Opening the Parish Room

Our old, wooden parish room had its life terminated some twenty years ago – long enough ago to be fading into history. Its demise was met with sadness, but we think it was fair to say that it had had its day and our 21^st century Community Hall is a more than fantastic replacement. The old hall had nowhere sensible to park cars, a stepped entrance, a teeny kitchen and was getting on a bit for it was almost 90 years old. And here we look back to the opening with a typed copy of a report.

We learn that the room was officially opened on November 27^th 1908 although somebody seems to have changed that to 1907 on this document. There was music and mind reading by Alfred Capper. We are told he was well known and indeed he is well enough remembered to have a web entry at http://geniimagazine.com/magicpedia/Alfred_Capper .

The Vicar (Reverend Sturton) made a short speech and the official opening was done by Lady Warrington. My Bouverie gave a vote of thanks.

A repeat performance, followed by a dance, was held in the evening.

The document ends with a statement of accounts – laughably cheap by today’s money standards.

Now I’d like to be able to say click on the picture to see a larger version but the service provider for this blog appears to have put a stop to that oh so useful facility. If you are using Windows then you should be able to hit CTRL and + to magnify the view. Other formats may allow magnification by use of finger and thumb.

Hopefully, you can read it.

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Blog Summer Holiday

The Market Lavington Museum Blog is taking its summer break but the museum stays open as normal.

• Saturday – 2.30 to 4.30 pm
• Sunday  – 2.30 – 4.30 pm
• Wednesday – 2.30 – 4.30 pm
• Bank Holiday – 2.30 – 4.30 pm

The museum address is Church Street, Market Lavington. It is situated in the old schoolmaster’s cottage behind the church.

The best parking is at the Community Hall. Walk towards the church and follow the signed path to the museum.

Don’t forget our ‘Museum Miscellany’ to celebrate 25 years of Market Lavington Museum is on September 18^th at 7.30 pm at the Market Lavington Community Hall and will feature the sounds and tastes of the parish as well as many images. The Lavington Community Choir will be singing and the county museum staff will have a stand as well. Tickets at just £5 to include Lavington nibbles and soft drinks  (there will be a bar as well) are on sale at Market Lavington Post Office.

Normal service will resume on this blog in mid August.

Alf Burgess – Photographer

Market Lavington has been really lucky to have a resident professional photographer since the 1880s. Our first was Mr Alf Burgess who set up his premises on The High Street in 1886.

Alf Burgess and his wife Marion outside their High Street, Market Lavington shop

The caption on this photo is wrong, for Alf Burgess died in 1918.

Much of the work of a photographer, in those days, was taking studio portraits, but the Burgess family also got out and about, recording local scenes.

Five Burgess children outside the photographer's shop in about 1895 - a photo at Market Lavington Museum

Here we see his shop front, in about 1895, and we can see that he sold more than just his skills with the camera and the enlarger.

The five children in the photo are his own family. It looks as though Alf and his wife Marion had a market for the toys they sold.

After Alf’s death, the firm became Burgess Brothers in which form it continued until after the Second World War.

If you have interest in this branch of the Market Lavington Burgess Family then do visit the museum which is open from May to the end of October on Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays and Bank Holidays from 2.30 to 4.30 in the afternoon. Please contact the curator if you would like to visit at other times. We have many artefacts which relate to this family of photographers.

May 1st – Market Lavington Museum opens

Let our Silver Jubilee year begin at Market Lavington Museum. It was in 1985 that we first opened our doors, so this year marks that twentyfifth anniversary.

The museum is open from today until the end of October on Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday and Bank Holiday afternoons from 2.30 to 4.30.

If you wish to visit at other times do contact the curator and we will do our best to accommodate you.

And for a taster of the familiar, here’s a corner of the ‘Trades and Occupations’ room at the museum where you can see not only the tools that people used, but also learn a little of the people themselves.

A corner of the Trades and Occupations Room at Market Lavington Museum

Do pay us a visit in this, our Silver Jubilee year. Entry is free, but we do appreciate donations. We sell copies of the wonderful book about Market Lavington (Village under the Plain by Brian McGill) and also a CD of old photographs of the village.

The museum is accessed by footpath behind the parish church. The best parking is at The Community Hall.

Opening Times

Market Lavington Museum is open

Normal times are given below. 

May – October, Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays,  2.30 p.m. – 4.30 p.m.

Market Lavington Village Museum, Church Street, Market Lavington

For other times contact the curator on lavingtoncurator@gmail.com