Tenbury Museum
Goff's Free School
Tenbury Museum is
housed in the old Goff's School building. This single room contains
numerous exhibits illustrating the way of life in rural
Worcestershire 100 years or so ago.
Mr Goff was born in Hereford, but moved to London where he made
a fortune as a coal merchant. He left money in his will to found a
number of free schools in Herefordshire and surrounding counties
for the education of poor children. The one in Tenbury Wells was
built in 1819 at a cost of £150 and endowed with £50 a year. It was
replaced by the present building in 1868 and continued in use as a
school until 1914. Using the 'Bell' system the headmaster would
teach five of the best pupils each of whom would then pass the
knowledge on to five others until the whole class had received the
instruction. Later, the school was divided into senior and junior
classes. The rods for the curtain can still be seen on one of the
beams. The school was run on Baptist principles, which caused
considerable friction with the Church of England. Chapel services
were held in the building on Sundays until the present Baptist
Church was built. Within living memory the building was used by
Tenbury school for carpentry and cooking classes. In 1977 it was
renovated for use as a museum by Tenbury and District Museum
Society.
Our collection of relics from Tenbury's nineteenth century spa
includes a bath with four taps (why so many?), a sink and the
original drinking fountain for the spa water. There are also plans
of the inside and outside of the building, which has recently been
restored to its former glory. There is a cobbler's shop with tools
and materials typically used by shoe makers and repairers during
Victorian and early twentieth century times.
A small kitchen with its built-in fire/oven and cooking
implements indicates how folk lived in the 'good old days'! An
early mechanical washing machine is complemented by flat irons
which would have been heated in the fire.
We have examples of early consumer items such as wind-up
gramophones, a valve radio of the 1930s and even a mechanical
vacuum cleaner. There are many examples of tools used in the local
farming, hop and fruit growing industries. Oil and acetylene lamps
of the period crowd one show case along with early simple cameras
etc.
The Museum houses a set of Tenbury Advertiser newspapers
from 1871 to 1993 and also a large collection of early photographs
of people and places associated with the town and its surroundings,
some of which are presented as a slide show on our computer.
One showcase is dedicated to a set of gruesome old surgical
instruments donated by Tenbury Hospital. Local man Dr Henry Hill
Hickman (1800-1830) practised in Tenbury and pioneered the use of
inhalation anaesthesia some two decades before ether and chloroform
began to be used.
Other exhibits include several stone hot water bottles and jugs
which were in common use in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Also
from that era there are some items of clothing, lace and needlework
materials.
The Tenbury and District Museum Society is a registered charity
run by a committee all of whom are volunteers. We are always in
need of new volunteers either to act as stewards during opening
times once or twice a month or to help with maintenance. Please
phone 01299 832143 further details. The museum committee is
presently looking for bigger and more central premises to house our
ever growing collection, but in the meantime we are always ready to
consider interesting articles for display, particularly those
characteristic of the Tenbury area.
A Folk Museum
Goff's School
Cross Street
Tenbury Wells
(Opposite the King's Head Public House)
Please contact John Greenhill for further details:
Telephone: 01299 832143
Email: tenburymuseum@crcnet.org.uk
Open Easter to September
Thursdays and Saturdays 10.30 am to 1.00 pm
Sundays and Bank Holidays 2.00 to 4.00 pm
Admission Free
(Donations Box)
It is often possible to accommodate researchers and parties at
other times by prior arrangement
