Yelverton Paperweight Centre facts for kids
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| Established | 1978 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 2003 |
| Collection size | >1,200 paperweights |
| Founder | Bernard Broughton |
The Yelverton Paperweight Centre was a special place in Leg O'Mutton, a small village near Yelverton in Devon, England. It was a museum and shop dedicated to paperweights.
A paperweight is a small, heavy object used to keep papers from blowing away. They are often made of glass and can be very beautiful. This museum started with one person's private collection. It grew to hold more than 1,200 amazing paperweights!
The Paperweight Centre closed down some time after 2003. By 2015, the building was for sale.
Contents
How the Paperweight Centre Started
The museum began with a man named Bernard Broughton. He was a postmaster in St Tudy, a town in Cornwall. A postmaster is someone who manages a post office.
Bernard's wife received a French paperweight from a family member. This gift inspired Bernard to start collecting them. As his collection grew, he began to show it to people in his post office.
In 1978, Bernard moved to Yelverton. He continued to let people see his wonderful collection. When he passed away in 1984, he had collected 850 paperweights.
Who Managed the Centre?
After Bernard Broughton's death, Kay Bolster took over the centre. She had been Bernard's assistant since he moved to Yelverton. Kay managed the Paperweight Centre from 1984 to 1997. During this time, more and more tourists came to visit the collection.
In 1997, David Hunter became the new owner of the centre. The centre closed its doors to visitors some time after he took over.
What Was in the Collection?
The Yelverton Paperweight Centre had about 1,200 paperweights in total. Some were from Bernard Broughton's original collection. Others were bought by the later owners.
The collection included paperweights from many different countries. You could see examples from the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and China. Some paperweights came from famous glass studios. These included Caithness Glass and Whitefriars Glass. Other paperweights were made by individual artists. The centre also displayed beautiful watercolour paintings of Dartmoor.
Special Paperweights
The centre was also a place where you could buy paperweights. Bernard Broughton even asked a company called Isle of Wight Studio Glass to make two special series of paperweights. These were limited edition, meaning only a certain number were made.
The first series was made in 1979. It had "PO 79" stamped on the bottom. "PO" stood for Post Office, where Bernard first showed his collection. The second series was made in 1981. It had "Y 1981" stamped on the bottom. "Y" stood for Yelverton, and 1981 was the year they were made. These special paperweights even contained pieces of quartz. The quartz was collected from Bodmin Moor, adding a local touch!
