|
That’s
just one of the fascinating insights into Worcester’s past being
brought back to life in an amazing collection of long-lost posters
being displayed on the balcony at the City’s Museum and Art Gallery
all this month.
Others
include the fact that 1840’s Worcester citizens were prepared to
shell-out a guinea (£1.05p) to watch a Thebes mummy being unrolled
during a midweek lecture by the British Archaeological Association
Congress.
The
City once played host to an apparently amazing scale model of Jerusalem
– taking up 1442 ft; and that top of the City’s 1847 musical charts
was a concert including the Female Ethiopian Serenades!
The
Museum’s collections officer Garston Phillips says that the original
posters on display date back to the mid 19th century and advertise
a wide range of events, lectures and ‘happenings’.
The
old museum
All
held at the Natural History Room in Foregate Street – home to the
Worcestershire Natural History Society and founded by Sir Charles
Hastings whose marble bust is, coincidentally, permanently sited
on the balcony and whose former home is just across the road!
"This
was part of the old museum and was sited where the Odeon now stands,
and the posters indicate that it was not only a place of scientific
studies, but was also a popular venue for entertainment and lectures"
he said.
He
added that aside from providing a fascinating insight into the Worcester
of the 1840’s, the posters themselves also have a history of their
own – some of which were used to line the drawers of specimen cabinets
thought to have come from the Natural History Rooms.
"The
posters were discovered by chance when we were emptying some long-forgotten
displays some years ago.
"Some
of them had been cut to fit the drawers, but the important thing
is that that they’ve lain in the dark for more than a century –
which explains why they look as good as new!"
The
posters also catalogue a number of City-based printers from the
time – including Kelly’s, Sefton, and T. Stratford, and museum staff
are now set to embark on an intensive research programme to find
out more about the events they publicise.
One
of the snippets already uncovered is that the Rock Band referred
to was not the Rolling Stones… according to Garston Phillips, the
Rock Band advertised referred to a group of musicians playing instruments
carved out of rock!
An
original painting by Worcester Porcelain founder Dr John Wall and
an unknown artist’s 1750’s view of Gaines Manor and Ankerdine Hill
are also on display for the first time.
The
exhibition - which is free – is running at the City’s Museum and
Art Gallery until 25th October.
|
