanks.

We were amazed to discover that she was found NOT GUILTY! That was one very lucky woman...

[Source : London Daily News, Saturday 3 March 1855]

Dressing Up For All

Everyone can dress up in our current exhibition, even mums.  Come down and be the police person who solves the Murders and clears up the Mayhem.  And there's a bit of Mystery too.

Dressing Up Stops The Mayhem

Some of our young visitors dress up in the Police Box to show us how to deal with the Mayhem of the current exhibition Murder, Mayhem and Mystery.  Complete with helmets and squeaky truncheons! Come and visit us and wear a mustache as well if you fancy.

Murder, Mayhem & Mystery Opens

Yes, our new Exhibition is finally open. Come and explore those weird stories your granny told you, those strange mysteries you heard once and forgot, and those naughty happenings just out of knowledge!

All here now for you to read and tell your family and friends. And you will find out Dick Turpin wasn't that much of a hero.