Chesham Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 2004, relocated October 2009, relocated again in 2024 |
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| Location | Town Hall, Parsonage Lane Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1EP, England |
| Type | Private, Community and local history museum |
The Chesham Museum is a cool place in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England. It's run by amazing volunteers and shows off the history of the town and nearby areas.
The museum first opened in 2004 in a temporary spot called 'The Stables'. Later, in October 2009, it moved to the town's Market Square. After being closed for a few years, Chesham Museum is now open again in the Chesham Town Hall as of January 2024! It's a great spot to explore the past through old items and photos.
Contents
The Museum's Story
The idea for a museum in Chesham started way back in 1981. A local historian and councillor named Arnold Baines first suggested it. A group called The Francis Trust, which had helped restore an old painting of the town, decided to take on the challenge of creating a museum.
Even though many local people were excited, it was hard to get enough money or a good building for the museum at first. In 1991, they launched the Town Museum Project. For ten years, from 1992, a dedicated team set up 38 temporary displays in a special cabinet at Chesham Library. They showed off many different topics, like Chesham's old industries, local events, and famous people from the town. They also held talks and raised money. But even with all this effort, they couldn't find a permanent home for all the items people were donating.
In 2003, the Town Museum Project ended. But some of the original members teamed up with the owner of a local pub, who offered a stable building behind the pub. This new temporary museum, called 'The Stables', opened to the public in 2004. Because the space was small, the museum often changed its displays so visitors could see as much of the collection as possible.
In 2008, the museum decided to move to a bigger place in Market Square. This building, at No 15 Market Square, is very old, built in the 1600s! The museum closed 'The Stables' in November 2008 to prepare for the move. They successfully raised money and signed the lease in August 2009. The museum then reopened on October 6, 2009. After being closed again since June 2018, it has now reopened its doors in Chesham Town Hall in January 2024.
What You Can See and Do
The museum mainly focuses on Chesham's social life, culture, religions, and industries from the past. It has a huge collection of over 700 photos, audio and video recordings, objects, and documents. These tell stories about:
- Chesham's unique history of different religious groups.
- The impact of important families and famous people in town.
- The early days of Chesham's services, like the fire brigade and the old hospital.
These stories are shown through five main displays: Made in Chesham, Chesham at War, Coming to Chesham, Digging up the Past, and Remember Chesham.
Made in Chesham
This display shows off many cool items, like old tools, manufactured goods, and toys. They all tell the story of Chesham's traditional industries, such as:
- Making boots and shoes.
- Producing brushes.
- Creating wooden items.
- Brewing beer.
You can see how these industries changed from small home workshops to big Victorian factories. In the early 1900s, Chesham made all sorts of things, including handbags, pencils, teddy bears, airplane seats, flags, and even aluminum foil! The museum shows how these factories grew, and then how they slowly disappeared in the second half of the 20th century, replaced by new businesses in areas like medicine, computers, and engineering.
Chesham at War
This part of the museum has a growing collection of pictures from the 20th century. They show what daily life was like in Chesham during wartime. You can see how the First and Second World Wars affected people and the town. Displays include the gas masks given to adults and children, what Air Raid Wardens did, and how everyone learned to use ration cards and grow their own vegetables.
Coming to Chesham
This section tells the story of why people came to Chesham over the years. It uses pictures, interviews, and old items. For example, some people moved because of changes in religious beliefs. Others came as evacuees during the Second World War. In the 1950s, people arrived because there were jobs for skilled workers. More recently, people have come from countries in the Commonwealth.
Digging up the Past
Here, you can see some amazing discoveries from archaeological digs in Chesham. These digs have helped us understand the town's ancient history. The museum also shows prehistoric items from Chesham that are now kept in the County Museum in Aylesbury, like a Bronze Age bowl brought all the way from the Alps!
Remember Chesham
A very important project at the museum is collecting stories from people who have lived in Chesham for a long time. They record these memories through audio and video. These recordings, along with photos and documents, help us remember what has changed and what has stayed the same in Chesham more recently.
Temporary Displays and Website
The museum has a special area for temporary exhibits that change each spring and autumn. Some past exhibits have included:
- Pastimes and Pleasure: The story of entertainment in Chesham, from amateur plays to radio and TV.
- House & Home: How housing developed in Chesham.
- Chesham Girl Guides 1915-2010 Celebrations.
- Medieval Chesham: About life in Chesham during the Middle Ages.
- The Watercress Industry in the Chess Valley.
- Sports and Recreation.
- Brewing in Chesham.
A Community Museum
Since it started, the museum has worked to preserve old items and do research. It has also hosted school visits, town walks, craft displays, and put on exhibits in other places. In its plans, the museum wants to become a full community museum in its new town centre location. By being in a bigger, more central spot, the museum hopes to get more people from Chesham and visitors interested in the town's history.
While temporary displays will still be a big part of the museum, the increased space now allows for permanent exhibits and a special area for group visits with audio-visual equipment. The museum also plans to work more closely with other local groups, like Chesham Library and the local theatre.
How the Museum is Run
The museum is a registered charity, which means it's a non-profit organization. It's managed by a group of trustees who are in charge of the museum's collection and activities. A team of dedicated volunteers takes care of all the items. The museum gets its money from public donations and fundraising events. Since March 1, 2014, it has been free to visit the museum, thanks to the kindness of Waitrose. Entry was free until 2017.
