Introduction to the museum’s collection
Although the Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre is the public-facing part of the North East Lincolnshire Museum Service, only a tiny fraction of the objects we care for are on permanent display.
The North East Lincolnshire Museum Service cares for approximately 70,000 artefacts representing the cultural, social, and environmental history of Grimsby and the surrounding area. These objects date from the geological origins of the local area to modern day. From axe heads to teapots, from corsets to vessels, the range of objects in our care is vast, yet each one has a connection to the local area. The collection, therefore, holds countless stories about the people who lived in North East Lincolnshire for thousands of years. It is local history in its most tangible form.
The museum service began when the Doughty Bequest was left to the town of Grimsby in 1941 in the will of Wilfred Vere Doughty. Wilfred and his father George, a former Grimsby MP, were prominent local businessmen. They used their wealth to collect ship models, maritime artworks, and ceramics. The first museum, the Doughty Museum, opened in October 1958 in what was the Freeman’s Girls’ School in Grimsby town centre.
The collection moved to Welholme Galleries, a former church on Welholme Road, in 1979. It closed as a museum in July 2004.
Today the museum’s collections are stored in a secure, environment-controlled facility. Its low-light levels, cool temperature, and low humidity protect the objects to preserve them for the enjoyment of all.
The collection is divided into:
- Maritime History
- Art
- Local and Social History
- Natural Sciences
- Archaeology
Maritime History
The Maritime History collection consists of objects related to fishing as well as a large number of ship models. There are about 160 ship models comprising of various 18th to 20th century sailing and steam vessels. The majority of these are from the Doughty Bequest. The collection also contains more than 2000 items of fishing gear, mainly from North East Lincolnshire, and is of regional importance. It also includes three vessels:
- Ross Tiger – a traditional side-winder fishing trawler which used to operate out of Grimsby. She is currently moored outside of the Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre in Alexandra Dock and is available to tour with one of our trawler guides.
- Perseverance – a shrimper displayed within a dry dock inside the Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre.
- Esther – one of Grimsby’s last surviving fishing smacks. She currently lies alongside the Ross Tiger.
Art
The art collection includes paintings, drawings, prints, and other work in various media. The majority are from the Doughty Bequest which consists mainly of 19th-century marine paintings. The rest of collection features local subjects such as street scenes and portraits of notable Grimbarians. Both national and local artists, including George Race, Ernest Worrall, and John Hopkinson, are represented in the collection.
Local and Social History
The Local and Social History Collection includes a wide range of objects and archival material relating to the history of North East Lincolnshire. It consists of approximately 22,000 objects. Although most of the collection dates from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century, it covers the entire post-medieval period. These objects are perhaps the most familiar to us. They relate to the personal, domestic, and working life of the people of our local area. They include objects such as toys played with by children, nets used by fishermen, or radios listened to by families.
The ephemera collection contains about 14,000 archival documents, oral history recordings, books, magazines, and photographic materials. It is currently the subject of a new project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund which will allow this collection to be viewed online.
The costume and textile collection consists of approximately 4000 items. The majority of these were worn or used by local people or made by local manufacturers. Over half of these objects are from the Joan Sleigh Bequest. Joan Sleigh was a local textile teacher who amassed a large collection of costume and textiles during her lifetime. These were donated to the museum in her will.
We also care for a small collection of decorative arts and furniture, mostly from the Doughty Bequest of 18th and 19th-century English pottery.
Natural Sciences
The Natural Sciences collection is one of our smaller collections and consists of taxidermy animals, insect collections, bird’s eggs, small fossils, and seashells.
Archaeology
All periods from Prehistoric to the modern day are represented in the Archaeology collection. This is our largest collection at approximately 37,000 items. It includes finds from several regionally important excavations such as the Beacon Hill Barrow, from which were recovered some cremation urns dating from the Bronze Age.
Although unassuming, this Neolithic axehead shown above is one of oldest objects in human history from our collection. It was discovered in Grimsby and is over 4000 years old.
Our goal with the creation of this blog is to share not only these collections but also the stories that they hold and the conversations that they spark. We hope to highlight the work of the staff and volunteers that care for these objects, the communities that interact with them, and people that remember them.
Written by Chloe James
I am the Community Curator at North East Lincolnshire Museums Service. My role involves working with the local community to engage them with the museum and ensure they are represented in the museum’s collection. I am particularly interested in history’s untold stories, including those of the working-classes and of women. It is the personal connections between objects and people that fascinate me the most.
If you would like to contribute to the museum’s blog please contact Chloe, our Community Curator, at chloe.james@nelincs.gov.uk