Napoleonic News Desk
Norman Cross Collection
Gets a New Lease of Life
by Paul Chamberlain
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Access Officer Julia Habeshaw redesigns a display as part of the gallery refurbishment. Photo © Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery. This popular collection of Napoleonic Prisoner-of-War craftwork will be back on show after a month of being closed to visitors to allow the gallery to be redeveloped. The new gallery features a complete photographic database of all the Norman Cross items in the museum. The recording of the collection of about 700 items has taken a year to complete. Glenys Wass, Museum Collections Manager for Peterborough City Council says, “Up until now, only a small percentage of the collection has been on display. Now for the first time, we can give unlimited access to these unique and beautiful artefacts. Most of these items are over 200 years old and as such are showing signs of deterioration. Due to their fragile nature, many are unsuitable for permanent display. The new database will allow access to the reserve collection in storage, whilst ensuring their long term preservation.” This unique collection dates to the time of the Napoleonic Wars, when over 7000 French and Dutch prisoners were housed at a specially built prison depot at Norman Cross near Peterborough. The prisoners occupied themselves by making delicate, decorative objects from the raw materials they had to hand, mainly bone, straw and paper, which they then sold in the prison market. The refurbished gallery is part of the Norman Cross conservation project. Part of the collection is currently receiving some much needed care and attention from professional conservators. This important work is being funded by grants supplied by the Pilgrim Trust, Western Garfield Foundation, and generous donations from both the Museum Society and Friends of Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery. The project has also included the installation of an air conditioning unit and humidifier in the gallery, helping the museum to protect these precious objects from further damage. Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery has the largest collection of this kind in the world, largely thanks to a mass donation in 1915 made by local people. Items are still being donated today, with the donation in 2001 of a Spinning Jenny and a magnificent double portrait executed in straw marquetry from the Friends of the Museum. The most recent acquisition is a bone domino box belonging to Mr. George Dixon, a member of the Museum Society, kindly donated by his widow. The museum is committed to ensuring that this celebrated collection keeps its unique beauty and will continue to intrigue future generations of visitors. The Norman Cross Gallery is open to visitors from Tuesday - Friday 12noon-5pm, Saturdays 10am-5pm, Sundays 12noon-4pm. Admission is free of charge. For further information, contact the Museum & Art Gallery on 01733 343329 or visit their Website: www.peterboroughheritage.org.uk Napoleonic News Desk
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Visitors to Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery will be able to experience the exciting changes that have taken place in the Norman Cross Gallery, after it reopened to the public on 3rd November.