News and Events...

The 2011 Archaeological Digs in Clare

The 2012 season will feature a small exhibition about the 33 test pits that were dug by the children of Clare Middle School and by the people of Clare.  The digging was under the auspices of Dr Carenza Lewis of Access Cambridge Archaeology, and also the project known as Managing a Masterpiece.  The finds from the pits will add to the picture of the growth of Clare from the Neolithic period until the end of the 19th century, and contribute to Dr Lewis's bigger project for East Anglia.

An Evening with Neil Catchpole

20 April 2012. Keep this date for an evening with Neil Catchpole, the 'Warbling Woodman', in Clare Town Hall.

Photographic record of 1994-95 restoration project on Clare Ancient House.

Prior to the reopening of the Museum in 1999 English Heritage and St Edmundsbury Borough Council funded much-needed repairs to the Ancient House.  Over 40 pictures and descriptive explanations of the work are on show at the Museum for the rest of the 2011 season. Work-in-progress images of the roof repairs, external wall repairs and conservation of the famous pargetting plasterwork can be seen.

Tours of Clare under the auspices of the Museum

The Museum Trustees are very pleased to announce a programme of three tours of Clare in the Summer of 2011.  Each tour has a different theme relating to the history of the town, and will last about an hour and a half, ending with a visit to the Museum.  Adults £5; children £3; Clare residents £2.  To join a tour, contact the organizer, Phil Gryce at 01787  278192.

28th July, Thursday, 2pm: 'The creation of a Suffolk town--architecture and people'.

11th August, Thursday, 2pm: 'Religious life in Clare'

25th August, Thursday, 2pm: 'Ups and downs of Clare in the modern age'.

 

2011-12 Exhibition: Clare during the Agricultural Depression 1870-1895

When Times Were Even Worse.
Times are tough today but towards the end of the 19th century the lives of ordinary people were far worse. The Agricultural Depression (1870-1895) brought misery and hardship to many people and Clare was no exception.

Agricultural workers' wages were only 11/- per week yet social pioneer Charles Booth who devised a standard of measurement called a 'poverty line' calculated a small family need 18/- to 21/- a week to live without actual want.  As you would expect, many families moved to nearby towns to seek work, others emigrated to Australia , New Zealand and Canada. Businesses in Clare suffered, shops closed, the hotel and inn trade had a sharp downturn and property prices especially farms plummeted.  

We have researched Clare society through the census returns, old documents and photographs and parish records. Surprisingly not many people from Clare were in the local workhouse because people here seemed to 'pull together'.  Even the local doctor had three people boarding with him who were receiving parish relief.  The many friendly societies and other lodges that had been set up to help those in need provided other benefits. Of course, the Poor Rate rose markedly because of unemployment and this placed an extra burden on already overstretched, and in many instances, bankrupt farmers. Despite this, there still appeared to be a general spirit of good will towards those who would work if only they could.

For local people this year's exhibition should be particularly interesting—an ancestor or two may be mentioned. We have available a comprehensive booklet which provides invaluable research findings for a school or college project and we welcome your questions regarding the exhibition.

The Trustees of the Museum are very grateful to Neil Catchpole for the loan of a number of early agricultural implements. Other loans have come from Tom Shaw, David Sleath and Richard Smith.

 

The Neil Lanham collection

A recent donation to the Museum includes sale catalogues and posters of the estate agent and auctioneering firm of Charles Boardman. These were given by Neil Lanham who auctioneered for and later became proprietor of the firm. The items date from the mid 1890s until the late 20th century, and relate to Clare and a number of nearby villages.  Included is a copy of a watercolour by Sir John Verney, which shows Neil Lanham auctioning furniture in Clare Town Hall.

Clare Oral History Project

The Ancient House Museum has begun interviewing long-term residents of Clare for a project on the history of the town based on the memories of its residents. The project is headed by Anne Davies, one of the Museum's Trustees, who can be contacted via the Museum by anyone interested in participating.