HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS

                                                                              Reproduced courtesy of Haslemere Educational Museum

Haslemere DFAS Heritage Volunteers have been involved with the Haslemere Educational Museum for the last 15 years. During this time they have undertaken a variety of tasks, including sorting, cleaning and cataloguing the Fine Art collection, helping to conserve items, and cleaning and checking all the Library Books. The Volunteers have helped in packing and storing Collections, as well as researching and recording information on the computer Database.

2009 Donation: Restoration of 5 paintings - The Infamous Murder of the Sailor at Hindhead

Last year HDFAS donated £200 to the Haslemere Museum to go towards the restoration of a series of 5 paintings known as the Hindhead Murder Paintings. Previously privately owned, they were acquired at auction in 2009 and generously donated to the Museum by the Winter family.

Painted by a pub landlord named Pearson, in the late 1800s, the oil paintings tell the story of the meeting between an unknown sailor and three fellow sailors, in 1786, who agree to journey together over the desolate heights of Hindhead. The paintings depict the four men stopping for a drink at The Red Lion at Thursley, the murder of the unknown sailor by the other three, their capture at The Sun Inn in Rake and subsequent execution by hanging. A fifth scene is of three devils flying above what is assumed to be the Devil's Jumps, three conical shaped hills near Thursley. The pictures are of different sizes, framed as a set in the same type of frame and in need of cleaning and restoration.

Courtesy of the Museum, below are photos of the five paintings.

▼ Click on each one to enlarge, then click the enlarged size again to return it to thumbnail size:
               
Copyright of Haslemere Educational Museum.

Below is a close-up of the third in the series which features the moment when the three criminals are apprended. It is heavily cracked.

Copyright of Haslemere Educational Museum. Reproduced courtesy of Haslemere Educational Museum

Should anyone wish to donate funds towards this project to help conserve the pictures, please get in touch direct with Julia Tanner, Curator of Haslemere Museum:
Tel.: 01428 642112
Email: curator@haslemeremuseum.co.uk

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On-going contribution by HDFAS Volunteers

A team of Volunteers is currently helping to maintain the museum galleries by cleaning and polishing the display and glass cabinets on a regular basis. This project is in its fifth year and will continue to be undertaken.
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2006-2007 Donations

In 2006, HDFAS donated funds to the Museum for the conservation of a christening robe and hat. A further donation of funds was made in 2007, to go towards the conservation of a painting of local interest by George Gordon Byron Cooper (see photograph on 2007 Gallery page)

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Conservation
A group of seven HDFAS Volunteers completed a textile project at St Christopher's Church in Haslemere. The St. Christopher Banner which was used for the first time at the Harvest Festival, in November 1905, was the gift of Mrs Thomas. It was designed by Miss Lily Bristow and has been repaired several times over the years. In 2006, under the guidance of the conservator Marilyn Leader, the banner was vacuumed,  tiny pieces of fine gauze were dyed to match and sewn over the crumbling silk and re-hung.

Below are photos of the banner and of the needlework.

▼ Click on each of the thumbnails to enlarge it, then click again on the enlarged size to return it to thumbnail size:
                   

In 2009 a Church Recording group was set up to record the contents of St Christopher's Church.

For more information about this project go to the Recorders page.
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NADFAS Heritage Volunteers help to conserve our British heritage, working as stewards and guides, helping with preventative conservation and in non-specialist but vital ways caring for both public and private collections. Without the help of Volunteers, some of these would undoubtedly deteriorate to such an extent that they could be lost forever. Basic training courses are given by professional conservators in a variety of fields.
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A short history about the work of the HDFAS Heritage Volunteers can be downloaded by clicking on the link below:
"Haslemere Heritage Volunteers 1992 - 2008: Volunteering in the Haslemere Museum"

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If you would like to participate or find out more about HDFAS Heritage Volunteers send an email to enquiries@haslemeredfas.org.uk

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