News

We are very happy to announce that Grantham Museum is featured in the new Discover South Kesteven website and visitor guide.

Visit the website now and you can download your own copy to find out what wonderful treasures there are in our region.

http://www.discoversouthkesteven.com

This is part of our 2019 strategy of raising awareness of our Museum on a national and international scale to encourage tourism and help develop the visitor economy for Grantham.

Keep your eyes peeled for more exciting developments as we head into the New Year.

We are now working with partners to summarise all our efforts to put together the Interactive Science Salon at Grantham Museum at the time of the Gravity Fields Festival.

Not least we have to write a report for our funders, but also we would like to have your views to enable us to continue to evaluate and improve our heritage and museum based experiences. The questionnaire only takes a few minutes to complete.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6C5N5HP

Margaret Thatcher statue plans to be unveiled

Plans to site a bronze statue of the country’s first female Prime Minister, The Rt Hon Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven LG, in Grantham were unveiled at a special event at the town’s museum on Wednesday 21 November.

A display outlining details of the proposal by Grantham Community Heritage Association (GCHA), which runs the museum, South Kesteven District Council and The Public Memorials Appeal is on show.

The sculptor, Douglas Jennings, who is critically acclaimed and renowned for producing highly detailed bronzes, portraits and sculptures, was also present to talk about his work.

The organisations say the statue will not only be a fitting tribute to a unique political figure, but that it will also provide a welcome boost to the town’s economy from visitors on both sides of the debate who come to find out more about her legacy.

The proposal is for the 10.5ft statue, standing on a 10.5ft plinth, to be erected on the green space on St Peter’s Hill. The planning application will be considered by SKDC’s Development Management Committee.

The statue has been paid for by The Public Memorials Trust, a charity that aims to commission and erect memorials of historically important people. Money raised by the GCHA Margaret Thatcher Appeal will help deliver the statue. No public funds have been used.

 

Margaret Thatcher (nee Roberts) was born and raised in Grantham and attended Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, before gaining a scholarship to study at Oxford University. Her father Alfred, a grocer, was Mayor from 1945 to 1946. She entered the House of Lords in 1992.

Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990. Five-and-a-half years on from her death in April 2013, hersocial and economic legacy continues to divide opinion, with strong feelings on both sides of the debate.

David Burling, GCHA Trustee, said: “The debate about Margaret Thatcher’s legacy looks set to continue for generations to come. We want the Grantham Museum to be where that debate happens.

“We believe full planning permission for the statue will not only secure the future of the museum for the next 10 years but allow us to develop and improve our permanent Margaret Thatcher exhibition which is viewed by thousands of visitors each year.

“We will continue to raise money for the statue project and every penny donated will help to tell the story of Margaret Thatcher in the Grantham Museum.”

The Leader of South Kesteven District Council, Councillor Matthew Lee, said: “Margaret Thatcher was undoubtedly an enormous political figure, both nationally and internationally, and deserves to be recognised in her home town.

“I welcome the work being done to create a permanent memorial to Grantham’s most famous daughter.”

The Sculptor, Douglas Jennings, said: “It was a great privilegeto work with Ivan Saxton of The Public Memorials Appeal to create and capture the essence of Margaret Thatcher, one of the UKs most recognised political leaders.

“Dressed in the Baronial Gown of Kesteven and wearing the chain of the Order of the Garter, I think it is appropriate that she has a memorial in the heart of the historic region of Kesteven.”

You can donate to the project by clicking below, in person at the Museum or by cheque made payable to Grantham Community Heritage Association.

 

On Friday 7th December 2018, Grantham Museum will be holding a fundraising Race Night to raise vital funds for the upkeep of Grantham Museum.

Amanda Schonhut, Fundraising Director says “This will be your opportunity to have a great night out with friends and do your bit to help keep Grantham Museum open”.

Lots of fun to be had in a great location. Entrance is £2.50 on the door. Doors open at 7pm and racing starts at 7:30pm

Grantham Writers is launching its second annual book festival this November, following the success of last year’s inaugural event.

Grantham Book Festival 2018 will be held at Grantham Museum on St Peter’s Hill on November 3rd from 10am until 4pm.

New for this year is a poetry slam, where participants will be able to compete for the cash prize of £100. The competition will be hosted by multi award winning poet Sue Gerrard alongside Peter Clawson, one of the founding members of Grantham Writers. There will be a small charge of £3 per poem (with a maximum of three entries per person) and the group is keen to encourage writers of all ages and abilities, from across the East Midlands, to take part. 

Visitors to the book festival will also be able to enjoy six talks from local authors, who will be reading extracts from their books, answering questions and carrying out book signings throughout the day.

Confirmed authors include Lisa J Rivers who has published a number of books, including popular poetry collection Why I have so Many Cats?, as well as Grantham Writers own Riis Marshall. Riis is currently working on the follow up to his first published novel – a political thriller called Nudge Nudge Wink Wink Die, which follows the adventures of Os Doran, a Close Protection Security Consultant. 

In addition, there will be 24 stalls, selling a wide variety of books and some gifts. 

Peter Clawson said, “We are thrilled to be holding our second annual book festival and are in the process of getting a great line up of authors involved. 

“The event will be a fantastic way to celebrate the local writing talent that we have in and around Grantham, as well as provide a platform to encourage and inspire more writers in the area to share their work.

On 27th October, 20 fabulous local crafters will be descending on Grantham Museum to showcase their wonderful products. Perfect gifts for all the family.

Free entry, refreshments available. Christmas shopping sorted.

This selling exhibition on the fascinating life and oeuvre of T.E. Lawrence, created by Type & Forme, is open to the public at the Grantham Museum from 4-27 October 2018 during Museum opening hours (see below). Lawrence’s Lincolnshire connections and the portraits made for Seven Pillars of Wisdom are among the highlights.

The Interactive Science Salon which is being held at Grantham Museum as part of the Gravity Fields Festival has received a National Lottery grant of £29,500 made possible by money raised by National Lottery players.

An electronic globe takes centre stage of a packed programme at the Science Salon in Grantham Museum. The globe features the voyages of Lincolnshire-born botanist Sir Joseph Banks, who, 250 years ago, travelled with Captain Cook on HMS Endeavour to Australia.

Volunteers in Grantham have been working at the Museum to research the Banks voyages to Newfoundland, Australia and Iceland to create the interactive globe with Edinburgh based specialist designers Pufferfish.

Grantham Museum is also hosting a display of drawings by Lincolnshire philosopher William Stukeley, who lived in Grantham for 4 years from 1726 to 1730.

There is also an exhibition of antiquarian books by Grantham-based specialists Type and Forme, and a flower show organised by Sue Hodgson of Flowers by Holland with members of the Grantham Flower Club – all inspired by the countries visited by HMS Endeavour.

Talks and discussions include the opportunity to meet TV, radio and theatre scriptwriter Louise Page who will be hosting a Tea Talk each day at Grantham Museum from Wednesday 26-Saturday 29 September and sharing history and science daily from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

The project is managed by heritage and arts production company Fete Day led by the Gravity Fields Festival Curator Rosemary Richards.

She has focused on the legacy of Sir Joseph Banks, who grew up at Revesby Abbey.  Research on the project involved visits to Revesby, the Joseph Banks Centre and Society in Horncastle and Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, where Banks and Sir Isaac Newton were members.

In 1768, when HMS Endeavour set sail, Banks already had the experience of an earlier voyage to explore Newfoundland. He later funded his own voyage to Iceland.

David Burling, Director of Grantham Museum, said: “We are very proud to be hosting these events for the Gravity Fields festival and look forward to welcoming everyone to the Interactive Science Salon.”

Jonathan Platt who is Head of HLF East Midlands adds ‘it is great that were have been able to support this exciting and innovative project with funding from National Lottery players’

www.gravityfields.co.uk

We have registered as a good cause with LotterySK which launches today. By selecting to support our charity you will be helping us keep the heritage of Grantham alive.

How did the former Grantham King’s School pupil become the first celebrity flying ace of World War One?

Killed in 1917 aged just 20 and awarded a posthumous VC, his courage, determination and daring boosted British morale at a time when Allied fortunes were at their lowest ebb.

Come and find out with a brand new exhibition opening on 16th August 2018 at Grantham Museum.