Athelstan Museum was born
as the result of a letter dated 19.2.1931 to the Wiltshire
Gazette which announced the intention of setting up a museum
in Malmesbury and asked for suitable items to be donated. The
collection was originally housed in the Town Hall and could be
viewed by appointment. Although Malmesbury Borough Council was
not an authority empowered to run museums it grew under their
care. Following the changes wrought by local government
reorganisation in 1974 the museum under the control of North
Wiltshire District Council (NWDC) was moved to Gloucester
Street and was opened by Lord Shelburne, the leader of the
council on 24th April 1975.
The Gloucester Street
premises were quickly deemed to be unsafe and in imminent
danger of collapse (they are still standing) and so early in
1979 the museum moved back to the Town Hall.
The first curator, Mrs
Bilbie ran the museum enthusiastically for several years with
exhibitions and competitions aimed at children.
She was replaced on
retirement by Bobbie Prince who remained with the museum until
2006; she retired when NWDC relinquished control of the
museum.
 In 1981 Friends
of Athelstan Museum (FOAM), an acronym which has given rise to
much frothy comment, was founded with Roger Griffin as
Chairman following an initiative by Jerry Dix of NWDC. As well
as social events the friends ran lectures and trips to other
museums or historical sites. They also raised considerable
sums for improving the collection. A catalogue for an
exhibition held to mark their tenth anniversary lists 36 major
items, some like the Tom Girtin drawing of the Market Cross,
their first purchase, and the Saxon and roman silver pennies
of considerable value.
FOAM continued to support
the museum first under the chairmanship of Simon Graley and
then John D’Arcy. Increasing dissatisfaction with the
resources NWDC felt able to allocate to the museum led in 2003
to proposals by FOAM to take over the administration.
Financial details proved a stumbling block but in 2006, minds
having been concentrated by the impending sale of the Town
Hall to Malmesbury Town Council (MTC), terms were agreed. On
1st April 2006 FOAM took over the running of the Athelstan
Museum with the help of diminishing grants over 3 years from
NWDC. Roger Griffin resumed the chair and on 31st August 2007
FOAM took over the collection as well.
Plans drawn up by MTC for
the necessary restoration and improvement of the Town Hall
meant more changes. The museum was allocated a space and FOAM
had to fit it out. This required vacation of the building
while this was done. Temporary premises nearby in the Cross
Hayes were found. Much work, all by volunteers, was required
to bring these to a suitable state but at the end of August
2007 the old museum closed its doors only to reopen in the
temporary premises a week later. This was a Herculean effort
by the volunteers – heroes and heroines every one.
Not only have these
dramatic changes been demanding on human resources, they have
required considerable funding.
In June 2007 FOAM
launched an appeal for £288,000 with a garden party. A bid to
the Heritage Lottery Fund was successful providing £199,000.
Local charities organisations and individuals supported the
cause and by March 2008 only £40,000 still had to be found.
This money was achieved with local support and landfill
grants from Hills and Viridor. Rising costs mean, however,
that we are still seeking a further £20,000 capital
funds.
At
the end of July the whole removal process had to go into
reverse as we moved to our permanent home in Malmesbury town
hall. Again our volunteers, now aided by our staff were superb
and so we were able on 15th August to officially
open the new Athelstan
Museum.
Richard Hatchwell, a well known local historian and a
generous and whole-hearted supporter of the museum assisted by
Sam Hunt from the Heritage Lottery Fund cut the tape. Well
over 100 supporters and well-wishers along with local
dignitaries attended the ceremony and we were truly launched.
We look forward to the future, co-operating with the people of
Malmesbury and district.
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