Museum of Richmond explained

The Museum of Richmond in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is located in Richmond's Old Town Hall,^[1] close to Richmond Bridge.^[2] It was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 28 October 1988.

An independent museum and a registered charity,^[3] it is supported by Richmond upon Thames Borough Council. Dr Nicola Mann, who heads the Department of Communications & The Arts at Richmond American University London, chairs the board of trustees; John Lee, Baron Lee of Trafford, is deputy chair.^[4] Gary Enstone is the museum's Curator and Executive Officer.

The museum's permanent displays, from medieval times to the present day, relate to the history of Richmond, Kew, Petersham and Ham which, until local government boundary changes in 1965, formed the Municipal Borough of Richmond (Surrey). Its temporary exhibitions,^[5] education activities and resources,^[6] and a programme of events (including events for families and children)^{[7] [8]} cover the whole of the modern borough. The museum's highlights include: 16th-century glass from Richmond Palace; a model of Richmond Palace;^[9] and a painting, The Terrace and View from Richmond Hill, Surrey by Dutch draughtsman and painter Leonard Knyff (1650–1722), which is part of the Richmond upon Thames Borough Art Collection.^[10]

The museum organises a programme of talks.^{[11] [12]} Admission to the museum, which is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, is free.^[13]

History

The museum was created in 1983 by local residents led by local historian John Cloake (who was the museum's first chairman).^{[14] [15] [16] [17]} Its first curator (from 1987 to 1989) was Kate Thaxton.^[18]

Exhibitions

The museum's current exhibition, which opened in July 2024, is Wish You Were Here: From Horace Walpole to Ted Lasso.^[19]

The museum's previous exhibitions include:

2020s

• 2023–24 Artificial Silk: From Kew to the World^[20]
• 2022–23 Richmond Remembers: 100 Years of the Poppy Factory^{[21] [22]}
• 2021–22 OT50 – Fifty Years of the Orange Tree Theatre.^{[23] [24]} Extracts from oral histories that accompanied the exhibition are available online.
• 2021 The King's Observatory: Richmond's Science Story, about the history of the King's Observatory in Old Deer Park. An extended version of the exhibition is available online.
• 2020–21 Queen's Road: 500 Years of History, about Queen's Road, Richmond, a historic road that runs from Sheen Road to the top of Richmond Hill.^[25] As physical access to the museum was affected by government restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, a digital version was also produced.^[26] The online version is still available.

2010s

• 2019–20 Celebrating 800 years of St. Mary Magdalene at the heart of Richmond, about Richmond's historic parish church^[27]
• 2018–19 Museum of Richmond 30th anniversary exhibition: 30 years, 30 people, 30 objects^{[28] [29]}
• 2018 Archaeology: Richmond's Prehistory^[30]
• 2017–18 Poverty^[31]
• 2017 Old Palace Lane: Medieval to Modern Richmond^[32]
• 2016–17 The Royal Star & Garter: 100 Years of Care, marking the centenary of the founding, in Richmond, of the first Star and Garter Home^{[33] [34]}
• 2015–16 The Battle of Britain 75 years on – Richmond Remembers the Second World War
• 2014–15 1914–1918 Richmond at Home and at War: Local stories and their international links, Richmond's experience of the First World War^{[35] [36]}
• 2014 Encountering the Unchartered and back – Three explorers: Ball, Vancouver and Burton,^[17] telling the story of explorers Henry Lidgbird Ball, George Vancouver and Richard Burton and their connections with Richmond^[37]
• 2013 Living and Dying in 19th Century Richmond, exploring the lives of some of Richmond's 19th-century residents^{[2] [38]}
• 2012–13 The Building of a Borough, showcasing building plans held in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames’ Local Studies Collection
• 2012 Royal Minstrels to Rock and Roll: 500 years of music-making in Richmond^{[39] [40]}
• 2012 Happy and Glorious: popular Royal celebration and commemoration in Richmond^[41]
• 2010–11 Richmond Theatre: Through the Stages^[42]
• 2010 How the Vote Was Won: Art, Theatre and Women's Suffrage^[43]

2000s

• 2009–10 Richmond – From Page to Screen^[44]
• 2009 From Henry VII to Henry VIII, marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry VII at Richmond Palace and the accession to the throne of his son Henry VIII^[45]
• 2007 The Two Richmonds – A Celebration of their Twinning, marking the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown and the twinning relationship of Richmond, Surrey and Richmond, Virginia^[46]
• 2007 Trading in Human Lives: The Richmond Connection, on Richmond and the slave trade^{[47] [48]}
• 2006–07 Men Remade: Paul Drury’s War in Richmond, featuring the work of the 20th-century artist and printmaker Paul Drury
• 2006 A Rich Heritage, featuring items from the borough's Local Studies Collection^[5]
• 2005–06 Turner-Upon-Thames, focusing on the period when the artist J. M. W. Turner lived in Isleworth and in Twickenham
• 2005 Barnes & Mortlake Past, celebrating 50 years of the founding of Barnes and Mortlake History Society^{[18] [49]}
• 2004–05 Britflicks-on-Thames: Film Studios of the Borough and Beyond^[50]
• 2004 The Sensational Miss Braddon, about the author Mary Braddon who lived and died in Richmond and is best known for her 1862 sensation novel Lady Audley's Secret^{[51] [52]}
• 2003 Without Exception, a selection of original prints by Thomas Rowlandson of "The English Dance of Death" (1815–1816)^[53]
• 2003 The Virgin Queen in Richmond, marking the 400th anniversary of the death, at Richmond Palace, of Elizabeth I^[54]
• 2002 The Fight To Save The View, marking the 100th anniversary of the Richmond, Petersham and Ham Open Spaces Act which has protected the view from Richmond Hill
• 2002 Stage by Stage: Richmond's Theatrical Heritage,^[55] looking at theatres in Richmond since the Elizabethan era
• 2001–02 Richmond's River: Pictures of and inspired by the Thames in Richmond^[56]
• 2000 From Canvas to Camera: George Hilditch 1803–1857^[18]

1990s

• 1998–99 Arthur Hughes: The Last Pre-Raphaelite,^[57] about the Pre-Raphaelite artist Arthur Hughes, who died at his house on Kew Green in 1915 and is buried in Richmond Cemetery^[58]
• 1997–98 Richmond Women Face to Face, famous women who lived in Richmond^[59]
• 1997 The Henry Doulton Legacy: 120 Years of Royal Doulton
• 1997 The Best Years of Our Lives? Going to school in Richmond – reminiscences of Richmond school days
• 1996–97 Spencer Gore in Richmond, about the artist Spencer Gore who lived in Richmond and died there in 1914^{[60] [61]}
• 1995–96 Past & Present: The Changing Face of Richmond
• 1995 Going Shopping!
• 1995 The Artist's Inspiration: Views of Richmond upon Thames

• 1994–95 The Factory of Remembrance: The Poppy & the Royal British Legion Poppy Factory^[62]
• 1994 Father & Son: The Art of Roland & Bernard Batchelor
• 1994 Simplest Country Gentlefolk': The Royal Family at Kew 1727–1841
• 1993–94 Prospects About Richmond: mid-18th century drawings and prints by Augustin Heckel^[63]
• 1993 Richmond at War: The Civilian Experience 1939–45^[18]
• 1992 Mr K: The legend of Edmund Kean
• 1992 Farewell Ice-Rink, marking the closure that year of Richmond Ice Rink
• 1991–92 Mr Rowlandson's Richmond: Thomas Rowlandson's Drawings of Richmond-upon-Thames
• 1991 The Richmond Royal Horse Show,^[64] an event held regularly in Richmond from 1892 to 1967^[65]
• 1991 Virginia Woolf and the Hogarth Press in Richmond

1980s

• 1989 Pissarro in Richmond, about Camille Pissarro and other artistic members of his family who lived in Kew and Richmond^{[18] [66]}

Publications

The museum's publications include:

• Robinson, Derek (2019) The Richmond Vicars: the ministers of St Mary Magdalene and their role in the community, 106pp.
• Robinson, Derek; Fowler, Simon (2017) Old Palace Lane: Medieval to Modern Richmond, 44pp. Published jointly with the Richmond Local History Society. . A second edition (48pp;) was published in 2020.
• Boyes, Valerie (ed.) (2014) Encountering the Uncharted and Back – three explorers: Ball, Vancouver and Burton, 24pp.
• Boyes, Valerie (with contributions from Govett, John) (2013) Living and Dying in 19th Century Richmond, 25pp.
• Boyes, Valerie (with contributions from Cloake, John and Paytress, Mark) (2012) Royal Minstrels to Rock and Roll: 500 years of music-making in Richmond, 28pp.
• Boyes, Valerie (ed.) (2009) Richmond on Page and Screen, 36pp.
• Moses, John; Cloake, John (2007) The Two Richmonds: a celebration of their twinning, the American connection, 14pp. OCLC 143627273^[67]
• Boyes, Valerie (2007) Trading in Human Lives: The Richmond Connection, 28pp.
• Moses, John (2005) Turner-upon-Thames, 13pp.
• Roberts, Leonard; Wildman, Stephen (1999) Arthur Hughes: The Last Pre-Raphaelite, 48pp.
• Gore, Frederick (1996) Spencer Gore in Richmond: an exhibition at the Museum of Richmond 10 September 1996 to 25 January 1997, 44pp. ^[68]
• Museum of Richmond (1994) Simplest Country Gentlefolk: Royal Family at Kew, 1727–1841, 36pp.
• Jeffree, Richard (1991) Mr Rowlandson's Richmond: Thomas Rowlandson's Drawings of Richmond-upon-Thames, 89pp.

Patrons

Princess Alexandra is the museum's royal patron.^{[69] [70]} Its other patrons are: author and broadcaster Anita Anand; broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough;^[71] businesswoman Ann Chapman-Daniel,^[4] Richmond hotelier Greville Dare; actor, novelist, screenwriter and film director Julian Fellowes (Baron Fellowes of West Stafford);^[72] Lady Annabel Goldsmith;^[73] and broadcaster, writer and politician Lord Watson of Richmond.^{[74] [73] [75]}

See also

• John Cloake
• Orleans House Gallery
• Richmond Local History Society
• Twickenham Museum

External links

• Official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Old Town Hall . . 22 February 2024. 24 October 2023.
2. Web site: Museum Review – Museum of Richmond upon Thames . Free entry . Please don't touch the dinosaurs . 11 April 2013 . 22 July 2018. Gooch, Tracey.
3. The museum is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales as charity number 295164.
   Web site: The Museum of Richmond . . Charity profile . 23 February 2024.
4. Web site: People . Museum of Richmond . 24 December 2023.
5. News: Elizabeth I letter among museum gems . . 7 April 2006 . 24 December 2023. Farquharson, Hannah.
6. Web site: Richmond at Home and at War . Museum of Richmond . 2014 . 24 December 2023.
7. News: Museum of Richmond marks 25th anniversary . . 20 November 2013 . 24 December 2023 . Dyduch, Amy.
8. News: Richmond meets the Romans during Festival of British Archaeology . Wimbledon Guardian . 26 June 2014 . 24 December 2023 . Odling, George.
9. News: Making sure the past has a future . . 10 September 2004 . 24 December 2023 . Oldham, Lucy.
10. Web site: The Terrace and View from Richmond Hill, Surrey . Art UK. 24 December 2023.
11. News: Month of fun lined up at Richmond Museum . . 9 February 2014 . 19 September 2023 . Dyduch, Amy.
12. News: New book and talk detail lives of 18th century Richmond family . . 7 March 2015 . 24 December 2023 . Proto, Laura.
13. Web site: Museum of Richmond . London & Partners. Visit London . 24 October 2019.
14. Five minutes with... Bamber Gascoigne . Mason, Jennifer . Residents' Journal . October 2013 . 12 September 2018. 6 . 21.
15. News: Profile: Local historian John Cloake . . 9 January 2004 . 17 July 2014 . Bell, Sarah.
16. News: Museum of Richmond founder John Cloake has died, aged 89 . . 18 July 2014 . 24 September 2014 . Dyduch, Amy.
17. A snapshot of history . Mason, Jennifer . Residents' Journal (RWPB) . 24–25. 9. January 2014. 12 September 2018.
18. Book: 30 years, people, objects and memories . Museum of Richmond . 2018.
19. Web site: June 2024 . Wish You Were Here: From Horace Walpole to Ted Lasso . 30 July 2024 . Museum of Richmond.
20. Web site: June 2023 . Artificial Silk: From Kew to the World . 21 June 2023 . Museum of Richmond.
21. Web site: Richmond Remembers: 100 Years of the Poppy Factory . 9 December 2022 . Museum of Richmond.
22. Web site: 30 September 2022 . Museum of Richmond presents 100-year story of The Poppy Factory . 21 June 2023 . The Poppy Factory.
23. Web site: 50 Years of the Orange Tree Theatre – Museum of Richmond . 15 February 2022. 22 February 2024 . Society for Theatre Research.
24. Web site: Pollard . Mary . March 2022 . Interview: 50 Years of the Orange Tree Theatre . 15 September 2022 . Everything Theatre.
25. Web site: 12 February 2020 . New Queen's Road exhibition now open at the Museum of Richmond . 9 December 2022 . Richmond American University London.
26. Web site: Virtual tour – Queen's Road: 500 Years of History . 31 March 2021 . Museum of Richmond.
27. Web site: Museum of Richmond exhibition: Celebrating 800 years of St Mary Magdalene at the heart of Richmond . 28 September 2022 . Richmond Local History Society.
28. Web site: Museum of Richmond 30th anniversary exhibition . 23 October 2019 . Richmond Local History Society.
29. News: Mehta . Amar . 30 August 2018 . Museum of Richmond celebrate 30 years . . 21 June 2023.
30. Web site: Archaeology: Richmond's Prehistory . 21 November 2019 . Museums of the World.
31. Web site: 2018 . Poverty exhibition at the Museum of Richmond . 9 December 2022 . Richmond Local History Society.
32. Web site: 2017 . Old Palace Lane exhibition at the Museum of Richmond . 5 October 2018 . Richmond Local History Society.
33. Veterans' Charity Centenary Book & Richmond Exhibition . 1 November 2016 . . 5 October 2018.
34. Web site: Bloks . Moniek . 30 November 2016 . Princess Alexandra opens The Royal Star & Garter Homes and the Museum of Richmond exhibition . 13 November 2019 . Royal Central.
35. News: Dyduch, Amy . 7 August 2014 . Museum of Richmond launches World War One exhibition . . 2 June 2023.
36. News: Proto, Laura . 20 August 2014 . World War I exhibition comes together, thanks to sterling work of community . . 2 June 2023.
37. Web site: Programme of Films, Talks and Events January – April 2014 . 22 February 2024. Museum of Richmond.
38. Web site: 2013 . Living and Dying in 19th Century Richmond . 2 June 2023 . Exhibition . Museum of Richmond.
39. News: 3 August 2012 . Royal Minstrels to Rock and Roll . The Barnes Magazine . 28 December 2023.
40. News: 20 June 2012 . Royal Minstrels to Rock and Roll: 500 years of Music-Making in Richmond. . 28 December 2023.
41. January–April 2012 . Exhibition News: Happy and Glorious: popular Royal celebration and commemoration in Richmond 4 February – 23 June 2012 . The Herald . 4. 22 February 2024.
42. Autumn 2010 . Loans to National and Local Museums . Newsletter . . 2 . 22 February 2024.
43. Web site: 2010 . How the vote was won . 9 December 2022 . www.thesuffragettes.org.
44. News: Gore, Will . 2 October 2009 . Richmond is a literary inspiration . . 13 September 2023.
45. Web site: 2009 . Exhibitions . 29 February 2016 . Funding our future in the 21st century . Museum of Richmond.
46. News: Newstead, Sarah . 27 May 2007 . Richmond celebrates with its own twin town . . 5 May 2023.
47. Web site: Guthrie, Babs . 3 May 2007 . Stories Of Slave Trade Richmond . 24 September 2014 . Painting and Drawing . Culture24.
48. News: Taylor, Helen . 12 July 2007 . Richmond's role explained . . 5 May 2023.
49. News: Hedgcock . Murray . Murray Hedgcock. 31 May 2005 . Barnes makes Richmond’s pageant richer. 22 February 2024 . The Times.
50. Web site: 27 December 2004 . Britflicks-on-Thames . 4 December 2014 . News . Film London.
51. News: 9 January 2004 . Museum looks into life of sensational author . . 5 May 2023.
52. Mary Elizabeth Braddon: a 19th Century Richmond Author with a 21st Century Life . January 2004 . Sensation Press . 23 January 2016.
53. News: 15 August 2003 . Drawing on characters of Regency times . . 24 September 2014.
54. Web site: 5 February 2003 . Diary of Engagements of Princess Alexandra . 20 January 2015 . Engagements . The British Monarchy.
55. News: 26 April 2002 . Exhibitions (April 26) . . 31 March 2021.
56. News: 21 December 2001 . Exhibitions . . 25 October 2019.
57. News: 20 February 2009 . Successful art show nears end . . 13 September 2023.
58. Web site: People of historical note buried in the borough A to L . 21 June 2017. 27 May 2024 . Local Studies Library . London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.
59. News: 17 January 1998 . Abigail moving down to Hove . . 29 December 2023.
60. Book: The Camden Town Group in Context: Spencer Gore Richmond Park c.1914 . . May 2009 . 13 September 2023. Upstone, Robert. 9781849763851 .
61. Web site: Spencer Gore in Richmond . . Exhibitions . 1996. 24 September 2014.
62. Web site: Past Exhibitions . Museum of Richmond . 18 January 2018.
63. Book: Prospects about Richmond . Yale University Library Catalog. 27 February 2021. Museum of Richmond . 1993 . 686482608 .
64. Book: The Richmond Royal Horse Show: Reflections of a Devotee . Museum of Richmond . Houghton, Joy . 1991.
65. Richmond Royal Horse Show . Roberts, Val . . May 2007 . 28 . 51–63.
66. Book: Neo-impressionist Painters: A Sourcebook on Georges Seurat, Camille Pissarro ... . . Clement, Russell T. . Houzé, Annick . 1999 . . 219 . 978-0-313-30382-1.
67. Book: The two Richmonds: a celebration of their twinning, the American connection . . 143627273.
68. Web site: Spencer Gore in Richmond . . 2 June 2023.
69. News: Princess agrees to be patron of museum . . 4 April 2003 . 4 September 2019.
70. HRH Princess Alexandra enjoys a visit to the Museum of Richmond . Museum of Richmond . 29 July 2015 . 17 September 2014.
71. News: Art-Deco Richmond . The Barnes Magazine . 8 April 2013 . 14 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180126125822/http://www.sheengate.co.uk/richmond-and-barnes/2013/04/08/art-deco-richmond/ . 26 January 2018 . dead .
72. New patron for the Museum . Museum of Richmond Newsletter . May 2015 .
73. Web site: People . Museum of Richmond . 8 December 2019.
74. Web site: The History of the Founding of the Museum of Richmond . Museum of Richmond . 19 September 2022.
75. Web site: Lord Watson of Richmond . . Lords . 5 May 2023.