Agenda item
Annual Report
Minutes:
The Committee considered the report of Ms Samantha Harris, Collections Manager which provided an overview of the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment’s collection activities during 2018.
Ms Harris highlighted to the Committee that:
·
The Learning Team had run several workshops based on
WW1 and WW2 which related to the artefacts and history of the
Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Museum Trust (QORWKRMT)
throughout 2018. In total 680 school
children engaged specifically with the collection and gallery in
formal learning activities since January 2018.
·
There had been increased social media presence in
2018 relating to the QORWKR, which related to posts and blogs
regarding the Regiment’s involvement in WW1 in the final
centenary year. The Keys of Jerusalem
were due back in the next week having been on loan to the Tower of
David Museum in Jerusalem.
·
During 2018, 73 items had been donated, accessioned
and added to the Trust’s collection The new items consisted of:
* The Invicta (the magazine of the 1st Kent
Regiment)
* Various items of the uniform worn by the Regiment
* Accessories which included a respirator, bottle, bayonet frog
and
holster
·
No major redisplay work had been undertaken in the
permanent gallery in 2018. However a
number of the medal drawers had now been made secure after
developing faults over time.
·
Café Culture sessions have continued to be
popular and have included talks/discussions and object
handling.
·
A series of events named ‘What’s in
Store?’ were scheduled to begin in January 2019 with monthly
tours behind the scenes. These sessions are bookable in advance by
the public.
·
Mr Finnis continued to
work on the QORWKRMT archive and the large photographic
collection. Following completion of the
3D objects, he was now cataloguing the 2D items.
·
There had been no new collections care issues raised
in 2018. However this would be reviewed
in line with display needs and budget allowing.
·
A large number of enquiries had been received during
the last year possibly as a result of the final year of WW1
centenary commemorations. The enquiries
were received by contact form, email, phone, letter or in person
and can be quite resource orientated.
In
response to a question from the Committee, Ms Harris replied that
Ms Barlow, the Museum’s Director had contacted the National
Army Museum but they would not be looking to take on the collection
were the Trust to dissolve, whilst they felt it would be of
enormous interest to people in Maidstone, it would hold little
interest in the National Army Museum.
The Committee requested that their thanks be expressed in a letter to Mr Finnis and the officers and other volunteers at the Museum for all their hard work.
The Committee also requested that a report be brought to the special meeting of the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Trust Committee in February providing an update on the transformation plan and evidence of the written response received from the National Army Museum about the collection.
RESOLVED: That
1)
The annual report be
noted.
2)
A letter be sent from the
Chairman to Mr Finnis and the officers
and other volunteers at the Museum expressing the Committee’s
thanks and appreciation for all their hard work.
3)
That an update on the transformation plan be
provided to the special meeting in February.
4) That evidence of the written response from the National Army Museum be provided at the February meeting.
Voting: Unanimous
Supporting documents: