Newsletter: October 2022

Happy memories of the Royal Mint

The Museum team is always happy to hear memories from our colleagues in the Royal Mint, particularly long-serving staff, so we were extremely pleased this month to hear from Payroll Administrator, Elaine Peacock. Elaine has worked for the Mint since June 1987 and had previously donated several photograph albums to the Museum collection. As she was about to retire Elaine visited the Museum with her colleagues to see the albums and reminisce about her time at the Mint, including her involvement with the Royal Mint Bowls Club.

Elaine said, ‘Every year we used to play Carlsberg Brewery in Northampton. So, one year we would go there for the weekend and play them and, after a huge lunch and all the lager we could drink, I don't think we ever won a game. Then the next year they would travel down to us and we would play them here. We would also go on tour elsewhere and I can remember going to Paignton and the Isle of Wight. I also remember playing the staff of Windsor Castle at Windsor Great Park Bowling Club. Every bowling club has their own pin badge and at the end of a friendly game we would swap badges with our opposite player.’

We had never heard of the pin badges and were very pleased when Elaine kindly offered to donate some to the Museum collection. Thank you for thinking of us Elaine. We hope you have a long and happy retirement!

 

Celebrating Diwali

This month the Museum team have been taking part in Diwali celebrations. We signed up to an event organised by the Royal Mint to learn more about the festival of light and the Museum’s Information and Research Manager, Chris Barker, spoke at a Diwali celebration event in London. Delivering a talk at the Arts Club in Mayfair to the TiE London group, which forms part of a global network of entrepreneurs, Chris provided guests with an insight into the 1,100-year history of the Royal Mint.

Stem Cymru

Last year the Museum was invited to take part in EESW (Engineering Education Scheme Wales) sixth form engineering project. It was a very successful partnership and, as a result, we have been asked to take part again this year. So earlier this month our Education Manager, Amy Williams, went along to the project launch held at the University of South Wales to meet our new team of sixth form students.

We are pleased to have been teamed up with Whitchurch High School in Cardiff. The students will be exploring an historical engineering challenge with the aim of producing a demonstration exhibit for use in school education workshops in the Royal Mint Experience. The students will be visiting the Royal Mint site and the Museum over the next few months to work directly with Museum staff on their project. We are very much looking forward to seeing what this year’s group come up with.

 

Federation of Museums & Art Galleries of Wales

We are extremely proud to announce that our Digital Engagement and Collections Access Officer, Susan Sandford, has been elected as an ordinary member of the Committee of the Federation of Museums & Art Galleries of Wales. The Federation represents and provides support to museums and galleries throughout Wales, offering resources, grants and training. It also initiates projects and partnerships in support of the Museum Strategy for Wales. It is a registered charitable organisation with an elected committee of eleven members and up to three co-opted members.

Susan said, ‘Through a place on the Committee I am looking forward to making a difference and helping to be an advocate on the behalf of museums and galleries across Wales’.